Arif Hiqmeti, born Arif Neziri (1870s–1916), was one of the leaders of the

Peasant Revolt in Albania The Peasant Revolt in Albania, also known as the Islamic Revolt or Muslim Uprising in Albania, was the uprising of peasants from central Albania, by mostly Muslims, against the regime of Prince Wilhelm of Wied during 1914. It was one of the reasons ...

Early life

Arif Hiqmeti was born in 1870s in Lojane, a small village near

Kumanovo Kumanovo ( mk, Куманово ; also known by other #Etymology, alternative names) is a city in North Macedonia and the seat of Kumanovo Municipality, the List of municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia by population, largest municipali ...

in what is now

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, to an Albanian family. His father was a tradesman. Hiqmeti received the first lessons from a Muslim clergyman in the village. Since at a young age he showed intelligence and good communication skills. His family's powerful friends enabled him to study

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. After finishing studies, Hiqmeti was given a job as an agent of

Hilmi Pasha Hilmi ( ar, حلمي) is a masculine Arabic language, Arabic given name, it may refer to: *Hilmi Esat Bayındırlı (born 1962), Turkish*American para-skier *Hilmi Güler (born 1946), Turkish politician and metallurgical engineer *Hilmi İşgüzar ...

Ottoman service

Due to his skills and knowledge of several languages, he later became a secret agent of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. During that time Hiqmeti showed a staunch support for the religious policies and nature of the empire, and a disapproval of nationalist ideals that were emerging among Balkan populations. In early 20th century he was sent to the

Malësia Malësia e Madhe ("Great Highlands"), known simply as Malësia ( sq, Malësia, cnr, / ), is a historical and ethnographic region in northern Albania and eastern central Montenegro corresponding to the highlands of the geographical subdivision ...

region to persuade leaders of Albanian revolts for independence to accept official Ottoman posts and stop revolting. After failing to find an agreement with leaders of Malësia, Hiqmeti began to visit many Muslim religious buildings and families across area with Albanian populations, spreading pro-Ottoman propaganda. In 1910 Hiqmeti with some collaborators of him organized at the center of

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a meeting where he spoke against the

Congress of Manastir The Congress of Manastir ( sq, Kongresi i Manastirit) was an academic conference held in the city of Manastir (now Bitola) from November 14 to 22, 1908, with the goal of standardizing the Albanian alphabet. November 22 is now a commemorative da ...

and its adoption of a

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for writing in

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. For the same reason meetings were held in the coming weeks in other settlements with Albanian populations. According to contemporary documents, the meetings did find very few supporters among ordinary people.

Haxhi Qamili Revolt

After Albania declared independence, in 1914 Hiqmeti was involved in the Peasant Revolt led by

Haxhi Qamili Haxhi Qamili, born Qamil Zyber Xhameta, (1876 – 16 August 1915) was the leader of the 1914–15 revolt in Albania. He was popularly known by his religious name Haxhi Qamili, though he was also known as ''Baba Qamili'' (''Father Qamil''). Biogr ...

and which had as its goal the removal of Prince Wilhelm Wied from power. The revolt gathered support from some pro-Ottoman peasants who believed that the new regime of the

Principality of Albania The Principality of Albania ( al, Principata e Shqipërisë or ) refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by Wilhelm, Prince of Albania, that lasted from the Treaty of London of 1913 which ended the First Balkan War, through ...

was a tool of the six Christian

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s and the landowners that owned half of the arable land. However the revolt did not have success and soon it was suppressed. In 1916 Hiqmeti was shot dead by Albanian patriots from Dibra.

Legacy

According to Selim Islami, Kristo Frashëri and Aleks Buda, Arif Hiqmeti was regarded by Albanians in 1968 as a symbol of anti-democratic movements and misusage of religious ideals for personal profit.

References

{{Authority control People from Kumanovo People from Kosovo vilayet Albanians from the Ottoman Empire 1916 deaths Istanbul University Faculty of Law alumni