Hoxhë Hasan Moglica commonly referred as Hoxhë Moglica, was an

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

alim Alim (''ʿAlīm'' , also anglicized as ''Aleem'') is one of the Names of God in Islam, meaning "''All-knowing one''". It is also used as a personal name, as a short form of Abdul Alim, "''Servant of the All-Knowing''": Given name * Alim ad-Din A ...

, müderris, engineer, philosopher, patriot, nationalist figure and proclaimed as martyr of Albanian language and nation by the Albanian government.

Life and work

Early life

He was born Hasan Sulë Shermeti Moglica, in

Moglicë Moglicë is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Maliq Maliq ( sq-definite, Maliqi) formerly known as Malik, is a town and ...

village of Okshtun highland, part of lower Diber County, today's Albania, back then part of the Sanjak of Dibra 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) ...

. His family had migrated in the area from Dibër e madhe, the administrative center of that time. His father was a construction master and would take Hasan with him at a young age. Beside helping his father, he registered in the local schools. First, he attended the meytep (elementary religious school) in Peqin, and considering his results and the will of learning his father registered him in the

Madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...

of Elbasan. There he learned the

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

, old Ottoman, and

Persian language Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken and ...

. After finishing the madrasa, he went to

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

where he studied

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

and

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

. Upon his return home after the studies, he started working an

imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...

of the local mosque. He was also involved in local engineering works, as drainage systems,

watermill A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production of ...

s, etc.

Nationalist activity

Inspired by the National Awakening movement, Moglica was deeply involved in the attempts of spreading the Albanian education. He was a delegate of Gollobordë region in the League of Prizren of June 1878. Moglica was one of the organizers and main participants of several meetings which the Dibra branch of the League held during the autumn of 1878, 14 October, 1 November, and most important the one of 20 October, known as Meeting of Dibra, sq, Kuvendi i Dibrës, in the

Albanian historiography The Historiography of Albania ( sq, Historiografia e Shqipërisë) or Albanian historiography ( sq, Historiografia shqiptare) refers to the studies, sources, critical methods and interpretations used by scholars to study the history of Albania and A ...

. Here the local leaders would decide the specifics of implementing the League's decision. The meeting protested once again against the decision of the Congress of Berlin, and demanded the unification of all Albanian sanjaks into a single

vilayet A vilayet ( ota, , "province"), also known by #Names, various other names, was a first-order administrative division of the later Ottoman Empire. It was introduced in the Vilayet Law of 21 January 1867, part of the Tanzimat reform movement init ...

. Even after the suppression of the League, he continued his activities in the areas around Dibër, Elbasan, and Gollobordë. He had his own '' çeta'' of guerrillas. He would be appointed as müderris in Gollobordë.

An educator

Moglica was involved with spreading of the

Albanian language Albanian ( endonym: or ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is spoken by the Albanians in the Balkans and by the Albanian diaspora, which is generally concentrated in the Americas, Europ ...

and education in the early 1900s. He contributed in the delivery and distribution of around 5,000 Albanian primers, printed by the Albanian colonies of

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and ha ...

, and Istanbul. He participated in the Congress of Dibra as a representative of Gollobordë (together with Dan Agë Cami and Hazis Hoxhë Efendi Lila), and in the

Congress of Elbasan The Congress of Elbasan ( sq, Kongresi i Elbasanit), also known between Albanians as the Congress of the Albanian schools (''Kongresi i shkollave shqipe''), was held from 2 to 8 September 1909 in Elbasan, today's Albania, back then part of the Vi ...

of 1909, known as the Congress of the Albanian Schools ( sq, Kongresi i Shkollave Shqipe). The Normal School of Elbasan which was established by the Congress had many students from Moglica's zone of influence. Due to his work and sponsorship, there were 9 students from Gollobordë out of 29 in total during the first academic year. On his personal initiative, a local meeting was organized in Fushë-Klenjë of Gollobordë ( sq, Kuvendi i Fushë-Klenjës). There he propagandized and explained to the local population the importance of education, the Albanian alphabet and schools, and urged them to send their children in the newly established schools. Moglica opened a school in his area in 1904, and had transformed his 28-room house into a huge library, which was burnt down by the Turkish soldiers of

Turgut Pasha Shevket Turgut Pasha ( tr, Şevket Turgut Paşa; 1857–1924) was an Ottoman army general with the rank of ''mirliva'' (major general), who also held the governmental title of ''pasha'' (lord). He went to the Prussian military school. Biography ...

in 1908.

Arrest and execution

With the

First Balkan War The First Balkan War ( sr, Први балкански рат, ''Prvi balkanski rat''; bg, Балканска война; el, Αʹ Βαλκανικός πόλεμος; tr, Birinci Balkan Savaşı) lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and invo ...

, the Dibra region was invaded by the Serbian army. This would be followed by the turmoils of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

where several military and paramilitary fractions would raid the area. In 1914, Moglica would be arrested by the supporters of Essad Pasha Toptani, influential in the area and closely related to Serbia. They sent him to Elbasan, and in order to humiliate him threw a saddle on him and made him walk in the streets of Elbasan despite his age. He would stay imprisoned for 3 months, and could escape only after the turmoil created when the Serbian army marched toward Elbasan against the Pro-Ottoman rebels of

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 ...

. He returned to his village in early 1915, but remained in the "wanted" list by the Serbian army, who burnt his home as well. His family was displaced further south in Çermenikë region. The Serbians arrested his only son Osman, a local teacher as well, and asked Moglica to surrender in exchange for his son's life. Moglica agreed and the exchange was made. He was offered the option to sign a "petition" demanding that the western part of Dibra regions including the localities of Kolgrek, Kaptinë, Vervjak, Qafë Buall, and Qafë-Murrë, till

Lurë Lurë is a former municipality in the Dibër County, northeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Dibër. The population at the 2011 census was 1,096.

Acknowledgment

In 1975, he was decorated by the Parliament of Albania as "Distinguished Patriot" ( sq, Atdhetar i shquar), along other important figures as

Ismail Qemali Ismail Qemal bey Vlora, mostly known as Ismail Qemali (; 16 January 184426 January 1919), was an Albanian diplomat, politician, rilindas, statesman and the Founding Father of modern Albania, and one of the most famous Southern Albanian person. Th ...

Abdyl Frashëri Abdyl Dume bey Frashëri ( tr, Fraşerli Abdül Bey; 1 June 1839 – 23 October 1892) was an Ottoman Albanian civil servant, politician during the First Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire, and one of the first Albanian political ideologues ...

, Sami Frashëri,

Naim Frashëri Naim bey Frashëri, more commonly Naim Frashëri (; ; 25 May 184620 October 1900), was an Albanian historian, journalist, poet, rilindas and translator who was proclaimed as the national poet of Albania. He is regarded as the pioneer of modern ...

Luigj Gurakuqi Luigj Gurakuqi (also called Louis Gurakuchi; 19 February 1879 – 2 March 1925) was an Albanian writer and politician. He was an important figure of the Albanian National Awakening and was honoured with the People's Hero of Albania medal. Bi ...

, etc. The ''Dibra'' newspaper declared as "Dibran of the century" in a voting-based survey in 1999. A museum dedicated to him is built in his village in

Moglicë, Elbasan Moglicë is a historic village in the Stëblevë commune, Elbasan County, in Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Librazhd. Until 1991 Moglicë was under the administration of Dibër, Albania. Since 1991 ...

. Also, the united school in Okshtun i Madh (Engl. 'Big Okshtun'), in Bulqizë District has been named "Hasan Moglica".Hoxha, Artan. "Shkolla 'Hasan Moglica'". (Via Panoramio - Photo taken in Bulqizë District, Albania). Retrieved 3 January 2015. Online

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moglica, Hasan 1854 births 1915 deaths People from Librazhd Sanjak of Dibra 19th-century Albanian people 20th-century Albanian people Albanian imams Albanian schoolteachers Executed Albanian people Albanian Sunni Muslims Activists of the Albanian National Awakening People from Debar Premature burials People from Manastir vilayet