Kolonjë is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Korçë County Korçë County ( sq, Qarku Korçë, italic=unset), officially the County of Korçë ( sq, Qarku i Korçës, italic=unset), is a county in the Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the largest by area and the seventh most populous of ...

, southeastern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities

Barmash Barmash is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Eur ...

Çlirim Çlirim ( Albanian for "liberation") is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a ...

Ersekë Ersekë ( sq-definite, Erseka), is a town and a former municipality in southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality Kolonjë, Korçë, Kolonjë. Founded in the 17th century, Ers ...

Leskovik Leskovik is a town and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Kolonjë. It is located right at the Greek-Albanian border. The population ...

, Mollas,

Novoselë Novoselë is a village and a former municipality in the Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Vlorë. The population at the 2011 census was 8,209.< ...

, Qendër Ersekë and Qendër Leskovik. The seat of the municipality is the town Ersekë. The total population is 11,070 (2011 census), in a total area of . It is an ethnographic region. The area of the municipality is with the former Kolonjë District, one of the 36

districts of Albania Districts ( sq, or ) were first and second-level administrative divisions of Albania from 19132000. Their number, size, and status changed over time. From 1991 to 2000, the 36 districts were organized into 12 counties. Pursuant to the 1998 Con ...

, which were dissolved in July 2000 and replaced by 12

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Location

Kolonjë is located in south-east Albania and its capital is

. Other towns in this district include

to the south. It is bounded by

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...

to the north and

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

to the east, including the regional units of

Kastoria Kastoria ( el, Καστοριά, ''Kastoriá'' ) is a city in northern Greece in the modern regions of Greece, region of Western Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria (regional unit), Kastoria regional unit, in the Geographic regions of Gree ...

and

Ioannina Ioannina ( el, Ιωάννινα ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. According to the 2011 census, the c ...

. The town of Ersekë is located at the foot of mount

Gramos Gramos ( sq, Gramoz, Mali i Gramozit; rup, Gramosta, Gramusta; el, Γράμος or Γράμμος) is a mountain range on the border of Albania and Greece. The mountain is part of the northern Pindus mountain range. Its highest peak, at the ...

, Albania's fourth-highest mountain with a peak at 2,525 m above sea level.

History

During the Middle Ages a region under the name Koloneia is located in the mountain region south of

(southeast Albania) and north of

Konitsa Konitsa ( el, Κόνιτσα; see also names in other languages) is a town of Ioannina in Epirus, Greece. It is located north of the capital Ioannina and near the Albanian border. Northeast of Konitsa lies a group of villages known as the Zagoro ...

and

(northwestern Greece) at the west slopes of

Grammos Gramos ( sq, Gramoz, Mali i Gramozit; rup, Gramosta, Gramusta; el, Γράμος or Γράμμος) is a mountain range on the border of Albania and Greece. The mountain is part of the northern Pindus mountain range. Its highest peak, at the ...

mountain range. A Byzantine military garrison under the same name was built west of Grammos. According to the account of

John Skylitzes John Skylitzes, commonly Latinized as Ioannes, la, Johannes, label=none, la, Iōannēs, label=none Scylitzes ( el, Ἰωάννης Σκυλίτζης, ''Iōánnēs Skylítzēs'', or el, Σκυλίτση, ''Skylítsē'', label=none ; la, ...

, in , after the

Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria From ca. 970 until 1018, a series of conflicts between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire led to the gradual reconquest of Bulgaria by the Byzantines, who thus re-established their control over the entire Balkan peninsula for the fir ...

, emperor

Basil II Basil II Porphyrogenitus ( gr, Βασίλειος Πορφυρογέννητος ;) and, most often, the Purple-born ( gr, ὁ πορφυρογέννητος, translit=ho porphyrogennetos).. 958 – 15 December 1025), nicknamed the Bulgar S ...

created new

theme Theme or themes may refer to: * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work * Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos * Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...

s at Koloneia,

Dryinopolis Dryinopolis or Dryinoupolis ( el, Δρυϊνόπολις or Δρυϊνούπολις) is a historical region in southwestern Albania and northwestern Greece in Epirus. The heartland of this region is the valley of the Drino (Greek: Drinos) river and ...

, and Dyrrhachium, and settled former Byzantine prisoners of war to secure the Byzantine positions in

Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...

against future enemy attacks from central and western Macedonia. At 1040s the theme of Koloneia was incorporated to the Duchy of Dyrrachion. After the

Sack of Constantinople The sack of Constantinople occurred in April 1204 and marked the culmination of the Fourth Crusade. Crusader armies captured, looted, and destroyed parts of Constantinople, then the capital of the Byzantine Empire. After the capture of the c ...

at 1204 and the following

partition Partition may refer to: Computing Hardware * Disk partitioning, the division of a hard disk drive * Memory partition, a subdivision of a computer's memory, usually for use by a single job Software * Partition (database), the division of a ...

of the Byzantine Empire Koloneia was granted to the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

. However, Koloneia came under the control of the

Despotate of Epirus The Despotate of Epirus ( gkm, Δεσποτᾶτον τῆς Ἠπείρου) was one of the Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claim ...

and formed one of the themes of the Despotate. Following the

Battle of Pelagonia The Battle of Pelagonia or Battle of Kastoriae.g. ; . took place in early summer or autumn 1259, between the Empire of Nicaea and an anti-Nicaean alliance comprising Despotate of Epirus, Sicily and the Principality of Achaea. It was a decisive ev ...

in 1259 Koloneia was ceded to the

Empire of Nicaea The Empire of Nicaea or the Nicene Empire is the conventional historiographic name for the largest of the three Byzantine Greek''A Short history of Greece from early times to 1964'' by W. A. Heurtley, H. C. Darby, C. W. Crawley, C. M. Woodhouse ...

. In a text by Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos (r. 1347-1354) whose 'History' covers the years 1320-1356, there is mention of local

Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...

; “''While the emperor was spending about eight days in Achrida (

Ohrid Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...

), the Albanian nomads living in the region of Deabolis (Devoll) appeared before him, as well as those from Koloneia ( Kolonja) and those from the vicinity of Ohrid.''” This meeting was estimated to have taken place at around February 1328. One source says that one of the two main waves of Albanian movements coming from the north entered Kolonjë in the 14th century, with the wave also affecting the neighboring

Dangëllia Dangëllia is a traditional or "ethnographic" region of Albania, located primarily around the towns of Përmet and Frashëri, although the exact definition of its borders varies. Neighboring regions include Dishnica to the North, Zagori and Këlc ...

region. The name Kolonja is related to the

Roman period The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...

of the area.

Villages, communities and settlements

Gramos mountain, Northern Greece and Albania - waterfall

Bezhan Bezhan is a village in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the A ...

* Blush * Borovë *

Butkë Butkë is a community in the Korçë County, Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kolonjë. Notable people *Sali Butka, 19th and early 20th century freedom fighter * Gani Butka, 19th and early 20th centu ...

* Gjonc *

Gërmenj Gërmenj is a village in the former municipality of Potom in Berat County, Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Skrapar Skrapar ( sq-definite, Skrapari) is a municipality in Berat County, southern Albania ...

* Gostivisht * Helmës *

Kabash Kabash (, ) is a town in the Vitina Municipality of southeast Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republ ...

* Kagjinas * Kaltanj *

Kamnik Kamnik (; german: Stein''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, pp. 26–27. or ''Stein in Oberkrain'') is a town in northern Slovenia. It is t ...

* Kodras * Kozel * Kreshovë *

Kurtez Kurtez (also: ''Kurtes'') is a community in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It ...

* Lashovë * Lëngëz * Lënckë *

Leshnjë Leshnjë is a village and a former municipality in Berat County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Skrapar Skrapar ( sq-definite, Skrapari) is a municipality in Berat County, southern ...

Luaras Luaras is a village in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform, it became part of the municipality Kolonjë. Notable people *Kristo Luarasi, Albanian rilindas and first editor of the Kalendari Kombëtar maga ...

* Mesicke * Milec * Mollas *

* Orgockë * Piskal * Podë *

Postenan Postenan is a community in the Korçë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kolonjë. Notable people * Athanas Sina, writer and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. *Jani Vreto, ...

Prodan Prodan ( Bulgarian and Croatian: Продан) is a South Slavic (Bulgarian, Serbian and Croatian) masculine given name, itself a passive adjective ('' prodan'') from Slavic '' prodati''–"to sell", hence meaning "sold". It is attested in Bulgar ...

* Psarr i Zi * Qafzes * Qesarakë * Qinam Radovickë * Qinam * Qytezë *

Radimisht Radimisht is a small village in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located ...

* Radanj * Rehovë *

Selenicë e Pishës Selenicë ( rup, Selenitsã "Selițcă") is a municipality in Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Armen, Brataj, Kotë, Selenicë, Sevaster and Vllahin ...

Shalës Shalës is a village and a former municipality in the Elbasan County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Cërrik Cërrik (; sq-definite, Cërriku ) is a municipality in Elbasan Coun ...

* Shtikë * Shën Mërtir *

Starje Starje is a village in the Korçë County in southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kolonjë. Originally the name was ''Plakas'' meaning ''old'' in Albanian. The village's population religious ...

* Taç * Vodicë * Vrepckë

Notable people

Sali Njazi Salih Nijazi (15 March 1876 – 28 November 1941) was the 1st Bektashi Dedebabate, Dedebaba (or Kryegjysh) of the Bektashism in Albania, Bektashi Order that was established in Albania in 1930. Biography Early life Salih Nijazi was born on 5 Marc ...

, 1st

Dedebaba The Dedebabate is the leadership of Bektashism The Bektashi Order; sq, Tarikati Bektashi; tr, Bektaşi or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi mystic movement originating in the 13th-century. It is named after the Anatolian saint Haji Bektash ...

of the

Bektashi Order The Bektashi Order; sq, Tarikati Bektashi; tr, Bektaşi or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi mystic movement originating in the 13th-century. It is named after the Anatolian saint Haji Bektash Wali (d. 1271). The community is currently led by ...

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kolonje, Korce Municipalities in Korçë County Albanian ethnographic regions