Koja e Kuçit (Koja of Kuçi) is a historical

Albanian tribe The Albanian tribes ( sq, fiset shqiptare) form a historical mode of social organization (''farefisní'') in Albania and the southwestern Balkans characterized by a common culture, often common patrilineal kinship ties tracing back to one progeni ...

and region in

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 ...

. Koja is a Catholic region located between Triepshi and Kuči. The people of Koja are referred to as ''Kojanë'' or ''Koqas''.

History

Koja is the smallest region in Malësia. It is attested for the first time in the Ottoman ''defter'' of 1582 where the villages of ''Koqa i Madh'' and ''Koqa i Vogël'' appear in the nahiyah of Kuçi. These settlements were not recorded in the previous registers suggesting that their founding can be attributed to an increase in population, possibly due to migrations, that occurred following the consolidation of Ottoman power in the region. In regards to their anthroponymy, over half of the inhabitants of these villages bore typical Albanian personal names, the remainder bearing mixed Albanian-Slavic anthroponyms. In the

Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1861–62) Montenegrin–Ottoman War may refer to: *Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1852–53) * Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1861–62) *Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1876–78) Montenegrin–Ottoman War may refer to: *Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1852–53) *Montenegrin ...

, Kuči, Piperi and other groups attacked Triepshi and Koja e Kuçit, but that attack was repulsed.

Pretash Zeka Ulaj Pretash Zeka Ulaj (1882-1962) was an Albanian military figure in the Albanian Revolt of 1911. He was the ''bajraktar'' (flag-bearer) of Koja e Kuçit in Montenegro. He was distinguished Battle of Deçiq, fought near Tuzi in 1911 between Albanian hi ...

from Koja was one of the Malësor leaders that led the region to its freedom when fighting in 1911 in the

Battle of Deçiq The Battle of Deçiq ( sq, Beteja e Deçiqit; Montenegrin: ) was a battle between Albanian tribesmen and Ottoman forces during the Malësori uprising of 1911. It was a turning point for Albania's secession from the Ottoman Empire. Dedë Gjo ...

, alongside the famous

Ded Gjo Luli Ded Gjo Luli Dedvukaj also referred to as ''Ded Gjon Luli'' (November 1840–24 September 1915) was an Albanian guerrilla leader most notable for commanding the 1911 revolt against Ottoman troops. He was posthumously awarded the "Hero of Alban ...

from Hoti. Dokë Preci Krcaj, Cakë Uci Ivanaj, Gjeto Toma Kolçaj, Tomë Uci Ivanaj, Kolë Doka Marashaj, Marash Leca Gjokaj, and Gjeto Gjeka Ivanaj are remembered as the ''Seven Heroes of Koja'' for giving their lives in the battle.

Brotherhoods

Noted families from Koja;

Notable people

—Leader of the tribe volunteers at the

. * Gjeto Toma Kolçaj — Participant at the Battle of Deçiq. * Viktor Marku Ula — International relations scholar and Political Advisory to former Kosovo Prime Minister

Agim Çeku Agim Çeku ( sh, Agim Čeku, born 29 October 1960) is a Kosovan politician, the former minister of Security Forces in Kosovo and formerly the prime minister. Of military background, he was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) that f ...

in 2006.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koja e Kucit Albanian communities in Montenegro Malësia Albanian Roman Catholics Historical regions in Albania Tribes of Albania