Mehmet Shpendi, also known as Sokol Shpendi (1851–1915), a nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter, was one of the leading commanders of the Albanian Revolt of 1910,

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

, 1912 against

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) ...

and struggle for liberty against Kingdom of Montenegro in 1915. Born in the village of Shala Pecaj, Dukagjini, he represented the general uprising of the Malsia Highlands against the Ottoman Empire and the Montenegrin forces. In 1883, in Çezmë in Koplik, Mehmet Shpendi, in the name of Dukagjin, sided with Ded Gjo Luli in order to resist the commission of Xhibalit which was formed in 1856 with the purpose of tricking the Montenegrins. In 1890 Mehmet Shpendi founded the "Shala Djelmnia", an Albanian patriotic organization. In 1910 the forces of Mehmet Shpendi fought the Ottoman general

Shevket 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 ...

, where 300 Albanian highlanders were involved in the Battle of Agri Pass against the Ottomans. The Ottoman battalions numbered 20 and were supplied with artillery cannons and modern weapons. The Ottomans were frightened by the fierce fighting of the Highlanders and they lost the battle. Shpendi later gathered his Shalë forces, joined the Highlanders of the Hoti tribe with their chieftain Ded Gjo Luli and both refused to pay Ottoman taxes and to give up their weapons. Ottoman forces pursued them and the Highlanders entered Montenegro. In 1911, Ded Gjo Luli and Mehmet Shpendi rose the flag Albanian flag for the first time in 400 years in the victorious battle of Decic. He is regarded as a local hero. On 28 May 1911, the Highlander tribes organized a meeting at the Bridge of Shala where they decided that all of Dukagjin were to participate in an armed insurrection. The Ottoman government announced for an amnesty for the freedom fighters, seeing the risk of the spreading insurgency. The Foreign minister of the Ottomans sought to meet the leaders of the Highlanders. Ded Gjo Luli and Mehmet Shpendi is said to have told the minister that "We have nothing to speak of. We will speak with you through our barrels." After the defeat of the Ottomans, Shpendi continued to fight the Montenegrin invaders. On 15 July 1915, the Montenegrin general

Radomir Vešović Radomir Vešović (Serbian Cyrillic: Радомир Вешовић; 6 April 1871 – 27 September 1938) was a Montenegrin and Yugoslav military officer and politician. Vešović was born in village of Lopate in Montenegrin county of Lijeva Rijeka ...

invited Mehmet Shpendi to a peace meeting but deceived and murdered him instead.

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http://www.kosovarimedia.com/index.php/biblioteka/atdhetar-te-shquar/36420-mehmet-shpendi-apo-shaljani-i-tetë.html "Mehmet Shpendi and the Eight Shala Tribes" {{DEFAULTSORT:Shpendi, Mehmet 19th-century Albanian military personnel 20th-century Albanian military personnel Albanian Roman Catholics Heroes of Albania People from Scutari vilayet Activists of the Albanian National Awakening 1851 births 1915 deaths People from Shkodër Shala (tribe)

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