The Mjeda family (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

: ''Miedia''), is a noble

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 ...

family which played a prominent role in the history of Albania and Kosovo in the 19th and early 20th century.

History

The progenitor of the family, Bardhi, settled in

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra) is the fifth-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Shkod ...

from the village of Kryezi in the

Pukë Pukë ( sq-definite, Puka) is a town and municipality in northern Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Gjegjan, Pukë, Qelëz, Qerret and Rrapë, that became municipal units. The ...

region. He took the name Mjeda from the village near

where he held lands. The surname Mjeda is mentioned among the Arbëreshë of

Cosenza Cosenza (; local dialect: ''Cusenza'', ) is a city in Calabria, Italy. The city centre has a population of approximately 70,000; the urban area counts more than 200,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Province of Cosenza, which has a populati ...

in 1468 and in

in 1736. The family today consists of two branches: Prizren and Shkodër. They became the leading Catholic family of Prizren, having the noble title of

effendi Effendi or effendy ( tr, efendi ; ota, افندی, efendi; originally from grc-x-medieval, αφέντης ) is a title of nobility meaning ''sir'', ''lord'' or ''master'', especially in the Ottoman Empire and the Caucasus''.'' The title it ...

, and were engaged in trade between the Italian peninsula, Constantinople, and the Balkans. Over the centuries, members of the family were merchants, landowners, clerics, and political leaders. Today, members of the family mainly live in Albania and Croatia.

Notable members

Ndre Mjeda Ndre Mjeda (20 November 18661 August 1937) was an Albanian philologist, poet, priest, rilindas, translator and writer of the Albanian Renaissance. He was a member of the Mjeda family. He was influenced by the Jesuit writer Anton Xanoni and t ...

(1866-1937), Albanian intellectual, jesuit priest, philologist, poet, and deputy in the National Assembly of Albania, during the Albanian National Awakening period. Delegate at 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 ...

. * Lukë Simon Mjeda (1867-1951), merchant and landowner who represented Prizren at the

Second League of Prizren The Second League of Prizren was an organisation founded by Albanian officials in Kosovo in September 1943 to campaign for the ethnic unification of Albanians in Albania. From 1918, Kosovo was integrated into the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslav ...

(1943). *

Lazër Mjeda Lazër Mjeda (1869–1935) was an Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, and a member of the Mjeda family. Biography Lazër (Llazar) Mjeda was born in Shkodër, Ottoman Empire — present-day Albania — on March 6, 1869. From 1900 to 190 ...

(1869-1935),

Bishop of Sapë A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

(1900-1904),

Archbishop of Skopje The Roman Catholic Diocese of Skopje (Lat:''Dioecesis Scopiensis''), is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in North Macedonia. From the 4th century to 1656, when it was renamed to Archdiocese of Skopje, it was known as the ...

(1904-1909), Archbishop of Shkodër (1921-1935). * Kolë Mjeda (1885-1951), Mayor of Shkodër (1924-1925), Vice-President of the National Assembly of Albania, Prefect of

Dibër County Dibër County (; sq, Qarku i Dibrës) is one of the 12 counties of the Republic of Albania, spanning a surface area of with the capital in Peshkopi. The county borders on the counties of Durrës, Elbasan, Kukës, Lezhë, Tirana and the countr ...

. * Luigj Pashko Mjeda (1890-1962), merchant, landowner, editor of the "Ora e Maleve" newspaper, head of the Municipality of Shkodër tax authority, and co-founder of the Bogdani Theatrical Society in Shkodër. * Jak Mjeda, President of the Filigran Company, which employed 153 goldsmiths in Prizren.

References

{{Ottoman families Albanian Roman Catholics People from Shkodër 19th-century Albanian people People from Prizren People from Scutari vilayet 18th-century Albanian people 20th-century Albanian people Families from the Ottoman Empire