Shpend Dragobia (may also known as Zeqir Elezi of Krasniqi, Shpend Bali Bisheva, or Zeqir Halili) (b.1853,

Margegaj Margegaj is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 2,346.

Tropojë Tropojë (; sq-definite, Tropoja) is a municipality in Kukës County, northeastern Albania, within the historical ethnographic region of the Gjakova Highlands. The municipality consists of the administrative units of Bajram Curri, Bujan, Bytyç, ...

- d. March 29, 1918, Dragobi, Tropojë) 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 ...

warrior during the pre-

Albanian declaration of independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence ( Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six days later the Assem ...

period and later. He was the son of Bali Arif Bisheva, a member of the

League of Prizren The League of Prizren ( sq, Besëlidhja e Prizrenit), officially the League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation ( sq, Lidhja për mbrojtjen e të drejtave te kombit Shqiptar), was an Albanian political organization which was offi ...

and fighter during the Albanian uprising of 1845-1862 against the German-born Marshal Mehmed Ali Pasha. Shpend Dragobia grew up to be a patriotic figure known for his wisdom, character and bravery.

Biography

He spent his childhood in Peja as the guest of

Haxhi Zeka Haxhi Zekë Byberi mostly known as Haxhi Zeka ( tr, Haci Zeka; 20 December 1832 – 21 February 1902) was an Albanian nationalist leader, a member of the League of Prizren, while in 1899 he was part of the establishment and leadership of the Le ...

, whom he was related to. Among the Albanian patriots, he mustered courage and began fighting. During the years of 1908–1910, Dragobia fought Turkish, Greek, Montenegrin and Serb invading forces and participated in the Albanian declaration of independence in Vlora in 1912. He continued as the leader of the

Highlands of Gjakova The Highlands of Gjakova or Gjakova Highlands ( sq, Malësia e Gjakovës) refers to the mountainous ethnographic region in the eastern Albanian Alps that sits between north-eastern Albania and western Kosovo, serving as the historical centres of ...

. During the July revolution, he continued to live in his home village. He was shot in the back in 1918 at the age of 65 by

Austro-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

forces in Qafa e Markofqes, in the mountain of Gjarpri in today's

Kukës County Kukës County (; sq, Qarku i Kukësit) is a landlocked county in northeastern Albania, with the capital in Kukës. The county spans and had a total population of 74,388 people as of 2021. The county borders on the counties of Dibër, Lezhë a ...

. He was a close friend and related to

Isa Boletini Isa Boletini (; 15 January 186423 or 24 January 1916) was an Albanian revolutionary commander and politician and rilindas from Kosovo. As a young man, he joined the Albanian nationalist League of Prizren and participated in a battle against Ot ...

. He is a venerated figure in Albania and Kosovo. He also helped

Bajram Curri Bajram Curri (16 January 1862 – 29 March 1925) was an Albanian chieftain, politician and activist who struggled for the independence of Albania, later struggling for Kosovo's incorporation into it following the 1913 Treaty of London. He wa ...

open up a school in Krasniqe. According to Montenegrin archives, on October 15, 1912,

and Shpend Dragobia vowed to attack Montenegrin forces every day if they tried to invade Albanian territories. On August 5, 1912, Dragobia and Curri freed 1000 Albanian prisoners in

Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...

(

Alb The alb (from the Latin ''albus'', meaning ''white''), one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed and Congregational churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ank ...

: ''Shkup'') and raised the flag with 6000 fighters. On July 22, he, alongside highlanders from Dukagjin, numbering 12000, liberated Prishtina from the Ottomans. Shpend Dragobia united the tribes of

Krasniqi Krasniqi is a historical Albanian tribe and region in the Accursed Mountains in northeastern Albania, bordering Kosovo. The region lies within the Tropojë District and is part of a wider area between Albania and Kosovo that is historically k ...

, Gashi,

Has HAS or Has may refer to: Organizations * Hawaii Audubon Society, bird conservation organization in Hawaii * Hellenic Actuarial Society, association of actuaries in Greece * Hubbard Association of Scientologists International, corporation founded ...

, and Rekë in the highlands of Tropoje. In mars 7, 1912, Adil Beg, a minister under the influence of the Young Turks, was on his way to visit Mitrovica, Peja and Gjakova to try and calm the revolters. They were attacked by Dragobia and his men and fighting lasted for three days. Shpend Dragobia is mentioned in Albanian epic folklore and there is a cave named after him in Tropojë.

Film

The Albanian film Nentori i Dyte features the character Shpend Dragobia in a scene where he goes down on knees and kisses the newly sown Albanian flag. The role is played by Mario Ashiku.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragobia, Shpend 1853 births 1918 deaths People from Tropojë Albanian revolutionaries Kosovo Albanians Kosovan soldiers 19th-century Albanian people 20th-century Albanian people Albanian nationalists 19th-century Albanian military personnel