Smajl Martini Ivezaj (born ca. 1850, Grudë, Ottoman Albania - dead 1889 Diyarbakır) was an Albanian

bajraktar The ''bajrak'' (pronounced or , meaning "banner" or " flag") was an Ottoman territorial unit, consisting of villages in mountainous frontier regions of the Balkans, from which military recruitment was based. It was introduced in the late 17th ...

from the Grude tribe who led the Albanian forces against the ottomans and montenegrins. He led his forces against Montenegrins and Ottomans throughout his life, and his deeds were heard of in "

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

" in 1911. His daughter, the famous

Tringe Smajli Tringë Smajl Martini Ivezaj (1880 – 2 November 1917), known simply as Tringe Smajli, and as Yanitza outside Albania, was an Albanians, Albanian guerrilla fighter who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the Malësia region. She was the da ...

, replaced him during the Battle of Vranje in 1911 and the Albanian forces were victorious. Already as an 18 year old Martini fought the Ottoman occupiers and participated in many battles around the Malesia Highlands. He came from an patriotic family, together with Prec and Bace Vuksani, known for battles during the 1780s. In 1835, Ivezaj fought at the castle and church of Shkodra against the Ottomans. During the Battle of Vranje, Smajl Martini was kidnapped and never seen again.

Life

At the age of 17, he lost his parents and grew up constantly fighting occupiers. He led many victorious forces all around Northern Albania against the Ottomans. The Ottomans, being unable to defeat his forces, followed his activities and captured him in 1883 where he was temporarily isolated. In 1886 the military court of the Sultan sentenced him, together with his men Ded Ula, Ujk Dushi, Shabe Smaku, Gic Gila, Prek Gjetja, Lulash Deda and Lucew Preka to eternal banishment. However, escaping Ottoman custody, he returned to fight with

Baca Kurti Baca Kurti Gjokaj ( 1807–1881) was an Albanian leader who participated in the Battle of Ržanicë against the Principality of Montenegro. Life Baca was born around 1807 in the village of Milješ (Milesh) in the Gruda tribal region near the tow ...

with the League of Prizren, and later with Ded Gjo Luli in 1878. Much of the history about the Gruda and Hoti tribes were documented by the author Toni Assagazino, who in 1780 wrote of the Malsia Highlands struggle. In 1856, he wrote about the roles of the

s had to protect Albanian lands. According to Andrija Jovicecic, Smajl Martini continued to fight the Montenegrin occupiers with the same force as he did when fighting the Turks. His struggle was heard of in America, and "The New York Times" wrote of his bravery on 21 May 1911. Despite that he lost his parents at the age of 17, he continued to struggle and he lost two sons, Gjon and Pjeter, fighting Montenegro and he also lost his daughter fighting the Ottomans. Small Martini is today a venerated figure amongst Albanians.

Death

Smajl Martini was kidnapped after Lidhja e Prizrenit 1878-1881 in the year of 1883 by Ottomans and was never heard of again. He was most likely killed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ivezaj, Smajl Martini 1850 births 1911 deaths Malsorë Military personnel from Podgorica Albanian Roman Catholics Activists of the Albanian National Awakening 19th-century Albanian people 20th-century Albanian people People from Scutari vilayet