Aqif Pasha Biçaku mostly known as Aqif Pashë Elbasani (1860 – 10 February 1926) was an Ottoman

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 ...

political figure in the Sanjak of Elbasan and after the Young Turk Revolution became an activist for the Albanian national cause.

Life

Aqif Pasha was born in Elbasan, back then Vilayet of Monastir, son of Mustafa Pasha Biçakçiu, patriarch of one of the three landowning influential and respected families of the town and a lady from Alizoti family, which made him maternal first cousin of Esad Pasha Toptani. In his first school years he was taught privately and afterwards he was educated in Istanbul. He was an activist of the Albanian National Awakening in the Elbasan region. He is remembered for having raised the Albanian flag in Elbasan on 26 November 1912 at the request of

Ismail Qemal bey Vlora Ismail Qemal bey Vlora, mostly known as Ismail Qemali (; 16 January 184426 January 1919), was an Albanian diplomat, politician, rilindas, statesman and the Founding Father of modern Albania, and one of the most famous Southern Albanian person. ...

. In 1913 he was elected Prefect of Elbasan. He supported Qemal in his attempt to form a stable administration and was Minister of the Interior for a brief period in 1914 (28 March - 3 September) during the reign of

Prince William of Wied Prince Wilhelm of Wied (German: ''Wilhelm Friedrich Heinrich Prinz zu Wied'', 26 March 1876 – 18 April 1945), reigned briefly as sovereign of the Principality of Albania as Vilhelm I from 7 March to 3 September 1914, when he left for exile. Hi ...

. After the triumph of the Islamic Revolt in 1914 he left Albania together with Wied. He settled in

Bari Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...

, Italy, and after a couple of months returned to Albania, settling 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 ...

since going back to Elbasan was impossible. In 1915 he joined a secret nationalist committee founded by

Hoxha Kadri Prishtina Kadri Prishtina (1878–1925), better known as Hoxha Kadri, was an Albanian political figure of the early 1920s. Life Hoxha Kadriu was born in Prishtina, in the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. He took the first studies in his home town in ...

in Shkodër, together with other patriots as

Sotir Peçi Sotir Peci (1873–1932) was an Albanian politician, educator and mathematician. In 1906 he published the first Albanian-language newspaper in the United States of America in Boston. In 1908 he participated as a delegate in the Congress of Mona ...

Eshref Frashëri Eshref Effendy Frasheri (October 15, 1874 – October 17, 1938), also referred to as Eshtref Bey Frashëri, was an Albanian politician. He served as co- Chairman of the National Council of Albania from 1921 until 1923 and Deputy Chairman 1932-19 ...

Ali Shefqet Shkupi Lieutenant Colonel Ali Shefqet Shkupi, also known as Ali Shefqet Bey, was the first Chief of Supreme Staff of the Albanian Army bearing the functions of the Supreme Commander in the Albanian Government of Ismail Qemal Vlora. Family Ali Shefqet ...

, etc. The committee was a precursor of the later Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo. Following the Montenegrin invasion of Shkodër in 1915, he was arrested and sent to internment for a few months together with

Luigj Gurakuqi Luigj Gurakuqi (also called Louis Gurakuchi; 19 February 1879 – 2 March 1925) was an Albanian writer and politician. He was an important figure of the Albanian National Awakening and was honoured with the People's Hero of Albania medal. Bi ...

and Sotir Peçi. Following an

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 ...

offensive, Montenegro capitulated and Biçakçiu and other were set free. As a pro-Austrian he propagandized between Albanians not to oppose the Austrian armies. Biçakçiu took part in an unsuccessful congress in his native Elbasan in 1916 to restore Albanian independence, in cooperation with the Austrian authorities, specifically

August Ritter von Kral August Ritter von Kral (June 20, 1869 in Braunau, Bohemia - 12 June 1953 in Vienna, Austria) was an Austrian diplomat. August Kral entered the diplomatic service of Austria-Hungary in 1894 and held various posts in embassies in the Ottoman Empire ...

. Biçakçiu aimed at restoring the Prince Wied and the Principality of Albania. The same Austrian authorities would prohibit such an event. In this condition, he resigned from any political duty. He was not involved until the

Congress of Durrës The Congress of Durrës () was a conference of Albanian political leaders, held from December 25 to December 27, 1918, in Durrës, at the time capital of the Principality of Albania. Mehmet Konica was the Chairman of the Congress, which aimed a ...

in December 1918. Despite the desire of participating in the event, Biçakçiu could only send a telegram where he advised aiming at reestablishing the borders of Treaty of London, 1913 as a sign of "neutrality" of the Albania state. At the same time, the telegram positioned him against the pro- Italian spirit of the Durrës Congress which characterized most of the participants. Aqif Elbasani Statue in Elbasan 2013-09

In 1920, he chaired the

Congress of Lushnje A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ad ...

and was one of the central figures who rules the Albanian politics of that time, together with

and

Ahmet Zogu Zog I ( sq, Naltmadhnija e tij Zogu I, Mbreti i Shqiptarëve, ; 8 October 18959 April 1961), born Ahmed Muhtar bey Zogolli, taking the name Ahmet Zogu in 1922, was the leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939. At age 27, he first served as Albania's y ...

. As a representative of the Bektashi community, he was elected to the four-member High Regency Council (Këshilli i Lartë i Regjencës) that ruled the Principality of Albania after the exile of

Prince Wied Prince Wilhelm of Wied (German: ''Wilhelm Friedrich Heinrich Prinz zu Wied'', 26 March 1876 – 18 April 1945), reigned briefly as sovereign of the Principality of Albania as Vilhelm I from 7 March to 3 September 1914, when he left for exile. H ...

. Biçaku was a foe of

Shefqet Vërlaci Shefqet bey Vërlaci (; 15 December 1877, Elbasan, Manastir Vilayet, Ottoman Empire – 21 July 1946, Zürich, Switzerland), also known as Shevket Verlaci, was an Albanian politician and wealthy landowner. Biography In 1922, Vërlaci was the b ...

and had often tenuous relations with Ahmet Zogu. Together with

Dom Luigj Bumçi Dom or DOM may refer to: People and fictional characters * Dom (given name), including fictional characters * Dom (surname) * Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto * Dom people, an ethn ...

, he took part in a coup d’état in December 1921 and was later relieved of his duties on the High Council by Zogu. In 1923–1924, Biçaku represented Korça in the

Albanian parliament The Parliament of Albania ( sq, Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) or Kuvendi is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Albania; it is Albania's legislature. The Parliament is composed of no less than 140 members elected to a ...

as a member of a pro-

Noli Noli (; lij, Nöi ) is a coast ''comune'' of Liguria, Italy, in the Province of Savona, it is about southwest of Genoa by rail, about above sea-level. The origin of the name may come from ''Neapolis'', meaning "new city" in Greek. From 1192 ...

democratic opposition. After the suppression of the

June Revolution The history of Albania forms a part of the history of Europe. During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Ardiaei, Albanoi, Amantini, Enchele, Taulantii and many others, but also Thracian and Greek tribes ...

in December 1924 and fall of the Noli government, he went into exile.

Sejfi Vllamasi Sejfi Vllamasi (1883–1975) was an Albanian congressman and well-known politician during the first half of the 20th century. He was born in the village of Novoselë, in Kolonjë, Albania (at the time part of the Ottoman Empire). Vllamasi studied ...

, another political refugee in Vienna would describe him as a "great patriot, but stubborn and insistent till the end". His son,

Ibrahim Biçakçiu Ibrahim Aqif Biçakçiu (also known as Ibrahim Biçaku) (10 September 1905 - 4 January 1977) was an Albanians, Albanian landowner and Axis powers, Axis Collaboration with the Axis Powers during World War II#Yugoslavia, collaborator, List of heads ...

, was a Balli Kombëtar leader and served as Prime Minister of Albania during the period 29 August to 28 November 1944. He was arrested by the Communist authorities after World War II. In 1962, he was given the "Order for Patriotic Activity of Second Class" by the Albanian government. After the

fall of communism in Albania The fall of Communism in Albania, the last such event in Europe outside the Soviet Union, started in December 1990 with student demonstrations in the capital, Tirana, although protests started in January that year in other cities like Shkodra ...

, a statue of him was placed in a plaza of Elbasan.

Further

*''Pavarësia e Elbasanit 1912 : (35 firmëtarët) ndependence of Elbasan 1912: (35 signatories)', Hyqmet Kotherja, Tirana, Shtëpi Botimi "2 Lindje, 2 Perëndime", 2012,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elbasani, Aqif Pasha People from Elbasan 19th-century Albanian politicians 20th-century Albanian politicians Albanians from the Ottoman Empire Albanian politicians 1861 births 1926 deaths Activists of the Albanian National Awakening Albanian Pashas People from Manastir vilayet Bektashi Order Aqif Albanian Sufis Civil servants from the Ottoman Empire

Life

See also

Further

References