Haxhi Zeka
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

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 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 ...
, while in 1899 he was part of the establishment and leadership of the
League of Peja The League of Peja ( sq, Lidhja e Pejës), also known as League of İpek or Besa-Besë (Pledge for a Pledge) between Albanians, was an Albanian political organization established in 1899 in the city of İpek (now Peja), Kosovo Vilayet, Ottoman Em ...
, another organization seeking protection of Albanians territories from Balkan states. Zeka was assassinated by a Serbian agent in 1902.Bep Jubani et al., ''Historia e popullit shqiptar: për shkollat e mesme'' (Libri Shkollor: Prishtinë, 2002) 182-185.


Biography

Zeka was born on 20 December 1832 in the village of Shoshani (in 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 ...
), from where his family moved to
Peja Peja ( Indefinite Albanian form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipality and Peja District. It is situated in the region of Rugova on the eastern section of the Accursed Mount ...
, in the Kosovo Vilayet. He was a landowner and had a reputation for being charismatic. Zeka was one of the organizers 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 one of the determined fighters for Albania's autonomy and protection of the integrity of its territory. The Assembly of the first League was held on June 10, 1878, where he was elected member of its Central Committee. He was a military commander, in charge of the forces of the League in action in Gjakova in September 1878 against
Mehmet Ali Pasha Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha, also known as Muhammad Ali of Egypt and the Sudan ( sq, Mehmet Ali Pasha, ar, محمد علي باشا, ; ota, محمد علی پاشا المسعود بن آغا; ; 4 March 1769 – 2 August 1849), was ...
. Besides other political and military leaders the league struggled in late 1879 and early 1880 for the protection of Plav and
Gusinje Gusinje ( cyrl, Гусиње, ; sq, Gucia) is a small town in north-eastern Montenegro. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 1,673 and is the administrative center of Gusinje Municipality. Name Two alternative etymologies h ...
against the forces of
Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...
. In the spring of 1881 he fought with
Sulejman Vokshi Sulejman Vokshi (1815 - 1890), also known as Sul Vokshi, was an Albanian military commander and a leader of the League of Prizren. As a member of the central committee of the league, particularly as the head of the finances commission, Vokshi was a ...
and took part in battles against the army of Dervish Pasha. During 1892-1893 Zeka led an uprising against local Ottoman authorities. In 1884-85, together with Vokshi and
Kadri Bajri Kadri Bajri (1823-1913) was an Albanian commander of the Albanian League of Prizren from Rugova. Life Kadri Bajri was one of the leaders of the Albanian uprisings from Koshutan in Rugova. He was a commander for the League of Prizren in the Bat ...
, Zeka led anti-Ottoman uprisings, in order to create autonomy. In 1893, Haxhi Zeka and
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 ...
organized the uprisings in Peja, Gjakova and other regions of
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
against the political and economic injustices of the
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) ...
. For his patriotic activities in 1893, he was summoned to
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
where he was held under arrest until 1896. In 1896-1900 he was put in charge of the Albanian rebellion for autonomy and protection of the territorial integrity of the country. He led a people's armed resistance that began in Kosovo in 1897 and founded the ''Albanian Covenant'' (1897). In cooperation with the Albanian Committee of Istanbul headed by
Sami Frashëri Sami bey Frashëri ( tr, Şemseddin Sami Bey; June 1, 1850 – June 18, 1904) or Şemseddin Sâmi was an Ottoman Albanian writer, philosopher, playwright and a pr ...
and other patriots at home and abroad, Haxhi Zeka organized a meeting known as the Assembly of Peja of Albanian notables between 23–29 January 1899. The gathering was a response to increasing foreign influence in the region and was attended by some 450 Kosovo Albanians in Pejë. On 28 January 1899 an agreement was reached by the delegates on forming the ''League of Peja'' (Besa-Besë) and on 29 January swore a pledge ( besë), suspended
blood feuds Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the cir ...
in the region and elected Zeka as chairman of its Committee. In April–May 1899 he was prepared to call another General Assembly of the Albanian League, whose keeping was hampered by the
Sublime Porte The Sublime Porte, also known as the Ottoman Porte or High Porte ( ota, باب عالی, Bāb-ı Ālī or ''Babıali'', from ar, باب, bāb, gate and , , ), was a synecdoche for the central government of the Ottoman Empire. History The nam ...
. Zeka and the League committee would appeal to all parts of Albanian inhabited territory in the empire for assistance and meetings in some towns occurred that expressed solidarity with the movement. Regardless of Istanbul's objections and obstacles of the
Great Powers A great power is a sovereign state that is recognized as having the ability and expertise to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength, as well as diplomatic and soft power in ...
of neighbouring irredentist states, Haxhi Zeka continued his efforts to strengthen the League throughout the year 1900 until its suppression by the Ottoman army.Historia e Popullit Shqiptar II, Instituti i Historisë dhe i Gjuhësisë, Universiteti Shtetëror i Tiranës, Tiranë, 1979 His activities continued especially after April 1901 holding meetings in northern parts of the vilayet of Kosovo aiming to unite Albanians toward resisting the Ottomans and other outside adversaries. Zeka reached out to
Austria-Hungary 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 ...
offering his services and advocated for a union between Albania and them, however they distrusted him due to his closeness with the Ottoman sultan's entourage. On February 21, 1902 Haxhi Zeka was assassinated in Peja by Adem Zajmi, an agent of Serbian chauvinist circles, which had the support of the Ottoman authorities.


Legacy


Haxhi Zeka mill

Haxhi Zeka Mill is a large complex of industrial heritage which belongs to the second half of the 19th century. It was built with the help of the Austro-Hungarians. The building consists of a mill and a granary. At the time in which it was built, it was the tallest building in Peja consisting of three floors. The façade combines stone and brick and it has arched windows and frames. The Haxhi Zeka Mill was the first mill in Kosovo and the region which had the most advanced technology brought in from
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. The mill initially used water for its power source, then it used electricity. The building represented the start of an industrial-based economy in Peja. Prior to that, the whole region has performed services for grinding grain and flour production. After the death of Haxhi Zeka, Yasar Pasha, his nephew, became manager of the mill. In 1997 it was placed under state control. During the 1998-1999 war, the mill was burned but it was restored: the mill was restored in 2004 with the granary restored in 2016.


Public University "Haxhi Zeka"

Public University "Haxhi Zeka" in the establishment is a descendant of the Faculty of Applied Business (FSHAB) in Peja was established in 1960 by decision of the Executive Board of KSAK as the High School of Commerce - Commercial Peja. The school was renamed as Business School and then at the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Business. Initially the school had only section of the Commercial Business in Enterprise and a small number of teachers. In the first academic year 1960/61, 120 students were enrolled. Since 2007 FSHAB studies develop in three departments: *Business Administration in two languages (Albanian and Bosnian) *Business Accounting and Finance and *Management, Tourism and hospitality industry. Also, the university provides opportunities for academic preparation master of science.


Haxhi Zeka square

In the centre of the city of
Peja Peja ( Indefinite Albanian form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipality and Peja District. It is situated in the region of Rugova on the eastern section of the Accursed Mount ...
lies Haxhi Zeka square. In this square are important objects including Tahir Bey Konak, the National Ethnographic Museum where can be seen various galleries, traditional national crafts, characteristic clothing of Rugova and Dukagjini, Trade Center "Metë Bajraktari" etc. In the center of the square is the fountain which was built in the 16th century, close to the statue of Haxhi Zeka.


Tower of Haxhi Zeka

Near the Haxhi Zeka square is found ''Tower of Pasha'' or also known as Tower of Haxhi Zeka, whose walls are made with characteristic works of Albanian masters of that time as the lion, the star of David, etc. It has a characteristic architecture of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, built of stone and it has windows worked with commitment by the Albanian masters.


References


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zeka, Haxhi 1832 births 1902 deaths People from Tropojë Albanians from the Ottoman Empire Assassinated Albanian people 20th-century Albanian military personnel 19th-century Albanian military personnel People from Kosovo vilayet 19th-century Albanian people 20th-century Albanian people