Botushë
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Botushë (; ) is a village in the municipality of
Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...
,
District of Gjakova The District of Gjakova (; ) is one of the seven districts of Kosovo, with seat in the city of Gjakova. Municipalities The district of Gjakova has a total of 3 municipalities and 170 other smaller settlements. Settlements Gjakova Mun ...
, southwest
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. It is located near the border with
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
and is part of both the
Highlands of Gjakova The Highlands of Gjakova or Gjakova Highlands (), known colloquially as ''Tropoja'', refers to the mountainous ethnographic region in the eastern Albanian Alps that sits between north-eastern Albania and western Kosovo, serving as the historical ...
and Reka e Keqe. It is inhabited exclusively by Albanians.


Etymology

The two forms of this toponym, 'Botushë' and 'Batushë', contain the Albanian reducing suffix ''-ushë''. Amongst the local population, 'Batushë' is favoured. The toponym with an 'a' is related to the Illyro-
Dardani The Dardani (; ; ) or Dardanians were a Paleo-Balkan languages, Paleo-Balkan people, who lived in a region that was named Kingdom of Dardania, Dardania after their settlement there. They were among the oldest Balkan peoples, and their society wa ...
an ''Batoni'', an anthroponym of the royal Dardanian family, whereas 'o' would suggest a link with the Albanian '' 'botë' '' which means 'earth, land'. This indicates that the toponym most likely derives from
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 ...
.


Geography

Botushë is situated north-west of
Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...
in the historical ethnographic regions of the Gjakova Highlands and Reka e Keqe. It is cradled near the
Accursed Mountains The Accursed Mountains (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Prokletije, Проклетије, separator=" / ", ; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Albanski Alpi, Албански Алпи, separator=" / ", li ...
and is positioned on both banks of the Gusha stream. It is located in the tribal territory of the Gashi tribe – which lies in the historical region of the Highlands of Gjakova () – and is inhabited by the members of the aforementioned tribe. It is 23 km away from
Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...
and 3 km away from Junik.


History

Prehistoric findings have been found on the territory of the village, as well as findings that date back to the Roman period and the Middle Ages – they have been proposed for listing as one of the Monuments of Kosovo. The kulla of Adem Ademaj dates back to the 18th or 19th century, and is on the list. Additionally, the kulla of Rexh Uka, which dates back to the 19th century, is proposed for classification on the same list. Botushë itself is an old settlement with a well documented history. There are many old Albanian toponyms, such as the following: ''Fusha e Kishës'' (The Church's Field), ''Lluga e Mel Kurtit'', ''Qyteza e Poshtme'' (Lower Citadel), ''Qyteza e Epërme'' (Upper Citadel), ''Arrabregu'' (Walnut Hill), ''Kokorri'', ''Fusha e Mar (k) Bushës'' (Mark Busha's Field), ''Kalaja e Jerinës'' (Jerina Castle), ''Kalaja e Madhe'' (Great Castle), ''Kalaja e Vogël'' (Little Castle), ''Shkoza'' (hornbeam), ''Shpella e Çelisë'' (Cave of Çeli), ''Prroni i Çelisë'', ''Shpati i Valës'' (Vala's Slope), ''Arza'', ''Livadhi i Boçit'' (Boçi's Meadow), ''Koteci'', ''Kodra Tabe'' (Tabe Hill) etc. These toponyms reveal that Botushë has possibly been a historically fortified place; the prehistoric layer is seen in Jerina Castle, above Botushë, in the place called Shkozë just southwest of the village. The unexplored Cave of Çeli is nearby, and the cases of Late Antiquity belong to the Great Castle and the Little Castle.


Middle ages

Prior to Ottoman rule and during the time of the
Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...
, Botushë was part of the Reka (''River'')
župa A župa, or zhupa, is a historical type of administrative division in Southeast Europe and Central Europe, that originated in medieval South Slavs, South Slavic culture, commonly translated as "county" or "parish". It was mentioned for the first t ...
, named as such after the Erenik river that flows through it. According to the Dečani chrysobulls of the 1330s CE, the Dečani monastery had a tenure in Reka župa of 4 villages and 3 hamlets, including Botushë. Emperor
Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...
had given the village of Botushë, along with the Church of St. Nicholas which was located in the village, to the monastery as property. Entire Albanian villages and churches were gifted by Serbian kings, particularly
Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...
, as tribute to the Serbian monasteries of Deçan,
Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
and Tetova for economic utilisation, and many of Kosovo's Catholic churches were seized by Serbian Kings for this purpose. During the 1330s CE, Botushë was recorded as having 7 households and 15 males. The inhabitants of Botushë during the late 15th century were
Albanian Christians Christianity in Albania began when Christians arrived in Illyria soon after the time of Jesus, with a bishop being appointed in Dyrrhachium ( Epidamnus) in 58 AD. When the Roman Empire was divided in 395 AD, modern Albania became part of the ...
of the Orthodox rite with a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
minority. In the Ottoman
defter A ''defter'' was a type of tax register and land cadastre in the Ottoman Empire. Etymology The term is derived from Greek , literally 'processed animal skin, leather, fur', meaning a book, having pages of goat parchment used along with papyrus ...
of 1485, Botushë was part of the
Nahiye A nāḥiyah ( , plural ''nawāḥī'' ), also nahiyeh, nahiya or nahia, is a regional or local type of administrative division that usually consists of a number of villages or sometimes smaller towns. In Tajikistan, it is a second-level divisi ...
of Altun-Ili, which encompassed the plain between
Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...
and Junik and was inhabited predominantly by Albanians who engaged primarily in agriculture and the rearing of livestock. In this defter, Botushë is recorded with 35 households and 15 unmarried men, and although some were mentioned with characteristically Albanian names such as ''Ulku'', the majority had names belonging to the Slavic Orthodox sphere. Members of the same family would have mixed Albanian-Slavic names, such as in the case of ''Nenko'', son of ''Leka''. A large part of the anthroponomy shows a degree of
slavicisation Slavicisation or Slavicization, is the acculturation of something non-Slavic into a Slavic culture, cuisine, region, or nation. The process can either be voluntary or applied through varying degrees of pressure. The term can also refer to the ...
, and many of these traditionally Slavic Orthodox names were also used by Albanians, indicating that these same Slavic Orthodox names are not typically indicators of a Slavic ethnic origin. Following the Ottoman conquest of the region,
Princess Milica of Serbia Princess Milica Hrebeljanović née Nemanjić ( · ca. 1335 – November 11, 1405) also known as Empress (''Tsaritsa'') Milica, was a List of Serbian consorts, royal consort of Serbia by marriage to Prince Lazar, who fell in the Battle of Kosovo ...
successfully advocated for the return of Botushë and the surrounding villages as property to the Dečani Monastery from Ottoman control.


Ottoman period

According to local legend, the Gashi tribe took its current form when the Aga of the Gashi in Botushë united the Luzha brotherhood with the brotherhoods and bajraks of Bardhi and Shipshan as a protective measure against the surrounding tribes, who were bigger in number. Also according to legend, the villages of Botusha and Luzha are the only two settlements in the Gjakova Highlands where the Albanian population of the older Gashi tribe - who initially lived in Pult in the 17th century - continues to live. Due to their constant resistance against Ottoman rule, the Gashi tribe were repeatedly punished via military expeditions, which led to the departure of the population from their initial settlements and a gradual conversion to Islam in the years 1690–1743. In Botusha and
Deçan Deçan (, ; , ) is a town and municipality in the district of Gjakova, Kosovo. The municipality has an area of and it includes the town and 37 smaller settlements. According to the last census of 2024, the municipality has a population of 27,7 ...
, about 10-11 generations of ancestors with Muslim names are remembered, while the previous generations are remembered with Catholic names. Both Luzha and Botusha are mentioned by Catholic priests who visited some villages beyond the Diocese of Pulati in 1693–1694. Local Albanian leaders, such as Sulejman Aga of Botushë, who was a chieftain of the Gashi tribe and their leader in the Gjakova region during the early 20th century, organised resistance and movements for independence against the Ottomans throughout the 19th-20th centuries; in one such uprising, 5,000-6,000 Albanian fighters led by Sulejman Aga Batusha gathered outside of
Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...
and attacked the garrison in an attempt to enter the city. In 1904, 10 Ottoman battalions accompanied by artillery were sent to Gjakova in order to quell the uprising. Shemsi Pasha and the Ottoman troops were then ordered to estimate the livestock possessions and to enforce heavy taxes upon the local Albanians in response to the uprising. The hostilities were accompanied by the forcible collection of taxes from the local population and the destruction of entire villages in the Gjakova region by Ottoman forces. When he arrived in Botushë, Shemsi Pasha, with five battalions and numerous artillery pieces, began bombarding the village. The Ottomans were met by 300 Albanian resistance fighters led by Sulejman Aga Batusha. The resistance fighters lost 35 dead or wounded men, whilst the Ottomans lost more than 80 soldiers. Another 300 Albanian fighters arrived and surrounded the Ottoman force but could not yet finish them as the Ottomans were numerically-superior and were positioned well with artillery. 2,000
Albanian tribes The Albanian tribes () form a historical mode of social organization (''farefisní'') in Albania and the southwestern Balkans characterized by a common culture, often common patrilineal kinship ties and shared social ties. The ''fis'' ( sq-defi ...
men would eventually gather to fight the Turks, and the Ottoman government sent 18 more battalions accompanied by artillery to quell this new uprising; Shkup's Vali, Shakir Pasha, also went to Gjakova. A series of ensuing battles followed in the Gjakova region, resulting in the deaths of more than 900 Ottoman soldiers as well as 2 bimbashis and a dozen officers, whereas the Albanians suffered only 170 dead or wounded. Shakir Pasha was thereby ordered to stand down. Sulejman Aga Botusha was a prominent local leader and patriotic resistance fighter, and had worked with
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 Ott ...
as a protector of Albanian interests and rights, as well as a leader of the local movements for independence and resistance against the Ottomans. During the
First Balkan War The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...
, Bajram Curri and his small force managed to push the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
across Morina Pass (''Qafa e Morinës''), and his troops entered the villages of Botushë, Molliq and Ponoshec. They could not continue as Radomir Vešović would reinforce the Serbs with 12,000 new troops in order to subdue the region with numeric superiority.
Azem Galica Azem Bejta (10 December 1889 – 15 July 1924), commonly known as Azem Galica, was an Albanian nationalist, resistance fighter and rebel who fought for the unification of Kosovo with Albania. He is known for leading the Kachak Movement again ...
's band of resistance fighters passed through Botushë and Glloxhan in order to get to the
Highlands of Gjakova The Highlands of Gjakova or Gjakova Highlands (), known colloquially as ''Tropoja'', refers to the mountainous ethnographic region in the eastern Albanian Alps that sits between north-eastern Albania and western Kosovo, serving as the historical ...
. Botushë was part of the
Neutral Zone of Junik The Neutral Zone of Junik (1921–1923) was a neutral demilitarized border area between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and the Principality of Albania. History Establishment The neutral area was established in November 1921 by th ...
. Botushë has been the home of many Albanian resistance fighters, such as the aforementioned Sulejman Aga Botusha, Jashar Salihu – a Hero of Kosovo recipient and prominent figure in the
Kosovo War The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
– and Islam Aga. Islam Aga was a noteworthy fighter of the
League of Prizren The League of Prizren (), officially the League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation (), was an Albanian political organization that was officially founded on June 10, 1878 in the old town of Prizren in the Kosovo Vilayet of th ...
and one of the leaders of the force that killed Mehmed Ali Pasha at Abdullah Pashë Dreni's kulla. Islam Aga slew 28 Turks before being killed by cannon fire in his final battle.


Kosovo War

During the
Kosovo War The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
, the village was severely affected. 159 out of a total of 179 houses were completely destroyed by Serbian forces. The local mosque was also damaged and destroyed. There is a plaque for those who lost their lives during that period within the village, and it includes names, pictures and the date of their deaths. The inscription on the plaque reads: File:Botush%C3%AB Monument.jpg, Botushë Plaque dedicated to those who died during the Kosovo War.


Notable figures

* Jashar SalihuHero of Kosovo recipient, Albanian diplomat, activist and general. * Islam Aga
League of Prizren The League of Prizren (), officially the League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation (), was an Albanian political organization that was officially founded on June 10, 1878 in the old town of Prizren in the Kosovo Vilayet of th ...
fighter, distinguished for his courage, slew 28 Turks in battle before being killed by cannon fire. * Sulejman Agë Botusha – Albanian patriot, renowned resistance fighter, prominent local leader. Resistance leader in the battle of February 12, 1904 between Ottoman forces and Albanian resistance fighters.


Notes


References


Sources


External links

* https://www.facebook.com/botusha.li/?ref=page_internal * https://www.botusha.li/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Botushe Villages in Gjakova