Shefqet Vërlaci bej (; 15 December 1877 – 21 July 1946), also known as Shevket Verlaci, was an Albanian politician and wealthy landowner who served as the 12th Prime Minister of Albania.

Biography

Shefqet Vërlaci was born on 15 December 1877 in

Elbasan Elbasan ( , ; sq-definite, Elbasani, ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in centr ...

Manastir Vilayet The Vilayet of Manastir () was a first-level administrative division (vilayet) of the Ottoman Empire, created in 1874, dissolved in 1877 and re-established in 1879. The vilayet was occupied during the First Balkan War in 1912 and divided between t ...

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

, now modern day central

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 ...

, into 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 ...

family. In 1922, Vërlaci was the biggest landowner in Albania. He was the leader of the Progressive Party, the biggest conservative party in Albania, which firmly opposed any agrarian reform reducing the landowners' property. The Progressive Party included some North Albanian clan chiefs and prominent

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

landowners as its members. He was elected a deputy for the first time in the elections of April 5, 1921. In late 1922, Ahmed Zogu became engaged to Vërlaci's daughter, winning his support and the position of Prime Minister. In early 1924, Zogu was forced to cede his position of Prime Minister to Vërlaci, because of a financial scandal and an attempt of assassination in which Zogu was injured. The date of Vërlaci taking the position of prime minister is 3 March 1924. Vërlaci held this position until 27 May of the same year and then fled to

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. During

Fan Noli Theofan Stilian Noli, known as Fan Noli (6 January 1882 – 13 March 1965), was an Albanian Americans, Albanian-American writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, bishop, and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Albania ...

's regime that followed, a special tribunal created by the government condemned Vërlaci to death in absentia along with the confiscation of all his property. After being crowned King of Albania in 1928, Zogu broke his engagement with Vërlaci's daughter and instead married Countess Géraldine, of the noble Apponyi family. This resulted in a very conflicted relationship between Zog and Vërlaci in the following years. On 12 April 1939, after the

Italian invasion of Albania The Italian invasion of Albania was a brief military campaign which was launched by Fascist Italy, Italy against Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939), Albania in 1939. The conflict was a result of the imperialistic policies of the Italian prime m ...

, Vërlaci became the prime minister of the government of Albania formed under the Italian occupation. From 12 April through 16 April (until Italy's King

Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albani ...

accepted the Albanian crown), Vërlaci was the acting head of state. Vërlaci was also named by King Victor Emmanuel III senator of the kingdom of Italy. Vërlaci remained at the head of the government until 4 December (other sources cite 10 November or 3 December), 1941. He died in 1946 in

Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verlaqi, Shefqet 1877 births 1946 deaths People from Elbasan People from Manastir vilayet Mekteb-i Mülkiye alumni Albanian Sunni Muslims Albanian Fascist Party politicians Government ministers of Albania Prime ministers of Albania Public works ministers of Albania World War II political leaders Albanian collaborators with Fascist Italy Ottoman Albanian nobility Albanian anti-communists Albanian fascists Albanian expatriates in Sweden Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy Congress of Durrës delegates 20th-century landowners

Biography

See also

Notes

References