Zëmblak
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Zëmblak is a village in the municipality of
Pojan Pojan is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Maliq. The population at the 2011 census was 10,864.
, a subdivision of the municipality of Maliq, in
Korçë county Korçë County (), officially the County of Korçë (), is a Counties of Albania, county in the Southern Albania, Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the largest by area and the List of counties of Albania by population, fifth most p ...
, Albania. Located in
south South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
-east Albania, it is within close range of
Lake Prespa The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided between the three countries, and the Little Prespa Lake, mostly within Greec ...
, which is shared between Albania,
North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
and
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
.


Etymology

Zëmblak may come from the loose Albanian term Zëmlek, which means a village made up of primitive huts built from straw or reeds, showing the village was once very primitive when this name was given. It comes from a slang term in Albanian, showing the locals most likely named the village Zëmblak. The district of
Zamalek Zamalek ( , ''al zamalek'') is a ''qism'' (ward) within the West District (''hayy gharb'') in the Western Area of Cairo, Egypt. It is an affluent district on a man-made island which is geologically a part of the west bank of the Nile River, wit ...
in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, has its etymology from the name of this village, Zëmblak. This is because the ruler of Egypt at the time was Muhammed Ali of Egypt the Ottoman Albanian governor and '' de facto'' ruler of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
from 1805 to 1848. His family continued to rule Egypt until the British took over. Muhammed Ali of Egypt had his origins in the village of Zëmblak; his father, Ibrahim Agha, was from there. He named the western area of Cairo Zamalek after Zëmblak because of how similar the primitive huts built from straw were. The name became Zamalek due to the
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
pronunciation Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. To This may refer to generally agreed-upon sequences of sounds used in speaking a given word or all language in a specific dialect—"correct" or "standard" pronunciation—or si ...
of the local
Egyptians Egyptians (, ; , ; ) are an ethnic group native to the Nile, Nile Valley in Egypt. Egyptian identity is closely tied to Geography of Egypt, geography. The population is concentrated in the Nile Valley, a small strip of cultivable land stretchi ...
.


History

Zëmblak is historically a primitive village with huts made of straw, proving it was also quite a poor village, hence the naming of the village by the locals, who first called the place Zëmlek, which is a loose slang Albanian word referring to straw huts. Ibrahim Agha was a
Bektashi Bektashism (, ) is a tariqa, Sufi order of Islam that evolved in 13th-century western Anatolia and became widespread in the Ottoman Empire. It is named after the wali, ''walī'' "saint" Haji Bektash Veli, with adherents called Bektashis. The ...
Albanian tobacco and shipping merchant who also served as the Ottoman commander of a small unit in their hometown. He was born and raised in Zëmblak along with his brother Husain Agha; their whole family is from this village. He eventually moved from Zëmblak to Kavala which is located in modern-day
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
back then in the Sanjak of Kavala, Rumelia Eyalet,
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 ...
. This is where he met Zeynep, the daughter of Çorbaci Husain Agha, another Muslim Albanian notable in Kavala. Ibrahim's brother Husain Agha and his cousins also moved to Kavala from Zëmblak. Ibrahim continued his work in Kavala, and eventually his son, Muhammed Ali (later known and better known as Muhammed Ali of Egypt), was born there. Muhammed Ali visited Zëmblak frequently in his childhood. After his fathers death, he was raised by his uncle and cousins. After the rise of power from Muhammed Ali of Egypt, who successfully took over Egypt as the ruler, he named the western part of Cairo Zamalek after Zëmblak because of how similar the primitive huts built from straw were. The name became Zamalek due to the
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
pronunciation Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. To This may refer to generally agreed-upon sequences of sounds used in speaking a given word or all language in a specific dialect—"correct" or "standard" pronunciation—or si ...
of the local
Egyptians Egyptians (, ; , ; ) are an ethnic group native to the Nile, Nile Valley in Egypt. Egyptian identity is closely tied to Geography of Egypt, geography. The population is concentrated in the Nile Valley, a small strip of cultivable land stretchi ...
. Muhammed Ali of Egypt took his troops from Zëmblak and the Pojan region of Korçë in general. The troops from Zëmblak helped him achieve great things, like taking over as ruler of Egypt and the expansion of his reign in other areas through conquest, proving that the people from Zëmblak were fierce warriors fighting off the
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
and French, for example, along with the
Arabs Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
. A notable person who assisted Muhammed Ali of Egypt with his endeavours was Mustafa Naili Pasha, an Albanian born in Pojan and said to have had his origins in Zëmblak. He started his career in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
under the protection of the Albanian ruler, Muhammed Ali. This was probably done because they have a shared origin in the same village. Mustafa Naili Pasha (1798–1871) was an Ottoman statesman who held the office of
Grand Vizier Grand vizier (; ; ) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. It was first held by officials in the later Abbasid Caliphate. It was then held in the Ottoman Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Soko ...
twice and was
Wali The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008); John ...
of
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
. He was born and bred in Zëmblak, Pojan region. Pellumb Kulla was born in 1940 in Zëmblak. He is a former Albanian diplomat and author. He served as the Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations from 1993 to 1997. He wrote plays and books as well.


Demographics

The population of Zëmblak is and was historically ethnically Albanian, the villagers speak a
Tosk Tosk ( sq-definite, toskërishtja) is the southern group of dialects of the Albanian language, spoken by the ethnographic group known as Tosks. The line of demarcation between Tosk and Gheg (the northern variety) is the Shkumbin River. Tosk is ...
dialect of the
Albanian language Albanian (Endonym and exonym, endonym: , , or ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language and the only surviving representative of the Albanoid, Albanoid branch, which belongs to the Paleo-Balkan languages, Paleo-Balkan group. It ...
. The religion of the village is
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, under the
Bektashi Bektashism (, ) is a tariqa, Sufi order of Islam that evolved in 13th-century western Anatolia and became widespread in the Ottoman Empire. It is named after the wali, ''walī'' "saint" Haji Bektash Veli, with adherents called Bektashis. The ...
sect.


Notable people

*
Muhammad Ali of Egypt Muhammad Ali (4 March 1769 – 2 August 1849) was the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Albanians, Albanian viceroy and governor who became the ''de facto'' ruler of History of Egypt under the Muhammad Ali dynasty, Egypt from 1805 to 1848, widely consi ...
, the Ottoman Albanian governor and '' de facto'' ruler of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
from 1805 to 1848. * Mustafa Naili Pasha, (1798–1871) was an Ottoman statesman who held the office of
Grand Vizier Grand vizier (; ; ) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. It was first held by officials in the later Abbasid Caliphate. It was then held in the Ottoman Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Soko ...
twice and was
Wali The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008); John ...
of
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
. * Pellumb Kulla, (born 1940) is a former Albanian diplomat and author. He served as the Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations from 1993 to 1997. *Ibrahim Agha, father of Muhammed Ali of Egypt *Husain Agha, uncle of Muhammed Ali of Egypt * Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt, eldest son of Muhammad Ali of Egypt *
Tusun Pasha Tusun Pasha (, , ; 1794 – 28 September 1816) was the younger son of Muhammad Ali Pasha, Wāli of Egypt between 1805 and 1849, by Amina Hanim. He was the father of Abbas I of Egypt (1812–1854) by princess Pembe Qadin. He is buried in Ho ...
, youngest son of Muhammad Ali of Egypt * Said of Egypt, the fourth son of Muhammad Ali of Egypt


References

{{coord, 40, 41, 39, N, 20, 52, 38, E, display=title, region:AL_type:city Villages in Korçë County Populated places in Maliq