Albanian Revolt of 1843~1844

The Albanian Revolt of 1843–1844, variously also known as the Revolt of 1844 or the Uprising of Dervish Cara, was a 19th-century uprising in northern Ottoman Albania directed against the Ottoman Tanzimat reforms which started in 1839 and were gradually being put in action in the regions of Albania. Some historians include the actions in Dibër of the same time, under the same historical name, though they actions were independent and headed by other leaders.

Background

The Tanzimat reforms began in 1839, and aimed to modernize the Ottoman Empire by introducing European-inspired reforms. Most importantly, it involved a centralization and streamlining of the administration and military. This hurt the old-established feudal order (cf. timariots and sipahis) among the Empire's Muslim communities, and especially the various local leaders who had exercised considerable regional authority and often enjoyed wide-ranging autonomy from the imperial government. The Albanians had long been a source of manpower for the Ottomans, providing both soldiers and statesmen such as the Köprülü family. The Tanzimat reforms however, and in particular the replacement of influential local leaders by Ottoman functionaries, the imposition of new taxes, the compulsory recruitment into the regular army, and the attempt to disarm the general population caused much resentment, and led to a series of disorders throughout the western Balkan provinces in 1840–43.

In the summer of 1843, the inhabitants of Prizren attacked and routed the new officials of the city and their example was followed by the inhabitants of Prishtina and Gjakova. These local insurrections in the cities were immediately suppressed by Ottoman authorities.


The uprising

The direct cause of the uprising, was the arresting and liquidation of the local Albanophone pashas', most notably that of Abdurrahman Pasha of Tetovo and his two brothers, Havzi Pasha of Üsküb and Hussein Pasha of Kustendil. The revolters which were lead by Dervish Cara had also the support of the Christian population and were assisted also by other Albanophone pashas'.The revolt began in Shkup in July 1843 and grew strongly when an Ottoman army under Hajredin Pasha in a process of opposing it, tried to recruit local Albanians in the regular army. In November the rebels liberated Gostivar and in January 1844 after bitter fights with the Ottoman army they liberated Tetovo. The leader of the rebels was Dervish Cara which was assisted by various local leaders. In February 1844 the rebels attacked and liberated Shkup. They created a Great Council lead by Dervish Cara which was the supreme body of the newly created administration in the liberated territories. In February 1844 the rebels liberated Kumanovo. After Kumonovo the rebels liberated Preshevo, Bujanovc, Vranja, Leskovc and other territories in North Kosovo. The rebellion was spread out in Peja, Gjakovë, Prizren and İşkodra, while in the spring of 1844 the territory of the rebellion was from Oher and Manastır in the south, İşkodra in west, North Kosovo in North and Kumanovo in east.The rebels sent a letter to the Albanians of Sandjak of Yanya recalling them brothers and asking them not to fight for the Ottoman army.

Fearing a further extension of the rebellion the Ottoman government tried to gain some time through negotiations. The requests of the rebels were:

1. Abolish the military levy for Albanian recruitments
2. Replacement of Ottoman functionaries who didn't know Albanian with local Albanians.
3. Recognition of the authonomy of Albania, just like the Ottoman government did with the Serbians in 1830.

The requests of the rebels were not accepted. In a move to disunite the rebels, the Ottoman government declared an amnisty, the abolishment of the new taxes and the postponement of the recruitment process which would become voluntary in the future. A promise that the if they handed over their arms the same rights accorded to the Serbs which ment authonomy, was done by the Ottoman commander in chief Omer Pasha. At the same time an Ottoman army of 30.000 men led by Omer Pasha concentrated in Monastir. In May 1844 the Ottoman army attacked rebels, forcing them to retreat in Tetovo, Shkup and Kumanovo area. Heavy fightins took place from 13–17 May 1844, in Katlanovo Pass and in 18 May in Katlanovo thermals. IN disparity of numbers and without artillery the rebels could not resist longer the superior Ottoman army. In 21 May 1844 the Ottoman army entered in Shkup, where many reprisals took place. During May–June, after bitter fightings with the rebels the Ottoman army could capture from the rebels the cities of Kumanove, Preshevë, Bujonovc, Vranjë, Tetovë, Gostivar while in July the Ottoman army captured all the area from Kachanik to Prishtinë. Dervish Cara was captured by Ottoman forces in summer 1844.


The actions in Dibër

The capture of Dervish Cara didn't put an end to the rebellion which continued in the areas of Dibër and İşkodra. The resistance was very strong especially in Dibër under its local leaders. In the fall of 1844 the Ottoman army was concentrated against the rebels in sandjak of Dibër. Ottoman forces led by Rexhep Pasha were defeated by the rebels in the field of Mavrovë. The rebels in the sandjak of Dibër were led from Sheh Mustafa Zerqani. In a meeting in November 1844 they declared that the old authonomy of Dibër was not to be touched. The rebel army led by Cen Leka tried to stop the advancing Ottoman army led by Hayredin Pasha. The Ottoman commander declared again an amnisty, the abolishment of the new taxes and the postponement of the recruitment process which would become voluntary in the future. The greatest resistance happened in the Battle of Gjuricë, which lasted for five days. According to the report of a French diplomat in Yanina even women and children participated in it.The Ottoman army suffered a great number of loses but due to the great superiority in numbers and armaments succeeded in forcing the rebels to leave the field of battle. The reprisals from the Ottoman army forced a large number of people to leave their houses. Although the rebellion was crushed, the Ottoman government postponed the application of Tanzimat for the sandjak of Dibër and İşkodra. Dervish Cara together with other local leaders was sentenced to death, but this punishment was later transformed into a lifetime sentence.