Bulgarian occupation of Albania
Encyclopedia
Bulgarian occupation of Albania refers to the occupation
of Albania
by the Kingdom of Bulgaria
's army during World War I
. It lasted between December 10, 1915, when Bulgarian army crossed the Drin river
and entered the Albania
, and lasted until September 9, 1917, when French troops captured Pogradec
from Bulgarian army.
was fragmented by several countries that occupied various parts of Albania. Kingdom of Bulgaria
used its army to occupy eastern part of Albania. After the beginning of the Bulgaria's engagement in First World War on the side of the Central Powers
in autumn 1915, many ethnic Albanians
joined Bulgarians who gave them arms. Among them was Sali Butka
, south Albanian guerilla leader, Hysejn Nikolica and Themistokli Gërmenji
(until December 1916).
, entered the Albania
, and attacked the positions of the Serbian army
. On the same day, near Dibra, Bulgarian army broke into valley of river Mat, threatening to capture Shkodra and Lezhe
.
A company from twenty-third infantry
regiment
of the Bulgarian army under the command of captain Serafimov occupied Elbassan on January 29, 1916.
There was a rivalry between the Kingdom of Bulgaria
and Austria-Hungary
in establishing their influence in Albania
. Attempting to establish its influence in Albania, Bulgaria allowed Ahmed Zogu to establish his administration in Elbasan and supported him in his attempts to revive support for the regime of Wilhelm of Wied. Double invasion by Austria-Hungary
and Kingdom of Bulgaria
and lack of support of Kingdom of Serbia
or Italy
forced Essad Pasha Toptani to leave Republic of Central Albania
on February 24, 1916, when he again declared a war
against Austria-Hungary
.
In March 1916 the army of Austria-Hungary took over control of Elbassan from Bulgarian army which then headed toward Berat
. Bulgaria had an idea to persuade Albanian leaders to elect Prince Kiril, second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
, for their king (mbret).
On August 18, 1916 Bulgarian army, probably attempting to join Austrian forces in Albania
in combined attack on Italian army, expanded occupied territory as far as Korçë
ejecting the Greek garrison from that territory. Sali Butka
, south Albanian guerilla leader who joined his lot with invading armies of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria, burned Moskopolje, near Korçë
, on October 16, 1916. At that time Bulgarian army held Pogradec
under occuption, together with the army of Austria-Hungary. After Italian army
made its way trough Northern Epirus, and after French army
Occupied Korçë
it was announced (on October 25, 1916) that Allies
were in touch. In September 1917 general Maurice Sarrail
undertook an action against the armies of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria
in Albania, and on September 9 French troops captured Pogradec
. Together with the armies of Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary, there were Albanians
, led by Hysejn Nikolica, fighting against the French troops capturing Pogradec.
Occupation
Occupation may refer to:*Job , a regular activity performed for payment, that occupies one's time**Employment, a person under service of another by hire**Career, a course through life**Profession, a vocation founded upon specialized training...
of Albania
Albania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
by the Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
's army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It lasted between December 10, 1915, when Bulgarian army crossed the Drin river
Drin River
The Drin is the longest river in Albania with a total length of . It has two distributaries, one going directly into the Adriatic Sea, the other one into the Bojana River .- Origin :...
and entered the Albania
Albania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
, and lasted until September 9, 1917, when French troops captured Pogradec
Pogradec
Pogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
from Bulgarian army.
Background
During the First World War territory of AlbaniaAlbania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
was fragmented by several countries that occupied various parts of Albania. Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
used its army to occupy eastern part of Albania. After the beginning of the Bulgaria's engagement in First World War on the side of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
in autumn 1915, many ethnic Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
joined Bulgarians who gave them arms. Among them was Sali Butka
Sali Butka
Sali Butka was an Albanian nationalist figure, kachak, poet, and one of the delegates of the city of Korçë to the Albanian National Congress of Lushnjë.Butka was born in village Butkë of Kolonjë District...
, south Albanian guerilla leader, Hysejn Nikolica and Themistokli Gërmenji
Themistokli Gërmenji
Themistokli Gërmenji was one of the activists of the Albanian National Awakening, the leader of the Albanian irregulars from 1909 to 1914, and the prefect of police of Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë from 1916 to 1917.- Biography :...
(until December 1916).
Events
On December 10, 1915, the Bulgarian army crossed the Drin riverDrin River
The Drin is the longest river in Albania with a total length of . It has two distributaries, one going directly into the Adriatic Sea, the other one into the Bojana River .- Origin :...
, entered the Albania
Albania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
, and attacked the positions of the Serbian army
Serbian Army
-Objectives:The Serbian Army is responsible for:* deterring armed threats* defending Serbia's territory* participation in peacekeeping operations* providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief-Personnel:...
. On the same day, near Dibra, Bulgarian army broke into valley of river Mat, threatening to capture Shkodra and Lezhe
Lezhë
Lezhë is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. It is located at and has a population of about 27,500...
.
A company from twenty-third infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the Bulgarian army under the command of captain Serafimov occupied Elbassan on January 29, 1916.
There was a rivalry between the Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
and Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
in establishing their influence in Albania
Albania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
. Attempting to establish its influence in Albania, Bulgaria allowed Ahmed Zogu to establish his administration in Elbasan and supported him in his attempts to revive support for the regime of Wilhelm of Wied. Double invasion by Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
and lack of support of Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
or Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
forced Essad Pasha Toptani to leave Republic of Central Albania
Republic of Central Albania
The Republic of Central Albania was a short-lived unrecognized state established on October 16, 1913 with its administrative centre in Durres, today in Albania.- History :...
on February 24, 1916, when he again declared a war
Declaration of war
A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is a performative speech act by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more states.The legality of who is competent to declare war varies...
against Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
.
In March 1916 the army of Austria-Hungary took over control of Elbassan from Bulgarian army which then headed toward Berat
Berat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...
. Bulgaria had an idea to persuade Albanian leaders to elect Prince Kiril, second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...
, for their king (mbret).
On August 18, 1916 Bulgarian army, probably attempting to join Austrian forces in Albania
Albania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
in combined attack on Italian army, expanded occupied territory as far as Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
ejecting the Greek garrison from that territory. Sali Butka
Sali Butka
Sali Butka was an Albanian nationalist figure, kachak, poet, and one of the delegates of the city of Korçë to the Albanian National Congress of Lushnjë.Butka was born in village Butkë of Kolonjë District...
, south Albanian guerilla leader who joined his lot with invading armies of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria, burned Moskopolje, near Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, on October 16, 1916. At that time Bulgarian army held Pogradec
Pogradec
Pogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
under occuption, together with the army of Austria-Hungary. After Italian army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
made its way trough Northern Epirus, and after French army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
Occupied Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
it was announced (on October 25, 1916) that Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
were in touch. In September 1917 general Maurice Sarrail
Maurice Sarrail
Maurice-Paul-Emmanuel Sarrail was a French general of the First World War. Sarrail endeared himself to the political elite of the Third Republic through his openly socialist views, all the more conspicuous in contrast to the Catholics, conservatives and monarchists who dominated the French Army...
undertook an action against the armies of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
in Albania, and on September 9 French troops captured Pogradec
Pogradec
Pogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
. Together with the armies of Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary, there were Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
, led by Hysejn Nikolica, fighting against the French troops capturing Pogradec.