Koto Hoxhi
Encyclopedia
Koto Hoxhi was an advocate of the Albanian language
. He taught this language secretly to his students in Qestorat
in Southern Albania. He was imprisoned and died in prison for his beliefs.
in 1824 (Gjirokastër District
, southern Albania
, then Ottoman Empire
). He and Sami Frashëri, Pashko Vasa
and Jani Vreto
devised an alphabet for expressing the Albanian language. Based on this is was possible to create the first alphabet book
in Albanian.
Hoxhi was a teacher in the seminary school in Qestorat which conducted all its lessons in Greek
. In 1874, Hoxhi was responsible for writing one of the first plays performed in Albanian
. The play was called A Wedding in Lunxheria and it was performed in Gjirokastër.
He secretly started to teach his students written Albanian and later requested from the Ottoman governor of Ioannina
permission to set up an Albanian school. For these activities Koto Hoxhi was excommunicated
by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
. He was arrested and first imprisoned for this in the jail of Gjirokastër. Eventually he was transferred to the Yedikule prison in Istanbul where he died in 1895.
Whilst Hoxhi was a prisoner in Istanbul he was visited by Sevasti Qiriazi, one of the teachers of the First Albanian Language School of modern times, who persuaded a prison employee to smuggle her in disguised as a boy. The report came back that the former teacher was now a "bag of rags" on a stone slab that served as a bed. The "filthy hole" of a cell was deep within the prison and Hoxhi had lost most of his intellect, however he was grateful for the visit. He was clothed in rags and his hair and beard were long. He said that his body was broken but his soul was free, he hoped that Albania would be united and happy. Hoxhi said that the Sultan had told him that he could be released if he would give the names of the other people who were involved, but he had refused to cooperate. Hoxhi had been on the Central Committee the defence of the rights of the Albanian people
which supported the ideas of the League of Prizren
. Other members included Pandeli Sotiri
, Hasan Tahsini
, Pashko Vasa
, Jani Vreto, Sami Frashëri and Abdyl Frasheri
.
and Petro Nini Luarasi
, would notably continue his work.
Urani Rumbo
founded a primary school for girls in his name in Gjirokastër
in 1920.
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
. He taught this language secretly to his students in Qestorat
Qestorat
Qestorat is a community of Lunxhëri municipality in the district of Gjirokastër, southern Albania.From 1874 to 1891 the village was home to the Zographeion College, educational facilities that included primary and secondary male, female schools and a teacher's academy and operated with the personal...
in Southern Albania. He was imprisoned and died in prison for his beliefs.
Biography
Koto Hoxhi was born in QestoratQestorat
Qestorat is a community of Lunxhëri municipality in the district of Gjirokastër, southern Albania.From 1874 to 1891 the village was home to the Zographeion College, educational facilities that included primary and secondary male, female schools and a teacher's academy and operated with the personal...
in 1824 (Gjirokastër District
Gjirokastër District
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 56,720 containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër...
, southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, then Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
). He and Sami Frashëri, Pashko Vasa
Pashko Vasa
Pashko Vasa also known as Vaso Pasha or Vaso Pashë Shkodrani, was an Albanian writer, poet and publicist of the Albanian National Awakening, and Governor of Lebanon from 1882 until his death.-Secretary in the British Consulate:From 1842 to 1847 he worked as a secretary for the...
and Jani Vreto
Jani Vreto
Jani Vreto was an Albanian writer, publisher and important figure of the Albanian National Awakening.- Life :Jani Vreto was born in Postenan, a village near Leskovik, southern Albania in 1822...
devised an alphabet for expressing the Albanian language. Based on this is was possible to create the first alphabet book
Alphabet book
An Alphabet book is a book primarily designed for young children. It presents letters of the alphabet with corresponding words and/or images. Some alphabet books feature capitals and lower case letter forms, keywords beginning with specific letters, or illustrations of keywords...
in Albanian.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
. In 1874, Hoxhi was responsible for writing one of the first plays performed in Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
. The play was called A Wedding in Lunxheria and it was performed in Gjirokastër.
He secretly started to teach his students written Albanian and later requested from the Ottoman governor of Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
permission to set up an Albanian school. For these activities Koto Hoxhi was excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , part of the wider Orthodox Church, is one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
. He was arrested and first imprisoned for this in the jail of Gjirokastër. Eventually he was transferred to the Yedikule prison in Istanbul where he died in 1895.
Whilst Hoxhi was a prisoner in Istanbul he was visited by Sevasti Qiriazi, one of the teachers of the First Albanian Language School of modern times, who persuaded a prison employee to smuggle her in disguised as a boy. The report came back that the former teacher was now a "bag of rags" on a stone slab that served as a bed. The "filthy hole" of a cell was deep within the prison and Hoxhi had lost most of his intellect, however he was grateful for the visit. He was clothed in rags and his hair and beard were long. He said that his body was broken but his soul was free, he hoped that Albania would be united and happy. Hoxhi said that the Sultan had told him that he could be released if he would give the names of the other people who were involved, but he had refused to cooperate. Hoxhi had been on the Central Committee the defence of the rights of the Albanian people
Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
The Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights was formed in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, then Ottoman Empire in 1877 by an influential group of Albanian intellectuals, patriots, and politicians, such as Sami Frashëri, Pashko Vasa, Abdyl Frashëri, Jani Vreto, Ymer Prizreni, Zija Prishtina,...
which supported the ideas of the League of Prizren
League of Prizren
The League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
. Other members included Pandeli Sotiri
Pandeli Sotiri
Pandeli Sotiri was an Albanian activist that acted as director of the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë. Sotiri was one of the most important Rilindas figures that contributed in the propagation of the Albanian language. He also worked on one of the versions of the Albanian alphabet...
, Hasan Tahsini
Hasan Tahsini
Hasan Tahsini also known as Hoxha Tahsin was an Albanian astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. He was the first rector of Istanbul University and one of the founders of the Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights...
, Pashko Vasa
Pashko Vasa
Pashko Vasa also known as Vaso Pasha or Vaso Pashë Shkodrani, was an Albanian writer, poet and publicist of the Albanian National Awakening, and Governor of Lebanon from 1882 until his death.-Secretary in the British Consulate:From 1842 to 1847 he worked as a secretary for the...
, Jani Vreto, Sami Frashëri and Abdyl Frasheri
Abdyl Frashëri
Abdyl Frashëri People's Hero of Albania was an Albanian diplomat, politician, writer, and a first political ideologue of the Albanian National Awakening through the League of Prizren...
.
Legacy
Two of his students, Pandeli SotiriPandeli Sotiri
Pandeli Sotiri was an Albanian activist that acted as director of the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë. Sotiri was one of the most important Rilindas figures that contributed in the propagation of the Albanian language. He also worked on one of the versions of the Albanian alphabet...
and Petro Nini Luarasi
Petro Nini Luarasi
Petro Nini Luarasi was an Albanian rilindas activist, Christian orthodox priest, teacher and journalist...
, would notably continue his work.
Urani Rumbo
Urani Rumbo
Urani Rumbo was an Albanian feminist, teacher and playwright. She founded various associations promoting women's rights, the most important of which was Lidhja e Gruas , one of first prominent feminist organizations of Albania.- Biography :Urani Rumbo was born in December 1895 in Stegopuli, a...
founded a primary school for girls in his name in Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
in 1920.