Shefqet Bej Vërlaci
Encyclopedia
Shefqet Bej
Vërlaci (December 15, 1877, Elbasan
, Ottoman Empire
– July 21, 1946, Zürich
, Switzerland) was Prime Minister of Albania in 1924 and during the Italian occupation from 1939 to 1941.
roots, from the Renaissance
times of Albania Veneta
.
In 1922, Verlaci was the biggest landowner of 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 as its members some North Albanian clan chiefs and prominent Muslim landowners.
In late 1922, Ahmed Zogu
became engaged to Verlaci's daughter, winning Verlaci's support and the position of Prime Minister.
In early 1924, Zogu was forced to cede his position of Prime Minister to Verlaci, because of a financial scandal and an attempt of assassination in which Zogu was injured. The date of Verlaci's taking the position of Prime Minister is March 5, 1924 (some sources cite other dates in February or March). Verlaci held this position until June 2 (or June 10), and then fled to Italy
. During Fan Noli
's regime that followed, a special tribunal created by the government condemned Verlaci to death in absentia along with the confiscation of all property.
When Zogu was crowned in 1928, he immediately broke his engagement with Verlaci's daughter. So Verlaci became King Zog's
mortal enemy.
On April 12, 1939, after Italian invasion of Albania
, Verlaci became the Prime Minister of a government of Albania, formed under the Italian occupation. From April 12 through April 16 (until Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III
accepted the Albanian crown), Verlaci was the acting Head of State.
Verlaci supported Albania's claim to ethnic Albanian-inhabited areas in Yugoslavia
and Greece
.
On November 28, 1939 there was an anti-Italian, anti-Fascist
and anti-government street demonstration in Tirana
, supported by a strike of industrial and transport workers.
Verlaci remained at the head of the government until December 4 (other sources cite November 10 or December 3), 1941.
He died in 1946 in Zürich, Switzerland, and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome, Italy.
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
Vërlaci (December 15, 1877, Elbasan
Elbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
, 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...
– July 21, 1946, Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland) was Prime Minister of Albania in 1924 and during the Italian occupation from 1939 to 1941.
Biography
Verlaci's name also is found under the forms Vërlaci, Verlaçi, Verlaxhi, and Velaxhi. His first name also is written in various forms, including Shevket, as on his gravestone. Probably his name has distant VenetianRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
roots, from the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
times of Albania Veneta
Albania Veneta
Venetian Albania was the name for the possessions of the Venetian Republic in southern Dalmatia that existed from 1420 to 1797. It originally covered the coastal area of what is now northern Albania and the coast of Montenegro, but the Albanian and southern Montenegrin parts were lost to the...
.
In 1922, Verlaci was the biggest landowner of 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 as its members some North Albanian clan chiefs and prominent Muslim landowners.
In late 1922, Ahmed Zogu
Zog of Albania
Zog I, Skanderbeg III of the Albanians , born Ahmet Muhtar Bey Zogolli, was King of the Albanians from 1928 to 1939. He was previously Prime Minister of Albania and President of Albania .-Background and early political career:...
became engaged to Verlaci's daughter, winning Verlaci's support and the position of Prime Minister.
In early 1924, Zogu was forced to cede his position of Prime Minister to Verlaci, because of a financial scandal and an attempt of assassination in which Zogu was injured. The date of Verlaci's taking the position of Prime Minister is March 5, 1924 (some sources cite other dates in February or March). Verlaci held this position until June 2 (or June 10), and then fled to 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...
. During Fan Noli
Fan S. Noli
Theofan Stilian Noli, better known as Fan Noli was an Albanian-American writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church, who served as prime minister and regent of Albania in 1924.Fan Noli is venerated in Albania as a champion of literature,...
's regime that followed, a special tribunal created by the government condemned Verlaci to death in absentia along with the confiscation of all property.
When Zogu was crowned in 1928, he immediately broke his engagement with Verlaci's daughter. So Verlaci became King Zog's
Zog of Albania
Zog I, Skanderbeg III of the Albanians , born Ahmet Muhtar Bey Zogolli, was King of the Albanians from 1928 to 1939. He was previously Prime Minister of Albania and President of Albania .-Background and early political career:...
mortal enemy.
On April 12, 1939, after Italian invasion of Albania
Italian invasion of Albania
The Italian invasion of Albania was a brief military campaign by the Kingdom of Italy against the Albanian Kingdom. The conflict was a result of the imperialist policies of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini...
, Verlaci became the Prime Minister of a government of Albania, formed under the Italian occupation. From April 12 through April 16 (until Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
accepted the Albanian crown), Verlaci was the acting Head of State.
Verlaci supported Albania's claim to ethnic Albanian-inhabited areas in Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
On November 28, 1939 there was an anti-Italian, anti-Fascist
Albanian Fascist Party
The Albanian Fascist Party was a fascist movement which held nominal power in Albania from 1939, when the country was conquered by Italy, until 1943, when Italy capitulated to the Allies...
and anti-government street demonstration in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, supported by a strike of industrial and transport workers.
Verlaci remained at the head of the government until December 4 (other sources cite November 10 or December 3), 1941.
He died in 1946 in Zürich, Switzerland, and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome, Italy.
See also
- History of AlbaniaHistory of AlbaniaThe history of Albania emerges from the prehistoric stage from the 4th century BC, with early records of Illyria in Greco-Roman historiography. The modern territory of Albania has no counterpart in antiquity, comprising parts of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia , Macedonia , and Moesia Superior...