Spiro Bellkameni (1885-1912) was an Albanian kachak, revolutionary and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. He led one of the most important bands during the Albanian revolts of the 1900-1910s. [1] Bellkameni's band operated around south-eastern Albania and worked closely with other Albanian revolutionary groups in the region, particularly that of Sali Butka's.
Born in Bellkameni, in the Manastir Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire in 1885 he was a close associate of Themistokli Gërmenji and Mihal Grameno. In 1906 he was a member of Bajo Topulli's band that assassinated the Greek Orthodox bishop of Korçë Photios as retribution for the assassination of Kristo Negovani, which was instigated by Photios. [2] [3]
In March of 1911, Spiro returned from exile to the village of Butkë near Kolonjë, where he spent some time with the çeta of fellow Albanian revolutionary Sali Butka. In order to grow the revolutionary movement, Butka organised the formation of a separate çeta detachment under Spiro's command, which originally consisted of Sali's brother Myftar, Sali's son Gani and Thoma Pituli; this detachment was sent to the lowlands of Korçë, where they made a name for themselves in the Albanian Revolt of 1911 by defeating an Ottoman contingent in Mali i Thatë. Six members of the çeta were killed during this time, and were later declared martyrs of Albania. [4] [5] Together with the fellow Albanian armed bands of Sali Butka and Kajo Babjeni, Spiro Bellkameni and his fighters briefly liberated Korçë in August of 1912. [6]
Spiro's band consisted of both Muslim and Christian Albanians. [7] Despite the fact that the majority of his band consisted of Muslims, they had no qualms in electing Spiro - an Orthodox Albanian - to be their leader. [8]
Korçë is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994, in a total area of 806 km2 (311 sq mi). It stands on a plateau some 850 m (2,789 ft) above sea level, surrounded by the Morava Mountains.
The Albanian National Awakening, commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where the Albanian people gathered strength to establish an independent cultural and political life as well as the country of Albania.
Stavro Skëndi was an Albanian American linguist and historian.
Bajo Topulli, born Bajram Fehmi Topulli, was an Albanian nationalist figure of the Albanian National Awakening. Bajo was the older brother of Çerçiz Topulli.
Sali Butka, was an Albanian nationalist figure, revolutionary kachak, poet, and one of the delegates of the city of Korçë to the Albanian National Congress of Lushnjë. He was a well-known leader of an armed çeta band of Albanian fighters during the early 1900's.
Spiro Risto Dine (1846–1922) was an Albanian rilindas, writer and playwright. His most known work "Waves of the Sea" was at the time of its publication the longest book printed in Albanian.
Mihal Grameno was an Albanian nationalist, politician, writer, freedom fighter, and journalist. He was one of the four initial appointed delegates from Korçë to the Albanian National Congress that proclaimed the Independence of Albania on 28 November 1912.
Thoma Avrami (1869–1943) was an Albanian poet, journalist and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. During his life he published many distinguished Albanian newspapers and magazines of the era like Përlindja Shqiptare, Besa and Vetëtima.
Kristo Dako (1880–1941), son of Anastas Dako, was an Albanian patriot and publisher of the early 20th century.
Themistokli Gërmenji was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter. One of the activists of the Albanian National Awakening and the leader of the Albanian irregulars from 1909 to 1914, he became the prefect of police of the Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë from 1916 until his execution due to a miscarriage of justice by a French military tribunal in 1917.
Kristo Luarasi (1876–1934) was an Albanian nationalist figure, printer and publisher. He was one of the activists of the Albanian National Awakening. He was one of the first Albanian printers.
Photios Kalpidis or Photios of Korytsa was the Greek Orthodox metropolitan bishop of Korçë, Ottoman Empire, from 1902 to 1906. He was assassinated in 1906 by irregular bands due to his pro-Greek activity. Photios was proclaimed an "ethnomartyr" by the Church of Greece.
Mësonjëtorja or The Albanian School was the first secular school in the Albanian language within Ottoman Albania. It was opened in Korçë during the late Ottoman period. The school building serves as a museum and is located on the north side of Bulevardi Shën Gjergji.
Menduh Zavalani (1889–1914) was an Albanian revolutionary and political leader active during the last years of the Albanian National Awakening. He formed his own revolutionary band and was one of the leaders that liberated Përmet and the environs from the Ottoman Empire. Menduh was an appointed delegate from his hometown Korça to the Albanian National Congress that proclaimed the Independence of Albania. In the intellectual level Menduh was noted for the translation of Friedrich Schiller's drama Wilhelm Tell into Albanian. He was assassinated at a very young age near Pogradec by a local collaborationist band.
Orhan bey Pojani (1846–1913) was a prominent figure involved in the Albanian National Awakening.
Jovan Cico Kosturi (1831-1924), also known as Jovan Kosturi, was involved in the Albanian National Awakening.
Spiro Jovan Kosturi, also known as Spiro Kosturi, was a prominent figure involved in the Albanian National Awakening.
The Convention of Dibra was organized on November 1, 1878 in the city of Dibra, on the initiative of the Committee of the Albanian League for the two Dibras chaired by Iljaz Pasha Dibra. The convention adopted a resolution in the form of a memorandum, drafted by Abdyl Frashëri who participated as representative of the whole of Vilayet of Ioannina.
Grigor M. Cilka (1875-1919) was an Albanian Protestant reverend and missionary. In the height of the Albanian National Awakening he became a teacher at the first Albanian school for girls in Korçë. His wife Katerina was kidnapped during the Miss Stone Affair.
Kajo Babjeni (1833–1923) was an Albanian kachak, revolutionary and activist of the Albanian National Awakening from the Gorë region of south-eastern Albania. He was known as Kapedani i Gorës and led an armed band in the Gorë region.