ALBANIA 



147 



ALBANIA 



dorial conference accepted the principle of the 

 autonomy of Albania. The fixing of the boun- 

 daries of the new state was a difficult problem, 

 partly on account of the demands of Serl>i:i 

 for an outlet on the Adriatic Sea, which could 

 have been accomplished only through Alba- 

 nian territory. This question became still 

 more acute after the Montenegrins, in April, 

 1913, took the town of Scutari, which they 

 wished to annex. Albania therefore assumed 

 importance at that time on the political and 

 diplomatic horizon of Europe. 



The Albanians offered the crown to Prince 

 William of Wied, a nephew of the late queen 

 of Rumania, well-known under her literary 

 name of "Carmen Sylva." Prince William ac- 

 cepted the crown and arrived at Durazzo on 

 March 7, 1914. His reign was short. An insur- 

 rection broke out, and the prince abdicated 

 in September, 1914, a short time after the War 

 of the Nations began. A provisional govern- 

 ment was established under Essad Pasha, an 

 Albanian leader. Albania was subsequently 

 invaded both by Austrian and Italian troops, 

 while the southern part was occupied by 

 Greece. 



Area and Population. The frontiers of the 

 new state were fixed by an international com- 

 mission. Albania covers an area of 10,500 to 

 11,500 square miles, or a little more than the 

 land area of Maryland. The population is 

 roughly estimated at 800,000. But the state 

 does not include all the territory where the 

 preponderating population is Albanian. Many 

 Albanians are under the rule of the neighbor- 

 ing states of Montenegro, Serbia and Greece. 

 If these are added the number of Albanians 

 would reach about 1,500,000. 



The principal cities are Durazzo, the capital ; 

 Scutari, Elbasan, Tirana, Argyrocastro, Herat, 

 Koritza and Valona. The most important of 

 them are treated under their titles in these 

 volumes. 



The country is very mountainous, being 

 traversed by several high ranges, separated by 

 long and narrow valleys. The mountains are 

 clothed \\ith extensive forests, and it is be- 

 (1 they are rich in minerals. The d 

 rs, the Boyana, Shkumb, Drin, Viossa and 

 Arta, are too rapid to be navigable. There 

 are few good roads in the country, and no rail- 

 roads whatever. Bridle-paths are almost the 

 only means of communication. There are very 

 few bridges over the rivers. One of the most 

 pathetic episodes during the War of the Na- 

 tions was the retreat of the Serbian army be- 



fore the victorious Austrians through this wild 

 country, in the fall of 1915. 



National Characteristics. The Albanians 

 present a distinct national type and possess 

 some remarkable qualities. Although ignorant 

 and superstitious, these mountaineers are 

 truthful, brave and faithful. They make ex- 

 cellent soldiers and retainers, and they for- 

 merly supplied the Turkish army with some 

 of its best fighters; the bodyguard of the sul- 

 tan of Turkey has often been composed of 

 Albanians. Most of the attendants at the for- 

 eign embassies and consulates in Eastern 

 Europe are Albanians, and travelers in this 

 part of the world are impressed with the phys- 

 ical appearance, the picturesque native dress, 

 as well as the fine array of arms they carry. 

 For, when thus employed, they are heavily 

 armed and display their weapons in such a 

 manner that anyone can see them. 



Language. The Albanian language is inter- 

 esting, for it is different from any other lan- 

 guage in Europe. It belongs to the family of 

 the Indo-European languages and is related to 

 Latin and ancient Greek. It seems to be the 

 only surviving language of what was probably 

 the primitive speech of the inhabitants of the 

 Balkan Peninsula. The language has two 

 widely different dialects, which are spoken 

 respectively by the two chief divisions of the 

 nation, namely, the Ghegs in the north and 

 the Tusks in the south. 



Religion. About two-thirds of the Alba- 

 nians are Mohammedans; of the remainder 

 those in the north are mostly Roman Catho- 

 lics, while many in the south belong to the 

 Greek Orthodox Church. 



Customs. Tribal Organization. The Al- 

 banians are the oldest original inhabitants of 

 the Balkan Peninsula. On account of the 

 mountainous nature of the country they have 

 retained their marked national individuality 

 and their ancient institutions and customs. 

 They are the only people in Europe who have 

 preserved to the present day the organisation 

 in tribes. The tribe is usually composed of 

 several clans, and each clan is under a rln- i" 

 who is, strictly speaking, a military trader. 

 The tribal organisation regulates not only the 

 political but also the social relations of the 

 people. Thus, a man is not allowed to marry 

 a woman of his own tribe. The tribal organi- 

 sation has been preserved more fully in the 

 mountainous regions in the north, winl 

 the south it has been supplanted by a sort of 

 feudal system. 



