By Eugen Shehu
Memorie.al / Resnja! It brings to mind those beautiful places, those mountains with the scent of freedom, and naturally, you will feel proud. But the greatest pride comes from the people of those regions, those who dedicated not just their work, youth, and efforts, but even their precious lives—the one gift that God grants only once. Undoubtedly among these rare and noble men, Ahmet Nijazi Beu holds a special place. He was born in beautiful Resnja in the distant year of 1865. He was the first son of Nijazi Beu and would always carry the name of his father. But with one difference.
He would not keep his father’s name as a relic but as a testament to a bravery that was passed down from year to year, from generation to generation. Within that enduring vision are dozens, if not hundreds, of events that, although personal, gain significant value, as the gun has always fired for the good of the people’s fate. Like all the inhabitants of those territories, he initially went to study at a religious school in Resnja. He liked the Turkish language, but his father, Nijazi, began teaching him Albanian with a private tutor. The Beu of Resnja always sought for his son to learn in school but to also feel the responsibility of being Albanian.
This spirit would accompany young Ahmed until the end; he would traverse miles and run like a bird, just to be as close as possible to his beloved Resnja. Since the family was in a very good economic situation, as Nijazi Beu owned large lands up to Struga, Ahmedi set out for studies in Istanbul. With a beaming smile and a gaze as deep as the sea, while continuing his studies in Istanbul, he would always live with the beautiful memories of his birthplace. In Istanbul, many of Nijazi’s friends wanted to take him to their homes for lunch and dinner, but the boy from Resnja preferred books over the Sultan’s vacations.
From 1886 to 1889, he attended the military academy in Istanbul. Now, instead of that little boy who missed Resnja, a handsome man was growing up, very serious and correct in his studies. He enjoyed being called Ahmed Nijaziu, thus understanding his father and his words every time he chose to travel from Resnja to Skopje and Thessaloniki; “An officer can be made by school. But to be Albanian, a mother can only give birth to you, and then it is up to the man himself to decide whether he will remain Albanian or fear being one.”
It is true that the sons of beys at that time used to spend their school holidays in the most beautiful places in Europe. Ahmed Nijaziu could not be excluded from this trend. However, while his other friends spent their time in leisure, the boy from Resnja explored the military arts wherever he went in Europe.
Ahmed Nijazi, being knowledgeable in several foreign languages, had begun associating with other high-ranking officers. In discussions with them, the organization of previous military battles was always at the center of attention, regardless of whether they were conducted by the Sublime Porte or not. With the completion of the military academy in Istanbul, doors to a military career opened wide for Ahmed Nijazi. Intuitive, visionary, and with an iron will, the boy from Resnja commanded several units of the Ottoman army in Asian Turkey for a few years. His good name and the support he enjoyed helped him significantly, but one day, unexpectedly, at the beginning of the century we left behind, he sought to serve in any capacity, provided it was in the Vilayet of Monastir. Some Albanians (among his friends) called this move hasty!
There were those who “advised” him that he could not achieve greatness in his career when serving in his homeland. But Ahmed Nijazi, serious, determined, and almost born a soldier, certainly distanced himself from them. Therefore, in the early 1900s, Ahmed returned near his birthplace, taking on the role of a squad leader in the second corps of Monastir. Being close to his family, he was not only able to help them but was also beginning to follow the turbulent fate of Albania. It is not an exaggeration to call this fate turbulent, as the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, with its shocking developments, had intertwined the fates of all the Balkan peoples, whose history was shaped through tragedies. Many documents have now come to light, proving the greed of the neighbors towards our indigenous territories.
In February 1903, an Austro-Russian agreement was reached regarding reforms in the so-called Vilayet of Macedonia. The manner in which the agreement was reached made it clear that after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, there would be other empires seeking to rise by redistributing the areas they intended to consume. In 1903, discussions also took place in Rome between the Kings of Italy and Greece, where the main topic was the partitioning of Albanian territories according to the Hellenic and Roman aspirations. What made this agreement particularly ironic was the expressed idea that they wanted to attack Albania in the name of the fight against the Turks! According to this agreement, the Greeks decided to go as far as Tepelena and Pogradec, where the border would be established between the Greeks and Montenegrins, who, after conquering Shkodër, would also take Dibra.
Meanwhile, the “more modest” Italian king sought the cities of Durrës and Vlorë. Ahmed Nijazi had already begun to feel that something was moving towards the pursuit of rights for his compatriots’ autonomy. The ideas of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Albanians, led in Istanbul by Sami Frashëri, were gradually entering the Vilayet of Monastir. There had been several small (armed) conflicts between the guerrillas of Ohrid, Dibra, and Prizren with some Turkish units, which later served as a prelude to all events. While openly expressing their demands, Albanian patriots in Sofia and Bucharest asked the Great Powers: To allow Albanian schools and churches. To release all Albanians who had been interned or imprisoned for political reasons, or because they had sought to exercise freely their language. To appoint an Albanian to the Reform Commission in Monastir. (Central State Archive, Fund 19, Year 1903, File 79, p. 3).
Ahmed Nijazi, although still in the ranks of the Ottoman army, understood that his homeland could come out of the lengthy Ottoman night only through a relentless war against the absolutism of Sultan Hamid. Foreseeing the swift decline of the Empire and the Slavo-Hellenic ambitions, he intuitively sensed the boiling over of Balkan grievances. Now, his beautiful and high palaces (considered a rare work of art throughout Macedonia) were filled with people. In conversations with them, Ahmed Nijazi sought to explain the situations briefly and, of course, sought the oath of the notables of Resnja, Struga, Ohrid, and Monastir to undertake joint actions if the needs of Albania required it. Not infrequently, brave men from Prespa, Kërçova, Gostivari, and Tetova would seek refuge in his palaces, wanting to hear from Ahmed Nijazi both the words of a patriot and of a military leader.
I believe it is worth recalling that between the years 1904-1907, Ahmed Nijazi became well-known not only among the men of these territories but also among the bands of Bulgarian komitadjis. This son of Resnja clearly understood that these groups of guerrillas were defending their ideals, but he anticipated a collaboration of sorts to expel the Ottoman rule, and subsequently, the historical developments would naturally be viewed through new visions and stances in the interest of the Albanian nation and homeland. In the name of the so-called Macedonian Reform, the Great Powers were plotting, in 1904, a partition of Albania, particularly benefitting the orthodox interests represented by Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Greece. The plans were elaborately directed, and they could not go unnoticed by Albanian patriots.
Alongside the protests of Albanians in Istanbul, the national spirit significantly increased, especially linked to demands for the Albanian language and the creation of secret committees. During this period, Ahmed Nijazi mobilized in Resnja, conducting propaganda primarily within the ranks of the Ottoman army. The truth is that at that time, in the Vilayet of Monastir, there were soldiers of various nationalities. However, the son of Resnja, with an extraordinary respect, even for the lowliest soldier, had earned admiration from all the officials of the Ottoman garrison in Monastir. Often, in this propaganda for the autonomy of Albania, Ahmed Nijazi was accompanied by Tajar Tetova, a soldier and a determined patriot, to fulfill the great legacy of the Homeland.
Meanwhile, a committee of several Albanian men, led by Ibrahim Temo (Dervish Hima), sent a memorandum to Sultan Hamid, presenting the dangers threatening Albania from its neighbors as clearly as day. In great detail, the events in the Vilayet of Monastir were explained, and concrete measures were requested to prevent a dramatic situation for Albanians. Among other things, the memorandum requested:
- Since the region imagined today as “Macedonia” (the vilayet of Thessaloniki, Monastir, and Kosovo) is not composed solely of the Slav-Macedonian population but also of different peoples, the Bulgarian project for the creation of a special Macedonian province that would include the Albanian territories of the Vilayets of Monastir and Kosovo should not be accepted. General reforms should be implemented for all the European vilayets of Turkey.
- Each nation should have its own officials, both large and small, in the territories inhabited by them, who must also know the official Turkish language. The governor, whether Muslim or Christian, should be appointed or designated by the Sultan.
- Every subordinate must be held accountable for the duties they have taken on. The bureaucratic apparatus should be simplified by removing excess personnel, and the creation of new positions should not be allowed. The gendarmerie, which is the breeding ground of arbitrariness, should be placed under the control of the prefects, and during campaigns, it should be accompanied by reserve officers and sub-prefects. This measure would strengthen oversight over the actions of the gendarmerie and prevent abuses and violations. Furthermore, this also encompassed the regular payment of monthly salaries for the officials.
- Foreign schools should be taken from the clergy, as they are a source of division among the peoples, and placed under the control of the state. These schools would be converted into mixed schools, and education in them would be compulsory. This measure would also be acceptable to the Greeks and Bulgarians who control these schools. (Central State Archive, Fund 19, File 18, Pages 92-93).
In January 1908, it seemed that the victory of the Young Turks would come swiftly. Across the Balkan countries, preparations were being made for uprisings against the absolutism of Sultan Hamid, and people believed that with his overthrow, a new life would begin for them. This was the reason why, in support of the Young Turks’ policy, the Albanians were now playing an important role. Ahmed Nijazi Resnja had now stepped forward at the forefront of the brave Albanians from Struga, Ohrid, Monastir, Resnja, and Prespa. Armed men from Kërçova, Tetova, and Skopje had come under his command, anticipating a talented military leader and brave commander of the people.
He had cooperated illegally with the Secret Committees of National Salvation, helping not only with his experience but especially with the great reputation he enjoyed throughout the Albanian territories of Macedonia. Fehmi Bej Zavallani, Shahin Kolonja, and Tajar Tetova would be among the close collaborators of the son of Resnja in the spring of 1908. It is worth mentioning that at many gatherings, Ahmed Nijazi Resnja openly expressed his opposition to the heavy taxes that the population of those regions (as well as all of Albania) had to pay to the Sublime Porte. Although he came from a wealthy family and owned large lands, the truth is that Ahmed Nijazi always lived with the concerns and poverty of his nation.
As he opposed the Turkish tax policy, naturally, hundreds of peasants from those regions rallied to his side, ready to fight under their son’s command. Meanwhile, in the Albanian territories of Macedonia, the “Bashkim e Përparim” (Unity and Progress) committees began to emerge rapidly. They included not only the peasants but especially administrative workers and particularly soldiers of the Ottoman garrisons. Following the situation closely, Ahmed Nijazi strongly supported the “Bashkim e Përparim” (Xhemijetin) committee in Monastir and strove to propagate that only within the ranks of these organizations, united and led by genuine nationalism, could Albanians withstand the ambitions of the Balkan monarchies.
The dynamic flow of events in the Vilayet of Monastir was certainly influenced significantly by the Ferizaj Assembly. Organized by patriots and notable figures from Kosovo, this assembly would mark the first multifaceted alliance of Albanians, similar to the one in Dibra. In these moments filled with such significant events, the visionary thought of Ahmed Nijazi Resnja once again shone. Although he held the rank of major in the Ottoman army and was aware that he had begun to be pursued by the spies of the Sublime Porte, this experienced commander and determined patriot would stir the hearts of his fellow countrymen with his life, deeds, and words. Perhaps it is appropriate to mention amidst the numerous speeches given at these militant gatherings, the one held in Llabunisht, near Struga, in front of thousands of Albanians.
Speaking about the horrors that Albania had endured over five centuries of rule, the son of Resnja undoubtedly asserted that only an armed uprising could cast off the shackles of oppression. Among other proclamations in this speech, Ahmed Nijazi Resnja would declare: “The Bulgarians seek Ohrid, Dibra, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The Greeks want Monastir, Prilep, and even Istanbul, extending to Ankara. We must awaken, for otherwise, our homeland will be partitioned by enemies, and they will take cruel revenge against us. They will erase everything that is healthy. They will force upon us the Serbian hat… they will ravish our women and sisters. We will prevail if we give our word that we will fight to the last drop of blood…! It is better to die with honor than to live in shame.” (Dr. Reshat Nexhipi, “The Suppression of Albanian Resistance in Macedonia,” page 177).
The impact of Ahmed Nijazi Resnja’s words was immense across all the inhabitants of the Vilayet of Monastir. Furthermore, this influence extended to the Turkish army units in this vilayet that were primarily comprised of Albanians. The soldiers’ sympathy for the major of Resnja was so strong that, at the beginning of June 1908, hundreds of soldiers from the Turkish units in Tetova, Gostivar, and Velezh refused to obey the orders of their Ottoman superiors. Following this, soldiers of Albanian nationality in the large garrison of Skopje threw down their arms and demanded to return home as soon as possible. The events in the military units, which until then were regarded as the only pillars of the Empire, resonated with the outbreak of other revolts among the inhabitants of those regions, particularly regarding education in the Albanian language.
Thus, we come to the date of July 3, 1908. On this date, at the head of the battalion he commanded, Ahmed Nijazi Resnja left the garrison, openly standing against the bloody absolutism of Sultan Hamid. The truth is that it took just a word from him, a word that uplifted hearts, for the entire battalion to roar in unison: “Lead us, Nijazi Beu.” The experienced soldier understood that following this rebellion, strict and coercive measures would be taken by the Sublime Porte, as there had been incidents of rebellions in other places. For this reason, from the outset, he treated the personnel of the military battalion not as a defensive tool for his own palaces, but primarily to protect the people of those regions from the violence of the local Turkish authorities. This inspired his soldiers to rush to every part of the Vilayet of Monastir to fulfill their duties and to mobilize the people who were struck by the storms awaiting them.
Since the actions of Ahmed Nijazi’s battalion were in complete sync with the ideals of our oppressed people, within a few days, around 3,000 armed men awaited only a word from the son of Resnja to enter the fight. Thus, in the early days of July, the Ottoman garrison in the Vilayet of Monastir was almost dissolved. All weapons passed into the hands of the insurgents, and local power as well. Hour by hour, hundreds of insurgents registered in the volunteer detachments, eager to give their lives for the independence of their ancestral lands. But it was not only in the Vilayet of Monastir. In Kolonje, Korça, and Starova, the insurgent detachments led by Shahin Kolonja, Çerçiz Topulli, and Mihal Grameno caused tremendous rebellions and were in combat positions with the forces of the Ottoman garrison.
Meanwhile, in the mountainous areas of Dibra, the band of Elez Isufi was preparing to attack the army of the Sublime Porte. Since the 3rd Army of Monastir had almost lost its mission, the garrison of Skopje had nearly fallen into the hands of the Albanian insurgents, and Tetova, Kumanovo, Struga, Gostivar, and Kërçova were filling the ranks of self-defense detachments under the command of Nijazi Resnja. The Minister of War in Istanbul, Shemsi Pasha, was urgently dispatched to the area. Without denying the truth, Shemsi Pasha was indeed a career general who had won many battles in various places under the Ottoman Empire. However, his glory faded abruptly on Albanian soil. Upon arriving in Monastir, he was killed by Atif Beu, a close friend of Ahmed Resnja, and as he struck him, he said it was the decision of the leadership of the uprising.
This assassination served as a preparation, and large Ottoman forces were already heading toward the Vilayet of Monastir. However, even before the Ottoman war machine arrived to regain control of the situation, the Turkish Minister of War sent Marshal Osman Pasha to Monastir. He was known as the “iron fist” of the army, notorious for committing numerous crimes wherever he ruled. But even the glory and fame of this marshal faded in the face of the insurgents’ wrath. By decision of the Secret Committee of Monastir, Osman Pasha was caught by surprise and held hostage with his hands tied for several days. “This assassination was carried out by the band of Ahmet Nijazi Beu, which took him to the woods.” (Central State Archive, Fund 19, File 21, Page 7).
The great movement of July 1908, which encompassed tens of thousands of Albanians, led to the surrender of the Sublime Porte by evening. The Sultan was forced, on the morning of July 24, to proclaim the constitution, around which the hopes of thousands of Albanians were centered. In this monumental act of our people, who rose to fight against the decayed absolutism and to gain their independence, the role of Ahmed Nijazi Beu is undoubtedly significant. In these epoch-making events, the patriot from Resnja remains the protagonist of the spirit of revolt, the first cry of freedom emerging from the heart of the Albanian land after five centuries of rule. When several thousand Albanians went to Skopje, and the streets of that city were filled with joyful cries, of course, the last strongholds of the Ottoman garrison fell.
Nijazi Resnja, together with his band, headed to the prison in Skopje, where hundreds of Albanians were imprisoned for their political beliefs. The prisoners were released, while enthusiastic crowds called out for the son of Resnja. The echoes of the events in July resonated throughout Albanian territories. It was not just an echo but also a hope seeking revival. The Albanian press of the time reported on the events of July, especially highlighting the role of Albanian soldiers: “The battalions that rose were composed of Albanians; the leaders of the uprising, Enver Beu and Nijazi Beu, were Albanians, and the telegram sent from Skopje that persuaded the Sultan to open the constitution was sent by Albanians.” (Newspaper “Dielli,” Boston, August 1908).
Immediately after returning from Skopje, Ahmed Nijazi Resnja organized the Albanian volunteer formations, reaching 7,000 men in Monastir alone. Furthermore, these volunteer formations were organized in Dibra, Gostivar, Tetova, and Kaçanik, taking the name “National Legion.” At the helm of this legion shone the courage, bravery, and loyalty of the son of Resnja. Several weeks later, Ahmed Nijazi Resnja would lead this legion during the proceedings of the Congress of Monastir. Without delving into the details of this Congress, it should be noted that it marked the first starting point from which the first Albanian schools took flight. By placing his weapon in the service of the education of the nation, at the end of the day, the son of Resnja demonstrated a foresight of his ideals.
A year later, at the Congress of Dibra, on July 24, 1909, the patriot who had fired the first shot against the Sultan (a year earlier) would now sit in the delegate chair of this congress. The son of Resnja represented the “Bashkim e Përparim” committee of the Vilayet of Monastir at this assembly concerning our language and national future. His words in this assembly carried significant weight, as they were imbued with the still-lingering emotions of the great Albanian uprising. From this event until he closed his eyes, Ahmed Nijazi Resnja remained the first commander of the National Legion. Memorie.al
