National Identity: Who Are the Albanians? (by Vladislav B. Sotirović)

8/9/2019 National Identity: Who Are the Albanians? (by Vladislav B. Sotirović)

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History Research2013; 1(2): 5-24Published online September 30, 2013 (http://wwws!ien!epublishin""roup!om/#/histor$)doi: 1011%4&/#histor$2013010211

National identity: who are the Albanians? the Illyrian

anthroponymy and the ethnogenesis of the Albanians

Vladislav B. Sotirović

'$ols *omeris +niersit$, nstitute o. Politi!l S!ien!es, ilnius, ithuni

Email address:sotiroi!mrunieu, sotiroi!#u"oslolo"i#eu

To cite this article:ldisl Sotiroi tionl identit$: who re the lbnins6 the ll$rin nthropon$m$ nd the 7thno"enesis o. the lbnins History Research. ol 1, o 2, 2013, pp 5-24 doi:

1011%4&/#histor$2013010211

Abstract: *eser!h problem: 8he lbnin ethno"enesis nd ntionl identit$ .rmed b$ the 9ll$rin theor$ o.lbnin ethni!l nd !ulturl ori"in nd the min possible politi!l !onseuen!es o. the implementtion o. the 9ll$rintheor$ o. lbnin ethno"enesis, !!epted .irstl$ b$ the ntionl wenin" moement o. the lbnins (1&13)!lled 9*ilind#, ie, the renissn!e 'ethodolo"$: nl$sis nd !omprison o. di..erent histori!l sour!es, s!ienti.i!literture nd ideolo"i!ll$-prop"nd wors b$ distin!t nd opposite uthors o. di..erent ethni!l nd edu!tionl

b!"rounds

Keywords: lbnins, lns, tionl dentit$, tionlism, 7thno"enesis, ll$rins

1. Introduction

?n the .irst pl!e we must be !ler bout wht theuto!hthon$, nthropon$m$ nd ethno"enesis o. thelbnins men !tull$, it is uestion: he thelbnins been liin" uninterruptedl$ on the present-d$9ethni!l territories o. the lbnins (lbni, the 7stern'ontene"ro, @osoo nd 'etohi#, the Southern AentrlSerbi, the Bestern '!edoni nd the orthern 7pirus)sin!e the n!ient Cree nd *omn times or not6 n theother words, re the lbnins rell$ the indi"enous peopleo. the lns s the$ !lim or #ust the new!omers to their

present-d$ ethni!l territories6 8rue, the uestion o.ll$rin ethni! nd !ulturl b!"round o. the present-d$lbnins (ie, the ethno"enesis o. the lbnins) hs been

politi!iDed in the re!ent period 8he uestion is relted bothto the n!ient histor$ o. the lbnins nd to the pre-histor$ o. their ln"u"e

Eor some Cermn nd ustrin 1>th !entur$ lin"uists ndhistorins it ws eident tht the lbnins wereuto!hthonous popultion in lbni sin!e pre-Cre!o-*omn times t mens tht these s!holrs !!epted thetheor$ tht the 1>th !entur$ lbnin ntion hd dire!tethni!l !ontinuit$ .rom the uto!hthonous ln people =the n!ient ll$rins Eor lbnin s!ientists it isin!ontestble tht not onl$ !ulturl, but lso, ethni!

!ontinuit$ eFists between the n!ient ll$rins nd the

present-d$ lbnins 'n$ o. the 20th !entur$ s!holrs,espe!ill$ .ter the Se!ond Borld Br, howeer, he uiteopposite opinion .or the er$ s!ienti.i! reson: the theor$o. ll$rin ori"in o. the lbnins is not supported b$ n$sin"le histori!l sour!eG 8he$ !lim tht the lbnins renot ntie ln popultion s the$ re new!omers to the

present-d$ lbni .rom more or less distnt re"ions 8womin r"uments .or this h$pothesis or theor$ re: 1) theH!in-lbnin-*omnin lin"uisti! !onne!tions; nd 2)the pl!e-nmes in lbni, whi!h indi!te l! o.ll$rin-lbnin !ontinuit$ eertheless, the se!ondppro!h to the uestion o. lbnin ethno"enesis, ie tht

the lbnins re the new!omers to the ln Peninsulwho !me lter in !omprison to ll lbnin nei"hbors, is b!ed b$ seerl histori!l sour!es

. The Science o! Albanolo"y and

#olitical $laims

8he interest o. 7uropen s!holrs, primril$ Cermn ndustrin, in reser!h o. lbnin ethni!l ori"in rose"rdull$ durin" the se!ond hl. o. the 1>th !entur$

1 8heir

1

8he uestion o. lbnin ethno"enesis ws .irstl$ eFmined b$ Iohn8hunmnn (1


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% ldisl Sotiroi: tionl identit$: who re the lbnins6 the ll$rin nthropon$m$ nd the7thno"enesis o. the lbnins

interest .or lbnin nd ln studies !me lter in!omprison with the other ethni!l "roups nd re"ions in7urope 8he reson ws tht 7uro-!entrism o. the lte 1>th !entur$ nd the erl$ 20th !entur$ de.ined the lns ndits ntions s the territor$ nd peoples o. uite obs!ureidentit$ n !omprison with 9rel 7urope, the lnsws 9?rient, not prt o. 7urope t ll, nd boe ll it ws!onsidered s 9un!iiliDed prt o. the world

onetheless, when it strted, the reser!h upon lbninstudies ws .o!used on the reltionships o. lbninln"u"e to other 7uropen ln"u"es Koweer, the .isth$pothesis o. lbnin ethni!l ori"in ws uite indistin!tnd er$ soon dis!rded b$ the m#orit$ o. s!holrs!!ordin" to this nebulous h$pothesis b$ S!hlei!her, thelbnins ori"inted .rom the Pels"ins who weresupposed to be the most indi"enous ln popultion,settled not onl$ on the whole territor$ o. the lnPeninsul, but lso inhbited nd m#or portion o. the

'editerrnen bsin in the pre-histori! times 'oreoer, itws wron"l$ belieed tht ndo-7uropen ln"u"es s theCree, tin nd 9n!ient lbnin (ie, ll$rin ln"u"e)were deried .rom the n!ient Pels"in ln"u"eKoweer, some o. lbnin s!holrs still tod$ beliee thtthis h$pothesis hs rel s!ienti.i! .oundtions re"rdless onthe .!t tht lter 1>th !entur$ lin"uists nd reser!hers in

1&54 ( Albanian studies, Ien) oth o. them hd opinion, but not bsed onn$ sour!e, tht the lbnins lie on the territories o. the n!ient ll$rinsnd the$ re ntie nd ll$rin in essen!e Khn thou"ht tht n!ientnmes lie Dalmatia, Ulcinium, Dardania, et! were o. ll$rin-lbninori"in 8his h$pothesis is bsolutel$ !!epted b$ modern lbninlin"uists Eor eFmple, we !n red tht 9the nme o. Ragusium (present-d$ Hubroni), whi!h in the mouth o. the lbnins ws Rush Rush,shows tht the driti! !ost ws prt o. the territor$ inhbited b$ then!estors o. lbnins be$ond the present ethni! borders 8he doption o.this nme b$ the lbnins belon"s to the time sin!e %14 A Eorinstn!e, we !n red 9 !on!lude tht there is !ontinuit$ o. thelbnins in their present territories sin!e n!ient times 8he old pl!e-nmes in their present .orm indi!te tht this popultion hs !ontinuousl$inhbited the !osts o. the driti! .rom tht time until tod$ LMbe# 7,98he problem o. the uto!hthon$ o. lbnins in the li"ht o. pl!e-nmes, Buletini i Universitetit Shteteror te iranes, N 2, 1>5&, pp 54=%2O 8hisstndpoint is usull$ unuestionbl$ re!o"niDed s the .inl truth b$lbnin nd Cermn reser!hers lie Peter rtl in his boo: Albanian.!om "ittelalter bis #ur $egen%art , *e"ensbur", erl" Eriedri!h Pustet,

1>>5 LSerb ln"u"e edition: QRT U, &'()*+ - /01213 415) -)*)/, VWXRQY: A?, 2001, p 15O Koweer, the ll$rin theor$ o.lbnin ori"in (the lbnins were !onsidered een s the oldest7uropen people) ws !reted b$ Cermn nd ustrin s!holrs .or theer$ politi!l purpose: to unite ll ethni! lbnins round the !entrl politi!l ideolo"$ nd ntionl !ons!iousness LQQZW[\] ̂ , 6-/-4- 718-9:). ;/8-0:) 1-'-3:), _R`XW YWa`VcW \YQV, VWXRQY: \XWfQ gQaQ, 200%33 QQZW[\] ^ _, 6-/-4- 718-9:). ;/8-0:) 1-'-3:), _R`XWYWa`VcW \YQV, VWXRQY: \XWfQ gQaQ, 200


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Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 <

30th, 1&th !entur$, m Ershri (1&4%=1>00), des!ribed with the.ollowin" words wht does men to be lbnin: 9ll o. usre onl$ sin"le tribe, sin"le .mil$; we re o. one bloodnd one ln"u"e

4 t is obious tht lbnin worers on

ntionl uni.i!tion t the turn o. the 20th !entur$ see nlbnin ethni!l nd !ulturl identit$ primril$ in!ommon ln"u"e sin!e in lbnin !se the reli"ion wsdiisie rther thn uni.$in" .!tor 8he$ demnded s wells, .or the sme purpose o. ntionl uni.i!tion, thtlbnin ln"u"e should be written in the tin lphbetin order to distin"uish themseles .rom the nei"hborin"Crees, Serbs, 'ontene"rins nd ?ttomn lords wht wstotll$ irrelent to oerwhelmin" m#orit$ o. thelbnins who !ould red no one s!ript t ll

5 Koweer,

the ntionl uni.i!tion o. lbnin people on the bsis o.ln"u"e ws not !ompletel$ su!!ess.ul sin!e een tod$

there re mn$ di..i!ulties .or Che" lbnins to properl$understnd the 8os lbnin dile!t%

%. The &Illyrian' Theory o! Albanian

Ethnical (ri"in

8he so-!lled 9ll$rin theor$ o. lbnin ethni!l

4 Cut Ah, 9Croupe de 8ril sur lk7urope Aentrle et ?rientle, BulletindMJnformation , N 2, Iune 1&%,100J101O See the ppendiF N 1% Kobsbwm 7 I, Pations and Pationalism since ?@. rogramme, "yth,

Reality, Ambrid"e, 2000, pp 52, 115 bout the ln"u"e bsis o.(non)identi.i!tion mon" the lbnins .rom the be"innin" o. the 20 th !entur$ see: Hurhm 7, High Albania, ondon, 1>0>, p 1th nd 20th !entur$ lbnin s!holrs,

politi!ins nd intelle!tuls< 8he !ru!il nd !on!ludin"

point o. this theor$ (in .!t, it is #ust non-probleh$pothesis) is tht lbnins re uthenti! ntion(ethnolin"uisti! "roup) t the lns, the oldest,bori"inl nd uto!hthonous one in this prt o. 7urope s result, lbnin South Sli! nei"hbors (the Serbs,'ontene"rins,

& nd '!edonin Sls) re, in !omprison

with 9indi"enous lbnins, #ust the 9new!omers t thelns whose ethni!it$ nd ntionlit$ re mu!h $oun"erthn lbnin

> Subseuentl$, 9histori!l ri"hts o. the

ln uto!hthonous lbnin popultion on !ertindisputed ln territories (between the lbnins nd theSouth Sls) re stron"er, more #usti.ible nd deeperhistori!ll$ rooted thn 9histori!l ri"hts o. the Serbs,'ontene"rins or '!edonin Sls

10

!!ordin" to the theor$ o. ll$rin-lbninethnolin"uisti! !ontinuit$, the lbnins re des!endnts o.the n!ient ln popultion = the ll$rins 8he ntionlnme o. the lbnins !omes .rom the nme o. one ll$rintribe = the Albanoi Eurthermore, the tribl nme o. lbnoiws desi"nted to entire number o. ll$rin tribes roundthe onin Se

11 8he proponents o. ll$rin theor$ o.

%>, pp %=13; Historia e popullit Shiptar , , Prishtin, 1>%>, pp 155=1%1& 8he 9'ontene"rins should be !onsidered in !ulturl, reli"ious ndethnolin"uisti! point o. iew s the Serbs .rom 'ontene"ro LClomDi ', Etnio i nacionalno biTe Irnogoraca, eo"rd: 8* PP+@9,1>&&O Kistori!l, politi!l, reli"ious, e!onomi! nd !ulturl reltions between the Serbs .rom 'ontene"ro (the 'ontene"rins) nd the Serbs.rom Serbi re similr to these reltions between the Cermns .romustri (the ustrins) nd the Cermns .rom Cermn$ Koweer, tod$ !%0 !itiDens o. 'ontene"ro !lim tht the$ re ethnolin"uisti!9'ontene"rins di..erent .rom the Serbs> Koweer, it is nown tht lbnin ntionl identit$ ws !reted b$ustro-Kun"rin uthorities t the lte 1> th !entur$ nd the er$ be"innin" o. the 20th !entur$ ul"rin s!holr 8eodor 8odoro 8olein her boo on !retion o. lbnin ntionl identit$ published in 2012 isshowin" b$ usin" unpublished do!uments .rom the ustrin Stter!hies ( HausK, HofK und Staatsarchiv) in ienn tht the ustro-

Kun"rin uthorities hd !ru!il in.luen!e on !retion o. lbninntionlit$ in the $ers o. 1&>%J1>0& L^WYWRW[Q ^WTV[Q ^, 'V*18-*) &4/80-KW*3)0V X) /YX)4)*18- *) )'()*/5)8) *)+V, ?ZK?,qW\: A7, 2012O 8his boo is bsed on her PhH disserttionde.ended t the r!elon +niersit$ on September 1% th, 200& See lso:S!hnderl H K, Die Albanienpoliti [sterreichKUngarns und Jtaliens?@@C?, lbnis!he Eors!hun"en N >, Biesbden: ?tto KrssoitD,1>


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& ldisl Sotiroi: tionl identit$: who re the lbnins6 the ll$rin nthropon$m$ nd the7thno"enesis o. the lbnins

lbnin ori"in re buildin" their h$pothesis mostl$ on thespe!ultion tht modern lbnin ln"u"e is dire!tl$des!ended .rom the n!ient ll$rin one oth o. them

belon" to the sme ndo-7uropen ln"u"e-"roup12

eertheless, this !lim is disputed b$ !ontemporr$lin"uisti! s!ien!e 8he .!t is tht lbnin ln"u"e sspoen ln"u"e o. the settlers o. the present-d$ lbniws mentioned in histori!l sour!es .or the .irst time onl$in 12&5 in the mnus!ripts .rom Hubroni in whi!h theln"u"e ws nmed s lingua albanesesca Erom theln"u"e-nme is deried the lnd-nme = Albanon (theterritor$ on whi!h lbnin ln"u"e speers lies) 8histerm .or lbni !n be red, !!ordin" to the supporters o.this theor$, in seerl 13th !entur$ tin di!tionries, swell in some o. the $Dntine histori!l sour!es 8he sme$Dntine sour!es !lled the re"ion between the e o.S!odr nd the *ier o. Hrim s Arbanon (or Arber ) 8histerritor$ ws settled, !!ordin" to the Cree "eo"rpher

Ptolem$ .rom the 2nd !entur$ H, b$ the Albanoi tribe o.ll$rin ori"in

13

runs!hwei", 1>&5, pp 3&=3>)12 8he 9ll$rin lin"uisti! theories o. lbnin nd South Sli!ethno"enesis he !ertin similrities with the 98hr!in lin"uisti! theor$o. ethni!l ori"in o. ithunin ntion !hmpioned b$ the 1> th !entur$ithunin lin"uist nd ntionl worer Ions sniius 8he theor$ws result o. sniiusk lin"uisti! reser!h o. ethno"enesis o. the 1> th !entur$ ithunin ntion n his boo Lietuvi]ai trai]os studiQos hedeeloped the theor$ !!ordin" to whi!h, prt o. n!ient 8hr!insemi"rted .rom their ln homelnd nd ultimtel$ settled themselesin the estern littorl o. the lti! Se sniius eF!tl$ !limed thtthese 8hr!in mi"rnts .rom the lns were the prede!essors o. themodern ithunin ntion 8he theor$ ws bsed on the .!t tht n!ient8hr!in ln"u"e ws similr to the 1>th !entur$ ithunin one oth o.these ln"u"es belon" to the .mil$ o. ndo-7uropen ln"u"essniius ws worin" .or $ers in ul"ri nd in order to proe histheor$ primril$ ws !olle!tin" the do!uments with the 8hr!in personlnmes, topon$ms nd nmes .or di..erent inds o. drins nd !omprin"them with those o. ithunins Ke !limed, .or eFmple, tht ithunin personl nme $etas !omes .rom the 8hr!in tribl nme $etai Lsniius I, Lietuvi]ai trai]os studiQos, Shenndoh, P, 1&>&, pp&=15; Seen 7, ^onas Basanaviius_ he patriarch of the Lithuaniannational renaissance, ewtonille, ', 1>&0O !!ordin" to sniius,the nme .or the mediel ithunin !pitl raai ws deried .rom theCree nme .or old 8hr!ins, while some o. the 9Polish nmes .or thesettlements (.or instn!e, @lisD in the re"ion o. PoDnn) were not rel

Polish on!e: the$ were o. ithunin-8hr!in ori"in sniius!on!luded tht n!ient 8hr!ins were o. the sme ethni!it$ sithunins Lsniius I, Lietuvi]ai trai]os studiQos, Shenndoh,P, 1&>&, pp 21J th !entur$ thelbnins !lled themseles s Ship`tar` nd the !ountr$ Ship`taria8he nme is most probbl$ deried .rom the word shipe wht mens9e"le re.errin" to the mountinous settlers o. the hi"h lbni Koweer,

this word probbl$ !omes .rom old H!in-'oesin ln"u"e dopted b$ul"rins who settled themseles on the territor$ o. *omn proin!e o.'oesi n.erior in %&0/%&1 n ul"rin ln"u"e the 9Shiptrs mens

8he prtisns o. the ll$rin theor$ o. lbnin ori"in respein" in the .or o. the s!hool o. thou"ht o. the ori"innd eolution o. the ll$rins, whi!h !lims tht n!ientll$rins did not mi"rted to the lns nsted, the$ weren uto!hthonous people in this prt o. 7urope nd eenone o. the oldest settlers in 7urope t is su""ested tht thelbnins, s dire!t ethni!l, politi!l nd !ulturl o..sprin"o. the n!ient ll$rins, re the most ori"inl ndindi"enous inhbitnts o. the lns, een morebori"inl thn the n!ient Crees .or the reson tht then!ient Crees mi"rted to the lns in two "retmi"rtion wes: .irstl$, round 2000 A, nd se!ondl$(Horins), round 1200 A

14 Alerl$, the lbnin

9histori!l ri"hts re mu!h stron"er, #usti.ible ndhistori!ll$ deeper "rounded in !omprison with Serbin,'ontene"rin, Cree or '!edonin Slsk nd ul"rinri"hts re.errin" to seerl ln territories o. doubt.uluthenti!it$ n the other words, the lbnins re the

9hosts while their ll nei"hbors re the 9"uests in theln Peninsul

15 meri!n medielist Iohn Eine

simpli.ied the !ru!il point o. the theor$ o. ll$rin-lbnin ethni!l-!ulturl-politi!l !ontinuit$ s: 9xi. thell$rins were the n!estors o. the lbnins, then thelbnins, s ori"inl inhbitnts, he some histori! ri"htto tht re"ion nd possibl$ ri"hts to other re"ions whi!hhd been settled b$ ll$rins nd their ll$rin n!estr$ hs

been er$ importnt in lbnin ntion-buildin" m$ths1%

8he piotl se"ment (.rom histori!ll$-politi!l point o.iew) o. the ll$rin theor$ is the !lim tht ll$rin-lbnin tribes withdrew .rom the st res o. the

lns settlin" themseles into the ln !ostl townsnd into the mountins o. the present-d$ lbni, 7pirus,'!edoni nd 'ontene"ro durin" the Sli! insion ndo!!uption o. the lns in the %th nd


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Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 >

'etohi# while Sloni! Serbs nd 'ontene"rins wereseen nd understood lie o!!upiers nd new!omers in there"ion o. @osoo nd 'etohi# Shortl$, ll$rin-lbninhistori!l nd ethni!l ri"hts on @osoo nd 'etohi#, sthe lnd mostl$ disputed between lbnins nd theirnei"hbors, !!ordin" to the !hmpions o. ll$rin theor$ o.lbnin ethno"enesis, re een 15 !enturies older thnSloni! Serbin-'ontene"rin histori!l nd ethni!l ri"htsupon the sme territories

8his theor$ emphsiDes tht in the present-d$ orthernlbni "rew up n eFtensie settlement o. old inhbitnts.ter the o!!uption o. the lns b$ more power.ul SouthSloni! tribes

1< 8his se"ment o. the ll$rin theor$ ws

eF!eptionll$ used durin" the ln Brs o. 1>12=1>13 inorder to re.ute Serbiks !lims on the territor$ o. northernlbni Eurthermore, ll$rin-lbnin popultion .romthe lowlnds o. @osoo nd 'etohi# be"n to .ll underSloni! politi!l-!ulturl in.luen!e, while the ll$rin-

lbnin mountinous tribes .rom hi"h lbni, due to theless !ont!ts with the Sls, su!!eeded to mintin theirso!il s$stem nd !ulturl inheritn!e unltered 8hede.enders o. this theor$ !lim tht the $Dntine proin!eo. 8heme H$rrh!hium (whi!h ws estblished round &0>nd !oered the entire lbniks territor$, prt o. orthern7pirus, Bestern '!edoni nd the min prt o.'ontene"rin littorl with the re o. the e o. S!utri)ws populted b$ lbnin people who 9!used the re"ionto deelop spe!il (lbnin) !hr!ter

1& Ahrles o.

ples (122%>, p 2> 8he !hmpions o. the ll$rin theor$ .reuentl$ !ited the words o.'ilon }ils, one o. the ledin" {u"osl Aommunists .ter the Se!ondBorld Br (nd wr !riminl) .rom 'ontene"ro who wrote: 98helbnins re the most n!ient ln people = older thn the Sls, ndeen the n!ient Crees (!ited .rom: LAost , Albania_ A European Enigma, ew {or, 1>>5, p 1O), or Eren!h s!holr ndre 'lruF whowrote tht 9thens ws, ls no more thn n lbnin ill"e L'lruF, AntiK"emoirs, ew {or, 1>%&, p 33O1& 'rmullu *, Albania and Albanians, ondon, 1>%4,

pp &3J>2 *e"rdin" the borders o. the $Dntine heme Dyrrhachium see: 7n"el I (ed), $roer Historischer Feltatlas. "ittelalter , 'zn!hen,1>, p 14

7uropen nd 'editerrnen (ie, Pels"in) in.luen!es, !ulture di..erent .rom the nei"hborin" ones, three!on.essions whi!h eFist one beside other in reli"ioustolern!e, !ommon histor$ o. permnent resistn!e"inst n$ .orei"n power nd sub#u"tion, prtil(mediel) eFperien!e in independent sttehood, !ulturewhi!h shows n ml"mtion o. ll$rin-ln ori"insnd 7st-Best 7uropen elements, er$ old nddistin!tie .ol !ulture, nd ultimtel$ !ertin ind o.9indiidulist tou"hness whi!h, ll to"ether, sin"les thelbnins out o. their immedite surroundin"sx

1>

Subseuentl$, in histori!l nd ethni!l terms, the.ollowin" territories in the South-7stern 7urope wereinhbited b$ the ln ll$ro-lbnins nd should!ompose the territor$ o. united (Creter) lbni, s thentionl stte o. ll lbnins, in the .uture: .rom the reo. the e o. S!odr in 'ontene"ro on the north, to the$ o. mbrDio in Cree!e on the south, nd .rom the

driti! Se on the west, to the *ier o. 8res in'!edoni nd Pre€eo, 'ede, u#no! nd ebnedistri!ts in Serbi t the est

20 8ht ws nd is, in the e$es

o. supporters o. ll$rin theor$ o. lbin ethno"enesis, theeF!t territor$ o. ll$ro-lbnin 2000 $ers old histor$nd their !ulture

21 8he lbnin ntionl moement

RilindQa (1&13) imed lbnin libertion .rom the?ttomn rule nd to !rete ntionl lbnin stte whi!h

borders will embr!e the whole o. boe mentioned(ethni!l nd histori!l lbnin) territories Politi!linstitution o. the moement, the Eirst e"ue o. PriDren(1&&1, p3


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10 ldisl Sotiroi: tionl identit$: who re the lbnins6 the ll$rin nthropon$m$ nd the7thno"enesis o. the lbnins

whi!h !oered the entire o. these territories !lerl$ dire!tedits politi!l !tiities towrds the estblishment o. unitedethni!l stte o. ll lbnins

23 8he e"ue lun!hed the

motto: 9.e# e sh$ptrit sht sh$ptri (9*eli"ion o. thelbnins is lbninism) .or the se o. oer!omin"lbnin reli"ious diersit$ nd seprtion 8his moemenths been the !ru!il united .or!e o. lbnins nd the

piotl point .or de.inition o. the ntionl identit$ nddeelopment o. the lbnins

). The Illyrians * Autochthonous

Bal+an #eo,le

t is true tht eer$ stor$ bout the ln Peninsul be"ins with the n!ient ll$rins

24 Kistorins beliee tht

this ndo-7uropen people were one o. the lr"est7uropen popultion inhbited the western portion o. the

lns lon" the !osts o. the onin Se nd the driti!Se to the lps round the $er o. 1000 A 8heir esternnei"hbors were lso the ndo-7uropen peoples = the8hr!ins 8he demr!tion line between their settlements,!ulturl nd politi!l in.luen!e ws on the *ier o. 'orin present-d$ Serbi (in tin, the *ier o. 'r"us lo!tedin the *omn proin!e o. 'oesi Superior) nd the *iero. rdr in present-d$ '!edoni ?n the north, on theshores o. the *ier o. S nd the *ier o. Hnube, theirnei"hbors were the Aelts, while on the south the Pindus'ountins seprted the ll$rins .rom the n!ient

5/1323;

he British "useum, ondon, Eund o. !!ounts nd Ppers (43), 1&&0,|||, &2,


7/20

Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 11

the uestion: wh$ the whole lbni ws not in!luded intothe *omn Proin!e o. ll$ri!um i. it ws entirel$ settled

b$ the ll$rins6 8he *omns .inll$ sub#u"ted ll ll$rintribes in the new wr between the $ers o. % nd > H

Erom tht time the oerwhelmin" nd er$ su!!ess.ul pro!ess o. *omniDtion o. the whole ln Peninsulstrted 2& Some prot"onists o. the ll$rin theor$ o.lbnin ori"in deeloped the h$pothesis tht the *omn7mperors urelin, Hio!letin nd Probus, who ori"inted.rom the western prt o. the lns, whi!h ws settled b$the ll$rin tribes, !n be !onsidered s the prede!essors o.the modern lbnin ntion

2> Hurin" the time o. the

*omn 7mperor Hio!letin (2&4=305), who ws o. ll$rinori"in, the whole territor$ o. the lns, eF!ept its estern

prt, ws dministrtiel$ or"niDed s the Pre.e!turll$ri!um 'inl$ due to su!h *omn dministrtieor"niDtion o. their possessions in the lns the nmesll$ri nd ll$rins were presered .or the er$ lon" period

o. time s !ommon nmes .or the peoples who lied in thewestern nd !entrl prts o. the lns, ie .or the SouthSls

30 nd the lbnins

31 He.initel$, !!ordin" to the

2& *e"rdless on the .!t tht the tin ln"u"e did not repl!e ll$rinone on the territor$ o. lbni durin" the *omn rule s the tin did not be!ome the ln"u"e o. the !ommon people, the ll$rin ln"u"e ws*omniDed in !ertin de"ree nd the tin lphbet be!me lter !hosen b$ the lbnin ntionl worers s ntionl s!ript o. the lbnins (oneo. the resons .or su!h de!ision ws o. the pure politi!l nture) t showstht *omn/tin elements, besides the ll$rin ones, prti!ipted in the pro!ess o. the ethno"enesis o. the lbnins 8he proponents o. thell$rin theor$ o. lbnin ethno"enesis re.ute this opinion emphsiDin"tht the number o. tin ins!riptions .ound in lbni is smll when!ompred with the number .ound in the other proin!es o. the *omn7mpire 8heir totl number is 2>3 Kl. o. these ins!riptions re .ound innd round the *omn !olon$ lo!ted in the n!ient !it$ o. H$rrh!hium8heodore 'ommsen thou"ht tht the people used eF!lusiel$ ll$rinln"u"e in the interior o. lbni durin" the *omn o!!uptionL'ommsen 8, he rovinces of the Roman Empire, ol 1, Ahi!"o,'A'||, pp 202=203O Eor the supporters o. the ll$rin theor$, sHrdni ws one o. the lest *omniDed ln re"ions its ntie popultion presered its ethni! indiidulit$ nd !ons!iousnessSubseuentl$, the Hrdnins, who es!ped *omniDtion nd suriedthe South Sli! mi"rtions to the lns, emer"ed in the 'iddle "eswith the nme o. lbnins Koweer, the tin terminolo"$ in modernlbnin ln"u"e nd the pl!e-nmes in lbni re eiden!es o.ll$rin-lbnin *omniDtion/tiniDtion2>

Koweer, the proponents o. the theor$ o. Serbin ln ori"in !limtht ll ln-born *omn emperors (! 20) were the ethni! SerbsHio!letin nd Aonstntine the Cret re the most importnt mon" them30 mon" the South Sls, nd prtill$ mon" the Poles nd *ussins, thell$rin theor$ o. Sli! ori"in ws widespred .rom the erl$ 1%th !entur$to the erl$ 1>th !entur$ !!ordin" to this theor$, the South Sls were theuto!hthonous popultion in the lns ori"inted .rom the n!ientll$rins Eurthermore, ll Sls .ormerl$ lied in the lns nd werenown b$ the n!ient uthors s the ll$rins t the be"innin" o. the'iddle "es the$ split themseles into three "roups: one "roup mi"rtedto the Aentrl 7urope (the Bestern Sls), nother "roup went to the7stern 7urope (the 7stern Sls) while the lst "roup le.t in the lns(the South Sls) !!ordin" to seerl mediel !hroni!les, the SouthSli! s!endnts were the n!ient ll$rins, 8hr!ins nd '!edoninss result, leFnder the Cret, Aonstntine the Cret, Hio!letin nd St

Kieronim were o. the South Sli! ori"in n the time o. Kumnism,*enissn!e, *e.ormtion nd the Aounter-*e.ormtion, the .ollowin"Hubroni (*"usin) writers be!me the most prominent !hmpions o.

1>thJ21st !entur$ o..i!il s!ien!es o. histor$, ethnolo"$ nd philolo"$ (but not nd !!ordin" to mn$ relent sour!es),the ll$rins were not the Sls 8he lter !me to thelns 1500 $ers .ter the ll$rins

32

Alerl$, the nme ll$rins disppered in the th !entur$ 8he $Dntine historins used the nme 9lbni.or the Sli! inhbitnts liin" round the se-port o.HurDDo (n!ient H$rrh!hium) in the orthern lbniErom the 11th !entur$ the nme 9lbni (in tin,rbnensis, or lbnenses, in Cree, {€}~• or {|}~‚})

ws relted to ll lbnin tribes33 n the 'iddle "es the 9lbnoi lied on the territor$

between the !ities o. Sdr, PriDren, ?hrid nd lon!!ordin" to the !hmpions o. the ll$rin theor$ o.lbnin ethno"enesis, the Sli! rids nd mi"rtions tothe lns in the erl$ 'iddle "es did not ..e!t thentie inhbitnts on the territor$ o. the present-d$

this theor$: ino Pribo#ei (n rigin and History of the Slavs, printedin eni!e in 1532), 'ro ?rbini ( De Regno Sclavorum, printed in Pesroin 1%01) nd rtol @€i ( Jnstitutiones Linguae Jllyricae, printed in 1%04)Pribo#ei !limed tht ll Sls were spein" one !ommon ln"u"e,whi!h ori"inted .rom the lns Eor him, the *ussins spoeHlmtin dile!t o. the !ommon Sli! ln"u"e 8his !ommon Sli!ln"u"e ws nmed b$ Hubroni writers s 9?ur, 9ll$rin or 9Sli!one Subseuentl$, ll Sls who spoe 9?ur ln"u"e belon"ed to 9?ur people 8he in.luen!e o. the ll$rin theor$ o. (the South) Sli! ori"in!n be seen in: 1) the wor o. Serbin noblemen .rom 8rns$lni, Aount}ore rnoi (1%45=1%>, pp >-10; ‘be# B, HyrQe n` historin` e gQuh`s shipe, Prishtin,

1>=32; Pri.ti @, si , ?mri , |hu.i P, Pulh S, Pollo S,Sht$ll (eds), he hruth on kosova, 8irn, 1>>3, pp 5=; nmli S, 98he Problem o. the Eormtion o. thelbnin people in the i"ht o. r!heolo"i!l n.ormtion, he Pational Ionference on the formation of the Albanian people, theirlanguage and culture, 8irn, 1>&&; Mbe# 7, 98he problem o. theuto!hthon$ o. lbnins in the li"ht o. pl!e-nmes, Buletini iUniversitetit Shteteror te iranes, N 2, 1>5&, pp 54=%232 Eor instn!e: ’WRW[\] “, ;/8-0:) >3, pp3J%%; VRfQcj\] , X)*8:) =>* , 1, VWXRQY: Q[WY Q

`–„Vc\ZV \ cQƒQ[cQ ƒRVYƒ[Q VWXRQY, 1>>&, pp &1J>%33 8he nme .or lbnins - 9R„QcQƒ\ is deried .rom the tin nme.or lbnins s the 9rbnenses


8/20


lbni who !ontinued to lie there b$ preserin" theirown !ulture, hbits nd so!il or"niDtion Shortl$, thesouthern ll$rin proin!es retined its preious ethni!l!omposition nd o. !ourse, this preious ethni!l!omposition ws (unproed b$ the sour!es) the lbninone

-. The ardanians * the Illyro/

Albanians0 the aco/oesians or the

Thracians2

8he lbnin historio"rph$ !lims tht the Aentrlln tribe - Hrdnins, who were settled in the southern

portion o. the territor$ o. the *omn Proin!e o. 'oesiSuperior nd northwestern prt o. the *omn Proin!e o.'!edoni, should be !onsidered s one o. the ll$rintribes s n n!estor o. the lbnins 8he lbnin

historins in this point re.errin" to the Cermn lin"uist orbert Iol who wrote, !!ordin" to the reser!h o.histori!l toponomsti!s, tht the n!ient !rdle o. thelbnins ws Hrdni, where.rom the$ moedwestwrds to their present territories in the lte *omntime

34 Aonseuentl$, the northwestern territor$ o. the

present-d$ *epubli! o. '!edoni (the E{*?'), @osoond 'etohi# nd the present-d$ Southern Serbi (settled

b$ the Hrdnins in the ntiuit$ liewise thenorthestern portion o. the present-d$ *epubli! o. lbni)re !onsidered s the lbnin histori!l lnds nd hd to

be in!luded into united lbnin ntionl stte in the .uture

Eor lbnin proponents o. the theor$ o. ll$rin-lbnins$mbiosis, the most luble in.ormtion nd eiden!e thtthe n!ient Hrdnins were eF!tl$ the ll$rins (nd thusthe lbnin n!estors) !omes .rom the r!heolo"i!leF!tions in @us re"ion in the orthestern lbniwhi!h belon"ed to the western portion o. Hrdnin stte

35

Bht is o. eFtreme importn!e !!ordin" to them, thetrditionl ll$rin nmes lie ndinus, nnius, Hssius,7pi!dus, Centhin, *hedon, Surus, 8t, 8ridus !n be.ound in the ins!riptions in Hrdni 8he {u"oslspe!ilist in ll$rolo"$, Kenri ri .rom Sr#eo, lso!hmpioned the ide tht 9the ln homelnd o. thelbnin people must he been DardaniaKaeonia,

proin!es whi!h, #ud"in" .rom the nown nmes o. persons,were ll$rin nd not 8hr!in in ntiuit$x8here.ore, it!n be sid tht Hrdni nd Peoni were the proin!esin whi!h the erl$ lbnin-ll$rin s$mbiosis too pl!e inthe interior o. the ln Peninsul

3% ri in .!t

34 Iol , Eberts Realleicon der !orgeschichte, , 1>24, p >135 nmli S, 98he ll$rins nd the lbnins, Pri.ti @, si , ?mri, |hu.i P, Pulh S, Pollo S, Sht$ll (eds), he hruth on kosova,8irn, 1>>3, p &5, pp 211J220; slmi S, he Jllyrian State Jts lace and Role in the "editerranean Forld, , 8irn, 1>55, pp 4>= 50

dis"reed with the theor$ o. *omnin lin"uist 'tees!uwho, in his detiled nl$Des o. the epi"rphi! mteril,.ound the 8hr!in in.iltrtion in the proin!e o. Hrdniin the 2nd nd 3rd !enturies H

3<

8he lbnin eFponents o. the theor$ o. ll$rin-lbnin !ontinuit$ nd the ethni!l s$mbiosis repetedl$uote the words o. rthur 7ns tht the sme !oins,

potter$ nd other hnd!r.t produ!ts .rom n!ientH$rrh!hium nd polloni (lo!ted on lbnin littorl)re .ound in @osoo nd 'etohi# (in the re"ions o. Pe,}oi! nd PriDren)

3& 8his .!t is, howeer, onl$ the

eiden!e o. the KelleniDtion o. the ll$rins s the !oinswere o. the Cree ori"in 8he Cree ln"u"e wseidentl$ the written ln"u"e o. o..i!il ins!riptionsmon" the edu!ted !lss o. the ll$rin so!iet$

3> 8he

{u"osl historin Enul PpDo"lu dis!oered H!in-'oesin or Phri"in strtum in the .ormtion o. theHrdnins Eor tht reson, the Hrdnins !nnot be

identi.ied with the ll$rins nd !nnot !ontribute indeelopin" o. the ll$rin-lbnin ethni! sel.-wreness

40 Einll$, the modern 7uropen ethno"rphi!

nd histori!l s!ien!es su""est tht the homelnd o. thelbnin ntion lies in wht is tod$ the Aentrl lbni8he Cermn ll$rolo"ist-lbnolo"ist, Ceor" Stdtmzller,stresses tht the ori"inl lbnin ntie re"ion in!ludesthe lle$ o. the *ier o. Shumb, both sides o. the *ier

3< 'tees!u , 9Crnit de pur 8r!ilor, Annuarul Jnstitutului de Jstoria nationale, , Alu#, 1>23, pp 3 PpDo"lu E, 9es ro$umes dkll$rie et de Hrdnie, ?ri"ines etdeelopment, stru!tures, hellenistion et romniDtion, Jliri i Albanci,eo"rd, 1>&&, p 1>4; Ae , 9Sur$ o. the Heelopment o. +rbni.e mon" Southern ll$rins, Jllyria, 2, 1>&5, pp 11>=13% Aomprewith: 8oyi , 9ew Ht bout the ll$rin ?nomsti!s in Hurrh!hium, Jllyria, 1, 1>&%, pp 123=13540 *e"rdin" the problem o. the ll$rin ori"in o. the er$ importntAentrl ln tribe Dardanians see in: Cr€nin ', 9Aonsidertions.inles, Jliri i Albanci, eo"rd, 1>&&, pp 3%4, pp 13&=141; '! *, $ren#maren und Pachbarn

"aedonien in Porden und Festern, Cottin"en, 1>51, pp 1%>, p 10%; 'irdit ,9Hrdnin Studies, RilindQa, Prishtin, 1>, p 4>; PpDo"lu E,SrednQobalansa plemena u predrimso doba, Sr#eo, 1>%>, p 402;PpDo"lu E, 9Hrdns onomsti, jborni ilo#ofsog faulteta, &=1,eo"rd, 1>%4; PpDo"lu E, 9es ro$umes dkll$rie et de Hrdnie,?ri"ines et deelopment, stru!tures, hellenistion et romniDtion, Jliri i Albanci, eo"rd, 1>&&, p 1&5, pp 211J222; “`T\] ˜,9_QRYQc…\, T\R\ \ _QTQ\ 9, …')/ 5), A,VWXRQY, 1>33 Bhile the {u"osl historin o !limed tht theHrdnins were not o. the ll$rin ori"in his !omptriot udimir !limedtht the$ were one o. ll$rin tribes L˜W[QZ ”, 9 nDionlit™ deiHrdni, &094 X) )0()*)5> /8)0*>, , VWXRQY, pp ;

`Y\\R Ž, 9? etniom odnosu Hrdn! prem lirim, ^ugoslovensi istoriQsi asopis, , eo"rd, 1>3; `Y\\RŽ, …0+ 1')/8, VWXRQY, 1>50O


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Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 13

o. 't, @ru#, nd some nei"hborin" res41

8he hi"hlnders .rom lbni, howeer, strted tomi"rte .rom their mountins .rom the mid-14th !entur$towrds more .ertile lowlnds o. 8hessl$, oeoti, tti!,7uboe nd Peloponnese, while .rom the end o. the 14; emerle P, Les plus anciens recueils des miracles de Saint Demtrius,, Pris, 1>&1, p %0*) /8-0:), ›\XQ , VWXRQY, 1>,ƒaV…\fQTcW \YQV, WZW„QR, VWXRQY, 1>&&, p 5O

!!ordin" to 7 Hobrun, n lbnin r!heolo"ist .rom@osoo, who inesti"ted n!ient topon$ms in this re"ion,9we .ind the !ontinuous presen!e o. ntie lbnins ssu!!essors o. the ll$rins in the sme territor$ where the$lie tod$ sin!e n!ient times

44 9Erom the bns o. the

o#n *ier, s .r s {nin, uni.ied nd homo"eneous people lie Erom {nin to $ o. mbrDio, lies theterritor$ denied b$ the Cree reli"ious nd other

prop"nd to the lbnins, who re predominnt there =i. not in number, thn t lest in stren"th nd !p!it$ toresist

45 Aonseuentl$, ll$rin-lbnin histori!l ri"hts

on these territories re lon"er nd stron"er thn Sli!-Serbin-'ontene"rin-'!edonin nd een Cree ones

4%

3. A 4uestion o! the &Koman $ulture'

8he m#orit$ o. lbnin r!heolo"ists de!lred tht the koman Iulture, eFisted in the =10,1>=1>&0, pp 23=45; @omt H, 98he rber "re-$rd o. Shurdhh, Jllyria, >=10, 1>=1>&0, pp 105=121; Prendi E, 9 "re-$rd o. therber !ulture in eDh, Jllyria, >=10, 1>=1>&0, pp 123=1; Popoi , By#antins, Slaves et autochthones dansles provinces de rvalitane et Pouvelle Epire, 7!ole .rnyise de *ome,1>&4, pp 1&1J243; Popoi , 9lbni# u sno# nti!i, Jlirci i Albanci,


10/20


lbnin s!ientists, the r!heolo"ists he dis!oeredmn$ lo!lities .rom the 12, nd espe!ill$ durin" the rule o. thelbnin !ommunist di!ttor, 7ner KoFh (1>45=1>&5),howeer, "ret prt o. the non-lbnin (espe!ill$Sli!) popultion nd topon$ms he been lbniDed

4&

Simultneousl$, 9lbnin ntionl soil ws (nd is)

"rdull$ !lensed .rom both the Sls nd the Crees4> nd their ntionl-!ulturl tr!es n this respe!t, the

proin!e o. @osoo nd 'etohi# eFperien!ed the mostserious ethni! nd !ulturl !lensin" in the post-1>457urope (to"ether with the territor$ o. eF-*epubli! o.Serbin @r$in in the present-d$ Aroti whi!h ws!lened b$ the Arot militr$ nd poli!e .or!es in u"ust1>>5)

50 8his southern Serbiks proin!e, nown s the

9?ld Serbi, or 9Serbi proper, be!me lmost totll$ethni!ll$ nd !ulturll$ !lened b$ the lo!l ethni!lbnins .ter the proin!e ws o!!upied b$ the 8?troops in Iune 1>>> 8od$, there re onl$ up to 3 o. non-

lbnin popultion in the proin!e (!omprin" to 13 in1>>&), the Sli!-Serb topon$ms re renmed to thelbnin ones, the Serb !ulturl propert$, s the .!t o. thentionl eFisten!e in the proin!e .rom histori!l

perspe!tie, is er$ mu!h destro$ed or o..i!ill$ !lled sthe 9$Dntine one nd the rest o. non-lbnin

popultion (to"ether with the lo!l Serbs) is eFpelled .romthe proin!e whi!h pro!limed stte independen!e inEebrur$ 200&

51

eo"rd, 1>&&, pp 202=2&34& Krb , 9œiren#e rbn€ih stor po rni!m i sloensi rtri

sredn#oeone lbni#e, Stanovni]tvo slovensog poriQela u AlbaniQi,8ito"rd, 1>>1, p 115 *e"rdin" the Sli! topon$ms in lbni see:Popoi , 9lbni# u sno# nti!i, Jlirci i Albanci, eo"rd, 1>&&;Selis!he ', %&, p 211, p 43 !!ordin" to the +S ?..i!e o. Strte"i!Seri!es, .rom pril 1>41 until u"ust 1>42, the lbnins illed round10000 Serbs nd 'ontene"rins in the res o. @osoo nd 'etohi#whi!h were in!orported into tlin Creter lbni L@riDmn S, "apsof ugoslavia at Far. "assacre of the Jnnocent Serbian opulation,Iommitted in ugoslavia by the Ais and its Satellites from April ?Œ? to August ?Œ, Bshin"ton, 1>43O50 See the ppendiF N 351

"arch ogrom in kosovo and "etohiQa, "arch ?@C?, Œ, %ith a survey of destroyed and endangered Ihristian cultural heritage, el"rde:'inistr$ o. Aulture o. the *epubli! o. SerbiJ'useum in Pri€tin

t su!h w$, @osoo nd 'etohi# be!me eF!lusiel$lbnin populted nd !ulturll$ inherited lnd = prt o.united ntionl stte o. the ethni! ll$ro-lbnins in the.orm o. the Creter lbni eertheless, .rom the

perspe!tie o. relent histori!l sour!e (the ?ttomn!ensus in 1455), there were onl$ 2 o. lbnin

popultion in the proin!e in the mid-15th !entur$52 ?ne o.the most .mous South Sli! philolo"ists in the 20 th !entur$, Ple i !me to the !on!lusion .ter deeperinesti"tion o. the !se-stud$ o. @osoo nd 'etohi# tht9the .!tul mteril !lerl$ shows tht there ws no lin"uisti! !ontinuit$ between the n!ient popultion o. the

present proin!e o. @osooks popultion, nd those whonow inhbit the re53 8his is one o. the most seriouss!ienti.i! re.uttion o. the lbnin h$pothes$s o. thell$rin-lbnin ethno"enesis n ddition, een tod$,oerwhelmin" m#orit$ (i. not ll) o. the topon$ms in@osoo nd 'etohi# re o. the Sli! (Serb) ori"in 8he

present-d$ lbnin pr!ti!e to lbniDe them is uiteunderstndble .rom the perspe!tie o. the politi!l ims o.the proponents o. the h$pothesis o. the ll$rin-lbninethno"enesis

5. The &acian' Theory o! the Albanian

Ethnical Bac+"round

8he h$pothesis nd lter !!epted theor$ o. thelbnin-ll$rin identi.i!tion is seriousl$ !hllen"ed b$mn$ !ontemporr$ lin"uists nd historins s simpl$h$pothesis not bsed on histori!l sour!es 8hus, thell$rin theor$ o. lbnin ethni!l ori"in nd ntionlinheritn!e hd .our weest points:

• 8he n!ient ll$rins, !!ordin" to some s!holrs,re not indi"enous ln people s the$ mi"rtedto the lns round 1000 A (i e, lter thn then!ient Crees)

• 8here re enou"h number o. relent histori!lsour!es o. the time !!ordin" to whi!h, the lnlbnin motherlnd ws the Au!sus lbni inthe present-d$ Proin!e o. H"estn o. the*ussin Eedertion nd the *epubli! o. Derbi#n(see the ppendiF N 4)

•

8he !lim o. ll$rin-lbnin ethno"enesis is not bsed on n$ relent histori!l sour!e = it is mu!hmore #ust unproed h$pothesis thn the rels!ienti.i! theor$

(displ!ed), 2004; http://!ru!i.ied-osoowebs!om;http://wwwosoonet; http://www!ru!i.ied-osooeu52 œbnoi K (ed), Kdibe"i K, Kndi , @oei 7 (prepred b$), blast BranoviTa. p]irni atastarsi popis i# ?Œˆˆ. godine (ori"inl title: DefterKJ, "ufassalKJ, !ilayetKJ, !Lk, sene ˆ), 'onument8ur!i! Kistorim Slorum 'eridionlium llustrnti, 8omus tertius,seri# , He.teri, n#i" 2, s 1, Sr#eo: ?ri#entlni institut u Sr#eu,1> *15))21q /))21q, VWXRQY:”JVY\cƒ[W, 1>>0, p 141


11/20


12/20

1% ldisl Sotiroi: tionl identit$: who re the lbnins6 the ll$rin nthropon$m$ nd the7thno"enesis o. the lbnins

6. $onclusion: 7nderstandin" Albanian

8ationality and #olitical

$onse9uences

8he lbnin ntionhood ws understood in the 1>th

!entur$ romnti!ist notion o. the ntionlit$, ie, lbninswere the ln people whose mother ton"ue ws lbninre"rdless on !on.essionl diision o. lbnin people intothree denomintions (slmi!, *omn Atholi! nd 7stern?rthodoF) Bithin the north lbnin tribes, espe!ill$mon" the 'iriditi, the *omn Atholi! Ahur!h ws er$in.luentil 8he *omn Atholi! Ahur!h be!me in the .irst

pl!e the prin!ipl i"ilnte o. the ln"u"e, !ulturlherit"e nd ntionl identit$ o. the lbnins in the

orthern lbni5&

8he eFpression o. !ommon sense o.the lbnin ntionhood ws uttered b$ lbnin politi!lledership in the $ers o. the ln Brs 1>12=1>13 in

the .ollowin" slo"n: 9ee Shiptr nu #emi Cree, Sll,or 8eer, nee #emi Shiptr (9Be lbnins re not theCrees, Sls, or 8urs, we re the lbnins)

8he lbnin politi!l 9methodolo"$ .rom the time o.the Eirst PriDnen e"ue in 1&12J1>13 ws pplied to prepre uni.i!tion o. ll9ethni!ll$ lbnin territories in the lns into (9Creter) lbni - sin"le ntionl stte o. ll lbnins,ie, within the ethni! borders demnded b$ the e"ue inthe $ers o. its eFisten!e .rom 1&>, the Creter lbnin @osoo Aommittee, .rom 1>20,nd the Se!ond PriDren e"ue, .rom 1>43 Shortl$,

presertion o. the trditionl, !ommon lw nd lo!l!ommunit$ s the or"niDtionl bsis o. the ntionlmoement .ollowed b$ the demnd .or uni.i!tion o. llterritories populted b$ lbnins be!me lbnin

primr$ ntionl interest .rom 1&th !entur$ 8helbnin ntion ws not !onsidered s politi!l relit$ in7urope b$ mn$ politi!ins t tht time 8he lbnin

people were mon" the lst one in 7urope to build up theirown ntionl identit$ nd ntionl !ommunit$ Bhen

durin" the sessions o. the Aon"ress o. erlin in 1&>3, pp 201=204O

uestion o. lbni nd lbnins ws put on the "end,the Cermn Ahn!ellor (@nDDelr) ?tto on ismr!de!isiel$ re#e!ted to spe bout it with the eFplntiontht there ws no lbnin ntionlit$

5> Eor him, the

lbnins were the 8urs t the sme period o. time, theSerbs (either .rom Serbi or .rom 'ontene"ro) nd theCrees !onsidered themseles s ntion (ie, ethni!l"roups whi!h hd its own stte or"niDtions), nd s su!hwere understood b$ 7urope, while the lbnins wereunderstood s the ln ethni!l "roup (ie, the "roup o.

people who did not he its own stte) Aonseuentl$,ethni!l "roup o. lbnins !ould lie onl$ s ethni!lminorit$ in!luded into some o. the ln ntionl stte(s)nd !n not eFpe!t more thn the ri"ht to utonom$ withinit (them) ll in ll, t the turn o. the 20 th !entur$ mn$

politi!ins in Serbi, 'ontene"ro nd Cree!e shredopinion tht the ethni!l "roup o. lbnins ws !ulturll$nd politi!ll$ in!pble o. modern ntionl deelopment

nd boe ll unble nd in!ompetent to estblish nd ruletheir own ntionl stte

%0 8he b!wrdness o.

deelopment o. lbnin so!iet$ t the be"innin" o. the20th !entur$ ws seen .rom the .!t tht initited pro!ess o.moderniDtion shoo the lbnin tribl so!iet$, but .iledto repl!e it with modern industril, prlimentr$ nd!iil so!iet$ 8he lbnin ntionl moement ws seen swell s r!hi! so!il moement tht !nnot re!h leelo. ntionl !ohesion in modern terms 8his moement

produ!ed mon" the Serbs, 'ontene"rins nd Crees .eelin" o. #eoprdiDin" the politi!l nd territoril inte"rit$o. Serbi, 'ontene"ro nd Cree!e

%1 Eor them, the theor$

5> o"ore!i , he Albanians. EuropeMs orgotten Survivors, Aolordo,1>0-)X:1, VWXRQY, 1>13, pp 1 /0/5-: /8-0:, VWXRQY: qRaƒZQ Z\¡V[cQ QYR`XQ,


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Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 1<

o. ll$rin-lbnin !ontinuit$ is in essen!e ntionlisti!ideolo"i!l !onstru!tion whi!h be!me driin"

politi!ll$-ideolo"i!l .or!e .or lbnin politi!ins to!rete, .rom the lbnin ision, their ethni! borders!!ordin" to lbnin !uired ri"hts Ceopoliti!ll$, this

pro#e!t, .rom 1&


14/20

1& ldisl Sotiroi: tionl identit$: who re the lbnins6 the ll$rin nthropon$m$ nd the7thno"enesis o. the lbnins

b$ ll lbnin nei"hbors tod$ = the Serbs, Crees,'ontene"rins nd the '!edonin Sls

. Summary

8he lbnins beliee to be the lst pure nd dire!tdes!endnts o. the n!ient ll$rins, the ln people wholied t this peninsul in the ntiue time 'n$ s!holrs!onsider the lbnins s the o..sprin" popultion o. then!ient inhbitnts o. the ln Peninsul, either thePels"ins or the ll$rins, ie the popultion residin" inthis prt o. 7urope be.ore the 'iddle "es Hurin" themid-1>th !entur$ nd espe!ill$ .ter the estblishment o.the lbnin ntionl-politi!l or"niDtion = the Eirste"ue o. PriDren in 1&


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Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 1>

A,,endices

№ 1: our ŽAlbanian vilayets to be united into the soKcalled ŽAlbanian !ilayet of the ttoman Empire and to compose at such a %ay a $reater Albaniaƒc. ?@„


16/20


№ 2: "ap of a $reater Albania promoted by the Albanian diaspora in S%eden in ?@@


17/20


18/20


L4O

nmli S, 98he ‘uestion o. the lbnin 7rl$ 'edielAulture in the i"ht o. ew r!heolo"i!l His!oeries,Studime Historie, 2, 1>%<

L5O Appeal of the Ientral Iommittee for the defence of therights of the Albanian nationality addressed to all patriots todefend the Albanian lands %hich are threatened %ith

anneation by "ontenegro (stnbul, '$, 30, 1&>5

L10O

ud , 98he Southern ll$rins s Problem o.Kistorio"rph$, Historical Fritings, ol 1

L11O

Abnes P, Les Jllyriens de Bardylis z $enthios, J!JJ sicles avant ^.I , Pris, 1>&&

L12O Mbe# 7, 98he problem o. the uto!hthon$ o. lbnins inthe li"ht o. pl!e-nmes, Buletini i Universitetit Shteterorte iranes, N 2, 1>5&

L13O

Apidn 8h, Dacoromania, , u!hrest, 1>22

L14O Ae , 9Sur$ o. the Heelopment o. +rbn i.e mon"Southern ll$rins, Jllyria, 2, 1>&5

L15O Aerso 7, RimlQani na kosovu i "etohiQi, eo"rd, 1>%>

L1%O

Iontents of the coded telegram sent by Dervish asha from

Shodra (He!ember 25

L1&O n I (ed), Ž$reater Albania. Ioncept and possibleIonseuences, el"rde: the nstitute o. Ceopoliti!lStudies, el"rde, 1>>&

L1>O

Hobrun 7, 9?n some n!ient topon$ms in @oso,nomastia e kosoves, Prishtin, 1>

L20O

Hod , 98he rber Cres o. Prose in 'irdit *e"ion, Jllyria, 1, 1>&>

L21O

Hr€i S, 9dmetn#e ustro-+"rse i tli#e on!em|| i poetom || e u lbni#i, Albanso pitanQe unovoQ istoriQi, , eo"rd: 'rsisti miso, 2-1>&%

L22O

Hurhm 7, High Albania, ondon, 1>0>

L23O 7n"el I (ed), $roer Historischer Feltatlas. "ittelalter ,'zn!hen, 1>

L24O 7ns , 9ntiurin *eser!hes in ll$ri!um, Archeologia, ||, Bestminster, 1&&3

L25O Eer#ni , JstoriQa Albanaca (9lbni# do | e),eo"rd, 1>%>

L2%O Eerlu" I, 9Sur l dte de l !r~tion du th•me deH$rrh!hium, Etrait des Actes du JJ Iongrs Jnternational des Etudes By#antines, ol 2, eo"rd, 1>%4

L2&&

L2>O Cr€nin ', 9ston "rni! lir prem rheolo€imspomeni!im, Simpo#iQum o teritoriQalnom i hronolo]om

ra#granienQu Jlira u praistoriQso doba, Sr#eo, 1>%4L30O

Cr€nin ', 9*Dmtrn# o medonsom hl€ttu-'teri#ln ultur, hronolo"i#, etnii problem, Starinar ,J, 1>54=1>55

L31O

Ceor"ie , 98he Cenesis o. the ln Peoples, Slavonicand East European Revie%, 44, N 103, 1>%%

L32O

Cersin @, Altserbien und die albanische rage, Bien, 1>12

L33O ClomDi ', Etnio i nacionalno biTe Irnogoraca,eo"rd: 8* PP+@9, 1>&&

L34O Cut Ah, 9Croupe de 8ril sur lk7urope Aentrle et?rientle, Bulletin dMJnformation, N 2, Iune 1&O

slmi S, nmli S, @oruti ', Prendi E, Les Jllyriens,8irn, 1>&5

L50O

slmi S, he Jllyrian State Jts lace and Role in the "editerranean Forld, , 8irn, 1>>4

L52O

Io ', Le "issioni cattoliche nel Balcani durante la guerra di Iandia ƒ?ZŒˆ?ZZ„, ol =, Aitt™ del ti!n,


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Kistor$ *eser!h 2013; 1(2): 5-24 23

1>>2

L53O

Iol , Eberts Realleicon der !orgeschichte, , 1>24

L54O Iubni , 9Eetures o. ll$rin Aulture in the 8erritor$ o.Hrdni, Jllyria, 2, 1>&5

L55O

@€i , Jnstitutiones Linguae Jllyricae, 1%04L5%O

@omt H, 98he rber "re-$rd o. Shurdhh, Jllyria, >= 10, 1>=1>&0

L543

L%0O

emerle P, 9nsions et mi"rtions dns les lns depuisl .in de lk~poue *omine #usuku e si•!le, Revuehistoriue, 54

L%1O

emerle P, Les plus anciens recueils des miracles de Saint Demtrius, , Pris, 1>&1

L%2O

o"ore!i , he Albanians. EuropeMs orgotten Survivors,Aolordo, 1>%&

L%%O

"arch ogrom in kosovo and "etohiQa, "arch ?@C?,Œ, %ith a survey of destroyed and endangered Ihristiancultural heritage, el"rde: 'inistr$ o. Aulture o. the*epubli! o. SerbiJ'useum in Pri€tin (displ!ed), 2004

L%23

L%>O 'irdit , 9Hrdnin Studies, RilindQa, Prishtin, 1>

L50

L&>O *iD# S, he Albanian League of ri#ren in British Documents, ?@??, Prishtin, 1>0O S!hnderl H K, Die Albanienpoliti [sterreichKUngarnsund Jtaliens ?@@C?, lbnis!he Eors!hun"en N >,Biesbden: ?tto KrssoitD, 1>1O

Seen 7, ^onas Basanaviius_ he patriarch of the

Lithuanian national renaissance, ewtonille, ', 1>&0L>2O

Selis!he ', 5%

L>4O Sphiu K, 98he rber "re$rd t the Hlm! Astle, Jllyria, >=10, 1>=1>&0

L>5O Sphiu K, @omt H, 9Shurdhh-Srd, 'edielEorti.ied 8own, Jllyria, 3, 1>%O Stdtmzller C, 9Eors!hun"en Dur lbnis!hen.ruh"es!hi!hte, Dweite erweiterte u.l"e, Albanische

orschungen, 2, Biesbden, 1>%%L>


20/20


7uropen AonteFt, Balan orum, Sop#e, ol 1, N 4,1>>3

L>&O

Sti!ne$ 7 P, Southern Albania or Porthern Epirus in European Jnternational Affairs_ ???‰, Stn.ord, 1>2%

L>>O

Stipei , Every Story About the Balans Begins %ith the

Jllyrians, Pri€tin, 1>&5L100O

Stulli , Albanso pitanQe, I+, "reb, ol 31&, 1>5>

L101O œbnoi K (ed), Kdibe"i K, Kndi , @oei7 (prepred b$), blast BranoviTa. p]irni atastarsi popis i# ?Œˆˆ. godine (ori"inl title: DefterKJ, "ufassalKJ,!ilayetKJ, !Lk, sene ˆ), 'onument 8ur!i! KistorimSlorum 'eridionlium llustrnti, 8omus tertius, seri#, He.teri, n#i" 2, s 1, Sr#eo: ?ri#entlni institut uSr#eu, 1>%&

L110O ulpe *, $li Jlliri dellMJtalia Jmperiale Romana, , 1>25

L111O

Festermann $ro\er Atlas #ur Feltgeschichte, runs!hwei",1>&5

L112O

Bilson 8h, Honnn K (eds), Border Jdentities. Pation and state at international frontiers, Ambrid"e, 1>>&

L113O

Qf\] , ')1* =10-*q, /0/5-K)0()*)5q -*-/q) _R`XW YWa`VcW \YQV,VWXRQY, \XWfQ gQaQ, 200%

L1111)

L12%O \RVjVZ ›, —QYWc\] , ;/8-0:) '8>0*)/8-0:), ›\XQ , VWXRQY, 1>