Essad Pasha

Essad Pasha , born Essad Toptani in 1863 and dead the June 13rd 1920, is a soldier, politician and Dictateur Albanian of the October 5th 1914 with the February 24th 1916.

Its career

Born in 1863 with Tirana, Essad Pasha is resulting from the famous family of Toptani. Great landowner in central Albania, his career starts in the Turkish administration where it climbs the levels quickly. And at the beginning of the century, it is named Commander of gendarmerie of the province of Janina.

Partisan of the Young person-Turks, it is elected in 1908, is appointed at the Turkish Parliament. But the following year, the sultan Abdülhamid II requires his resignation.

Become chief of gendarmerie in the province of Scutari, it fights glorieusement the Montenegrins during the Guerre of Balkans. But in April 1913, after five months of combat, its army is exhausted and Essad must go. For this time, Essad has dedicated a true hatred with the Montenegrins and particularly with their king, Nicolas.

In August 1913, Essad accommodates Otto Witte, a German clown who, after being itself made pass for the nephew of the Othoman sultan, is made crown king, creates his harem and declares the war with the Montenegro. Discovered trickery, it flees with half of the case of the State.

Beginnings in policy: ambitions and treasons…

It is this same year that the Conférence of London recognizes officially the independence of Albania, proclaimed since November 1912 by Ismail Qemali.

Benefitting from the anarchy which reigns on Albania to make profitable its political ambitions, Essad envisages to make Albania a Moslem state. It forms then, its own government in opposition to that of Ismail Qemali, and envisaging autoproclamer king, Essad signs already agreements with the Serbia.

But its plans are compromised by the arrival the March 7th 1914, of Guillaume de Wied, a protesting Prussian elected Prince d' Albanie by the great powers. Despite everything, it inserts a favorable reception to him in its government. He becomes thus War and Minister of Interior Department, but being found quickly in dissension with the Prince, Essad plots and envisages to reverse it. The discovered plot, it flees.

Return to the capacity

The First World War bursts. And Prince Guillaume, incompetent to face the events and with the recrudescence of the Civil war, flees the September 3rd.

Essad Pasha, then exiled in Italy, finds in the person of Serb the Prime Minister, the perfect assistance to seize the power in Albania. Indeed, this last fearing that an Othoman prince goes up on the throne of Albania, signs secret agreements with Essad envisaging its nearest return. Thus the Serb government finances and equips militarily its return in Albania where immediately, he proclaims Chef of the Government and supreme Commander of the Army. Nevertheless, it controls only the north and the center of the country.

Dictatorship

As of its come to power, it takes part in the war at the side of the Entente. But its true concern is to remain with the capacity and imposes a Dictature then.

End 1914 and beginning 1915, the country is invaded by the Greece in the south, the Italy in the east and is threatened by the Austria-Hungary. Moreover, its capacity is disputed more and more by the former rebels. Essad Pasha then requires of the Serb government to invade the country to take again control of it; but the Montenegrins also benefits from it to occupy north. In June 1915, the Serbes occupy finally the Albania and the order returns. However this period of “peace” is of short duration. The Bulgaria enters in war near the central Empires and help them to carry out, during the autumn 1915, a great offensive on the Balkans. In January 1916, the Austria-Hungary occupies the country.

Handled by the Agreement

After the occupation of the Albania by the Triple Alliance, Essad and its army exile themselves in France. Being unaware of all the secret Treated of London which recommends the annexation of Albania by the Italy, France handles it, giving him hope to be able to return to the capacity. It offers to him thus, a material aid and returns it to Albania with its partisans where they organize a guerilla.

Then begin a certain tension between the France and the Italy. The latter does not wish to in no case the return of Essad Pasha, which could compromise its legitimacy on the Albania. Essad receives the order then to remain with Salonique, with the provision of the French command. But the Traité of London is revealed by Lénine.

Fallen through returns

The War finishes, the France and the Italy dissolves the army of Essad. This last, decided well to take again the capacity, cooperates again with the Serbia. This one will support it at the time of the Conférence of peace of Paris. A competition is created then between Italy and Serbia, each one hoping for the favor of the Conference of peace of Paris.

For Essad, the situation is the same one; it has to him also two rivals: the official provisional government and of Albania and Prince Guillaume de Wied, which not having never abdicated, claims the throne. But this last is not a rival, the Prince being German.

The provisional government, discredited by its mollesse to make recognize its rights, sees itself resigning in January 1920. The new government definitely more nationalist, obtains the withdrawal of the French troops. Essad Pasha tests then, to benefit from the situation to conclude a new coup d'etat. But its insurrection is subdued by its nephew, Ahmed Zogu, future king d' Albanie.

Continuing to militate with Paris, it is made elect king, the June 10th 1920, by “the National Assembly of Albania”. Three days after, Essad Pasha is assassinated with Paris, in front of the Continental Hotel where it placed. The assassin, Avni Rustemi, an Albanian compatriot, refused to have it for king.

Essad Pasha remained in the memory of the Albanians like a dictator having betrayed his people while making a pact with the Serb ones.

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