PERANDORIA OSMANE GJATË SHEKULLIT XVIII DHE FUQIZIMI I ELITËS SHQIPTARO‐OSMANE
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE DURING THE 18th CENTURY AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE ALBANIAN‐OTTOMAN ELITE

Summary/Abstract: The Ottoman Empire during the eighteenth century was a declining military power, which in turn had led to the weakening of central power and the strengthening of local elites. The British press that covered the events in this empire, at the same time informed about the political, economic and military developments in the Albanian areas under the Ottoman Empire. The Albanian-Ottoman ruling class had become an important factor, not only in the areas inhabited by Albanians, but also in other European provinces of the Ottoman Empire. At the same time, the local Albanian-Ottoman elites, in an attempt to secure power and wealth, often came into conflict with each other. Consequently, such events were also news to the British public opinion, in the articles of which the consequences of these civil wars were described, with all the atrocities that the war brought. Also, in a time of uncertainty and lack of rule of law, there were many social conflicts between the ruling class and the local population. The interest of the European public opinion for the Albanians increased more when their past was related to the figure of Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeg, as a military commander and prince, who had organized the resistance against the Ottoman occupation. Therefore, not only the events in the Albanian provinces under Ottoman rule were followed with attention and interest, but also the personal and political life of the descendants of GJ. K.Skënderbe.

• Details
• Contents