Zog of Albania

His Majesty King Zog (full ruling name: Zog I. Skanderbeg III.), born Ahmed Bey Zogu (October 8, 1895–April 9, 1961), was an Albanian prime minister (1922-1924), president (1925-1928), and king (1928-1939 and 1943-1946, the latter period in name only).

Albanian King

Zogu crowned himself King of the Albanians¸(Mbret i Shqiptarëvet in Albanian) on September 1, 1928 and declared a constitutional monarchy similar to the contemporary regime in Italy. He created a strong police force and instituted a Zogist salute (flat hand over the heart with palm facing forwards) and claimed to be a successor of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg. Zog hoarded gold coins and precious stones, which were used to back Albania's first paper currency; his household expenses hovered near 2% of the national budget. He was mostly ignored by other European monarchs.

Related Topics:
September 1 - 1928 - Constitutional monarchy - Police - Salute - Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg - Paper currency

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Normal life in Tiranë was usually very boring for the absence of night clubs and theaters,so the king spent his free time playing poker.

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The king was also a "champion" smoker of perfumed cigarettes, smoking about one hundred and fifty a day.

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Zog's mother, Sadijé, was declared "Queen Mother of the Albanians", and Zog also gave his brother and sisters royal status as Prince and Princesses Zogu. One of his sisters, Senijé, Princess Zogu (1908-1969), married His Imperial Highness Prince Shehzade Mehmed Abid Efendi of Turkey, a son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

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Zog also named himself Field Marshal of the Royal Albanian Army on September 1, 1928.

Related Topics:
September 1 - 1928

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Zog attempted to establish his regime's legitimacy by ruling as a constitutional monarch. His kingdom's constitution forbade any prince of the royal house from serving as prime minister or a member of the cabinet and contained provisions for the potential extinction of the royal family. Ironically, in light of later events, the constitution also forbade the union of the Albanian throne with that of any other country. Under the Zogian constitution, the King of the Albanians, like the King of the Belgians, exercised royal powers only after taking an oath before Parliament.

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During Zog's reign, the Albanian army was a major problem due to the price of its modernization and equipment.

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Zog's regime brought stability to Albania and the king organized an educational system. Albania's fiscal dependence on Italy continued to increase at a time when Italian dictator Mussolini was extending his sphere of influence into the Balkans and exerted increasing control over Albania's finances and army. During the worldwide depression of the early 1930s, Zog's government became almost completely dependent on Mussolini. Grain had to be imported from abroad and many Albanians emigrated.

Related Topics:
Educational - Mussolini - Balkans - Worldwide depression - 1930s

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In April 1938 King Zog married Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi, a Roman Catholic who was half Hungarian and half American. Their only child, Crown Prince Leka Zogu, was born on April 5, 1939.

Related Topics:
April - 1938 - Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi - Roman Catholic - Hungarian - American - Leka Zogu - April 5 - 1939

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Two days later, on April 7, 1939, Italian troops entered Albania. Mussolini declared Albania a protectorate under Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III. Zog and his family fled into exile in Greece, Turkey, England, Egypt, the USA, and finally France.

Related Topics:
April 7 - 1939 - Protectorate - Victor Emmanuel III

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