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).

Background and early political career

Ahmed Zogu was born in Castle Burgajet, Albania to Xhemal Pasha Zogu and his wife, Sadijé Toptani. He was a member of the royal house of Skanderbeg, which, by the time of his birth, was a feudal beylik family ruling over the city of Mati. As a young man during the First World War, Zog supported the cause of Austria-Hungary, counter to Albanian tradition which had tended to align with Eastern Europe or the Ottoman Turks.

Related Topics:
Skanderbeg - First World War - Austria-Hungary - Eastern Europe - Ottoman - Turk

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In 1911, on the death of his father, Zog became Hereditary Governor of Mati and Chief of the Gheg clan. He was only sixteen at the time. He was detained at Vienna 1917-1918 and in Rome 1918-1919, before returning to Albania in 1919.

Related Topics:
1911 - Mati - Gheg - Vienna - Rome - 1919

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Zog held ministerial posts in the fledgling Albanian government that had been created in 1920. His political support included southern feudal landowners called beys (Turkish for "village chieftain") and noble families in the north, along with merchants, industrialists, and intellectuals. Zog became leader of a major reformist party and later a prime minister of the republican government. In 1923, he was shot and wounded in parliament. His primary rivals were Luigj Gurakuqi and Fan S. Noli.

Related Topics:
1920 - Beys - Prime minister - Republic - 1923 - Luigj Gurakuqi - Fan S. Noli

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Zog held the post of Minister for the Interior March to November 1920, 1921-1924 and 1925, Minister for War in 1925, and General and Commander-in-Chief of the Albanian forces from 1921-1922. He also served as Governor of Shkodër from 1920 to 1921.

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A leftist revolt led by Noli forced Zog into exile in June 1924. He returned to Albania with the assistance of Yugoslavia-based White Russian troops.

Related Topics:
Leftist - 1924 - Yugoslavia - White Russian

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