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Albania has been inhabited since the ancient times. (100.000 years ago). With the passage to the third millennium B.C., due to Indo-European invasions and assimilation with the local population, it was created a population with general cultural and linguistic features for the whole of the Balkan Peninsula (Pellazgs). It is claimed that their descendants are the Illyrians, Greeks, Thracians and even the Turks. The Illyrians spread over the Western part of the Balkan Peninsula, from Sava and Danub Rivers in the North and Sava and Vardar River in the East. The most outstanding Illyrian tribes have been : Mollose, Dardans, Desares, Ardians, Taulants, Liburnes, Enkeleas. The socio-economic development found its reflection in the emergence of the Illyrian cities such as Scutari (Shkodra), Lissus (Lezha), Amantia, Antipatria (Berat), Albanopoli (Zgerdhesh), Antigonea, Tronioni, Belsh, etc (IV-II centuries BC). In the coastline, there were set up such cities as Buthrot (Butrint), Apollonia, Dyrrah (Durres), Orikum ect.(VII-VI centuries BC). The Illyrians resisted to the Roman occupation by preserving their own language, culture and customs. When the Roman Empire was split into two parts, Illyria remained in the Byzantine Empire. The country's name "Arberi" is testified as early back as the second century by Greek geographer Ptolemeu. The later for Albania has served as a basis for the different names applied to the country at present. Arbers had their common language, culture and territory. Arberi was transformed into an arena of wars between the armies of southern Italy and Byzantium. The coast of Arberia became the first settlements of the crusaders of the first crusade. The first mediaeval Albanian state, having Kruja as its Capital failed to resist the foreign Byzantine and Serbian occupations. After the collapse of the Serbian Empire (1355), a number of Albanian feudal principalities were set up. The ottoman feudal regime was established in the greater part of the country in the years 1419-1421. The Albanian resistance reached its climax with the 25 year long war (1443-1468), led by Gjergj-Kastrioti-Scanderbeg. The efforts of the Albanian people for freedom and the proclamation of the independent state reached their climax during the period of National Renaissance. This period crowned the proclamation of the independence in 1912. In the course of the First World War, Albania was transformed into a battlefield; the country was occupied by the Italian, Serbian, Montenegrin, Greek, French and Austro-Hungarian armies. The Albanian Republic, with President Ahmet Zogu, was proclaimed on January 21, 1925; while 3 years later the Republic was transformed into a Monarchy and, Ahmet Zogu declared himself a king. During the Second World War, Albania suffered great losses. The country won freedom and independence. The communist regime was established in Albania. For half a century, Albania, one of the pearls of the Mediterranean shores, remained a prohibited land for the foreign visitors. |