Tajar Tetova

Tajar Tetova (Turkish: Kalkandelenli Tayyar^[1]) was an Albanian military commander and çetë (band) leader in southern Albania and Macedonia.

Tajar (Bey) Tetova
Born	late-19th century Kalkandelen, Ottoman Empire, now in Tetovo, North Macedonia
Nationality	Albanian
Occupation(s)	Captain in Turkish army Freedom fighter Activist
Known for	Guerilla against invaders in World War I Along with Sali Butka, responsible for the 1916 destruction of Moscopole.

History

Background

Born in Kalkandelen (modern day Tetovo) in the late-19th century,^[2] Tajar bey Tetova came from a noble landowning family.^[3] Tetova rose through the military ranks of the Ottoman empire, becoming a captain in the Ottoman army.

Albanian National Awakening

Main article: Albanian National Awakening

In 1908 he was sent by the Ottoman empire to support the Ottoman troops against the Albanian uprisings in Monastir (present-day Bitola). On June 22, 1908, captain Tajar Tetova working together with the Bashkimi club of Monastir, mutinied and fled into the mountains with seven officers and 150 Albanian soldiers to join southern Albanian Tosk revolutionaries.^[4] He formed a military league, demanding the retirement of the Young Turk government and general elections claiming that the existing cabinet was elected under terrorist agitation of the Young Turkish Committee.^[5] Tetova and his soldiers took all the weapons and ammunition company as well as two heavy machine guns from the Turkish in Monastir.^[6] Tetova expanded his insurgent movement in the area of Dibra, Korce and Kolonje. Tetova's group merged with Sali Butka fighters and together fought against the invaders of Albania.^[7]

He served for a short time as Mayor of Elbasan.^[8] A street in Elbasan is named after him.

Sources

1. Gawrych 2006, p. 260.
2. Aux origines du nationalisme albanais: la naissance d'une nation majoritairement musulmane en Europe (in French). KARTHALA Editions. 2007. p. 667. ISBN 978-2-84586-816-8.
3. Abas Ermenji (1996). Vendi që zë Skënderbeu në historinë e Shqipërisë. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
4. Gawrych, George (2006). The Crescent and the Eagle: Ottoman rule, Islam and the Albanians, 1874–1913. London: IB Tauris. p. 192. ISBN 9781845112875.
5. Pearson, Owen (2004). Albania and King Zog: independence, republic and monarchy 1908-1939. I.B.Tauris. p. 25. ISBN 1-84511-013-7.
6. T. Riza Drishti (Studime Historike,Nr.1,1987) Drishti (Historical Studies, No.1, 1987). "Albanian insurgents ARMS IN YEARS 1909 - 1912". Retrieved 22 February 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. Portali Shqiptar. "The expansion of military actions in other areas". Retrieved 22 February 2011.
8. Besim Dybeli (24 April 2015), "Dosja Elbasani" – ja kush e ka qeverisur këtë qytet ndër vite (dhe disa koinçidenca të çuditshme) (in Albanian), tesheshi.com, Tajar Tetova (s'ka vit të datuar )...