Pano Bixhili (russian: Пано Бицили el, Πάνος Μπιτζίλης) was an 18th-century General Consul of Russia in

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

and Himara. Pano Bixhili came from the village

Dhërmi Dhërmi ( sq-definite, Dhërmiu; el, Δρυμάδες, ''Drymádes'') is a village in Vlorë County, Albania. It is part of the municipality of Himarë. The village lies 42 kilometers south of the city of Vlorë and about the same distance north ...

, modern

, then

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, from an Albanian family background. In 18th century documents from the Russian Imperial Archive of External Affairs, he and his brother Gjika are described as "noble Albanians from Epirus". One of the most notable Albanian families of the Venetian and Ottoman period the Bixhili provided diplomats to the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

in the 18th century. Moreover, they also provided several officers to the ''Regimento Cimarioto'' (Himariote regiment) of the Venetian army as well as for the ''Albanskoe Volsko'' and the ''Odesskii Grecheskii Divizion'' Russian army. Being an influential personality, he became the Russian consul in

and Himara, in the 1780s. During the Russo-Turkish War (1768-1774) together with Loudovikos Sotiris from

Lefkada Lefkada ( el, Λευκάδα, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas ( Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς, ''Leukás'', modern pronunciation ''Lefkás'') and Leucadia, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of G ...

, became the revolutionary leaders of an

uprising Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...

against the Ottomans. He was probably also a member of the Greek patriotic organization

Filiki Eteria Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends ( el, Φιλικὴ Ἑταιρεία ''or'' ) was a secret organization founded in 1814 in Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state. (''ret ...

References

{{Reflist, 2 People from Himara Year of death unknown Year of birth unknown 18th-century Albanian people