Convention of Dukagjin or Assembly of Dukagjin (

Alb The alb (from the Latin ''albus'', meaning ''white''), one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed and Congregational churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ank ...

. ''Kuvendi i Dukagjinit'') was a convention of Albanian nobles and leaders held in the village of

Macukull Macukull is a village and a former municipality in the Dibër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Mat. The population at the 2011 census was 1,565.Mati region, on November 1601, lasting to February 15, 1602. The convention was attended by 2656 representatives, and included both secular and religious representatives, from various Albanian districts. There were Albanians from the highlands of

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra) is the fifth-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Shkod ...

Zadrima Zadrima is an ethnographic region situated in north-western Albania between the cities of Shkodra and Lezha, located left of the Lower Drin which eventually drains into the Adriatic Sea from near Lezha. Geography The Zadrima Plain includes vi ...

, Dukagjin,

Kosova The Republic of Kosova ( sq, Republika e Kosovës) or First Republic of Kosovo was a self-declared proto-state in Southeastern Europe established in 1991. During its peak, it tried to establish its own parallel political institutions in oppos ...

, Lezha,

Kurbin Kurbin is a municipality in Lezhë County, northwestern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Fushë Kuqe, Laç, Mamurras and Milot, Laç, Milot. The seat of the municipality is the town Laç. The total populati ...

Mirdita Mirdita is a region of northern Albania whose territory is synonymous with the historic Albanian tribe of the same name. Etymology The name Mirdita derives from a legendary ancestor named Mir Diti from whom the tribe claims descent. Other ...

, Mat,

Dibra Dibra is an Albanian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Abdurrahman Dibra (1885–1961), Albanian politician * Arenc Dibra (born 1990), Albanian footballer * Dino Dibra (1975–2000), Australian suspected murderer * Fuad Dibra (1886 ...

, Petrela,

Durrës Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the second most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is located on a flat plain along the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast between the mouths of ...

Elbasan Elbasan ( ; sq-definite, Elbasani ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central Al ...

Shpat Shpat is a village in the former municipality of Paskuqan in Tirana County, Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kamëz Kamëz ( sq-definite, Kamza) is a municipality in Tirana County, Albania. It was f ...

and from

Myzeqe The Myzeqe (; sq-definite, Myzeqeja; rup, Muzachia) is a plain in the Western Lowlands of Albania. The Myzeqe is the largest and widest plain, measured by area, in the Lowlands. Location The Myzeqe plain is a large alluvial plain traversed by t ...

. The convention was headed by

Nikollë Bardhi Nikollë Bardhi (1551–1617) was an Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He played a key role in the Albanian struggle against the Ottoman Empire. Nikollë Bardhi was born in region of Zadrima, Lezhë, modern northern Albania in 1551. ...

, Gjin Gjergji and

Nikollë Mekajshi Nikollë Mekajshi ( it, Nicolò Mechaischi, la, Mecansius) was a Franciscan Roman Catholic prelate who served as bishop of Stephanium, a region in central Albania. He took part in the Convention of Mat in 1594, and was a member of the delegation t ...

. The convention decided to wage war against the

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) ...

in an attempt of liberation. The decision was approved by 56 main leaders, consisting of 13 representatives who all sealed the act which the text “Sigillum Regni Macedonia et Albaniae” (The Seal of the Macedonian and Albanian Kingdom) with the double-headed eagle. Prior to this meeting, there had been the Convention of St. Maria in Mati in 1594, the Convention of Zadrima in 1598 and 1601 in Dukagjin. In 1608 another convention was held in Moraca and Dukagjin and in 1614, in Kuci. The council sent two representatives to the

Senate of Venice The Senate ( vec, Senato), formally the ''Consiglio dei Pregadi'' or ''Rogati'' (, la, Consilium Rogatorum), was the main deliberative and legislative body of the Republic of Venice. Establishment The Venetian Senate was founded in 1229, or le ...

to gain aid and to present five chapters on the basis of which Albanians would declare their readiness to cooperate with the

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

in order to banish the Ottomans. The chapters included demands of protection, political support, military aid and lowered taxes. The Albanians requested a local autonomy under Venice and would not accept a transformation from one invader to another. On July 25, 1601, Nikollë Mekjashi wrote from Dukagjin to the cardinal in Rome saying that there were annual incursions on the behalf of the Ottomans against Dukagjin, during the time when the Convention was taking place. Local beys plundered valuable items and animals in the local regions. The Dukagjini tribes managed to defeat the Ottoman army of Mustafa Pasha of Dibra who had 6000 men and was forced to retreat. The highlanders requested military aid by the sea. Venice never aided the Albanians as the risk of Ottoman reprisals towards the Republic was too high. Several years later, more anti-Ottoman conventions were held.

References

{{Albanians under the Ottoman Empire Ottoman Albania 16th century in Albania 1594 in the Ottoman Empire

See also

Further reading

References