Kachaks (, / ''kačaci'') is a term used for the

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

rebels active in the late 19th and early 20th century in northern

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

and

Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...

, and later as a term for the militias of

revolutionary organizations against the

Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...

(1910–18)

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

(1918–24), called the "

Kachak Movement The Kachak Movement was a series of Albanians, Albanian uprisings in Albanian-populated territories in Kosovo, Vardar Macedonia and Sandžak from 1919 to 1927. The uprisings began after the end of the First World War when Kosovo became part of th ...

Etymology

The word is derived from Turkish '' kaçak'' for "outlaw".

Background

History

1920–24 Kachak movement

The Committee for the National Defense of Kosovo () was created in

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra; historically known as Scodra or Scutari) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, fifth-most-populous city of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. Shkodër has been List of o ...

, under

Hasan Prishtina Hasan bey Prishtina, (born Hasan Berisha; 27 September 1873 – 13 August 1933), was an Ottoman, later Albanian, politician who served as the 8th prime minister of Albania in December 1921. Biography Family and early life In his memoirs, Pris ...

, in 1918. The committee organizationally and financially supported the kachaks in Albanian-populated areas of Yugoslavia, in

and

Skopje Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...

(the former Kosovo vilayet). Kachaks were also active around Ohrid and Bitola. On 6 May 1919 the Committee called for a general uprising in Kosovo and other Albanian-inhabited regions in Yugoslavia. The Kachaks were popular among

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

, and local support to them increased in the 1920s when Hasan Prishtina became a member of the Albanian parliament,

Kadri Prishtina Kadri Prishtina (1878 – 20 January 1925), better known as Hoxha Kadri, was an Albanian political figure of the early 1920s. Life Hoxha Kadri was born in Pristina, in the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also ...

("Hoxhe Kadriu") became Minister of Justice, and

Bajram Curri Bajram Curri (16 January 1862 – 29 March 1925) was an Albanian chieftain, politician and activist who struggled for the independence of Albania, later struggling for Kosovo's incorporation into it following the 1913 Treaty of London. He w ...

became Minister of war (1921). All three were

Kosovar Albanians The Albanians of Kosovo (, ), also commonly called Kosovo Albanians, Kosovan Albanians or Kosovars (), constitute the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. Kosovo Albanians belong to the ethnic Albanian sub-group of Ghegs, who inhabit the north of ...

. During this time, Kosovar Albanians under

Azem Galica Azem Bejta (10 December 1889 – 15 July 1924), commonly known as Azem Galica, was an Albanian nationalist, resistance fighter and rebel who fought for the unification of Kosovo with Albania. He is known for leading the Kachak Movement again ...

began an armed struggle, also known as the "Kachak movement", a large-scale revolt in

Drenica Drenica (, ), also known as the Drenica Valley, is a hilly region in central Kosovo, covering roughly around of Kosovo's total area (6%). It consists of two municipalities, Drenas and Skenderaj, and several villages in Klina, Zubin Potok, Mitr ...

involving around 10,000 people under Galica. The uprising was quelled by the

Royal Yugoslav Army The Yugoslav Army ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Jugoslovenska vojska, JV, Југословенска војска, ЈВ), commonly the Royal Yugoslav Army, was the principal Army, ground force of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It existed from the establishment of ...

Armed conflicts between the Royal Yugoslav Army and the Kachaks took place in the years 1920 and 1921, 1923, with a revival in 1924. One of the achievements was the creation of the "neutral zone" around Junik, which would serve to jeopardize the frontier and provide ammunition and other logistical support for the Kachaks.

Legacy

They are widely depicted in Albanian folklore. Albanian collaborationists in Yugoslavia during World War II were also sometimes known as ''Kachaks''.

Notable people

(1862–1925) *

(1889–1924) * Qerime Shotë Galica (1895–1927) *

Zef Kol Ndoka Zef Kol Ndoka (1883-1924), also known among Albanians as Zefi I Vogël, was an Albanian warrior and commander from the Shengji family from today's Fan Mirdita in Northern Albania. Life Born in 1883 in Moglic, near Gjakova, he grew up fighting ag ...

(1883–1924) * Hysni Curri (?–1925) *

Ajet Sopi Bllata Ajet Sopi Bllata (1861–1938) was an Albanian rebel from the village of Jabllanica, in present-day Bujanovac municipality, then part of the Ottoman Empire. From the age of 17 to that of 53, he fought as a kachak against Serbian interests in t ...

(1861–1938) *

Agan Koja Agan Koja (1892-1929) was an Albanian Muslim cleric and political activist from Plav, present-day Montenegro. He was a member of the Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo and fought as kachak against Yugoslav border troops after 1919 when ...

(1892–1929) *

Mehmet Pashë Deralla Mehmet Pashë Derralla was one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence."History of Albanian People" Albanian Academy of Science.ISBN 99927-1-623-1 Mehmet Pashë Derralla was the Minister of War in the Provisional Government ...

(1843–1918) *

Sali Butka Sali Butka (1852 – 24 October 1938), was an Albanian nationalist figure, revolutionary kachak, poet, and one of the delegates of the city of Korçë to the Albanian National Congress of Lushnjë.Nikolaeva Todorova Marii︠a︡''Balkan i ...

(1852–1938) *

Osman Taka Osman Taka (died 1887) was a Cham Albanian dancer and unclear personage from 19th century. The Dance of Osman Taka is named after him. His early life is not clear. He belongs to the Taka clan of Filiates, also known for Alush Taka, an Albanian ...

(?–1887) * Asllan Curri (?–1925) *

Idriz Seferi Idriz Seferi (14 March 1847 – 25 March 1927) was an Albanian nationalist, revolutionary leader and guerrilla fighter who played a prominent role in the Albanian uprisings against the Ottoman Empire, the Kingdom of Serbia and Kingdom of Bulgaria ...

(1847–1927) * Bajram Balota (?–?) *

Sadik Rama Sadik Rama (18791944) was a Kosovo Albanian ''kaçak'' guerrilla fighter who fought against the Serbian annexation of Kosovo in 1912. Following the Ottoman defeat, he continued to participate along Isa Boletini and Bajram Curri in the national revo ...

(1879–1944) *

Isa Boletini Isa Boletini (; 15 January 186423 or 24 January 1916) was an Albanian revolutionary commander and politician and rilindas from Kosovo. As a young man, he joined the Albanian nationalist League of Prizren and participated in a battle against Ott ...

(1864–1916) * Jusuf Mehonja (1883–1926) *

Xhel Guri Xhel Guri, (born Xheladin Limani); was a Kachak Albanian insurgent from the village of Shurdhan in present-day Gjilan municipality. Xhel Guri was a close companion of Idriz Seferi and later became the leader of the Albanian Kachaks in the Karadak ...

(?–1927)