Tafil Buzi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Tafil Buzi (1792–1844) was an Albanian leader and fighter, known for his role in various rebellions against the Ottoman government of southern Albania during the
Albanian Revolts of 1833-1839 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 ...
. Throughout his uprisings, he maintained contacts with
Muhammad Ali of Egypt Muhammad Ali (4 March 1769 – 2 August 1849) was the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Albanians, Albanian viceroy and governor who became the ''de facto'' ruler of History of Egypt under the Muhammad Ali dynasty, Egypt from 1805 to 1848, widely consi ...
. As punishment for his continuous rebellions, he was captured and interned by the Ottoman government in 1840. In 1842, he was pardoned and acted as leader in service of the Ottoman government in
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
. He died there in 1844.


Biography

After the
Massacre of the Albanian Beys On 9 or 26 August 1830, 500 Albanian leaders (beys) were killed by Ottoman forces in the town of Manastir (present-day Bitola, North Macedonia). The massacre led to the weakening of the power of the beys of southern Albania and also set the basi ...
in 1830, a number of anti-Ottoman uprisings would occur throughout Albanian-inhabited territories, with Buzi being one of the main figureheads on the Albanian side. Inspired by the successes of other Albanian revolts, the regions of
Vlorë Vlorë ( ; ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, third most populous city of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surr ...
,
Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and ea ...
and
Skrapar Skrapar ( sq-definite, Skrapari) is a Municipalities of Albania, municipality in Berat County, Southern Albania, southern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Bogovë, Çepan, Çorovodë, Gjerbës, Leshnjë, Po ...
rose in revolt under Buzi,
Zenel Gjoleka Zenel Gjoleka (1805-1852) was an Albanian revolutionary fighter born in Kuç of Kurvelesh who participated in rebellions against the Ottoman Empire central authority, being against reforms of Tanzimat (that decreased the power of the local Albania ...
and
Çelo Picari Xhelil Bega or Çelo Picari (1801–1880) was an Albanian revolutionary leader of the Albanian Revolt of 1847. Life Born ''Xhelil Bega'' in 1801 in the old Picar, a settlement that is no longer inhabited and in ruins, but close to today's Pic ...
, requesting the appointment of Albanian governors and officials in the rebel districts and the abolishment of new taxes. Buzi's rebellion in 1833 contested the provincial administration and conscription laws, as well as new Ottoman tax reforms. Threatened by the Albanian rebel chiefs, Mustafa Nuri Pasha (the governor of
Trikala Trikala () is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece, and the capital of the Trikala (regional unit), Trikala regional unit. The city straddles the Lithaios river, which is a tributary of Pineios (Thessaly), Pineios. According to the Greek Natio ...
), offered him the position of ''Derbend superintendent'' in the districts of
Agrafa Agrafa (, ) is a mountainous region in Evrytania and Karditsa regional units in mainland Greece, consisting mainly of small villages. It is the southernmost part of the Pindus range. There is also a municipality with the same name, the Munic ...
and Dömeke to prevent any further attacks in the region; it is possible that Buzi retained this position for a short period of time. Buzi would once again lead an uprising in 1834-1835 at the request of the people of
Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and ea ...
, gathering an army of 10,000 men; the rebellion had spread in the same regions as it did in the previous year, and after successfully besieging the castle of Berat, a committee was created in the liberated city. Buzi was elected as military commander, and Abaz bey Lushnja as the political leader. In January 1835, the rebel committee signed an agreement with the Ottomans, who promised to fulfil their requests at the cost of disarmament. When the agreement was quickly violated by the Ottoman government, the rebels under Buzi rose up again, this time marching to
Ioannina Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...
. There, Buzi made a proclamation for all the Albanians to take up arms against the Ottomans. He also asked for the help of Mehmet Ali of Egypt. Alarmed, the Ottoman government sent numerous military forces against the rebels. Buzi was soon forced to accept an amnesty and to withdraw to his village in May of 1835. In the summer of 1836, a new uprising began in the
Vlorë Vlorë ( ; ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, third most populous city of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surr ...
region. The rebels were led by Buzi yet again, but with little success. The Albanian revolts led by leaders such as Tafil Buzi and Zylyftar Poda throughout the 1830's concerned the Greek press, as the Albanians were characterised by their constant rebellion against central authority. After his internment and subsequent pardon, Buzi raised 3,000 Albanian mercenaries to fight in
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
in 1842; some of these Albanian mercenaries became notorious due to having been responsible for the widespread disorders in
Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
that followed.


See also

* Andrea Manesi * Abdyl bej Koka


References


Bibliography

* 1792 births 1844 deaths People from Tepelenë Rebels from the Ottoman Empire Albanian people from the Ottoman Empire {{Albania-bio-stub