Prince Xhelal Zogu (born Xhelal bey Zogolli; 14 May 1881 – 26 February 1944) was scion of the

House of Zogu The House of Zogu, or Zogolli during Ottoman Albania, Ottoman times and until 1922, is an Albanian people, Albanian dynastic family whose roots date back to the early 20th century. The family provided the first president and the short-lived modern ...

, half-brother of

Zog of Albania Zog I (born Ahmed Muhtar Zogolli; 8 October 18959 April 1961) was the leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939. At age 27, he first served as Albania's youngest ever Prime Minister (1922–1924), then as president (1925–1928), and finally as King ...

Biography

He was born in

Castle Burgajet Buragajet Castle, or Castle Burgajet, ( or ''Kështjella e Burgajetit'', also known as the ''Kështjella e Zogollëve'' or ''Kështjella e Zogut'') was a large fortified house, located in Burgajet in northern Mat, Albania. History It was built ...

Xhemal Pasha Zogu Xhemal Pasha Zogu (; 1860–1911), also known as Jamal Pasha or Jamal Pasha Zogolli, was the Hereditary Governor of Mati, Albania (at the time part of the Ottoman Empire). He was the father of King Zog I of Albania. Born at Burgajet Castle, Mati ...

( 1860–1911) and Zenja Malika Hanem (1860–1884). As Xhemal's eldest son, Zogu was expected to be selected over his half-brother

to lead the family and to inherit his hereditary responsibilities as Governor of Mati; however, for unknown reasons, he was passed over. Prince Xhelal's "Bey" title derives from the Turkish title applied to leaders or rulers during the Ottoman Empire with variations including Beyg, Begum, Bygjymi. Prince Xhelal Bey Zogu was a lawyer. He was educated at the

Darüşşafaka High School Darüşşafaka High School () is a boarding, coeducational school in Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey, established in 1863. It was founded by the Darüşşafaka Society, recognized as Turkey's first civil society organization in the field of education. T ...

, Istanbul, and worked as State Attorney. His name comes up as the leading judge during the trial against

Haxhi Qamili Haxhi Qamili, born Qamil Zyber Xhameta, (1876 – 16 August 1915) was an Albanian rebel who was a leader of two pro-Ottoman revolts by Muslims in Albania from 1914 to 1915. He was popularly known by his religious name Haxhi Qamili, though he was ...

and other leaders of the

Peasant Revolt in Albania A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasant ...

during June 1915, arranged by the Serbian army. He was elected three times to the

Albanian Parliament The Parliament of Albania () or Kuvendi is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Albania; it is Albania's legislature. The Parliament is composed of no less than 140 members elected to a four-year term on the b ...

, representing the Dibra Region, as his constituency, once; and twice the

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 ...

Constituency, before becoming His Royal Highness, and subsequently retiring quietly from politics. He settled in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

after the Italian Invasion.

Family

Prince Zogu was married four times. First, he married Ruhijé Doshishti (daughter of Albanian aristocrats Salih Agolli Doshishti and wife Gylijé Allaj and sister of Princess

Adile Zogu Princess Adile Zogu (1890–1966) was an Albanian princess. She was the eldest sister of Zog I of Albania. Birth Like all of Zog I's sisters, there is a degree of confusion regarding Adile's date of birth. Over the duration of the Zogist monarch ...

's husband) in 1908, who bore him a son, Said, who died in infancy, and a daughter, Melek, who died at birth. The couple divorced in 1912. Zogu then married Ikbal Pekkini (daughter of Izzet

Bey Bey, also spelled as Baig, Bayg, Beigh, Beig, Bek, Baeg, Begh, or Beg, is a Turkic title for a chieftain, and a royal, aristocratic title traditionally applied to people with special lineages to the leaders or rulers of variously sized areas in ...

Pekkini) in 1931, who bore him a daughter, Elvira, the same year. Ikbal died shortly after bearing her daughter. Her daughter survived to adulthood. He married Faika Minxhalliu in 1932, who bore him a son, Prince

Skënder Zogu Skënder Zogu (born 3 June 1933) is an Albanian author and member of the House of Zogu. He is the son of Prince Xhelal Zogu, half-brother of King Zog. Biography Skënder (Alexander) Zogu was born to Prince Xhelal Zogu (half-brother of Zog I of ...

, who survived to adulthood. However, the marriage to Faika dissolved and they divorced in 1933. In 1933 Zogu married Hyrijet Allaj (daughter of Emin Bey Allaj, Governor 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 centr ...

, and wife Ulkijé Binbashi) who bore him four children. Their two daughters, Melita and Vera, and older son, Mirgin, lived to adulthood. Their son Genc died at six in Turkey in 1944, the year of his father's death.

Ancestry

References

Bibliography

* Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, editor, ''Burke's Royal Families of the World, Volume 1: Europe & Latin America'' (London, UK: Burke's Peerage Ltd, 1977). * Patrice Najbor, Histoire de l'Albanie et de sa maison royale (5 volumes), JePublie, Paris, 2008, (). * Patrice Najbor, la dynastye des Zogu, Textes & Prétextes, Paris, 2002

External links

Maison royale d'Albanie, site officiel en langue françaiseFamille royale d'Albanie, site officiel en langue anglaise
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zogu, Xhelal Bey Princes of Albania 1881 births 1944 deaths People from Mat (municipality) Xhelal