Ismail Qemali

Albania state institutions National liberation and anti-colonial movements 1844–1919 → Died in exile

First prime minister of Albania, who proclaimed its independence at Vlorë on 28 November 1912

Born in Vlorë to an Albanian noble family, he studied law in Istanbul and served in the Ottoman administration. Driven into exile by Abdul Hamid II in 1900, he returned after the Young Turk Revolution as deputy for Berat in the Ottoman parliament. He played a major part in the Albanian revolt of 1912, and when the Balkan allies moved to partition Albanian lands he secured Austro-Hungarian backing in Vienna and went to Vlorë, where he led the declaration of independence on 28 November 1912. He headed the provisional government as prime minister and foreign minister until resigning in January 1914, and died in exile at Perugia in Italy in 1919.

Also known as: Ismail Kemal Bey Vlora