Ahmet Lepenica born Ahmet Islam Canaj (1872–1941) was an Albanian fighter and commander, known for his role in Battle of Vlora when Albanian irregulars under his leadership, defeated a superior force of Italian troops. Ahmet Lepenica was born in 1872 in Lepenica village in Vlora region. As an adult he served in the Ottoman army where he reached the rank of a captain. He deserted the Ottoman army in 1912 and protected the Vlora region and Albanian delegates during the Albanian Declaration of Independence

Albanian Declaration of Independence

The Albanian Declaration of Independence is the declaration of independence of the Albanian Vilayet from the Ottoman Empire. Albania was proclaimed independent in Vlorë on November 28, 1912.-Background:...

. From 1912 to 1914 while elevated in the rank of Major and appointed as a commander of Albanian gendarme forces, he fought against Greek irregulars in South Albania. He retired in his native village when Southern Albania was invaded by Italian troops during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. In 1919 he became active again in Albanian politics and in 1920 he was appointed as the commander in chief of Albanian forces during Vlora War

Vlora War

The Vlora War or the War of 1920 was a series of battles between an Italian forces garrisoned throughout Vlorë region and Albanian patriots divided in small groups of fighters. The war lasted three months and had great impact in the struggle of Albania for the safeguard of its territories at a...

. Successful in his strategy, he managed to defeat a superior Italian force. The Albanian success in the battlefield was followed by a peace treaty with Italy, in which Italy acknowledged the territorial integrity of Albanian state. After that, he was appointed as a commander of Albanian gendarmes in Vlora region. Ahmet Lepenica participated in the Democratic Revolution of 1924 in Albania, and when Ahmet Zogu forces returned he migrated in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...

. In 1926 he was pardoned by Ahmet Zogu and allowed to return in his native village. He died there in 14 January 1941. For his role he was decorated several times in 1962, 1992, 2005 and 2009.