Albert Ghica
Encyclopedia
Albert Ghica was a Romania
n writer and socialite. He was a member of the Ghica
noble family. Later in life he changed his name to the Albanian form Gjika, for more credentials in his quest for the Albanian throne.
He was a pretender to the Albanian throne
. Writing on the Albanian struggle against the Ottomans at the beginning of the 20th century, British journalist and foreign correspondent for the Manchester Guardian in the Balkans H. N. Brailsford
spoke the following in his book Macedonia; Its Races and Their Future (1906): "The second claimant (for a possible future Albanian State) is a certain Prince Albert Ghica, who comes of a family of Albanian origin, long resident in Roumania. It has given Hospodar
s (Governors) to the old Wallachian provinces and diplomats to the modern kingdom, and enjoys princely rank in the Austrian Empire
. Prince Albert is a comparatively young man with plausible manners and a dubious past, who speaks fluent French, and knows neither one word of the Albanian language
nor the elements of Albanian geography. He has been chosen honorary president by one of the numerous clubs of Albanian immigrants in Bucharest
, and on the strength of this social honour he poses in European hotels as the chief-elect of the Albanian people. He talks of venturing in person into Albania and raising the flag of revolt. We shall see."
He later seemed to have abandoned his bid for throne, as the personal letters Austrian Baron Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás
, himself a pretender to the Albanian throne, suggest. They state the following: "Albert Ghica, who had been a pretender to the Albanian throne himself, had managed to interest the Duke of Montpensier in the Albanian throne. He ceded his 'rights,' which were recognized by no one as a matter of fact, to the duke and began to campaign on his behalf in exchange for an appropriate remuneration."
Under his presidency, a Pan-Albanian Congress was organized in Bucharest in 1905 where Ismail Qemali
, the future founder of the modern Albanian state and its first head of state and government, deliberated with Bucharest's Albanian community. Albert Ghica also wrote on the topic of the Albanian issue, publishing the book L'Albanie et la question d'Orient: (Solution de la question d'Orient).
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n writer and socialite. He was a member of the Ghica
Ghica family
The Ghica family were a Romanian noble family, active in Wallachia, Moldavia and in the Kingdom of Romania. In the 18th century, several branches of the family went through a process of Hellenization...
noble family. Later in life he changed his name to the Albanian form Gjika, for more credentials in his quest for the Albanian throne.
He was a pretender to the Albanian throne
Albanian Kingdom
The Albanian Kingdom was the constitutional monarchal rule in Albania between 1928 and 1939. During this period Albania was a de facto protectorate of the Kingdom of Italy Albania was declared a monarchy by the Constituent Assembly, and Zog I was crowned king...
. Writing on the Albanian struggle against the Ottomans at the beginning of the 20th century, British journalist and foreign correspondent for the Manchester Guardian in the Balkans H. N. Brailsford
H. N. Brailsford
Henry Noel Brailsford was the most prolific British left-wing journalist of the first half of the 20th century.The son of a Methodist preacher, he was born in Yorkshire and educated in Scotland, at the High School of Dundee...
spoke the following in his book Macedonia; Its Races and Their Future (1906): "The second claimant (for a possible future Albanian State) is a certain Prince Albert Ghica, who comes of a family of Albanian origin, long resident in Roumania. It has given Hospodar
Hospodar
Hospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or "master".The rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars in Slavic writings from the 15th century to 1866. Hospodar was used in addition to the title voivod...
s (Governors) to the old Wallachian provinces and diplomats to the modern kingdom, and enjoys princely rank in the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
. Prince Albert is a comparatively young man with plausible manners and a dubious past, who speaks fluent French, and knows neither one word of the Albanian language
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
nor the elements of Albanian geography. He has been chosen honorary president by one of the numerous clubs of Albanian immigrants in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, and on the strength of this social honour he poses in European hotels as the chief-elect of the Albanian people. He talks of venturing in person into Albania and raising the flag of revolt. We shall see."
He later seemed to have abandoned his bid for throne, as the personal letters Austrian Baron Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás
Franz Nopcsa von Felso-Szilvás
Baron Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás was a Hungarian-born aristocrat, adventurer, scholar, and paleontologist...
, himself a pretender to the Albanian throne, suggest. They state the following: "Albert Ghica, who had been a pretender to the Albanian throne himself, had managed to interest the Duke of Montpensier in the Albanian throne. He ceded his 'rights,' which were recognized by no one as a matter of fact, to the duke and began to campaign on his behalf in exchange for an appropriate remuneration."
Under his presidency, a Pan-Albanian Congress was organized in Bucharest in 1905 where Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemal Bej Vlora or commonly Ismail Qemali and in Turkish İsmail Kemal Bey or İsmail Kemal Vlora , was a distinguished leader of the Albanian national movement, founder of the modern Albanian state and its first head of state and government.-Life:He was born in Avlonya to a noble family...
, the future founder of the modern Albanian state and its first head of state and government, deliberated with Bucharest's Albanian community. Albert Ghica also wrote on the topic of the Albanian issue, publishing the book L'Albanie et la question d'Orient: (Solution de la question d'Orient).