Bajrak
Encyclopedia
In Albania
, a Bajrak is a traditional political entity in the Geg-inhabited northern Albanian territories under a single head, the bajraktar.
This term comes from the Turkish
word bayrak which literally means "standard" or "banner". A Bajraktar is the hereditary leader of a bajrak and this term literally means "standard bearer".
As its name and hereditary nature indicates, the bajrak was originally imposed by the Ottoman
rulers, who entrusted the bajraktar with providing fighting men in exchanges for privileges. The bajraktarë eventually performed important administrative and judicial duties. The bajrak was formed on a territorial, not clanic basis: several small clans could reside on a single bajrak, while large clans might occupy several bajrakë.
The communist leader Enver Hoxha
tried to abolish the bajrakë by liquidating the bajraktarë but they still enjoy considerable influence.
The Albanian mafia
in Europe, notably Britain, also call bajrak a deliberative council formed with several clan leaders.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, a Bajrak is a traditional political entity in the Geg-inhabited northern Albanian territories under a single head, the bajraktar.
This term comes from the Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
word bayrak which literally means "standard" or "banner". A Bajraktar is the hereditary leader of a bajrak and this term literally means "standard bearer".
As its name and hereditary nature indicates, the bajrak was originally imposed by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rulers, who entrusted the bajraktar with providing fighting men in exchanges for privileges. The bajraktarë eventually performed important administrative and judicial duties. The bajrak was formed on a territorial, not clanic basis: several small clans could reside on a single bajrak, while large clans might occupy several bajrakë.
The communist leader Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
tried to abolish the bajrakë by liquidating the bajraktarë but they still enjoy considerable influence.
The Albanian mafia
Albanian mafia
The Albanian Mafia or Albanian organized crime are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Albania or composed of ethnic Albanians. Albanian organized crime is active in Albania, the United States, and the European Union countries, participating in a diverse range of criminal...
in Europe, notably Britain, also call bajrak a deliberative council formed with several clan leaders.