Gruda
Encyclopedia
Grudë is a region within Malësia
in southern Montenegro
. Grudë lies just north of Lake Skadar and includes the small city of Tuzi
, the major urban center of Malësia
.
and the villages of Milesh and Dinosha. 4-5 generations ago the Muslim Albanians ancestors were Roman Catholic till the conversion to Islam from the Ottoman Turks. The Church of Grudë in the town of Priftën, known as Kisha e Grudës, is the oldest church in the region; and it is not only an Albanian landmark, but (having been built in 1528) its construction provides the most concrete reference date from which ethnic Albanians in the area trace their ancestry.
i, its brother tribe, Grudë was instrumental during the Ottoman resistance. The mountains north-east of Tuzi are remembered as the site of a major uprising against the Turks
which was among the first significant steps toward Albanian independence and probably the most distinguishing moment of the northern Albanian resistance.
Grudë and Dinosha proved to be a focus of conflict between Ottoman Empire
and Montenegro
during 1880. The Porte insisted that in upcoming treaty to cede Ulcinj
to Montenegro
, Grudë and Dinosh be left to Albanians. During the same time, Porte's representative, Riza Pasha was turning a blind eye to the preparations of Albanian League for resistance against the upcoming Montenegrian occupation.
Having been forced to disarm, and under considerable pressure by the Ottomans to convert to Islam, (and not having staged any major revolt against Ottoman
authority for nearly a half century) the Albanian highlanders launched a guerrilla campaign against the occupying armies.
In 1911, under the leadership of Ded Gjo Luli
and Sokol Baci Ivezaj, Albanian guerrillas launched a major assault against the strategic high ground of Mount Deçiq. The force is said to have taken about eighty casualties, but they ultimately prevailed, and planted the Albanian flag at the crest of the hill (the first time the flag had been raised in the country since 1469).
This symbolic act represented a major sign of the Ottoman empire's crumbling yoke over the Balkans, and it cemented Grudë's reputation among the other ethnic Albanian tribes.
's 3,789 residents, more than 2000 are ethnic Albanians, making it, according to the 2003 census, the heaviest concentration of ethnic Albanians in Malësia
. Over the last 30 years there has been a minor influx from the surrounding villages of Albanians who are looking to take advantage of Tuzi's higher standard of living and better educational system.
In the western half of Grudë lies a small range of mountains "Male te Deçiqit" as well as the river "Cemi", which runs through Grudë, separating Deçiq and the village of Suka, as well as forming the border between the lands of the Grudë tribe and those of Koja e Kuçit
. Deçiq and Suka being the largest mountains in Grudë.
Also in Grudë is Ksheva, birthplace of Albanian legends Smajl Martini Ivezaj and his daughter Tringa Smajl Martini (also known as "Tringa of Grudë") Ded Nika Ivezaj (Bajraktar of Grudë) Zef Martini Ivezaj ( also known Zef Martini i Grudes) - Bac Vuksani - Sokol Baci, Kol Sokoli ( Atterney General during King Zogs administration in Albania ) .The town of Milesh, birthplace of Baca Kurti Gjokaj, Mehmet Murati Gjokaj, Halil Haka -Dinoshe, etc.
Grudë is made up of the following villages: Tuzi
, Ksheva, Vulaj, Milesh, Dinosha, Sëlisht, Deçiq, Vranë, Vlane, Prift, Tergaja, Shipçanik, Lofka, Pikalë, Lekaj, Dheu i Zi, and Suka e Grudes.
Malësia
Malësia or Malësia e Madhe, is a historical geographical region in northern Albania and eastern Montenegro. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica to northern shores of Lake Scutari, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District of Albania...
in southern Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. Grudë lies just north of Lake Skadar and includes the small city of Tuzi
Tuzi
Tuzi is a town in the Podgorica municipality, Montenegro, located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers north of Lake Skadar. The exact location of Tuzi is...
, the major urban center of Malësia
Malësia
Malësia or Malësia e Madhe, is a historical geographical region in northern Albania and eastern Montenegro. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica to northern shores of Lake Scutari, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District of Albania...
.
Religion
Grudë ( Sumasit ) is mostly Roman Catholic, but it has a sizable Muslim minority (10-20%) who mostly live in TuziTuzi
Tuzi is a town in the Podgorica municipality, Montenegro, located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers north of Lake Skadar. The exact location of Tuzi is...
and the villages of Milesh and Dinosha. 4-5 generations ago the Muslim Albanians ancestors were Roman Catholic till the conversion to Islam from the Ottoman Turks. The Church of Grudë in the town of Priftën, known as Kisha e Grudës, is the oldest church in the region; and it is not only an Albanian landmark, but (having been built in 1528) its construction provides the most concrete reference date from which ethnic Albanians in the area trace their ancestry.
History
Along with HotHot, Albania
Hot is a settlement in the Kastrat Municipality, Malësi e Madhe District, Shkodër County, northern Albania. It has a population of 1,473....
i, its brother tribe, Grudë was instrumental during the Ottoman resistance. The mountains north-east of Tuzi are remembered as the site of a major uprising against the Turks
Albanian Revolt of 1911
The Albanian Revolt of 1911 or the Malissori Uprising of 1911 was one of many Albanian revolts in the Ottoman Empire and lasted from March 24, 1911 until August 4, 1911 in the region of Malësia.- Background :...
which was among the first significant steps toward Albanian independence and probably the most distinguishing moment of the northern Albanian resistance.
Grudë and Dinosha proved to be a focus of conflict between Ottoman Empire
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...
and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
during 1880. The Porte insisted that in upcoming treaty to cede Ulcinj
Ulcinj
Ulcinj is a coastal resort town and municipality in Montenegro. The town of Ulcinj has a population of 10,828 of which the majority are Albanians...
to Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Grudë and Dinosh be left to Albanians. During the same time, Porte's representative, Riza Pasha was turning a blind eye to the preparations of Albanian League for resistance against the upcoming Montenegrian occupation.
Having been forced to disarm, and under considerable pressure by the Ottomans to convert to Islam, (and not having staged any major revolt against 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...
authority for nearly a half century) the Albanian highlanders launched a guerrilla campaign against the occupying armies.
In 1911, under the leadership of Ded Gjo Luli
Ded Gjo Luli
Ded Gjo Luli formally known as Dedë Gjon Luli Dedvukaj , was born in Traboin-Hoti . He hails from the tribe of Hot located in the region of Malësia...
and Sokol Baci Ivezaj, Albanian guerrillas launched a major assault against the strategic high ground of Mount Deçiq. The force is said to have taken about eighty casualties, but they ultimately prevailed, and planted the Albanian flag at the crest of the hill (the first time the flag had been raised in the country since 1469).
This symbolic act represented a major sign of the Ottoman empire's crumbling yoke over the Balkans, and it cemented Grudë's reputation among the other ethnic Albanian tribes.
Geography and Demographics
The city of Tuzi lies in the east end of Grudë. Of TuziTuzi
Tuzi is a town in the Podgorica municipality, Montenegro, located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers north of Lake Skadar. The exact location of Tuzi is...
's 3,789 residents, more than 2000 are ethnic Albanians, making it, according to the 2003 census, the heaviest concentration of ethnic Albanians in Malësia
Malësia
Malësia or Malësia e Madhe, is a historical geographical region in northern Albania and eastern Montenegro. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica to northern shores of Lake Scutari, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District of Albania...
. Over the last 30 years there has been a minor influx from the surrounding villages of Albanians who are looking to take advantage of Tuzi's higher standard of living and better educational system.
In the western half of Grudë lies a small range of mountains "Male te Deçiqit" as well as the river "Cemi", which runs through Grudë, separating Deçiq and the village of Suka, as well as forming the border between the lands of the Grudë tribe and those of Koja e Kuçit
Koja e Kuçit
Koja e Kuçit is considered one of the seven Northern Albanian tribes of Malësia. Koja is the Albanian Catholic tribe of Koja e Kuçit, the name derived from a combination of the Albanian Koja clan, within the Kuči mountain. The people of this tribe are said to be descendants of the tribe of Kelmend....
. Deçiq and Suka being the largest mountains in Grudë.
Also in Grudë is Ksheva, birthplace of Albanian legends Smajl Martini Ivezaj and his daughter Tringa Smajl Martini (also known as "Tringa of Grudë") Ded Nika Ivezaj (Bajraktar of Grudë) Zef Martini Ivezaj ( also known Zef Martini i Grudes) - Bac Vuksani - Sokol Baci, Kol Sokoli ( Atterney General during King Zogs administration in Albania ) .The town of Milesh, birthplace of Baca Kurti Gjokaj, Mehmet Murati Gjokaj, Halil Haka -Dinoshe, etc.
Grudë is made up of the following villages: Tuzi
Tuzi
Tuzi is a town in the Podgorica municipality, Montenegro, located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers north of Lake Skadar. The exact location of Tuzi is...
, Ksheva, Vulaj, Milesh, Dinosha, Sëlisht, Deçiq, Vranë, Vlane, Prift, Tergaja, Shipçanik, Lofka, Pikalë, Lekaj, Dheu i Zi, and Suka e Grudes.
Notable people
- Miska Nika Lulgjuraj (Cëmi Sëlishtit)
- Mark Gjëku Lulgjuraj (Cëmi Sëlishtit)
- Kolë Mark Gjëku Lulgjuraj (Cëmi Sëlishtit)
- Vuksa Gela - (GRUD)
- Smail Martini Ivezaj - Kshevë (Bajraktarë of Grudë)
- Martin Vuksani Ivezaj - Kshevë (father of Smail Martini)
- Ded Nika Ivezaj - Kshevë (Bajraktarë of Grudë)
- Zef Martini Ivezaj - Kshevë (Bajraktarë of Grudë)
- Martin Nika Ivezaj -Ksheve (father of Zef Marti)
- Sokol Baci Ivezaj - Kshevë
- Baca Kurti Gjokaj- Milesh (Vojvodë of Grudë)
- Kol Zefi Ivezaj (Pikal)
- Halil Haka Nikaj
- Tringe Smajl Martini Ivezaj from Kshevë
- Prek Gjeruka Ivezaj - (Lekaj)
- Keqa Marku Ivezaj - (Lekaj)
- Gjon Nika Ivezaj-(Lekaj)
- Luce Gjeloshi Lulgjuraj-(Selisht)
- Kol Doka Lulgjuraj - (Selisht)
- Zef Miliqi Lulgjuraj - (Selisht)
- Ali Zeku Pepaj - (Vranë)
- Mirash Luli Bojaj - (Bojin)
- Tosh Luli Bojaj - (Bojin)
- Maxha Grishi Bojaj - (Bojin)
- NIk Marku Vulaj (Vulaj)
- Gjergj Uci Vulaj (Vulaj)
- Memet Murati Gjokaj - (Milesh)
- Tom Kolë Gjoni Sinishtaj - (Kshevë)
- Marash Dashi Kalaj - (Pikal)
- Dash Deda Lulgjuraj - (Selisht)
- Selman Juku - Dinosh but was from Triesh - (Dukaj)
- Dod Nikol Kalaj-(Grudës)
- Pjeter Nika - (Lekaj)
- Mark Zeli Lulgjuraj - (Selisht)
- Gjelosh Gjoka Lulgjuraj - (Selsiht)
- Martin Luca Lulgjuraj - Lofka
- Mark Noshi Gjolaj - Kshevë
- Lul Mirashi Lulgjuraj (Selishtit)
- Palok Gjoka Vulaj (Vulaj)
- Luc (Bab) Ula Lulgjuraj - (Selisht)
- Prel Tome Ivezaj-Ksheve (Tom Prelaj)
- Om Haku Kajoshaj-Dinosh
- Tom Berishaj (Genelal)
- Nosh Doda Vulaj
Surnames of Grudë
- Ivezaj
- Gjokaj
- Lulgjuraj
- Haxhaj (Adzovic)
- Frluçkaj
- Nikaj
- Sinishtaj
- Berishaj
- Gjolaj
- Beqaj
- Bojaj
- Kalaj
- Kajoshaj
- Stanaj (brothers of Vulaj)
- Lulanaj
- Pepaj
- Hakaj
- Vulaj (brothers of Stanaj)
- Vuçinaj