Albanian League of Prizren

On June 10, 1878 the Prizren Assembly was convened, which announced the formation of the Prizren League. The works of this assembly were led by Iljaz Pasha Dibra, while the political program was drafted by the ideologues of the Albanian nation such as Sami Frashëri, Pashko Vasa, Abdyl Frashëri, Jani Vreto, Zija Prishtina and others. The Prizren League is the first political and military organization of the entire Albanian nation.
The Prizren League had to solve three major tasks that were of concern to all Albanians. First, to oppose the segregation of ethnic Albanian lands inhabited by the Treaty of St Stephen and the Congress of Berlin in 1878. Second, to unite the Albanian territories into a single vilayet within the Ottoman Empire. Third, to testify throughout European public opinion that Albanians were a separate nation in the Balkans despite religious differences.
The highest body of the Prizren League was the General Council, which carried out legislative functions. This body created a National Committee which took on the attributes of an interim government. The National Committee was composed of three committees: Abdyl Frashëri was assigned to Foreign Affairs, Shaban Prizren was assigned to Internal Affairs, and Sulejman Vokshi to Finance.
The National Committee set up provincial subcommittees in the three main Albanian vilayets that were in danger of falling apart. The Prizren League subcommittee on the Ioannina vilayet and senior Ottoman state official Abedin Pasha Dino, with deft diplomatic actions, prevented Greece from annexing the province of Chameria. The Shkodra subcommittee organized Albanian volunteer troops under the leadership of Ali Pasha Gucia and Hodo beg Sokoli, who caused heavy losses to Montenegrin forces led by Mark Milan. Albanians managed to protect Plava, Gucia, Hoti and Gruda with blood.
Rejoicing over the achievements, the Albanians expressed their determination not to leave the city of Ulcinj. Under pressure from the International Fleet of Great Powers and surrounded by Ottoman and Montenegrin troops, Ottoman Commander Dervish Pasha finally broke the Albanian resistance and on November 26, 1880, Ulcinj surrendered to Montenegrin forces. The Albanian resistance against the High Gate continued afterwards. In May 1881 after a number of arrests of its leaders and persecution of the Albanian population, the League of Prizren, was crushed by the High Gate.