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| Isa Boletini |
Isa Boletini, who led the rebel forces for liberation from the Ottoman occupation in 1912, was alongside Ismail Qemali in proclaiming Albania's Independence, which was chopped at the London Conference, 1913.
Isa Boletini was born in the village of Boletin, Mitrovica, into a family of patriotic traditions. At the age of 17 he participated as a fighter of the Albanian League of Prizren in the battle of Slivovo (April 22, 1881) against the Ottoman Empire forces. He supported Haxhi Zeka and other patriots in the founding of the Albanian League of Peja (1899-1900) and in its resistance against the Ottoman rulers and neighboring chauvinist circles.
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| Isa Boletini and his men |
In 1901-1902 he led the popular resistance in Kosovo against the interventions of Serbia, Montenegro, Russia and Austria-Hungary in Albania. He led the fighters in battles with the Turkish army in the areas of Shtimlje-Carralevë in 1910, supported the anti-Ottoman uprising of 1911, led the rebel forces in the Drenica, Mitrovica, Podujevo and Pristina areas in 1912.
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| Isa Boletini and his men entering in Vlora, 1912 |
During the Balkan War in October 1912, volunteer armed groups were put in charge of protecting Albanian lands against Serbian occupiers. In the days of Independence, at the head of the Kosovo representatives, he joined Ismail Qemali in Vlora and took an active part in organizing the armed forces for the protection of the Provisional Government of Vlora.
In 1913, as a member of the Albanian delegation, together with Ismail Qemali, he went to London, where he protested strongly against the Great Powers' decision to 'break in pieces' the Albanian lands. Isa Boletini returned later to Kosovo, where he organized popular resistance against the new Serbian-Montenegrin occupiers.
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| Isa Boletini and Ismail Qemali in Vlora, 1912 |
Passing his whole life in war and effort he gained great authority as a popular leader. Isa Boletini linked his and his family's life to the fate of the homeland, to which he expressed his love and loyalty with his famous words: "I am fine when Albania is fine".
On January 23, 1916, he was killed treacherously by Montenegrin chauvinists in Podgorica, along with his sons Halil and Zahid, grandchildren Jonuz and Halit, as well as three other comrades.
