Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus

Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
Αὐτόνομος Δημοκρατία τῆς Βορείου Ἠπείρου
Aftónomos Dimokratía tis Voreíou Ipeírou
1914
Flag of Αυτόνομος Ήπειρος
Flag
Seal of Αυτόνομος Ήπειρος
Seal
Anthem: Hymn to Liberty
StatusIndependence under provisional, unrecognized status:
28 February – 17 May 1914
Autonomy under nominal (unimplemented) Albanian sovereignty:
17 May – 27 October 1914
CapitalArgyrokastron (Gjirokastër)
Common languagesOfficial: Greek,
Secondary: Albanian[1]
Ethnic groups
Greeks
Albanians
Aromanians
Religion
Eastern Orthodox
Islam
Demonym(s)Northern Epirot
GovernmentProvisional
President 
• 1914
Georgios Christakis-Zografos
History 
28 February 1914
17 May 1914
• 2nd Greek Administration
27 October 1914
Population
• Estimate
223,000
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Principality of Albania
Kingdom of Greece
Today part of Albania

The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus (Greek: Αὐτόνομος Δημοκρατία τῆς Βορείου Ἠπείρου, romanizedAftónomos Dimokratía tis Voreíou Ipeírou) was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars on 28 February 1914, by the local Greek population in southern Albania (Northern Epirotes).[2]

The area, known as Northern Epirus to Greeks and with a substantial Greek population, was taken by the Greek Army from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War (1912–1913). The Protocol of Florence, however, had assigned it to the newly established Albanian state. This decision was rejected by the local Greeks, and as the Greek Army withdrew to the new border, an autonomous government was set up at Argyrokastron (modern Gjirokastër), under the leadership of Georgios Christakis-Zografos, a distinguished local Greek politician and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and with tacit support from Greece.[3]

In May, the autonomy was confirmed by the Great Powers with the Protocol of Corfu. The agreement ensured that the region would have its own administration, recognized the rights of the local population and provided for self-government under nominal Albanian sovereignty. However, it was never fully implemented because in September the Albanian government collapsed. The Greek Army reoccupied the area in October 1914 following the outbreak of World War I. It was planned that Northern Epirus would be ceded to Greece following the war, but the withdrawal of Italian support and Greece's defeat in the Asia Minor Campaign resulted in its final cession to Albania in November 1921.[4]

  1. ^ limited use in education, equal in justice and public administration (under the terms of Corfu Protocol).
  2. ^ Thomopoulos, Elaine (2012). The History of Greece. ABC-CLIO. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-313-37511-8.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Boeckh114 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Miller 1966: 543–44