Independent Albania

Albania
Shqipëria (Albanian)
1912–1914
Flag of
Flag
of
Coat of arms
Anthem: Himni i Flamurit
"Hymn of the Flag"
Map of the de jure boundaries of Albania according to the London Conference (1913) in white
Map of the de jure boundaries of Albania according to the London Conference (1913) in white
StatusUnrecognized country
CapitalVlora
Common languagesAlbanian
Religion
Islam, Christianity, etc.
Demonym(s)Albanian
GovernmentParliamentary republic under a provisional government
Head of State 
• 1912–1914
Ismail Qemali
Prime Minister 
• 1912–1914
Ismail Qemali
LegislatureAssembly of Vlorë
• Upper house
Senate of Albania
History 
28 November 1912
21 February 1914
CurrencyAlbanian lek
Preceded by
Succeeded by
1912:
Janina
Scutari
Kosovo
Manastir
1913:
Central Albania
1914:
Principality of Albania

Independent Albania (Albanian: Shqipëria e Pavarur) was a parliamentary state declared in Vlorë (at the time part of Ottoman Empire) on 28 November 1912 during the First Balkan War. Its assembly was constituted on the same day while its government and senate were established on 5 December 1912.

The delegation of Albania submitted a memorandum to the London Conference of 1913 requesting international recognition of independent Albania. At the beginning of the conference it was decided that the region of Albania would be under Ottoman suzerainty but with an autonomous government. The requests by the delegation for recognition based on the ethnic rights of Albanians were rejected and the treaty signed on 30 May 1913 partitioned a major part of the claimed lands between Serbia, Greece and Montenegro, leaving as independent territory only a central region, which was put under the protection of the Great Powers. The ambassadors of six Great Powers met again on 29 July 1913 and decided to constitute a new state, the Principality of Albania, as a constitutional monarchy. Finally, with the Treaty of Bucharest being signed in August 1913, this new independent state was established, leaving about 40%[1] of the ethnic Albanian population outside its borders.

  1. ^ Elsie 2010, p. lix: "... about 30 percent of the Albanian population were excluded from the new state/about 40% ..." p. 243: "found themselves excluded from this new country"