Haxhi Zeka

Haxhi Zeka (20 December 1832 – 21 February 1902), born Haxhi Zekë Byberi at Shoshan in the Highlands of Gjakova, was an Albanian landowner of Peja who became one of the organizers of the League of Prizren and a member of its Central Committee at the founding assembly of 10 June 1878.¹² He commanded the League's forces at Gjakova in September 1878 against Mehmet Ali Pasha, fought in the defence of Plav and Gusinje against Montenegro in 1879–1880 and against Dervish Pasha's army in 1881, and led anti-Ottoman uprisings in 1884–85 and again, with Bajram Curri, in 1893 — after which he was held under arrest in Istanbul until 1896.¹

In January 1899 he presided over the Assembly of Peja, attended by some 450 Kosovo Albanian notables, which founded the League of Peja (Besa-Besë) and elected him chairman of its committee; he worked to extend the League across the Albanian territories until its suppression by the Ottoman army in 1900.¹ On 21 February 1902 he was assassinated in Peja by Adem Zajmi, acting with Ottoman support, and was buried in the cemetery of the Sultan Mehmed Fatih Mosque.²³ The Haxhi Zeka Mill, the public university of Peja and a central square of the city now bear his name.¹