The history of Albania is very interesting. If you are a history-lover then you must have some idea about the country's history. Below is a brief outline of each period in the history of Albania.
Ethnic origins
The history of Albania had probably begun with some ethnic origins. According to historical facts Albanians are direct descendants of "Albanoi," an Illyrian tribe. These Illyrians were Indo-European tribesmen who settled in the west of the Balkan Peninsula about 1000 B.C. Albanians are originally an extension of the southeast Illyrian peoples. The Illyrians carried on commerce and warfare with their neighbors namely the Greeks, Thracians, Paionians and other peoples.
During the Early Middle Ages these Illyrian tribes were driven to the southern section of Albania and to Greece by the barbarians. A formidable mountain homeland and resilient tribal society enabled the Albanians to survive into modern times with their identity and their Indo-European language intact. The country also derived its name Albania from an Illyrian tribe called the Arber living near Durres.
Roman Period
During 168 B.C the Romans defeated the Illyrian King Gentius at Shkoder. After a century the great Roman Emperor Julius Caesar fought many decisive battles with Pompey near Durres and it was finally in 9A.D under Emperor Tiberius that the Romans were successful in subjugating the headstrong Illyrian tribes. The Romans thus divided the present state of Albania among the provinces of Macedonia, Dalmatia, and Epirus. This Roman conquest is very prominent in the history of Albania as with them Christianity came to modern-day Albania.
Early and Late Middle Ages
The early middle ages witnessed the fall of the Western Roman Empire and invasion of several barbarians. In this respect mention may be made of the Germanic Goths and Asiatic Huns. But the first historical mention of Albania and the Albanians appears during the late middle ages in the account of Alexius I Comnenus, a Byzantine emperor. During 1385 the country of Albania was under the Ottoman rule. Emperor Gjergj Kastrioti, an Albanian warrior was successful in driving off the Turkish from Albania in the 15th century.
Birth of Nationalism
After decades of unrest a major uprising exploded in the Albanian-populated Ottoman territories in 1912. With this started the First Balkan War and finally it was in the year 1913 after the Second Balkan War that Albania was declared as an independent state.
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