Xhelal Bey Zogu

Prince Xhelal Zogu
Born (1881-05-14)14 May 1881
Castle Burgajet, Albania
Died 26 February 1944
Cannes, France
Spouse Ruhijé Doshishti
Ikbal Pekkini
Faika Minxhalliu
Hyrijet Allaj
House House of Zogu
Father Xhemal Pasha Zogu
Mother Melek Zogu

Prince Xhelal Bey Zogu (14 May 1881 in Castle Burgajet, Albania – 26 February 1944 in Turkey) was a son of Xhemal Pasha Zogu (c. 1860–1911) and Melek Zogu (c. 1860–1884). As the eldest brother in the family, Zogu should have been selected over his brother Zog of Albania to lead the family and to inherit his hereditary responsibilities as Governor of Mati; however, for unknown reasons, he was passed over.

Prince Xhelal Bey Zogu was a lawyer. He was educated at the Darüşşafaka High School, Istanbul, and worked as State Attorney. His name comes up as the leading judge during the trial against Haxhi Qamili and other leaders of the Peasant Revolt in Albania during June 1915, arranged by the Serbian army.[1]

He was elected three times to the Albanian Parliament, representing the Dibra Region, as his constituency, once; and twice the Kosovo Constituency, before becoming His Royal Highness, and subsequently retiring quietly from politics. He settled in Istanbul after the Italian Invasion.[2]

Family

Prince Zogu was married four times. First, he married Ruhijé Doshishti in 1908, who bore him a son, Said, who died in infancy, and a daughter, Melek, who died at birth. The couple divorced in 1912. Zogu then married Ikbal Pekkini in 1931, who bore him a daughter, Elvira, the same year. Ikbal died shortly after bearing her daughter. Her daughter survived to adulthood.[3]

He married Faika Minxhalliu in 1932, who bore him a son, Prince Skënder Zogu, who survived to adulthood. However, the marriage to Faika dissolved and they divorced in 1933. In 1933 Zogu married Hyrijet Allaj who bore him four children. Their two daughters, Melita and Vera, and older son, Mirgin, lived to adulthood. Their son Genc died at six in Turkey in 1944, the year of his father's death.

References

  1. Owen Pearson (February 2, 2006). Albania in the Twentieth Century: A History. 1. I. B. Tauris. p. 90. ISBN 978-1845110130. Retrieved 2013-11-06.
  2. Robert Elsie (December 24, 2012), A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History, I. B. Tauris, p. 258, ISBN 978-1780764313, retrieved 2013-11-06
  3. The source for the information about the death of Ikbal is www.thepeerage.com, but http://4dw.net/royalark/Albania/zogu.html states the couple divorced in 1933

Bibliography

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