During the World War I, the Italian protectorate over Albania was established by the Kingdom of Italy in an effort to secure a de jure independent Albania under Italian control. It existed from June 23, 1917 until the summer of 1920. From June 4 to September 3, 1920 a series of battles between Italian forces garrisoned throughout Vlorë region and Albanian nationalists divided in small groups of fighters happened and these battles were later called as the Vlora War, which ended the Italian Protectorate over Albania.