The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-17
ALI PAsHA OF JANINA.
The Story of the Terrible old Alba
nian Who Built Up the City.


Philadelphia Telegraph.
Janina, more correctly Ioannna, in Turk
ish abbreviated TO Yanya, is often mis-
takenly called the capital of Albania. 1t
was so for short period under Ali Pasha,
but the present capital IS Soutari, more
than 10 miles farther north, near the Mon
tenegrin frontier. Janina is not even within
the borders OF the Albanian language, but
is both itself entirely Greek and encircled
for distance of many miles by Greek
speaking population. To how large an ex-
tent these may be Hellenized Albanians is
another question. Notwithstanding the inn
memorial antipathies of Albanians and
Greeks, a distinct tendency to become Hell
leniZed is very perceptible amongst the
Southern Albanians, and Southern or Tosk
Albanian; is everywhere full OF Greek
words. But, so far as language Is any
evidence of nationality, Janina, and the
region all around it, and also far north
of it. is essentially Greek; and it may be
remembered that in 1881 the question of
the cession to Greece of this town, with the
whole of Southern Epirus, was seriously
discussed, though ultimately abandoned on
account of international difficulties. The
town is beautifully situated, partly on the
western slopes of the lake of the same
name and partly on small promontory
extending into IT, There are two citadels,
one on the hills. and one on the promon-
tory The heights of Mitzikeli on the oppo-
site side of the lake shelter the town from
the cold winds of the Pindus, and the
neighborhood, though amongst the hills, is
as fertile as the lower regions by the sea.
The origin of the city is uncertain. Do
dona, that most ancient of Greek oracles,
where Zeus gave counsel from the lofty
leafy oaks four times mentioned by
Homer lay TO the south of Janlna, by the
shores of the same lake. Though de-
stroyed by the Aetolians B. c. 219, the city
of Dodona still existed A. d. 43l, when its
bishop attended a council. But after the
Gothic invasion of Totila, A. d. SCI. no more
that Ioannina, named after its patron, st.
John, first rose in the neighborhood. Bohe-
mund the son of Robert Guiscard. duke Of
ApUlia and Calabria took the town in 1881
1t OCcuDied DV the Turks in l43l, and
has belonged to them ever since without
having been of any Importance until early
temporarily a place of some note as the
capital of Ali Pasha, surnamed Arslan (the
lion) of Tepeleni.
In fact, the only historical interest at
taching to Janina is that given it by this
terrible old Albanian, who all his life lived
up TO the instruction he had received from
strong. Be stronger than others, and their
things become yours" Whether it was
from the same instructress or from the
light of nature that he learned the right
use of baksheesh is unknown. But these
were the two foundations of a. his sue
cesses--violence and bribery History
scarcely contains story character
more surprising. His childhood was cruelty
expectedly provided him with the means of
arming a private force and he recommends
ed himself to the Porte by assisting to sub
due the Febellious Vizier of Scutari.
Afterwards he was charged with the sup
preston of brigandage, which he made far
worse than it was before, himself sharing
in the plumber. But he easily escaped the
consequences by bribing the right people.
Services in the Austro- Russian war of 1857
led to his being made Pasha of Trikhala.
OF Janina he made himself Pasha by force
in 17SS, and remained SO by bribery. When
the star of Napoleon was in the ascendant
Ali was allied with Napoleon and when
that of England. with the English, who
gave him Parga. But with whomsoever he
was allied, and whatsoever he did whether
he eXterminated the hapless SuliOtes to
please the Sultan or to please himself re-
venge an insult offered his mother, forty
years before by the murder of 739 male. in
habitants of the Albanian town of Gardiki
the only person ever benefited was Ali
Pasha.
In 1871 he seemed about to become abso-
lutte master of a dominion considerably
larger than the present kingdom of Greece.
A monster of vice and iniquity and entirely
illiterate. he maintained absolute order
within his provinces, made roads, fostered
industries and pursued the policy OF an en-
lightened ruler. Janina resembled an ltalian
city. 1t had public library, a lyceum and
elementary schools The population rose TO
10000. But when Ali felt himself strong
enough to desist from bribery the sultan
dangerous a rebel. Ali was declared to be
under the ban of the Ottoman empire 10
cope with him proved no easy task But
Janina was at last invested. Resolute to
surrender neither his power nor his treas
ures, which were immense, All burned the
town and withdrew into the citadel COM
handing the lake, beneath which much or
the treasure was hidden in caves. For six
whole months the Ola HldDs ONel 0iShtyB
held out. and his courage has half obliterat-
ed the memory of his crimes. -,
Then, as if to crown his incredible his,
tory with an act more incredible than all
the rest, this old fox let himself be deluded
into believing in an oath KorShud Pasha.
commander of the besieging forces, swore
that his life should be spared, and that he
should be free to depart with one-third of
his treasures If he would but surrender All
agreed to meet Korshud on an island IN the
lake on Feb. 5, 1922. He perceived his mis-
take only too late, and spent the day in an
agony of terror, having all his life had
horrible fear of death; 1t was not until
in the afternoon that his. captors babe him
make his additions and say his prayers.
Replying my head is not to be had so cas-
ily as that" he shot one officer and wound
ed another before he fell together with
four of his attendants riddled with wounds.
His head was embalmed that it might be
publicly exhibited as evidence Of his death
on his way to Constantinople. All his sons
were executed and his girls sold TO the
shepherds of Asia Minor. His officers were
tortured. to discover where his treasures
were hidden, but in vain. Only part OF
the store was discovered. From the date of
his surrender his ruined city, since partly
rebuilt, returned to the oblivion whence he