History of Albania

Albanians are arguably the most ancient race in Southeastern Europe.

It is believed they are descendants of the earliest Aryan immigrants who including Illyrians, Macedonians and Epirots. The area was ruled by Romans from 229 BC into the 1 st century, which was when Christianity gained popularity in Illyria. Then after the Roman Empire was divided, Albania entered its Byzantine period but by the 7 th century, was invaded by Serbs. By 1478 Turkish forces finally dominated the country. Under Turkish rule, which lasted for 4 centuries, Islam became the main religion of Albania.

In the 19-th century, the Treaty of San Stefano (1877) forced Turks to cede large parts of Albania to the Balkan Slavic nations. Then the Balkan wars ensued, first in 1912, and the second in 1913 when Albania was occupied by the Serbs. After these wars, a meeting with the Great Power ambassadors ruled and defined Albania's borders in 1913, conceding much land to Montenegro, Serbia, and Greece. When World War I unfolded, Albania was combat zone pummeled by Serb, Montenegrin, Greek, Italian, Bulgarian, and Austrian forces.

In 1939, the Italians used Albania as a military base. By 194344, the external war exacerbated internal tensions within the country and a civil war was waged between partisan and non-Communist forces in Albania. By 1944, communists gained control of the country. In the 60s, Albania became China's only ally in Communist Eastern Europe, in an alliance that held out until 1977. In 1976, the Peoples socialist republic was voted to rule Albania. In 1991, demonstrators rebelled against the government and the Party of Labor was elected into control. Then in 1992 as well as 1996, the Democratic party won. Meanwhile, for the past 20 years, the country had been battling poverty and a stagnant economy.

In 1997, Parliament declared that the country was in a state of emergency as rebels, frustrated with the current governmental and social situation, took over parts of southern Albania and threatened to invade the capital. At this point of turmoil, thousands of Albanians ran away to Italy, and an international force entered Albania to help restore order in April of 1997. The Socialists won parliamentary elections held in July. Then in 1998 and 1999, Albania swamped with refugees from neighboring Kosovo. In the June, 2001, parliamentary elections the Socialists were placed back power.