principality · Balkans and Hungary

Principality of Albania

1914 CE – 1925 CE · capital Durrës

Albania's first internationally recognised state, a principality that survived foreign occupation in the First World War and was rebuilt as a nation in 1920.

Origins

The Conference of Ambassadors in London made Albania an independent principality under the Great Powers' guarantee and chose the German Prince Wilhelm of Wied as ruler. He arrived in Durrës on 7 March 1914, replacing the Provisional Government of Albania and Essad Pasha's Republic of Central Albania.

Rule and society

Wied's rule collapsed within months amid Essad's intrigues, a Muslim peasant revolt in central Albania and Greek-backed autonomy in the south; he left in September 1914. During the First World War Italian, Austrian, Serbian, Greek and French troops occupied the country. The Congress of Lushnjë in 1920 created a regency council, moved the capital to Tirana and secured League of Nations membership.

Decline and legacy

The 1920s saw instability, with Fan Noli's June Revolution of 1924 overthrown by Ahmet Zogu in December. In January 1925 a constituent assembly abolished the principality and created the Albanian Republic, with Zogu as president.

Lineage

Provisional Government of Albania 1912 CE – 1914 CE Republic of Central Albania 1913 CE – 1914 CE Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë 1916 CE – 1920 CEPrincipality of AlbaniaAlbanian Republic 1925 CE – 1928 CE

Connections (3)

Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a vassal of Principality of Albania1914 CE
Principality of Albania was conquered by Austro-Hungarian Empire1916 CE – 1918 CE
Republic of Mirdita was conquered by Principality of Albania1921 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Principality of Albania. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-albania
MLA: “Principality of Albania.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-albania. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Principality of Albania.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-albania.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Principality of Albania’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-albania (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻