Haxhi Qamili, born Qamil Zyber Xhameta, (1876 – 16 August 1915) was the leader of the 1914–15 revolt in Albania. He was popularly known by his religious name Haxhi Qamili, though he was also known as Baba Qamili (Father Qamil). Biography Early life Qamili was a villager from Sharra (in Tirana) and was the Sheikh of a tekke belonging to the Melami order of dervishes that sought social equality and rejected wealth and luxury. Peasant revolt The uprising began in mid-May 1914, but had its origins in 1913. The rebellion was mainly uphold by illiterate peasants that fearing to lose the lands they were given during the Ottoman Empire objected the laws of a foreign ruler. The uprising base was in the regions of Shijak, Kavaja and Tirana. On 3 June 1914, the rebels, who were led by mufti Musa Qazim Beqari, made their demands known at a gathering in Kavaja, among which was the overthrow of the Western-installed Prince Wied. The Muslim insurgents demanded the reunion of Albania with the Ottoman state or at least to be ruled by an Ottoman ruler, the reinstatement of the Shariah, the removal of the Albanian flag and its replacement with the Ottoman flag. The revolt gained moderate success in central Albania, being able to seize Lushnjë and on 1 September Vlorë. Two days later, Prince Wied in Durrës was forced to abandon his six-month kingdom and the Muslim rebels legislated the re-union of Albania with the Ottoman state. With Weid removed, Essad Pasha, who had the support of Italy, returned from exile in October 1914. Characteristics Haxhi Qamili's inspiration was Musa Qazimi, a local mufti who supported the Young Turks' policies. Haxhi Qamili referred to Christians as "kaurrët" (i.e. "heathens", a very pejorative slur when applied by Muslims to Christians) and "bad people... who even God doesn't love". During his pro-Ottoman revolt, Christians were slaughtered and tortured. The movement also attacked Albanian nationalist teachers who had been teaching using the Latin alphabet. The motto of the rebels was "Duam, duam Babën-- Turqinë!" (We want, we want our father—Turkey) and they raised the flag of the Ottoman Empire and restored Ottoman Turkish as the national language. Haxhi Qamili and his movement were opposed by many Albanian Muslims. In the Elbasan region in particular, local Muslim community leaders and other Muslim notables denounced the movement as "archaic" and "fanatical" with many opposing it with