Albania’s Invented King
Zog I may well be the most hated man in history. This King of Albania had 55 attempts against his life. There were also 600 blood feuds that threatened to cut his existence short. What angered many people was his arrogance. The thing was, he wasn't really a King at all. He created the idea of a royal family in Albania and made himself its glorious leader—but ruling by decree came with dangerous consequences.
Kel Marubi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
1. He Was Aristocratic
Zog I was born on October 8, 1895, as Ahmed Muhtar Bey Zogolli in Burgajet Castle, near Burrel in northern Albania. His parents were aristocrats, and Dad was in his second marriage. His first wife passed giving birth to a son. So, Zog had an older half-brother, and of course, when it came to royalty, being a second son was not always a great position to be in.
But this story doesn’t exactly follow the rules.
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2. He Was A Privileged Child
As his family was aristocratic, Zog had the best of everything, and his education was first-class. He attended Galatasaray High School in Beyoğlu, a district of the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Even though Zog was second in line behind his older half-brother, his family was grooming him for something special.
Zog was about to find out what exactly that was.
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3. He Got An Unexpected Job
When Dad passed in 1911, his position as the governor of Mati was up for grabs. Of course, everyone assumed the job would go to his oldest son. But that didn’t happen. The role went to Zog. Speculators might assume that the new wife was pushing for her son to carry on the family name, and not the one from wife number one. But no one knows for sure.
Zog’s life was about to get a huge interruption.
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4. He Lived A Different Lifestyle
When it came to WWI, Zog had to choose a side, and he volunteered for Austria-Hungary. When WWI was ending, Zog found himself in Vienna and unable to leave. While it sounds like a punishment, it was a great time for Zog. He began to enjoy what he started to understand was a European lifestyle. After Vienna, he continued with this lifestyle in Rome.
In 1919, he finally returned to Albania. But he was a changed man.
5. He Got Political
Following WWI, the Albanians had elected a new government that was perhaps not quite up for the job. Zog immersed himself in this new government and served in several ways. He was a governor, minister of the interior, and headed the military. Those who supported him as a politician were from a similar aristocratic background.
These supporters were expecting great things from Zog.
6. He Was The Youngest
In 1922, Zog’s supporters managed to get him elected as Prime Minister. At the age of 27, he was the youngest prime minister Albania had ever seen. But not everyone was down for Zog as the leader of the country. In fact, being in politics was going to be a very real danger.
7. His Workplace Was Dangerous
While serving in parliament, Zog faced a terrifying ordeal. On February 23, 1924, a man named Beqir Valteri secretly waited for Zog to enter the parliamentary building. When Zog walked in, Valteri opened fire. Zog got hit twice, and Valteri ran into the men's room. Valteri refused to surrender and decided to sing patriotic songs instead.
Meanwhile, Zog was suffering some pretty serious injuries.
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8. He Got Scared
Zog had been shot twice. Luckily, neither injury was life-threatening. But this ordeal rattled him, and he decided to take a break from political life. Of course, he still had to deal with the man who had shot him. They eventually coaxed the singing Valteri out of the washroom.
As you might expect, Valteri would be facing some serious punishment.
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9. He Held Back Punishment
Even though Valteri had tried—and almost succeeded—at ending Zog’s life, Zog forgave him. Many believed that Valteri had been working for a group opposed to Zog and headed by Avni Rustemi. Rustemi was Zog’s number one enemy. When Zog shocked everyone by forgiving Valteri, his motive was not initially clear.
He was just biding his time and waiting for his sweet revenge.
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10. He Got His Revenge
Zog had forgiven Valteri, but he still held a grudge against the man who had likely organized the attempt on his life. Two months after Valteri’s failed attempt, an unknown person shot and killed Rustemi. Most believe that Rustemi was behind this plot to end Zog’s life. So Zog had shifted the punishment to the big boss.
But this was going to come back to haunt him
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11. He Ran Away
When Zog dished out the ultimate punishment to Rustemi, the leftist Albanians who supported Rustemi were angry. This act helped to mobilize them, and they revolted. Zog saw the writing on the wall, and he went into exile, taking 600 of his allies with him.
But he had not given up yet.
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12. He Returned With Back Up
While in exile, Zog gained the support of Yugoslav forces and also mercenaries funded by oil companies and rich Albanians. With this formidable entourage, Zog returned to Albania. There was no stopping Zog, and he soon became Prime Minister of the country once again.
But being Prime Minister was not going to be enough for Zog.
13. He Changed His Title
A year after becoming Prime Minister, the Constituent Assembly elected its first President. Of course, this was Zog, and he proclaimed that his term would last seven years. On February 1, he began his presidency. What most people saw was that Zog wasn’t a president at all. He was a dictator.
And he was ready to start throwing his weight around.
Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons
14. He Took Charge
One of Zog’s first moves as President was to squash any civil liberties that Albanians had. He also had the power to choose the entire personnel of the government, and he could appoint up to one-third of the lower house. It looked like Zog had all the power in Albania.
Next, he looked for an ally from another country.
Agence de presse Meurisse. Agence photographique (commanditaire), Wikimedia Commons
15. He Got Into Debt
Italy was a nearby country, and it also had a dictator: Benito Mussolini. Zog got in deep with Mussolini and accepted funds to help his country out. But with this money, Zog was creating a debt to Mussolini. One that would hurt him and his country in the future.
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16. He Changed The Country
During Zog’s presidency, Albania changed dramatically. Zog had pretty much removed any civil liberties they had left. He also put any political opponents he had in prison or had them executed. Like other dictators, Zog also monitored the press. Soon, this turned into full-on censorship. The average Albanian likely didn't even recognize their own country.
Soon, Zog grew tired of serving as president.. He thought of another position that would make him happier.
I panjohur/Unknown, Wikimedia Commons
17. He Made Himself Royal
Because Zog was an all-powerful dictator, he could do pretty much whatever he wanted. On September 1, 1928, he made an announcement. He said that Albania was now a Kingdom, and that he was its first King. Of course, his dream also included having a Queen by his side.
But that was going to be a problem.
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18. He Dumped Her
Back in 1922, Zog became engaged to Shefqet Vërlaci’s daughter, likely to secure Vërlaci’s support during his campaign for prime minister. Now that he had named himself King, Vërlaci’s daughter didn’t seem like the match he needed. He wanted a wife with ties to royalty. He dumped Vërlaci’s daughter and decided to look for a more suitable spouse.
This was a very dangerous move.
19. He Was In Big Trouble
In Albania at this time, there was a rule. If a man breaks off an engagement, the father of the scorned woman has the right, and also the obligation, to end the life of the would-be groom. Because of this, Vërlaci could end the life of Zog.
Now Zog had to sleep with one eye open.
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20. He Had To Protect Himself
Zog was well aware of Vërlaci’s right to come after him, so he took precautions. For his own safety, he kept a guard by his side, and he tried to limit his time for public appearances. He also put his mother in charge of the kitchen in case someone tried to poison him. It was a dangerous time for Zog.
But he would do anything to feel the respect of being a king.
21. He Wanted To Appear European
Eventually, it was time to officially make Albania a Kingdom. There was no coronation, but Zog added the “I” to his name and called himself King of the Albanians. While most kings would use their first name, Zog thought that “Ahmet” might sound too Islamic. His goal was to align himself with Europe, and “Ahmet” might be alienating.
Of course you can’t have a Kingdom with just a king.
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22. He Had Titles For Everyone
It’s true that Albania was not a real Kingdom, but Zog did his best to make it seem like one. First, Zog made his mother the Queen Mother of Albania. Next were his siblings. It seemed obvious that he would call his brother Prince and his sister the Princess. Next, Zog had to create the illusion of a traditional coronation.
Of course, with absolutely no history of this in Albania, Zog could do whatever he wanted.
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23. He Made Stuff Up
Zog copied the King of the Belgians by insisting that the new king pledge an oath, which Zog did on both the Bible and the Quran. In addition to the oath, Zog came up with his own Zogist salute. Sadly, on his way to the ceremony, Zog had to clear away any spectators. He feared repeated attempts against his life.
For reasons like this, many saw Zog’s claim to royalty as a joke.
24. They Laughed At Him
Zog was doing everything he could to be like other royalty in Europe. But there was a problem. Because Zog had more or less invented a royal family in Albania, other Kingdoms thought it was a sham. After all, Zog had no actual blood links to any royal family.
But this little joke of Zog’s was about to get dangerous.
25. His Enemies Conspired
On February 20, 1931, King Zog I went to Vienna to see a performance of the opera Pagliacci. Little did he know, some of his exiled enemies had been waiting for the chance to take his life. The two attackers, Aziz Çami and Ndok Gjeloshi, were working for the anti-Zog “National Union”. As Zog was getting into his car, shots rang out.
It was a terrifying and chaotic moment.
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26. It Was A Case Of Mistaken Identity
Çami’s pistol jammed, and he was unable to fire. Gjeloshi had no problems with his weapon, but there was a problem with his eyesight. In the darkness and confusion, he mistook Zog’s bodyguard for Zog himself. He shot the wrong guy three times in the back of the head.
When the dust settled, it was an absolute mess.
User: Ndok Piniqi, Wikimedia Commons
27. He Was Lucky
Zog was not alone as he got into his car. With him was Minister Eqrem Libohova, who suffered injuries. Zog’s bodyguard did not survive, but Zog did. The Austrian authorities managed to take in the two suspects and also captured the exiles behind the entire operation. They eventually released the exiles and gave the two shooters light prison sentences.
Zog had lived to continue his reign. But this was not good news for most Albanians.
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28. He Grew More Dependent
Albania was not a rich country, and it soon became heavily indebted to Italy. The great depression didn't help matters at all. Albanians were getting grain from Italy, and the more Mussolini helped Zog, the more he wanted in return. Some Albanians moved to Italy, and Italians moved to Albania.
This situation was about to bite Zog in the rear.
29. He Had A Huge Debt
By 1933, Zog could no longer pay the interest on the loans he’d accepted from Italy. Now Mussolini had what he wanted. He used the unpaid debt to throw his weight around in Albania. He wanted Zog to have Italians lead their law offices. He also took over control of the telegraph, electricity and Albania’s sugar industry.
Next in Mussolini’s sights were Albanian children.
Bain Collection, Wikimedia Commons
30. He Was Losing His Country
Mussolini’s idea was to have all Albanian children learn Italian when they were in school. It was as if he was planning for the eventual takeover of Albania. He saw a future where the next generation of Albanians were actually Italians. It must have been slowly dawning on Zog what was happening.
He’d sold his country to Mussolini.
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31. He Fought Back
Zog reacted quickly to Mussolini's demands. He fired any military adviser who was Italian. In regards to schooling, Zog flat out refused to have teachers instruct Albanian children in Italian. He then took control of any Italian-run school and made them decrease the amount of Italian influence that was in the curriculum.
Zog had temporarily dealt with Mussolini, but he was far from finished.
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32. He Tried To Find Allies
To weaken his country’s dependence on Italy, Zog worked on making connections with other European countries. Sadly, because most European countries did not acknowledge him as King, this did not work. By 1934, Albania was back in the tight grasp of Italy and, more specifically, Mussolini.
Zog put this problem on the back burner and started looking for a queen.
33. She Had A Really Long Name
One thing that Zog had wanted was a wife who could tie him to royalty. He found her in Countess Geraldine Margit Virginia Olga Maria Apponyi de Nagy-Appony. Her lengthy name was enough to make it clear that Geraldine was a somebody. While her family was part of the Empire of Austria-Hungary, political instability had made them live in various places, like Switzerland and France.
But there was something not very royal about Geraldine. 
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34. She Worked For A Living
While Geraldine’s family was certainly royalty, they spent all their money while in exile across Europe. Geraldine ended up having to work as a typist and at the Budapest National Museum gift shop. Somehow, Zog came across a picture of her and decided he wanted to meet her. He had marriage on his mind.
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35. They Didn’t Waste Any Time
On New Year’s Day, 1938, Zog and Geraldine met for the first time. It’s not clear if sparks flew or not. Maybe they both were just two people in need of a spouse, and probably for very different reasons. Whatever the reason, the couple planned to marry. In fact, they announced their engagement just days after meeting.
Zog was fast-tracking Geraldine’s acceptance into Albanian royalty.
36. He Made Her A Princess
Zog couldn't even wait until the wedding to give his fiancee her title. Officially, she was Princess Geraldlne of Albania. But, on a more informal level, people started calling her the “White Rose of Hungary”. Lucky for her, no one added “and gift shop attendant” to her title. Nope, she was going to get the royal marriage she’d probably dreamed of.
But this would not be your typical Princess story.
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37. It Was An Odd Wedding
The wedding of Zog and Geraldine took place on April 27, 1938, in Tirana, Albania. It was a bit odd as Zog was Muslim and Geraldine was Roman-Catholic. Also, having Italian dignitaries, including Mussolini himself, made things a little tense. Their honeymoon car, an open-top Mercedes-Benz 540K, was a gift from a rising political star in Germany. He was the leader of the Third Reich and preparing to take over Europe.
With this odd wedding behind them, Zog and Geraldine got down to work.
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38. They Did Their Duty
One year after the wedding, it appeared the couple had done their marital duty. A son was born on April 5, 1939, at the Royal Palace. They named him Crown Prince Skander but referred to him as Leka. They celebrated his birth with a military parade.
But Leka would only have a few days in Albania before he had to leave.
39. He Lost His Country
Even though Mussolini had attended Zog’s wedding, it didn't stop him from a surprise invasion. In fact, it was just a few days after the birth of Leka that Italian troops entered Albania and took the country by force. Mussolini replaced Zog with Victor Emmanuel III and announced that Albania was now an Italian protectorate.
This left Zog and his family in an awkward situation.
Ritratti e Vizi di Casa Savoia, Wikimedia Commons
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40. He Did A Runner
While some Albanians put up a fight against the dominating Italians, others cheered them into their country. Zog knew what he had to do to protect himself and his family. He had to run. While Zog certainly was in a hurry, he did find time to snatch a great deal of gold from the National Bank in both Tirana and Durres. Before he left Albania, his final words were, “Oh God, it was so short".
Now, he had to find a safe place to take his family.
41. He Was A Trash Talker
Zog needed to get out of Albania fast, and nearby Greece seemed like a likely candidate. Once he got there, Zog couldn't help but make some inflammatory statements. He ridiculed the dictators in Italy and Germany. He called them madmen. And then he turned his anger toward England and France. He said that politicians there were “fools who sleep”.
Zog wasn’t exactly making any friends, and he would soon need some.
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42. He Wasn’t Popular
Besides insulting Italy, Germany, England and France, the rest of the world also was not so fond of Zog. When they found out that he had left Albania with a substantial horde of gold, most saw him as heartless. After all, he’d left the citizens of his country in poverty. It was going to be hard to find a country that would give him a warm reception.
43. He Did A Tour
For some reason, Zog no longer felt comfortable in Greece. He packed the family up and took them to Istanbul, Turkey. This was a short stay, and so were his stops in Poland, Latvia, Sweden, Norway and Belgium. When Zog and his family ended up in Paris, it seemed like a good place to lay down roots...until an enemy arrived.
Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer, Wikimedia Commons
44. He had To Get Out Fast
Remember, Zog had insulted the dictator of Germany, and now the German armies were arriving in France. Although their goal wasn’t to punish Zog, the Germans would likely enjoy mistreating him. This time, Zog didn’t have to make a move of restlessness; he had to leave to save his life.
Frank Capra (director), U.S. War Department, Wikimedia Commons
45. He Had Some Help
Luckily, part of Zog’s entourage included Prince Mehmed Orhan Osmanoglu, who was a member of the Ottoman Imperial Dynasty. He was serving as an assistant to Zog and used his expertise to get Zog and his family safely out of France. Desperate for any sense of security, Zog and Orhan searched for any place in Europe that would be safe from the German army.
Mr rqasimzade, Wikimedia Commons
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46. They Had A Prestigious Address
Zog and his family left the dangers of France and headed to England. Their first residence was at the swanky Ritz Hotel in London. Zog’s entourage included his wife and son, his six sisters, five nieces and nephews and various others. The people at The Ritz had to give them their own floor.
Zog thought he was safe, and then the air raiders started.
47. They Were In Danger
Zog may have felt like he was personally being targeted by Germany because now they seemed to have followed him to England. Zog had grave concerns about his family’s safety during the air raids and quickly had a private shelter built in a cloak room.
Clearly, being in London was not the safest choice.
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48. He Bought In America
Leaving dangerous London, Zog and his family stayed in residences in the countryside in South Ascot and Buckinghamshire. In 1946, they got an invitation from the King of Egypt—King Farouk—to live in Egypt. Most of the family decided to go there. While in Egypt, Zog purchased—supposedly with valuable gems—a 60-room mansion in Long Island, New York.
This was his plan B.
49. He Had To Move Again
Mostly, Zog was happy to be in Egypt. When a revolution meant his friend was no longer the king, Zog had to think about another move. His estate in America seemed like a good idea, but Zog encountered delays with the emigration process. Also, Zog was ill, and the trip may have been too much. Since WWII was over, Zog decided to return to France.
This would be his final resting place.
50. He Was A Chain Puffer
Zog was now in his mid-sixties and not well. On April 9, 1961, he passed. While reports leave out his official cause of death, Zog had a very heavy habit that may have contributed to his early demise. Zog reportedly indulged in over 200 smokes per day, allowing him the title of the world's heaviest smoker in 1929. His son later followed in his father's footsteps.
Smoking wasn't the only thing he passed down.
51. He Passed It On To His Son
Strangely, some time after his passing, the exiled Albanian community proclaimed that Zog’s son Leka, was the King of Albania. It looked like Leka was as delusional as his father. When he started traveling, his passport listed his profession as “King”.
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