King Zog of Albania and his Vision for the Modernization of the Country

The Zog I was probably the strangest monarch of the twentieth century. The Times called him the bizarre King Zog and his biographer, Jason Tomes, quotes descriptions of him ranging from a despotic brigand to the last ruler of romance. He created his throne for himself and as Europes only Muslim king ruled Europes most obscure country. He had started life as Ahmed Bey Zogolli or Ahmed Zogu in 1895, the son of an Albanian chief, when the country was still part of the Ottoman empire. Order broke down during the First World War as other Balkan countries tried to seize areas of Albania. From 1920 there was a succession of short-lived governments, in which Zogu held various posts until he was driven into exile in 1924. He returned at the end of the year, crossing the northern border into Albania with Yugoslav backing and an army of mercenaries recruited with money supplied by international oil companies and rich Albanian familes. Another mercenary army, led by Zogus lieutenants, invaded from the south.