The Albanian Question and the Forgotten Role of Albanians in Greece’s Independence

In the late 19th century, intellectuals and military officers in Athens revived the debate over the so-called “Albanian Question” (Το Αλβανικόν Ζήτημα). Among them was Colonel Markos D. Notis Botsaris (Μάρκος Δ. Νώτης Μπότσαρης), a descendant of the legendary Botsaris family from Souli. Serving as an officer in the Hellenic Army and holding the presidency of the Albanian Union (Αλβανική Ένωσις), founded in Athens in 1897, Botsaris embodied the living memory of the close ties between Greeks and Albanians during the struggle for freedom.

The cover of a booklet titled "The Albanian Question" (Το ΑΛΒΑΝΙΚΟΝ ΖΗΤΗΜΑ).

The Albanian Union, composed largely of descendants of Souliotes and other captains of the 1821 Revolution, sought to remind King George of Greece of a historical truth: without Albanian blood and sacrifice, Greece would never have achieved independence. From Souli to Missolonghi, Albanian fighters stood side by side with Greek revolutionaries, often leading battles that turned the tide of history.

Markos D. Notis Botsaris himself symbolized this legacy. His grandfather Notis and great-uncle Markos Botsaris had become icons of the Revolution, both hailing from Albanian-speaking Souliote clans whose martial valor became legendary. By the 1890s, their descendants in Athens sought not only to honor this past but also to highlight the continued significance of an Albanian-Greek alliance.

The Union’s letter to King George was direct: Greece owed its very freedom to the Albanians. The victories of 1821 were not the result of isolated national efforts, but of cooperation across peoples who shared common enemies and common aspirations for liberty. For the Albanians of Souli, of Epirus, and beyond, the Greek Revolution was also their struggle—a fight for survival and dignity.

It is within this spirit that the Albanian Union insisted on raising the Albanian Question in Greece’s political discourse. For them, to forget the Albanian contribution was to falsify history. To remember it, however, meant to strengthen the bonds between two peoples whose destinies had long been intertwined.

Colonel Markos D. Notis Botsaris stands as a reminder of this truth. Both soldier and intellectual, he carried forward the dual mission of honoring his ancestors and preparing the ground for a deeper recognition of the Albanian role in Greece’s modern history. His leadership of the Albanian Union shows how memory, identity, and politics were inseparable in the turbulent years of the late 19th century.

Ultimately, the message was clear: Greece’s liberation was achieved not by Greeks alone, but through the indispensable sacrifices of Albanians.