Sanjak of Delvina

Sanjak of Delvina
sanjak of Ottoman Empire
← 16th century–1913 →   →
Coat of arms
Location of Sanjak of Delvina
Capital		Delvinë, Ergiri (present day Gjirokastër)
History
•	Established	16th century
•	First Balkan War	March 3, 1913 1913
Today part of		Albania Greece

The Sanjak of Delvina (Turkish: Devline Sancağı, Albanian: Sanxhaku i Delvinës) was one of the sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire which county town was Delvinë but during the 18th century became Gjirokastër, Albania. It was created in the middle of 16th century and disestablished after the Balkan Wars in 1913. Its territory was divided among newly established short lived states: the Principality of Albania and Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus.

Name

During the 18th century the local Pasha moved the seat of the sanjak from Delvine to Gjirokastër. Its official named didn't change, however it was also referred as Sanjak of Gjirokastër.

History

Before the Sanjak of Delvina has been established in the middle of 16th century Delvina was a seat of kaza which belonged to the Sanjak of Avlona. Sanjak of Delvina had the lowest income of 21 sanjaks in Eyalet Rumelia In 1713 sanjakbey of Delvina was Selim Pasha. In 1744 sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Delvina was Veli Beg. In 1785 Veli Beg's son, Ali Pasha, became a governor of Delvina, while in the following years the sanjak was part of the Pashalik of Yanina. In 1804 the sanjabey of Delvina was Veli Pasha who was also a beglerbey of Rumelia Eyalet. In 1834 Mahmood Hamdi pasha was appointed to govern the Sanjak of Delvina, Yanina and Avlona.

During the Balkan Wars and the subsequent Ottoman defeat, the Greek Army entered the city at March 3, 1913. In June 1914 the town hosted the constituent assembly of the representatives of Northern Epirus that discussed and finally approved the Protocol of Corfu, on July 26, 1914. Delvino then became part of the short-lived Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus.