The Kryeziu family was notably powerful and influential in
Gjakova and other parts of
Dukagjin during the 19th and 20th century. They were part of the
Ottoman cast.
Biography
Riza Bey Kryeziu was active during the
Albanian Revolt of 1912; one of the organizers of the League of Junik and activist of Albanian national movements of the early 20th century.[1][2]
His sons, Gani, Ceno, Hasan, and Said were influential during the early and mid 20th century in southern Kosovo and north Albania. At a short notice, they were able to gather men and logistics for constructing guerrillas.[3]
Ceno Bey became the brother-in-law of
Ahmet Zogu. He was the first widely accepted Yugoslav spy in
Albanian political leadership.[5] Due to the pro-Italian orientation of
King Zog I,
Yugoslav authorities pinpointed Ceno as a near replacement for Ahmet Zogu, who became aware of the connection between Ceno and the Yugoslavs and paid one of his agents to assassinate him in
Prague in 1927.[6][7]
The other three brothers were less famous than Ceno until
World War II, but still respectably influential. They became the leaders of the partisan anti-communist guerrillas in Albania, fighting against the
Italians, followed by the
Germans, and later the strong
communist fraction of the
National Liberation Movement. During this time they kept formidable relationships with Yugoslav secret services and
Allied Headquarters, collaborating with American and British officers.[8][9][10]Enver Hoxha later called them, in disdain, "British and Yugoslav agents".[11]