House of Zogu

FounderKing Zog ICurrent headPrince Leka IIFinal rulerKing Zog ITitles

• King of the Albanians
• Hereditary Governor of Mati

Estate(s)Burgajet Castle, MatiDissolution1939Websitewww.albanianroyalcourt.al

The House of Zogu, or Zogolli during Ottoman times and until 1922, is an Albanian dynastic family whose roots date back to the early 20th century. The family provided the first president and the short-lived modern Albanian Kingdom with its only monarch, Zog I of Albania (1928–1939).

History

The dynasty was founded by Zogu Pasha, who migrated to the region of Mat in north-central Albania during the early 13th century.^{[citation needed]}

The most famous member of the dynasty is Zog I, who in 1928 proclaimed himself King of the Albanians and ruled until he was deposed by Victor Emmanuel III of Italy following the Italian invasion of 1939. Victor Emmanuel subsequently assumed the Albanian throne.

With the death in exile of King Zog in 1961, he was succeeded as claimant to the throne and head of the House of Zogu by his only son Leka, Crown Prince of Albania (born 1939), who was proclaimed King of the Albanians by the Albanian National Assembly in exile.^[1] Leka I remained head of the house and claimant to the throne until his death in 2011 when he was succeeded by his only son, Leka II.

Leka II has no sons and is the only living descendant of King Zog. The current heir presumptive to Prince Leka is Skënder Zogu, his first cousin once removed.^[2]

Situation as of 2024^[update]

Prince Leka II, the only living male descendant of King Zog I and the head of the royal house as of 2020^[update], has no sons. The current heir presumptive to Prince Leka is Skënder Zogu, his first-cousin once removed.^[3] After him the following currently living male members of the Zogu family could also become heirs^{[citation needed]}:

Bibliography

• Patrice Najbor, Histoire de l'Albanie et de sa maison royale (5 volumes), JePublie, Paris, 2008, (ISBN 978-2-9532382-0-4).
• Patrice Najbor, La dynastie des Zogu, Textes & Prétextes, Paris, 2002.

References

External links