Talk:Principality of Mirdita

Merge
A "principality of Mirdita" never existed. A bajrak of Mirdita was created as a semi-autonomous Ottoman unit, but it wasn't a principality, it had no princes and its hereditary chief (bajraktar) was appointed by the Ottomans. I think that the author of the article was led to write about a principality of Mirdita because the article's bibliography is based on the writings of a member of the family of bajraktars of Mirdita (Ndue Gjon Marku). Naturally, personal publications of former feudal landowners tend to embellish real history. Part of the article's content can be preserved at specific sections of Mirdita as a merge.--Maleschreiber (talk) 18:07, 19 June 2021 (UTC)
 * Oppose. There clearly was an autonomous state in Mirdita during the period of Ottoman rule, regardless of the naming of the region. Additionally, Mirdita was not a single Bajrak, but rather 3 or 5 Bajraks. They also had far more self-rule than other Bajraks. This article should remain, and there are citations other than Ndue Gjon Marku anyway. It could perhaps be renamed if there is no direct mention of "princes" in the sources, however it does seem that "The Tribes of Albania" by Elsie, 2015, refers to Prince of Mirdita (aka Kapedan/Captain). If it is merged (which I don't support), then the infobox should be incorporated. Djks1 (talk)
 * Furthermore, the Wiki article Mirdita makes numerous references to Princes of Mirdita (none of which have Ndue Gjon Marku, who you claim is unreliable, as a source), so it does seem that Mirdita was indeed an autonomous Principality during the Ottoman rule, a remnant of the numerous pre-Ottoman Albanian prinicipalities. Djks1 (talk)
 * Closing, given the uncontested objection and no support. Klbrain (talk) 13:19, 25 October 2021 (UTC)

Did it exist?
can you list some reliable sources which discuss a "Principality of Mirdita"? And when did it exist? Every village in this region is registered - hence, taxed - as early as 1536 as the southern part of Sanjak of Dukagjin? I'll file a new merge discussion if bibliography doesn't discuss this region as "Principality of Mirdita".--Maleschreiber (talk) 17:17, 25 October 2021 (UTC)
 * should be able to provide this, if it exists, given that he wrote the article. I don't think it's explicitly referred to as a "principality" (although its leaders are referred to as "princes") but rather as an "independent mountain" region, and sometimes as a collection of bajraks. I guess it could be merged into Mirdita in that case, with perhaps an infobox in the "History" section to indicate its period of autonomy. Djks1 (talk) 17:50, 25 October 2021 (UTC)