Piqeras () is a village in the former municipality of Lukovë, Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Himarë.
Demographics
In fieldwork conducted in 1992, Piqeras had a total population of 991, of which 941 were Albanians. Piqeras is inhabited by an Orthodox Albanian majority with a minority of 100 Muslim Albanians and 50 Greeks.Kallivretakis, Leonidas (1995). "Η ελληνική κοινότητα της Αλβανίας υπό το πρίσμα της ιστορικής γεωγραφίας και δημογραφίας [The Greek Community of Albania in terms of historical geography and demography." In Nikolakopoulos, Ilias, Kouloubis Theodoros A. & Thanos M. Veremis (eds). Ο Ελληνισμός της Αλβανίας [The Greeks of Albania]. University of Athens. p. 34. "Στα πλαίσια της επιτόπιας έρευνας που πραγματοποιήσαμε στην Αλβανία (Νοέμβριος-Δεκέμβριος 1992), μελετήσαμε το ζήτημα των εθνοπολιτισμικών ομάδων, όπως αυτές συνειδητοποιούνται σήμερα επί τόπου. [As part of the fieldwork we held in Albania (November–December 1992), we studied the issue of ethnocultural groups, as they are realized today on the spot.]"; p. 51. "Ε Έλληνες, ΑΧ Αλβανοί Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί, AM Αλβανοί Μουσουλμάνοι"; p. 53. "PIQERAS ΠΙΚΙΕΡΑΣ (ΠΙΚΕΡΝΗ) 991 ΑΧ + αμ (100) + ε (50)".
History During the Ottoman period, Piqeras, together with nearby Lukovë and Nivicë, was a part of the Himara area and enjoyed special semi-autonomous status inside this community.From the Turkish Conquest to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century: Terms of Submission - The "Privileges" (in "4000 years of Greek history and civilization" Vranousis L., Sfyroeras B., Ekdotike Athenon, 1997. , p. 243.
The Arbëresh missionary Giuseppe Schirò wrote in 1722 that Piqeras was inhabited by ethnic Albanians.: "Nach der Relation von Giuseppe Schirò aus dem Jahre 1722 waren von den 14 himariotischen Ortschaften drei (Himara, Dhërmi und Palasa) "di natione greci", die restlichen 11 (Ilias, Vuno, Kalarat, Piluri, Qeparo, Piçerras, Lukovë, Shën-Vasil, Hundëcovë, Nivicë e Bubarit und Lëkurës) wurden als "di natione albanesi" bezeichnet.": "IV. Relacioni i pare i At Schirò-it... Fillimisht kjo provincë, e cila motit ishte shumë e populluar me të krishterë, tani nuk ka më shumë se katërmbëdhjetë fshatra, që ushtrojnë ligjin e Krishtit në ritin grek (lindor): domethënë: Cimara (Himara) kryeqendra e provincës, Drimades (Dhërmiu) dhe Balasa (Palasa) të kombësisë greke (di natione greci); Egliates (Iliates, Ilias), Vuno (Vuno), Caloghirates (Kallarati), Piluri (Pilur), Clapero (Qeparo), Pichierasi (Piqeras), Lúculo (Lukovë), S. Basili (Shën Vasil), Gudezzona (Hundëcova), Nivizza (Nivica) e Licunisi (Lëkurësi) të kombësisë shqiptare (di natione albanesi)."
In 1743-44, Piqeras which was Christian at the time was attacked by villagers of Borsh with assistance from Fterrë and Çorraj, most of which had converted to Islam about 50 years earlier. The attack was likely linked to village boundaries related to agricultural land and grazing grounds. During the attack, more than 20 of the attackers were killed in an ambush and many families from Piqeras were forced to leave the village to avoid retaliation. Between 1744-1748, they first fled to Venetian Corfu and then reached a deal which allowed them to settle in part of Rosciano which became known as Villa Badessa (). The village is still Albanian-speaking since its foundation and it is one of the settlements where Albanian is an officially recognized language in Italy. Several local families remained in Piqeras after 1744: Vovlataj, Xhanaj, Spiraj, Zahaj, Ndreraj, Kondaj and possibly the Çunaj, who might be a pre-1744 family or a later arrival. The descendants of these families form the locals of Piqeras today along with a few families from Kallarat and Çorraj which settled later in the village.
In 1798 the village became the target of an attack by the forces of Ali Pasha who managed to control the southern part of Himara. In 1875, some Albanian speaking families with Piqeras heritage from Villa Badessa decided to relocate to Nea Pikerni, a settlement founded by the Greek state in the Peloponnese which after some time was abandoned due to economic and relocation hardships.Kallivretakis, Leonidas (2003). "Νέα Πικέρνη Δήμου Βουπρασίων: το χρονικό ενός οικισμού της Πελοποννήσου τον 19ο αιώνα (και η περιπέτεια ενός πληθυσμού) [Nea Pikerni of Demos Vouprassion: The chronicle of a 19th century Peloponnesian settlement (and the adventures of a population)]". In Panagiotopoulos, Vasilis, et al (eds). Πληθυσμοί και οικισμοί του ελληνικού χώρου: ιστορικά μελετήματα [Populations and settlements of the Greek villages: historical essays]. Institute for Neohellenic Research. pp. 233-240.
A Greek school was operating in Piqeras from 1871. Greek education was sponsored by the local diaspora and in 1902-1904 it was expanded with a girls' and a middle level school.
The village is the birthplace of the Albanian national hero Vasil Laçi who attempted to assassinate Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy and Shefqet Bej Vërlaci, Prime Minister of Albania after the occupation of Albania by fascist Italy.
Notable people Vasil Laçi, Albanian patriot and anti-monarchist
Footnotes
References