Sanjak of İpek

The Sanjak of İpek (also referered to as Sanjak of Dukagjin in some modern contexts) (Albanian: Sanxhaku i Dukagjinit, Turkish: İpek sancak, Serbian: Пећки Санџак) was a sanjak (an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire) with its capital in İpek, Kosovo. After the Ottoman Empire captured Peć in 1455, the Sanjak of Dukagjin was established with Mahmut Pasha Dukagjini as its first sanjakbey (lord).

Contents

• List of sanjakbeys
• Literature
• References

The Sanjak of Dukagjin had four kazas: Peć, Gjakova, Gusinje and Berane.

The Sanjak of Dukagjin was often under direct control of the sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Scutari. In 1536 Ali-beg, then a sanjakbey of Dukagjin, was hanged on the orders of the sultan for mistakes and incompetence in governing his sanjak. The Christian population of the Sanjak of Dukagjin often rebelled against the Ottoman authorities, especially in the 1550s, because they were unable to pay the newly implemented taxes. During one of these rebellions the sanjakbey, Kasim-beg, was ordered to suppress the rebellion with help of the sanjaks of Scutari and Durres if needed. In 1690 the sanjakbey Mahmud Pasha Hasanbegović attacked Austrian troops in Peć during the Great Turkish War.

After the 19th century, the Sanjak of Dukagjin was called the Sanjak of Peć. When Kosovo Vilayet was established in 1877, the Sanjak of Peć became part of Kosovo Vilayet, with Skopje as its seat.

During the First Balkan War at the end of 1912, the Sanjak of Dukagjin was occupied by the Kingdom of Montenegro and Kingdom of Serbia. In 1914 a smaller part of the territory of Sanjak of Dukagjin became a part of the newly established Principality of Albania, established on the basis of the peace contract signed during the London Conference in 1913.