Northern Epirus (1914-1916)

Last modified: 1999-09-18 by jorge candeias
Keywords: albania | shqiperia | eagle | greece | epirus | eneipos | boreios | crown | royal crown | cross |
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• Provisional Government of Eneipos (1914)
• Greek occupation (Government of Epirus - 1914)
• Greek occupation (Government of Boreios - 1914)

See also:

• Albania
• Historical flags of Albania
• Greece

Provisional Government of Eneipos (1914)

by Jaume Ollé and Jorge Candeias

The Treaty of London in 1913 (that ended the balcanic conflict) assigned most of Epirus to Greece, but the northern districts remained within Albania, with the opposition of the greek population of the area. At 7 March 1914 the prince Wied arrived in Albania and the greeks of the Southern districts of Albania rebelled against their inclusion in the principality, and formed a provisional government of Eneipos (Epirus). The greek irregular troops terrorized the albanian population that had to flee. The rebels used the greek flag with the bicephalous eagle, to symbolize the belonging to Greece of this part of Albania. The greek government condemned these actions, but secretly supported the rebels.

Jaume Ollé

by Jaume Ollé and Jorge Candeias

The above image is a variant (or the correct flag) reported by Yannis Natsinas (Flagmaster 83).

Jaume Ollé

Greek occupation (Government of Epirus - 1914)

by Jorge Candeias and Jaume Ollé

When the first World War broke up, the greek troops invaded and occupied Epirus (end of 1914). In the south, the provisional government was dissolved and replaced by a military government. In Flagfax is erroneously reported the flag of the occupation regime, taken from a postal stamp, including the monetary unit (supressed, naturally, in the next image, where the wording says "Government of Epirus"). To be noted that the flag with the royal flag in the canton was not in use in the Kingdom of Greece in 1914-16, having been adopted only later, in 1935.

Jaume Ollé

by Jorge Candeias and Jaume Ollé

In postal stamps, the greek flag contains only four blue and three white stripes. The wording says "Government of Epirus".

Jaume Ollé

The image above is nearly exactly the same as I saw in an old post-stamp catalogue. The stamps were issued by military authorities in Erseka and Kolonia in 1914.

Jarig Bakker, 22 April 1999

Greek occupation (Government of Boreios - 1914)

Warning !

In the two images below, the word A[P]STONOMOS is incorrectly spelled. The second letter should be an Upsilon [Y] and not a Psi

supposed flag of Northern Epirus in 1915-16
by Jorge Candeias and Jaume Ollé

supposed flag of Northern Epirus in 1916
by Jorge Candeias and Jaume Ollé

In the North, the rebel government took the name of Government of Boreios (Northern Epirus). The northern zone of Epirus was handed over to the Italians in 1915 (the last greek troops remained in the area until 1916), that continued the occupation regime. After a few months, the Italians transferred this area to their french allies. The Greeks kept Southern Epirus. Two flags are supposed for this area: one from 1915-16 with wording that reads "Authonomous Government of Epirus" and another from 1916, whose writings read "Authonomous Government of Northern Epirus".

The inclusion of Northern Epirus in Albania was confirmed by the Comission of Frontier Delimitation in 1921.

Jaume Ollé