Bajo Topulli

Bajo Topulli was a Muslim Tosk Albanian, scion of a notable family of Gjirokastra, born to Ago Topulli and Hasije, daughter of Laze Mullai from Kardhiq.

In Monastir while he was a director in the Ottoman Secondary school (idadiye) Topulli founded in November 1905 the Secret Committee for the Liberation of Albania.^[2][3][4] Members of the committee were tasked with preparation for armed activities against the Ottoman Empire and Topulli was sent for agitation to the Prespa and Korçë regions.^[2][3] In March 1906 at the Bektashi tekke of Melçan he and his brother Çerçiz founded the first Albanian nationalist armed guerrilla band.^[2][3][4] It was based in the Kolonjë region and consisted of several of his students from Monastir who had left their studies and some local peasants to fight against Ottoman rule.^[2][3] The group was active for three years, with both brothers taking a winter break during 1906-1907 and spending it in Sofia and Bucharest.^[4] Both brothers had been professionals who decided to engage in guerilla warfare after leaving the comforts of town life.^[4] The guerilla band viewed the Ottoman regime of Abdul Hamid II along with Greeks and Slavs as the enemy.^[4] On September 22, 1906, Bajo Topulli's band killed the Greek Orthodox bishop of Görice (now Korçë), Photios,^[5] who was said to be responsible for the death of Papa Kristo Negovani^[2] and to avenge the Albanian priest.^[6]

During 1907 the Bashkimi (Union) Society in Bucharest sent Topulli to Boston on a mission to the Albanian diaspora in United States to collect funds and recruit young men to join guerilla bands back in Ottoman Albania and prepare to fight in a planned uprising for 1908.^[7] In 1908, Topulli along with Shahin Kolonja went to Üsküb (modern Skopje) to establish an Albanian club for local Albanians.^[8]