Abstract - William Martin Leake is perhaps
the most important foreign dignitary to have visited Southern Albania in the
first half of XIX Century. This Academic Paper encompasses a detailed
description, assessment of Albania’s geographic landscape, terrain and cultural
heritage. It delves into the geopolitics of the Balkans and brings forth,
promotes one of the least known European Countries. This paper includes
excerpts from Leake’s book: "Travels in Northern Greece," (London
1835, reprinted in Amsterdam in 1967) chapters 1, 2, 7 and 8 that are
specifically focused on present day Albania. Furthermore, modern cities’ names
have been included in this text within square parenthesis.
Keywords - William
Martin Leake, Albania, Vlora, Johann Erich
Thunmann, Saranda, Gjirokastra, Ottoman Empire, Constantinople.
Introduction
William Martin Leake (1777-1860) is an accomplished British diplomat
and writer who traveled through Albania and the Balkans in the early XIX
century and depicted some of the salient characteristics of Albanian society,
history and cultural anthropology. Leake’s passion for Albanian culture and
ethnographic heritage is heavily reflected on his multiple volume travel
journal which is perhaps the most valuable literature in Albanian Studies that
is carefully written and ever published by an influential western diplomat. Furthermore,
as a topographer, William Martin Leake has undoubtedly provided a significant
contribution through his passionate study of military fortifications and
revealing fascinating details of prominent archaeological sites in Albania,
setting forth new discoveries in this field; with his meticulous studies he
attracted a new generation of foreign historians and archaeologists that
acquired a special interest to further expand research on Albania and its
people. The scholarly work and well archived voyages through Albania of W. M.
Leake are a valuable contribution that emphasizes the historical research led
by Swedish theologian and historian Johann
Erich Thunmann (1746-1778) whose contributions on ancient Illyrian history of
Albania are fundamental and are regarded as a milestone by his contemporaries
including the aforementioned British diplomat. [1]
Trained at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich (London), William
Martin Leake was sent in 1799 to Constantinople and served as a military
fortification expert in the Ottoman army in Egypt. In September 1804, Leake
returned to the Ottoman Empire to assist the provinces of European Turkey in
defending themselves against French attacks coming from Italy. In this task,
Leake was instructed to survey the coasts of Albania and that of Morea
(Peleponnese).