In the Royal Villa in Durrës, Sadije Toptani, the Queen Mother, passed away. She was born in Tirana, in 1876. Sadije Toptani was a member of the great house of Toptan. She was the daughter of Emin bey Toptan who married Fitnete Toptan. At a very young age, she married Xhemal Pashë Zogu, at the door of the Zogu family in the province of Mati. After her husband passed away in 1908, the future of the family rested in the hands of Sadie, who took care of her seven children. She had six daughters and the only son Ahmet Zogu, who would become the king of the Albanians. The Queen Mother took care of the administration of the estates, also protected the family’s leadership position in Mat against clan politics. She raised and educated her children with a sense of patriotism and dedication to the national cause. After her son was proclaimed king by the Constituent Assembly in 1928, she received the titles Mother of the Nation as well as Queen Mother of the Albanians. Sadije Toptani officially became the protector and guarantor of Albanian women’s rights. For King Zog she was the most trusted advisor and guide. Sadije Toptani passed away in 1934. She was escorted to the Royal Mausoleum erected on the hills of Tirana’s lake the day after. One of the first acts of the entry of the communist brigades into Tirana on November 17, 1944, was the destruction of this monumental tomb. On November 17, 2012, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Independence, the Royal Mausoleum was rebuilt according to the original architecture by the Albanian government. (In the photo: Sadije Toptani)
Text: https://albanianroyalcourt.al/sq/nena-e-kombit/
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadije_Toptani
Graphic processing: AHCF
