October 28, 1912 · Albania Theater
October 28, 1912
The Siege of Shkodër (Scutari) lasted from late October 1912 until April 22, 1913, making it the longest siege of the Balkan Wars. Montenegrin forces under King Nikola I and Crown Prince Danilo invested the ancient Albanian fortress city defended by the resourceful Essad Pasha Toptani. The siege became a symbol of Montenegrin national determination and a source of serious diplomatic tension, as the Great Powers had already decided Shkodër would be part of the new Albanian state. When Essad Pasha finally surrendered in late April 1913 — after negotiating his own personal terms with the Montenegrins — the Great Powers insisted Montenegro evacuate the city immediately. Montenegro eventually complied, making the entire siege militarily pointless.
Commanders