Kamus al-a’lam

PRISTINA

Pristina is a kasabe, which is located in the northeast of Arnautlluk, the center of Sanjak, where there are objects of historical, cultural and commercial importance. It is located 10 km east of the Selanik-Mitrovica railway. It has a beautiful position. There are 10,638 inhabitants, of which 8,165 are of the Muslim faith, while the rest are of different nationalities. Although the entire population is of Albanian nationality, in Kasaba, Turkish is mostly used. In Pristina there are 13 mosques, 5 mosques, 2 madrasas, 1 ryshdije, 2 iptidaije, 1 for men and 1 for women, several sibjanmektebe (primary-infant schools), 3 public baths and 1 military hospital located outside the city. There are also 500 warehouses and shops, 10 guesthouses and 2 guesthouses. Of the mosques, three are large, one of which was started to be built by Sultan Murat II, and was completed by Sultan Mehmed II; while the other was built by order of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror. The third mosque was built by the local family of Jashar Pasha. A certain type of soap with a very pleasant smell is produced in the village. In general, Sanxhak of Pristina is flat. Agriculture is not developed, but agricultural products meet the needs of the country, and a part of them is exported. In particular, there are many trees and of good quality. There are pastures and forests. For this reason, the population deals with raising sheep, cows, horses and other domestic animals. The cows are of good breed. Tylni and other bylmeti are produced and exported. In Pristina, apart from other products, fabrics, carpets and other things made of cotton and linen are produced.

Prishtina is a kasaba located in the northeastern part of Arnautlluk [Albania]. It is the capital of a sanjak that is part of the Kosovo Province. It is also the seat of the vilayet and lies northwest of Skopje, at a distance of 80 kilometers and is about 10 kilometers east of the railway line from Thessaloniki to Mitrovica. It is well located at the point where the mountains end and the plain of Kosovo begins. There are 10,638 inhabitants, of which 8,165 are Muslims, the rest of other faiths. Although the population is entirely Albanian, Turkish is widely spoken in the kasaba. Pristina has thirteen mosques, five shrines, two madrassas, one rushdiyeh, two iptidays, one for boys and one for girls, several sibyanmektebes, three public baths, a military hospital outside the city, about 500 warehouses and shops, and ten hostels and hostels. Of the mosques, three are large, one of which was started by Sultan Murat Khan II and finished by Sultan Mehmet Khan II. The other was built by order of Sultan Mehmet II the Conqueror. The third was built by a local family, that of Jashar Pasha. Kasaba produces a soap with a pleasant aroma. This village was originally the capital of the kaza, but with the creation of the Vilayet of Kosovo, it became the capital of the entire vilayet and remained the capital of the sanjak after the transfer of the capital of the vilayet to Skopje. Half an hour away from Pristina is the place where Sultan Murat I was martyred for his faith. There is a fine tyrbe [mausoleum] on the site.

Sanjak of Pristina
It is one of the six sanjaks that form the Vilayet of Kosovo. It is bordered to the south by the Sanjak of Skopje, to the northwest by Yeni Pazar, to the west by Peja and to the Sanjak of Prizren, which is part of the Vilayet of Manastir, and to the south by the Vilayet of Manastir. It stretches for a distance of about 120 kilometers in the southeast direction and has a width of about 65 kilometers in the northwest. It is mostly flat. It is bordered to the east and northeast by Serbia where there are mountains, and to the southwest by the mountains of Sharr. Between them is the Lepenc River that flows through the Kaçanik Gorge. There are also mountains in the northwest. Most of the fertile lowland land is in the Kosovo plain, which lies like a plateau and is more productive. Although fertility is excellent, little of the land is cultivated. Sandjak is a plateau and is divided into three water basins. Most of it, flowing from Yeni Pazar, is collected by the Ibri, which collects the waters of Sitnica, entering Serbia, and flowing into the Morava River. Sitnica, which crosses the plain of Kosovo from south to north, includes Drenica and many other streams. The separate southeastern watershed of the Sanjak also enters Serbia and, together with the waters of the Morava River, flows into the Danube. This river, the Morava, separates Skopje's Sanjak from the Karadak region, taking with it several small streams that flow northward. Enters Serbia near Vranje. In the southwestern part there is also the water basin of Vardar, which collects the waters of Nerodima and Lepenc, flows through the Kaçanik Gorge and continues into the Aegean Sea. Sandjak soil is fertile. Although agriculture is not particularly developed, there are enough products to meet the needs of the region and a large part of them is exported. Indeed, there are many good types of fruit. There are also many forests and pastures and therefore, people graze sheep, cows, horses and other animals. The cattle are of a strong breed. People produce and export butter and other dairy products. As for handicrafts, they are known for making cotton clothing, rugs and carpets.

The railway line from Thessaloniki to Mitrovica divides the plain of Kosovo in two. The population of Sanjak is about 220,000. Over two-thirds of the people are Muslims, the rest are Catholics, Slavs and others. (…) As can be seen in the overview below, Prishtina's Sanxhak consists of five kazas that include 860 villages.

Kazaja and the number of villages
1. Pristina 241
2. Gjilan 190
3. Presheva 124
4. Vushtrria 125
5. Mitrovica 170

Total: 860

Only the kazaja of Pristina, i.e. the capital of the sanjak with the same name, has 241 villages. The number of inhabitants is 60,993 and almost all are Muslims.

Source: Frashëri, Sami (1984). Work 7. Pristina: Rilindja, p. 475-476; Rizaj, Skender (1988). Prishtina during the XVII-XIX centuries (1912). In Albanian Traces, Pristina 27 (18), p. 87–109. Based on printed material. (Translation: Skender Rizaj, Zija Xholi)