After the first destruction in the late 17th century, and after signs of redevelopment in the late 1700s, Pristina had crumbled again in the mid-19th century. The first and most powerful blow came in 1838 from the plague that had wiped out a large part of the population. According to some reports, nearly two-thirds of the city's entire population. But the plague was not the only factor in this wave of destruction. The great geopolitical changes after the creation of the Greek state in the south and the Serbian revolt in the north had also weakened the position of the Albanians who made up the majority of the population in Kosovo. During the year 1844, the city was put into the hands of different forces several times. First, the insurgents of Dervish Cara included Pristina among the cities under their control. A few months later, in October, the forces of Omer Pasha of Ulcinj returned it under the administration of the Porta, handing over to Abdurrahman Pasha. Especially after 1845, when Abdurrahman Pashë Gjinolli left the position of kajmakam of Pristina, the city lost its political weight. In November 1852, Prishtina finally returned from capital to directorate, further waning in importance. The city began its recovery only in 1878 when it became the capital of the Kosovo Province.