Si e formësoi historiku i Kanunit i Lekë Dukagjinit të drejtën tradicionale shqiptare?

TIRANË — The article by Gjon Marku outlines the origins of Kanuni i Lekë Dukagjinit, emphasizing its roots in ancient Illyrian customary law transmitted orally across generations. It notes that although the code bears the name of the 15th‑century prince Lekë Dukagjini, most of its norms predate that era.

The early layers of the code trace back to pre‑Roman times, surviving through Roman, Byzantine, Slavic and Ottoman occupations. Core principles—faith, honor, hospitality, collective responsibility, and assembly—reflect a deep‑seated juridical culture that persisted despite the absence of a central state.

In medieval northern Albania, especially in the highlands, customary law became more consolidated. Local communities established self‑governing institutions, creating unwritten statutes that regulated social and political life. These norms later formed the backbone of what would be known as the Kanun.

The association of the code with Lekë Dukagjini is symbolic rather than literal; his name became a hallmark of legal authority. Scholars believe that during his rule or shortly after his death, existing norms were systematized, expanded, and reinforced, cementing the code’s identity.

Ottoman rule allowed considerable autonomy in mountainous regions such as Mirdita, Dukagjin and Malësia e Madhe, where the Kanun functioned as a parallel legal system. It governed political organization, economic relations, family law, property, inheritance, judicial procedures and sanctions, maintaining a collective decision‑making ethos.

A pivotal figure in the modern preservation of the Kanun was French‑born Albanologist Shtjefën Gjeçovi, who collected and organized the customs over many years. His seminal work was published posthumously in 1933, providing the foundational source for contemporary studies of Albanian customary law.

The Kanun thus represents not only a compilation of traditional rules but also evidence of Albanians’ capacity to create self‑governing institutions and a functional juridical order in the absence of a state. Its enduring principles continue to shape cultural identity and legal history in Albania.

Burim: Fjala
— Redaksia ZHURMA