Mazreku

See also: Mazreku (Epirus)

Mazreku (archaic forms: Masarecu, Masareccu, Meserechus, Mânzaraku, Mazaraki or Mazarek) is an Albanian tribe^[1] or fis from the Dukagjin highlands. Historically they were one of the most widespread tribes, and placenames related to them are found throughout Albania: examples include Mazrek of Shkodër, or Mazrek in Tiranë.

The name Mazrek(u), which means "horse breeder" in Albanian, is found throughout all Albanian regions.^[2] Furthermore, the name relates to the Albanian word mëz - maz ('foal'), deriving from the Proto-Albanian *mandja and cognates to the Messapic word *menza ('foal').^[3]

Another Albanian tribe called the Mazreku lived in Epirus during the Middle Ages.

As a surname it may refer to:

• Mazarek (vojvoda), Albanian nobleman and general in Serbia in the 15th century
• Pjetër Mazreku, Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church in the 17th century
• Matija Mazarek, priest in the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century
• Blerim Mazreku (born 1981), Kosovan basketball player
• Gafur Mazreku, Albanian politician, late 20th century
• Pjetër Mazreku (fl. 1624–1642), Roman Catholic bishop
• Luan and Bekim Mazreku, Kosovan soldiers in 1998
• Kostandin Kastrioti Mazreku, Great-grandfather of the Albanian national hero, Skanderbeg.

See also

• Shala (tribe)
• Shoshi (tribe)
• Shllaku (tribe)
• Dushmani (tribe)
• Toplana (tribe)

References

1. Elsie, Robert (2015). The Tribes of Albania: History, Society and Culture. I.B.Tauris. p. 138. ISBN 9780857739322.
2. Malaj, Edmond (2013). "Familje fisnike të Drishtit mesjetar (Noble Families of Medieval Drivasto". Studime Historike. 3 (4): 45.
3. Matzinger, Joachim (2005). "Messapisch und Albanisch". International Journal of Diachronic Linguistics and Linguistic Reconstruction (in German). 2: 29–54.