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80-530: Fersen purchased the 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) plot in 1904 for 15,000 lire from the Salvia family. The villa's designer is unknown; for many years it was believed that French artist Edouard Chimot had designed the structure (due to his involvement in a trial following an accident at the construction site); however, a recent analysis of letters from Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen to Chimot shows that Chimot did not perform that design. The garden around

160-684: A Greater Italy by assimilating Albanians as Italians and colonizing Albania with Italian settlers from the Italian Peninsula to transform it gradually into an Italian land. In the Treaty of London during World War I , the Triple Entente had promised central and southern Albania to Italy as a reward for fighting against the Central Powers . In June 1917, after Italian soldiers seized control of substantial areas of Albania, Italy formally declared

240-512: A puppet state and protectorate of Fascist Italy . It was practically a union between Italy and Albania, officially led by Italian King Victor Emmanuel III and his government: Albania was led by Italian governors, after being militarily occupied by Italy , from 1939 until 1943. During this time, Albania ceased to exist as an independent country and became an autonomous part of the Italian Empire . Officials intended to make Albania part of

320-505: A tariff union, the Italian tariff system was put in place in Albania. Due to the expected economic losses in Albania from the alteration in tariff policy, the Italian government provided Albania 15 million Albanian leks each year in compensation. Italian customs laws were to apply in Albania and only Italy alone could conclude treaties with third parties. Italian capital was allowed to dominate

400-425: A coin worth one livre tournois . This term was also adopted in various Gallo-Italic languages in north-western Italy to refer to the Italian lira. There was no standard sign or abbreviation for the Italian lira. The abbreviations Lit. (standing for Lira italiana ) and L. (standing for Lira ) and the signs ₤ or £ were all accepted representations of the currency. Banks and financial institutions, including

480-440: A few hundred metres to the east-southeast of Villa Lysis. Italian lira [REDACTED] Kingdom of Albania (1939–43) [REDACTED]   San Marino (local issue: Sammarinese lira ) The lira ( / ˈ l ɪər ə / LEER -ə , Italian: [ˈliːra] ; pl. : lire , / ˈ l ɪər eɪ / LEER -eh , Italian: [ˈliːre] ) was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. It

560-462: A prefix or a suffix (e.g. Lire 100,000 or 100,000 lire). The ISO 4217 currency code for the lira was ITL . The Unicode CJK Compatibility block includes square versions of currency names in Japanese katakana for compatibility with earlier character sets which would display them in tables or vertical writing . Thus, U+3352 ㍒ SQUARE RIRA stands for リラ rira . It

640-530: A protectorate over central and southern Albania; however this was overturned in September 1920 when Italy was pressured to withdraw its army. Italy was enraged with the minimal gains that it received from peace negotiations, which it regarded as having violated the Treaty of London. Italian Fascists claimed that Albanians were ethnically linked to Italians through association with the prehistoric populations, and that

720-737: A result of foreign pressure and defeat in the Vlora War . The Italian Fascist regime had politically and economically penetrated and dominated Albania during Zog's rule and was planning for annexation of Albania years prior to the event. Albania came under strong Italian influence after the signing of the Treaties of Tirana of 1926 and 1927. Under Zog, Albania's economy was dependent on multiple financial loans given from Italy since 1931. In August 1933, Mussolini placed stringent demands on Zog in exchange for Italy's continued support of Albania, including demands that all new appointments to leading positions in

800-506: A worker was killed during construction, and Fersen decided to travel until the local anger at him had subsided) and after World War I he started using cocaine . He eventually committed suicide in 1923 by ingesting an overdose of cocaine. After Fersen's death, the villa was left first to his sister Germaine, but with the usufruct left to Nino Cesarini. Cesarini sold the rights for 200,000 lire to Germaine and went to live in Rome. Germaine later gave

880-523: Is being carried out without a hitch. I am wondering whether the general situation – particularly the Anschluss [with Austria] – does not permit us to take a step forward towards the more complete domination of this country, which will be ours." and days later on 4 April of that year wrote "We must gradually underline the protectorate element of our relations with Albania". "The Kosovars are 850,000 Albanians, strong of body, firm in spirit, and enthusiastic about

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960-491: Is not intended for use in new applications. The Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy introduced the Italian lira in 1807 at par with the French franc , worth 4.5 grams of fine silver or 0.29032 gram of fine gold (gold-silver ratio 15.5). Despite the kingdom's fall in 1814, this new lira eventually replaced the currencies of the different Italian states until their unification in 1861 , replacing, among others: In 1865, Italy formed part of

1040-567: The AM-lire and some of the old, devalued coins of the Italian Kingdom . In 1951, the government replaced all circulating coins and notes with new smaller-sized aluminium 1 lira, 2, 5 and 10 lire (although the 2 lire coin was not minted in 1951 or 1952), and in 1954–1955, Acmonital (stainless steel) 50 and 100 lire coins were introduced, followed by aluminium-bronze 20 lire in 1957 and silver 500 lire in 1958. Increases in

1120-450: The Bank of Italy , often used Lit. and this was regarded internationally as the abbreviation for the Italian lira. Handwritten documents and signs at market stalls would often use "£" or "₤", while coins used "L." Italian postage stamps mostly used the word lire in full but some (such as the 1975 monuments series) used "L." The name of the currency could also be written in full as

1200-599: The Bretton Woods System in November 1947. Following the devaluation of the pound, Italy devalued to $ 1 = Lit 625 on 21 September 1949. This rate was maintained until the end of the Bretton Woods System in the early 1970s. Several episodes of high inflation followed until the introduction of the euro. Due to the lira's low value after the war economic calculations and price displays became unwieldy because of

1280-631: The Gulf of Naples and three towards Mount Tiberio. Nino also had a room on the upper floor. On the ground floor there is a lounge decorated with blue majolica and white ceramic, facing out over the Gulf of Naples. In the basement, there is a room for smoking opium , also known as the Chinese room. The large garden is connected to the villa by a flight of steps which leads to a portico with ionic columns. The ruins of Villa Jovis , one of Tiberius ' twelve villas on Capri, are

1360-641: The Hellenic state . After the fall of Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941, the Italian government began negotiations with Germany, Bulgaria, and the newly established client state, the Independent State of Croatia , on defining their borders. In April Mussolini called for the borders of Albania to be expanded – including annexing Montenegro into Albania that would have an autonomous government within Albania, and expanding Albania's border eastwards, though not as far as

1440-517: The Latin Monetary Union in which the lira was set as equal to, among others, the French , Belgian and Swiss francs . The U.S. dollar was worth approximately 5.18 Italian lire until 1914. World War I broke the Latin Monetary Union and resulted in prices rising several fold in Italy. Inflation was curbed somewhat by Mussolini , who, on 18 August 1926, announced a new exchange rate between

1520-563: The Lega Nord launched a campaign to reintroduce the lira as a parallel currency. In 2014, Beppe Grillo , leader of the Five Star Movement , also raised the same point. Albanian Kingdom (1939%E2%80%9343) The Italian protectorate of Albania ( Italian: Protettorato italiano dell'Albania), also known as Italian Albania , the Kingdom of Albania or Greater Albania , existed as

1600-624: The Municipality of Capri . Tuscan architect Marcello Quiriconi and Jacques Fersen biographer Roger Peyrefitte supervised the work. All the stucco decorations were restored by Capri artist Antonio Senesi, grandson of the Senesi who decorated the villa during its original construction. In 1995, the Mechoulan family sold the villa to the lawyer Manfredonia, who resold it in 1998 to an American businessman of Italian descent Armando Campione, who never lived in

1680-475: The Second World War . In 1943, the invading Allies introduced notes in denominations of 1 lira, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 lire. These were followed in 1944 by a series of Biglietti di Stato for 1 lira, 2, 5 and 10 lire, which circulated until replaced by coins in the late 1940s. The Bank of Italy introduced 5,000 and 10,000 lire notes in 1947 and 1948, respectively. In 1951,

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1760-489: The lira pesante pushed back until it was permanently abandoned in 1991 because of plans for a single European currency . The lira was the official unit of currency in Italy until 1 January 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (the lira was officially a national subunit of the euro until the rollout of euro coins and notes in 2002). Old lira denominated currency ceased to be legal tender on 28 February 2002. The conversion rate

1840-496: The "official" rate was Lit 19.80. After the Allied invasion of Italy, an exchange rate was set at $ 1 = Lit 120 (£1 = Lit 480) in June 1943, reduced to Lit 100 the following month. In German-occupied areas, the exchange rate was set at 1  ℛ︁ℳ︁ = Lit 10. After the war, the value of the lira fluctuated, before Italy set a peg of $ 1 = Lit 575 within

1920-666: The 1870s. Apart from the introduction in 1894 of cupro-nickel (later nickel) c.20 coins and of nickel c.25 pieces in 1902, the coinage remained essentially unaltered until the First World War . In 1919, with the purchasing power of the lira reduced to one fifth of that of 1914, the production of all earlier coin types except for the nickel c.20 halted, and smaller, copper c.5 and c.10 and nickel c.50 coins were introduced, followed by nickel 1 lira and 2 lire pieces in 1922 and 1923, respectively. In 1926, silver 5 and 10 lire coins were introduced, equal in size and composition to

2000-614: The Adriatic zone. Despite the efforts of the Italian vicegerent, Francesco Jacomoni , to stir up insurrections and create a fifth column , and the favourable reports he sent to the Italian foreign minister Count Ciano , events proved that there was little enthusiasm among the Albanians themselves: after the Italian invasion of Greece , most Albanians either deserted or defected. Strategically, control of Albania gave Italy an important beachhead in

2080-684: The Albanian Fascist Party, a quasi-statal organization, issued a directive on 16 June 1940, shortly after Italy's declarations of war against Britain and France, that stated that "The Kingdom of Albania considers itself at war with all nations against which Italy is at war – at present or in the future." In October 1940, during the Greco-Italian War , Albania served as a staging-area for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini 's unsuccessful invasion of Greece . Mussolini planned to invade Greece and other countries like Yugoslavia in

2160-679: The Albanian economy. As a result, Italian companies were allowed to hold monopolies in the exploitation of Albanian natural resources. In 1944, the number of companies and industrial enterprises reached 430, from just 244 in 1938 and only 71 such in 1922. The degree of concentration of workers in industrial production in 1938 doubled compared with 1928. At this time, Albania's economy had trade relations with 21 countries, but most developed were first to Italy and then to Yugoslavia, France, Germany, Greece, etc. The country entered capitalist economic development much later than other European countries. Despite

2240-458: The Albanian government had to have received an "Italian education"; that an Italian expert was in the future to be in all Albanian government ministries; that Italy would take control of Albania's military – including its fortifications; that British officers that were training Albania's gendarmerie be replaced by Italian officers; and that Albania must annul all of its existing commercial treaties with other countries and make no new agreements without

2320-557: The Albanian king, Zog I fled to Greece . Although Albania had been under strong Italian influence since 1927, Italy's political leader, Benito Mussolini wanted direct control over the country to increase his and Italy's prestige, provide a response to Germany's annexation of Austria and occupation of Czechoslovakia , and to have firm control over Albania to station large forces of the Italian military for future operations involving Yugoslavia and Greece. Albania became an Italian protectorate subordinated to Italian interests, along

2400-609: The Allied command, occupied Northern Epirus on 23 August 1916, forcing the Greek Army to withdraw its occupation forces from there. In June 1917, Italy proclaimed central and southern Albania as a protectorate of Italy while Northern Albania was allocated to the states of Serbia and Montenegro. By 31 October 1918, French and Italian forces expelled the Austro-Hungarian Army from Albania. After World War I ended, Italy withdrew its military forces on 2 September 1920 from Albania as

2480-592: The Balkans: not only did it complete Italian control of the Strait of Otranto and the entrance to the Adriatic Sea , it could be used to invade either Yugoslavia (in tandem with another thrust via Venezia Giulia ) or Greece. In 1939, Count Ciano spoke of Albanian irredentist claims to Kosovo as valuable to Italy's objectives, saying: The Kosovars [are] 850,000 Albanians, strong of body, firm in spirit, and enthusiastic about

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2560-462: The Bank of Italy in 1967, followed by 2,000 lire notes in 1973, 20,000 lire notes in 1975 and 500,000 lire notes in 1997. In the mid-1970s, when coinage was in short supply, Italian banks issued " miniassegni " in several low denominations. Technically bearer cheques, they were printed in the form of banknotes and were generally accepted as substitute legal currency. Notes in circulation when

2640-820: The Germans where they were murdered or sent to camps in Albania. Others were taken to Albanian cities where the local population protected them. See The Holocaust in Albania . Kosovar Albanians collaborated with the Axis powers who promised them a Greater Albania. This was seen as a better alternative to the repressive measures instilled by Serbian politicians during the interwar period. In June 1942 Prime Minister Mustafa Kruja stated that Serbs would be sent to concentration camps or killed. Between 70,000 and 100,000 Kosovar Serbs were transferred to concentration camps in Pristina and Mitrovica or expelled to Serbia proper, in order to Albanianize

2720-590: The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, speaking of Albanian claims to Kosovo as valuable to Italy's objectives. In spite of Albania's long-standing alliance with Italy, on 7 April 1939 Italian troops invaded Albania , five months before the start of the Second World War. The Albanian armed resistance proved ineffective against the Italians and, after a short defense, the country was occupied. On 9 April 1939

2800-587: The Italian prototype. The Albanian Fascist Party was a branch of the National Fascist Party of Italy, members of the Albanian Fascist Party took an oath to obey the orders of the Duce of Fascism, Mussolini. Italian citizens began to settle in Albania as colonists and to own land so that they could gradually transform it into Italian soil. The italianization of Albania was one of Mussolini's plans. While Victor Emmanuel ruled as king, Shefqet Vërlaci served as

2880-572: The Piedmont-Sardinia lira introduced by Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy . In 1861, coins were minted in Florence , Milan , Naples and Turin in denominations of c.1 , c.2, c.5, c.10 and c.50, 1 lira, 2, 5, 10 and 20 lire, with the lowest four in copper, the highest two in gold and the remainder in silver. In 1863, silver coins below 5 lire were debased from 90% to 83.5% and silver c.20 coins were introduced. Minting switched to Rome in

2960-511: The Vardar river as some had proposed – citing that Ohrid should be left to the Slavic Macedonians, regardless of whether Vardar Macedonia would become an independent state or be annexed by Bulgaria. However the Italian government changed its positions on the border throughout April, later supporting the annexation of Ohrid while giving the territory lying directly outside of Ohrid (including

3040-749: The Vatican City. San Marino switched to the euro along with Italy and the Vatican City. As with old Sammarinese lira coins, the country has its own set of euro coins . Miniassegni ( sg. : miniassegno ) were a type of notgeld that circulated in Italy in the late 1970s in place of change, as in that period small-denomination coins were scarce and were often substituted with candy, stamps , telephone tokens , or even public transport tickets. The first miniassegni appeared in December 1975, and they were subsequently issued by many banks; they had nominal values of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 lire. In 2005,

3120-516: The Yugoslav government. The Italians also gave the inhabitants Albanian citizenship and allowed them to fly the Albanian Flag. The Albanian armed forces were subsumed into the Italian military, Italian advisers were placed inside all levels of the Albanian administration, and the country was fascisticized with the establishment of an Albanian Fascist Party and its attendant organizations, modelled after

3200-498: The approval of the Italian government; and that Albania sign a commercial convention that would make Italy Albania's "most favoured country" in trade. In 1934 when Albania did not deliver its scheduled payment of one loan to Italy, Italian warships arrived off the coast of Albania to intimidate Albania to submit to Italian goals in the region. However, the British opposed Italy's actions and under pressure, Italy backed down and claimed that

3280-588: The area to give Italy territorial control of most of the Mediterranean Sea coastline, as part of the Fascists' objective of creating the objective of Mare Nostrum ("Our Sea") in which Italy would dominate the Mediterranean. But the Albanian army under the command of colonel (later general) Prenk Pervizi abandoned the Italians in combat, causing a major unraveling of their lines. The Albanian army believed to be

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3360-528: The border area of Chameria , inhabited by the Cham Albanian minority. Prior to direct intervention in World War I, the Kingdom of Italy occupied the port of Vlorë in Albania in December 1914. Upon entering the war, Italy spread its occupation to region of southern Albania beginning in the autumn 1916. Italian forces in 1916 recruited Albanian irregulars to serve alongside them. Italy with permission of

3440-759: The c.10 bore a portrait of Napoleon I , with the denominations below 1 lira also showing a radiate crown and the higher denominations, a shield representing the various constituent territories of the Kingdom. After the end of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy in 1814, the lira remained present only in the Duchy of Parma and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia . The lira of Parma was introduced by Duchess Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma , who issued coin denominations of 1, 3, 5, 25, 50 cents and 1, 2, 5, 20 and 40 lire, while gold coins of 10, 50, 80 and 100 lire were also minted from

3520-676: The cause of the betrayal was removed from the front. The Colonel Pervizi and his staff of officials was isolated in the mountains of Puka and Shkodra to the North. This was the first action of revolt against the Italian occupation. But, soon after the Italian invasion, the Greeks counter-attacked and a sizable portion of Albania was in Greek hands (including the cities of Gjirokastër and Korçë ). In April 1941, Greece capitulated after an overwhelming German invasion . All of Albania returned to Italian control, which

3600-450: The earlier 1 lira and 2 lire coins. Silver 20 lire coins were added in 1927. In 1936, the last substantial issue of silver coins was made, whilst, in 1939, moves to reduce the cost of the coinage led to copper being replaced by aluminium bronze and nickel by stainless steel. All production of coinage halted in 1943. In 1943 the AM-lira was issued, in circulation in Italy after

3680-614: The euro along with Italy and San Marino. As with old Vatican lira coins, the Vatican City has its own set of euro coins . The Sammarinese lira ( pl. : lire ) was the official unit of San Marino . Like the Vatican lira, the Sammarinese lira was at par with the Italian lira. Italian lira notes and coins were legal tender in San Marino (and vice versa). Specific Sammarinese coins were minted in Rome, and were legal tender in Italy, as well as

3760-509: The euro at a rate of €1 = Lit 1,936.27, before being replaced as cash in 2002. The Carolingian monetary system divided the libra into 20 solidi ( sg. : solidus ) or 240 denarii ( sg. : denarius ). These units translate in Italian to lira , soldo and denaro ; in French to livre , sou and denier ; and in English to pound, shilling and penny. In France, the "franc" referred to

3840-471: The euro was introduced were: The Vatican lira ( pl. : lire ) was the official unit of the Vatican City State. It was at par with the Italian lira under the terms on the concordat with Italy. Italian lira notes and coins were legal tender in the Vatican City, and vice versa. Specific Vatican coins were minted in Rome, and were legal tender also in Italy and San Marino. The Vatican City switched to

3920-423: The existing Albanian system of prefectures ( Italian : prefetture ). In line with the administrative structure of the rest of Italy these were also called provinces (Italian: provincia ). However, unlike Italy the Albanian sub-prefecture (Italian: sotto prefetture ) was retained. There were initially 10 prefectures. Under this was 30 sub-prefectures and 23 municipalities (Italian: municipalità ). Each Prefecture

4000-453: The government again issued notes, this time simply bearing the title "Repubblica Italiana". Denominations were of 50 and 100 lire (replacing the Bank of Italy notes) and they circulated until coins of these denominations were introduced in the mid-1950s. In 1966, 500 lire notes were introduced (again replacing Bank of Italy notes) which were produced until replaced in 1982 by a coin. 50,000 and 100,000 lire notes were introduced by

4080-436: The government bearing the title "Repubblica Italiana". In 1977, aluminium-bronze 200 lire coins were introduced, followed in 1982 by the bimetallic 500 lire. This was the first bi-metallic coin to be produced for circulation, minted using a system patented by IPZS . It was also the first to feature the value in braille . Production of 1 lira and 2 lire coins for circulation ceased in 1959; their mintage

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4160-635: The idea of a Union with their Homeland. Apparently, the Serbians are terrified of them. Today one must ... chloroform the Yugoslavians. But later on one must adopt a politics of deep interest in Kosovo. This will help to keep alive in the Balkans an irredentist problem which will polarize the attention of the Albanians themselves and be a knife at the back of Yugoslavia..." Galeazzo Ciano , Mussolini's son-in-law,

4240-399: The idea of a Union with their Homeland. Apparently, the Serbians are terrified of them. Today one must…chloroform the Yugoslavians. But later on one must adopt a politics of deep interest in Kosovo. This will help to keep alive in the Balkans an irredentist problem which will polarize the attention of the Albanians themselves and be a knife at the back of Yugoslavia. The Corporative Council of

4320-963: The impending introduction of the euro. Coins still being minted for circulation at the time of the changeover to euro (in 2000 and 2001 only lire for collectors coins sets were minted) were: In 1882, the government began issuing low-denomination paper money bearing the title "Biglietto di Stato" (meaning "Ticket of the state"). To begin with, there were 5 lire and 10 lire notes, to which 25 lire notes were occasionally added from 1895. The government also issued notes titled "Buono di Cassa" between 1893 and 1922 in denominations of 1 lira and 2 lire. Production of Biglietti di Stato ceased in 1925 but resumed in 1935 with notes for 1 lira, 2, 5 and 10 lire being introduced by 1939. The Bank of Italy began producing paper money in 1896. To begin with, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 lire notes were issued. In 1918–1919, 25 lire notes were also issued but no other denominations were introduced until after

4400-746: The landing in Sicily on the night of 9 July 1943. After 1946, the AM-lira ceased to be the currency of employment and was used along with normal notes, until 3 June 1950. Between 1947 and 1954, zone B of the Free Territory of Trieste used the Triestine lira . Coin production resumed slowly in 1946, reaching 1 million minted in 1948, with the purchasing power of the lira reduced to 2% of its value in 1939. Initially, 1 lira, 2, 5 and 10 lire coins were issued in aluminium. These coins were in circulation together with

4480-480: The large number of zeroes. As early as the 1950s suggestions were made to redenominate the lira but no serious efforts were made at that time. In the 1970s a plan known as lira pesante  [ it ] ( English : hard lira ) or lira nuova ( new lira ) was proposed. The lira pesante would have redenominated the currency at 1,000:1, removing 3 zeroes. However the project went dormant for several years before being revived in 1984. Ongoing heavy inflation saw

4560-509: The largest unit of the Carolingian monetary system used in Western Europe and elsewhere from the 8th to the 20th century. The Carolingian system is the origin of the French livre tournois (predecessor of the franc ), the Italian lira, and the pound unit of sterling and related currencies. In 1999, the euro became Italy's unit of account and the lira became a national subunit of

4640-543: The lines of the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia . Victor Emmanuel III was proclaimed king of Albania, creating a personal union with Italy; he was represented in Tirana by a viceroy . A customs union was created, and Rome took over Albanian foreign policy. Although officially under Italian rule, the Albanians controlled the region and were encouraged to open Albanian language schools, which had been banned by

4720-432: The lira and sterling of £1 = Lit 92.46 (the so-called Quota 90 ) although the free exchange rate had been closer to Lit 140–150 to the pound, causing a temporary deflation and widespread problems in the real economy. In 1927, the lira was pegged to the U.S. dollar at a rate of $ 1 = Lit 19. This rate lasted until 1934, with a separate "tourist" rate of $ 1 = Lit 24.89 being established in 1936. In 1939,

4800-487: The major influence exerted by the Roman and Venetian empires over Albania gave Italy the right to possess it. In addition, several hundred thousand ethnic Albanians had already been absorbed into southern Italy, which was used to justify annexation as a measure that would unite all Albanians into one state. Italy supported Albanian irredentism , directed against the predominantly Albanian-populated Kosovo in Yugoslavia , but also against Epirus in Greece , particularly

4880-487: The nationalist aims of the Italian Fascists, as the territory of Albania had long been part of the Roman Empire , even prior to the annexation of northern Italy by the Romans. Later, during the High Middle Ages some coastal areas (like Durazzo ) had been influenced and owned by Italian powers, chiefly the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Venice for many years (cf. Albania Veneta ). The Italian Fascist regime legitimized its claim to Albania through studies proclaiming

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4960-416: The naval exercise was merely a "friendly visit". On 25 August 1937, Italian foreign minister Count Ciano wrote in his diary of Italy's relations with Albania in the following: "We must create stable centres of Italian influence there. Who knows what the future may have in store? We must be ready to seize opportunities which will present themselves. We are not going to withdraw this time, as we did in 1920. In

5040-429: The predominantly Albanian-populated Kosovo in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Epirus in Greece , particularly the border area of Chameria , inhabited by the Cham Albanian minority. Thus an author the Fascist Italian publication named Geopolitica claimed that the population of the Epirus- Acarnania region of Greece belonged to Albania due to it being racially Dinaric , and formed a 'single geographic system' with

5120-586: The presence of some foreign (mainly Italian) investment, Albania had made little move towards industrial development at the onset of World War II. Agriculture, which employed over 87% of the workforce, was the main sector of the economy and contributed 92.4% of the national income, with main outputs being wheat, maize and rye. Agriculture used primitive tools such as wood ploughs, whilst fertilisers were hardly known at all, and drainage poor. The level of productivity and level of organization and mechanization of agriculture in this period were very low. The Italians adopted

5200-407: The prime minister. Vërlaci controlled the day-to-day activities of the Italian protectorate. On 3 December 1941, Shefqet Vërlaci was replaced as prime minister by Mustafa Merlika-Kruja . The country's natural resources too came under direct control of Italy. All petroleum resources in Albania went through Agip , Italy's state petroleum company. Albania was important culturally and historically to

5280-417: The province. During the occupation, the population was subject to forced labour, torture, destruction of private property, destruction and damaging of cultural and historical buildings and graveyards. The expulsion of Serbs proved problematic, as they had performed important functions in the region, and been running most of the businesses, mills, tanneries, and public utilities, and been responsible for most of

5360-465: The racial affinity of Albanians and Italians, especially as opposed to the Slavic Yugoslavs. Italian Fascists claimed that Albanians were linked through ethnic heritage to Italians , not to Slavs, and that the major influence exhibited by the Roman and Venetian empires over Albania justified Italy's right to possess it. Italy also attempted to legitimize and win public support for its rule over Albania by supporting Albanian irredentism, directed against

5440-653: The sacred birthplace of Saint Clement ) to the Slavic Macedonians. After a period of negotiations Italy's new Balkan borders – including Albania's new borders, were declared by royal decree on 7 June 1941. After the Italian capitulation in September 1943, the country was occupied by the Germans until the end of the war. Around 200 Albanian Jews and 400 Jewish refugees resided in Albania proper prior to World War II. Albanian Jews were generally protected but faced some restrictions. Foreign Jews were placed into concentration camps. The Jewish population of Kosovo fared comparatively worse as Italian authorities turned them over to

5520-436: The silver bullion price led to the 500 lire coins being produced only in small numbers for collectors after 1967. The 500 lire (and later the 1,000 lire) also appeared in a number of commemorative coin issues, such as the centennial of Italian unification in 1961. Between 1967 and 1982, two types of "paper money" were issued with a value of 500 lire. These were not issued by "Banca d'Italia", but directly by

5600-436: The south [of Italy] we have absorbed several hundred thousand Albanians. Why shouldn't the same thing happen on the other side of the entrance to the Adriatic.". On 26 March 1938, Ciano wrote in his diary of annexing Albania like Germany did with Austria shortly prior: "A report from Jacomoni on the situation in Albania. Our penetration is becoming steadily more intense and more organic. The programme which I traced after my visit

5680-399: The useful agricultural production. According to Serbian sources, it is estimated that the Vulnetari and other paramilitaries murdered up to 10,000 Serbs and Montenegrins in Kosovo. Upon the occupation of Albania and installation of a new government, the economies of Albania and Italy were connected through a customs union that resulted in the removal of most trade restrictions. Through

5760-634: The villa to her daughter, the Countess of Castelbianco. The Countess sold the villa to the millionaire Felix Mechoulan. Maintenance and upkeep of the villa ceased after 1934, so the house was essentially in ruins by the 1980s. In 1989, the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage decreed the building a historical monument. The building was restored in the 1990s by the Lysis Funds Association (founded in 1986 by Neapolitan gallery owner Lucio Amelio) and

5840-410: The villa was designed by Mimi Ruggiero, who planted the laurel and myrtle in honor of Venus The house was described in detail by Roger Peyrefitte in his novel The Exile of Capri (1959), a fictionalized account of Adelswärd-Fersen's years on Capri together with his lover Nino Cesarini. Fersen became addicted to opium on a trip to Ceylon during construction of the house (Peyrefitte relates that

5920-499: The villa, dying in the hit-and-run accident in Tahiti in soon after purchase. The villa was finally purchased by the Municipality of Capri in January 2001. Since the restoration, Villa Lysis has been open to tourists. It may be rented for special occasions, and cultural events have taken place there, such as an exhibition of photographs by Wilhelm von Gloeden in 2009. In March 2010, the villa

6000-698: Was Lit 1,936.27 to the euro. All lira banknotes in use immediately before the introduction of the euro, and all post- World War II coins, were exchanged by the Bank of Italy up to 6 December 2011. Originally, Italy's central bank pledged to redeem Italian coins and banknotes until 29 February 2012, but this was brought forward to 6 December 2011. The Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy issued coins between 1807 and 1813 in denominations of 1 and 3 centesimi and 1 soldo (5 centesimi) in copper, c.10 in 20% silver alloy, s.5, s.10 and s.15 (or c.25, c.50 and c.75 centesimi), 1 lira, 2 lire and 5 lire in 90% silver and 20 lire and 40 lire in 90% gold. All except

6080-438: Was also extended to most of Greece, which was jointly occupied by Italy, Germany and Bulgaria. Italian plans however to annex Chameria to Albania were shelved because the Italians found the region to have been almost completely Greek and also due to the strong opposition of the region's Greek population. The Germans also opposed such a move for the same reasons, and also because they were opposed to any territorial reduction of

6160-533: Was introduced by the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy in 1807 at par with the French franc , and was subsequently adopted by the different states that would eventually form the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. It was subdivided into 100 centesimi ( sg. : centesimo ), which means "hundredths" or "cents". The lira was also the currency of the Albanian Kingdom from 1941 to 1943. The term originates from libra ,

6240-494: Was placed on the northeastern corner of the wall by Nino Cesarini . "Lysis" is a reference to the Socratic dialogue Lysis discussing friendship, and by our modern notion, homosexual love. In the atrium, a marble stairway, with wrought iron balustrade, leads to the first floor where there are bedrooms with panoramic terraces, and a dining room. Fersen's large room was on the upper floor, facing East, with three windows overlooking

6320-453: Was put up for sale, listed as being 450 square metres (4,800 sq ft) with a 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) garden. Architecturally, the house is mainly Art Nouveau with Neoclassical elements; the style might be called "Neoclassical decadent." The well-known Latin inscription above the front steps ( AMORI ET DOLORI SACRVM , "a shrine to love and sorrow") highlights Fersen's Romantic view of himself. The inscription

6400-440: Was restarted from 1982 to 2001 for collectors' coin sets. Production of the 5 lire coin was greatly reduced in the late 1970s and ceased for circulation in 1998. Similarly, in 1991 the production of 10 and 20 lire coins was limited. The sizes of the 50 and 100 lire coins were reduced in 1990, but then they were completely redesigned 1993. A bimetallic 1,000 lire coin was introduced in 1997 and stopped in 1998 due to

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