Gjonlek Begu

Gjulek-beg, Djulek-Bega or Gjonlek Begu (alb. Gjonleka) (d. 1851-52) was an Arnaut chief (Albanian) bimbashi and bey from Niksic who traveled from Istanbul to Montenegro to defended Albanian territories during the Ottoman-Montenegrin wars of 1851-1852. On September 18, 1847, Gjuleka fought against Ottoman forces in Doljani and defeated them. On September 15, the rebels of Gjuleka had been dispelled. On October 26, 1851, Gjuleka was heading with 200 soldiers from Mostar when he was ambushed by Montenegrin forces led by a priest named Luka in the region of Gacko killing 25 Albanians. According to Montenegrin folklore, a certain Zimonjic Bogdan explained to Luka where Gjuleka’s 200 men were heading who proceeded to ambushed them. When assaulted, the Montenegrins tried to cut the bey’s head off, as were the customs of the time, but they were shot by the Albanian soldiers. The Montenegrins made a final assault and scattered the rest of the soldiers. Gjuleka is mentioned in Montenegrin guslar foklore.