Risto Siliqi
| Risto Siliqi | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 1882 Shkodër, Ottoman Albania |
| Died | 1 May 1936 Shkodër, Albanian Kingdom |
| Nationality | Albanian |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Activity during the Albanian National Awakening |
| Notable work | Pasqyra e ditëve të përgjakshme |
Risto Siliqi (1882–1936) was an Albanian poet, publicist, lawyer, and militant of the Albanian national cause. His work was influenced by ideas and sentiments of the Romantic-Nationalism like other poets of the national Awakening before him.
Siliqi was born in a simple family in Shkodër, today's Albania, back then under the Ottoman rule. His father was a baker. He pursued his first education in the Serbian language school in his town, and later in Ruzdiye (Turkish middle school), where he would immediately spike out for his anti-Ottoman propaganda among the students. At a certain point he got close to being arrested, and his family sent him to Cetinje, Montenegro where three of his brothers had settled before. Siliqi did not stop his nationalist activity for the 10 years that he was in exile. Together with his brothers he opened a small hotel named "Albania" which served as meeting station for patriotic activities. He also traveled to Romania and Bulgaria to meet with the Albanian communities there.
Siliqi was an active arms-in-hand participant of the Albanian Revolt of 1911, and together with his collaborators Hil Mosi and Luigj Gurakuqi member of its leadership structure "the Albanian Committee" (Alb: Komiteti Shqiptar). He participated in the meeting of Gërçe (Gerče, today's Montenegro) and was a signatory of the Gërçe Memorandum. Meanwhile, all these events inspired him to write; many of his patriotic poems would appear in newspapers of the Albanian communities. The First Balkan War would find him in Cetinje. After being informed by Austrian intelligence that he was on the list to be arrested together with other Albanian emigre there, he left Cetinje and hid in Kotor. He and others came to Shkodër in 1913 via an Austrian ship. The Montenegrin court meanwhile condemned him to death in absentia as "enemy of the Montenegrin state".
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