Grudë (Serbo-Croatian: Груда) is a region within Malësia in southern Montenegro. Grudë lies just north of Lake Skadar and includes the small city of Tuzi, the major urban center of Malësia.
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Grudë ( Sumasit ) is mostly Roman Catholic, but it has a sizable Muslim minority (10-20%) who mostly live in Tuzi and the villages of Milesh and Dinosha. 4-5 generations ago the Muslim Albanians ancestors were Roman Catholic till the conversion to Islam from the Ottoman Turks. The Church of Grudë in the town of Priftën, known as Kisha e Grudës, is the oldest church in the region; and it is not only an Albanian landmark, but (having been built in 1528) its construction provides the most concrete reference date from which ethnic Albanians in the area trace their ancestry.[1]
Along with Hoti, its brother tribe, Grudë was instrumental during the Ottoman resistance. The mountains north-east of Tuzi are remembered as the site of a major uprising against the Turks which was among the first significant steps toward Albanian independence and probably the most distinguishing moment of the northern Albanian resistance.
Grudë and Dinosha proved to be a focus of conflict between Ottoman Empire and Montenegro during 1880. The Porte insisted that in upcoming treaty to cede Ulcinj to Montenegro, Grudë and Dinosh be left to Albanians. During the same time, Porte's representative, Riza Pasha was turning a blind eye to the preparations of Albanian League for resistance against the upcoming Montenegrian occupation.[2]
Having been forced to disarm, and under considerable pressure by the Ottomans to convert to Islam, (and not having staged any major revolt against Ottoman authority for nearly a half century) the Albanian highlanders launched a guerrilla campaign against the occupying armies.
In 1911, under the leadership of Ded Gjo Luli and Sokol Baci Ivezaj, Albanian guerrillas launched a major assault against the strategic high ground of Mount Deçiq. The force is said to have taken about eighty casualties, but they ultimately prevailed, and planted the Albanian flag at the crest of the hill (the first time the flag had been raised in the country since 1469).[3][4]
This symbolic act represented a major sign of the Ottoman empire's crumbling yoke over the Balkans, and it cemented Grudë's reputation among the other ethnic Albanian tribes.
The city of Tuzi lies in the east end of Grudë. Of Tuzi's 3,789 residents, more than 2000 are ethnic Albanians, making it, according to the 2003 census, the heaviest concentration of ethnic Albanians in Malësia. Over the last 30 years there has been a minor influx from the surrounding villages of Albanians who are looking to take advantage of Tuzi's higher standard of living and better educational system.
In the western half of Grudë lies a small range of mountains "Male te Deçiqit" as well as the river "Cemi", which runs through Grudë, separating Deçiq and the village of Suka, as well as forming the border between the lands of the Grudë tribe and those of Koja e Kuçit. Deçiq and Suka being the largest mountains in Grudë.
Also in Grudë is Ksheva, birthplace of Albanian legends Smajl Martini Ivezaj and his daughter Tringa Smajl Martini (also known as "Tringa of Grudë") Ded Nika Ivezaj (Bajraktar of Grudë) Zef Martini Ivezaj ( also known Zef Martini i Grudes) - Bac Vuksani - Sokol Baci, Kol Sokoli ( Atterney General during King Zogs administration in Albania ) .The town of Milesh, birthplace of Baca Kurti Gjokaj, Mehmet Murati Gjokaj, Halil Haka -Dinoshe, etc.
Grudë is made up of the following villages: Tuzi, Ksheva, Vulaj, Milesh, Dinosha, Sëlisht, Deçiq, Vranë, Vlane, Prift, Tergaja, Shipçanik, Lofka, Pikalë, Lekaj, Dheu i Zi, and Suka e Grudes.