Ismail Qemali

First Prime Minister of Albania. He also served concurrently as the first foreign minister from 1912 to 1914. He is best remembered for authoring Albania's Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire after nearly 500 years of rule. Subsequently, he worked with various countries and allied himself with other entities to create an independent Albania in 1912. He was forced into exile in 1914 by an European oversight commission created after the first Balkan War shortly after Albania's independence. He remained in exile until his death and was then returned to Albania. He is honored with his depiction on the Albanian 200 and the 500 1992-1996 series lekë banknotes. On June 27, 2012 Albanian President Bamir Topi decorated him with the Order of the National Flag (Post-mortem), one of the highest decorations to be given in Albania.