mjeshtërët

Mjeshtërët is an Albanian term meaning "cannons" or "artillery pieces". The singular form is mjeshtër. Historically the word entered Albanian during the Ottoman period, derived from the Turkish word meştre, itself borrowed from the Persian mīshter or from the Ottoman empire's use of the term to designate large firearms. In Albanian military and civilian contexts, mjeshtërët refers to large, muzzle‑loading guns used for siege warfare, coastal defense or battlefield support.

The earliest Albanian references to mjeshtërët appear in 17th‑century chronicles describing Ottoman garrisons in the Toskëria and vilayet of Janina. They were typically cast from bronze or iron, with bore diameters ranging from 30 to 60 millimetres. Over time, technological advances led the Ottomans to import European-made rifled barrels and Armstrong‑style breech loaders, but local production persisted in workshops such as those located in the capital city of Tirana and the island of Vlorë.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries mjeshtërët played a decisive role in the Albanian Revolt of 1911 and in the Balkan Wars, where they were employed by irregular bands against neighboring forces. The 1935 national arsenal at Vlora contained 37 unmanned steel guns, part of the anti‑aircraft and coastal fortress network. After World War II, the communist regime largely dismantled surface‑fire weapons in favor of armored vehicles.

Today mjeshtërët remains a subject of interest for military historians and for the reconstruction of historic weaponry in museums such as the National Military Museum in Tirana. The term also appears in Albanian literature to evoke medieval warfare and the legacy of Ottoman influence in the Balkans.