Pandeli Cale was born in Korçë on 28 March 1879. He finished the French Classic Lyceum in Alexandria, Egypt. During 1900-1904 he worked in the Bucharest Albanian colony, returning in Albania in 1904. Sent by the Albanian diaspora in Romania to be their representative in southern Albania, Cale aimed to influence Orthodox Christians to join an uprising if Muslims and their beys would rise against the empire.[3] Cale was also insistent on forming guerrilla bands and suggested that care should be taken when choosing teher leaders from among Albanian patriots.[3] He was one of the co-founders of the Secret Albanian Committee in Thessaloniki, together with Themistokli Gërmenji, and Midhat Frashëri. He was president of the society "Freedom's Band" (Albanian: Banda e Lirisë) in 1908. In February 1909, he was elected secretary of the society "Lidhja orthodhokse" (English: Orthodox League). He was quite active during the Albanian uprisings of 1910 – 1912, participating in one local guerrilla. He was participant of the November 5, 1912 meeting, and voluntarily accompanying Ismail Qemali in his way to Albania.[4][5] On November 28, 1912, as a delegate of Korça region, he signed the Albanian declaration of independence as "Pandeli Cale". He was elected Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce in Ismail Qemali's cabinet.[4] He led the negotiations with Count Leopold Berchtold, foreign minister of Austria-Hungary, and the British and Italian ambassadors which led to those countries' support for Albanian autonomy.[6]
^ According to Elsie, the birth year is 1874.[4] All other sources cite 1879.
References
^Entstehung und Ausbau der Königsdiktatur in Albanien (1912-1939): Regierungsbildungen, Herrschaftsweise und Machteliten in einem jungen Balkanstaat, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 1987. p.24, ISBN3-486-54321-0
^Schmidt-Neke, Michael (1987). Entstehung und Ausbau der Königsdiktatur in Albanien (1912-1939): Regierungsbildungen, Herrschaftsweise und Machteliten in einem jungen Balkanstaat. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag. p. 25. ISBN978-3-486-54321-6.