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Xhani is a historicalAlbanian tribe (fis) and ethnographic region located on the western side of the upperKir river in the wider region ofPulti, northernAlbania.
Xhani derives its name from the anthroponymIohannes and is attested in various forms such as:Xhaj,Xhovani,Gjani,Joani,Ghoanni,Giovagni,Gioagni,Huan, andZuanni.[1][2] Italianmissionaries serving in the region alsoItalianized the tribal name asGiovanni.[3]
Xhani is situated on the eastern banks of the upper Kir river in the mountains of Pulti. It borders the tribal territories ofPlani to the north,Kiri to the east,Suma to the south, andRrjolli to the west. The main settlement is that of Xhan.[4]
It is believed that the Xhani were among theanas (indigenous)fise of theShkreli tribal territory, and that they were driven out of their native lands following the expansion of the Shkreli across the valley of the Përroi i Thatë.[5] The modern settlement of Xhaj inShkrel, between Ducaj and Makaj, is connected to the Xhani.Giuseppe Valentini further elaborates that 30 families of the Xhani are descended from a widow who was married in Shkreli but had returned to her birthplace with her children following her husband's death.[6]
Xhani (Huan orXhovan) is recorded in theOttomandefter of 1485 for theSanjak of Scutari as a settlement in theziamet of Mehmet Bey in thenahiyah of Petrishpan-ili. The village had a total of seven households which were represented by the following household heads:Gjergji, son ofPrekali;Marini, son ofPrekali;Gjergji, son ofMlusha;Isfani, son ofNui;Dimeniku, son ofKalshi;Kola, son ofPrekali; andMartini, son ofSunja.[7]
The Xhani are subsequently recorded in later documents, such as in the relation of 1671 byCatholicbishop Stefano Gaspari (Shtjefën Gaspari) which reports that Xhani had 22 houses and 80 inhabitants, as well as a well-builtchurch dedicated toSaint Nicholas. In the report of the French consul Hyacinthe Hecquard (1814–1866), Xhani had 115 houses and 662 inhabitants. However, later in 1918, according to statistics compiled by theAustro-Hungarian authorities, Xhani had a reduction in population as only 62 houses and 435 inhabitants are recorded.[5]
Around two-thirds (~66%) of Xhani is Catholic while the remainder isMuslim.[5] The Catholics of the tribe venerate Saint Nicholas as theirpatron saint.