EN
The aim of this article is to show how the Ottoman millet system and its reform (Tanzimat) influenced the common image of Albanians among the Balkan nations. The first part of the article describes briefly the millet system and the role of Albanians in the reform of the system and the Ottoman Empire in general. The second part is based on ethnographical fieldwork (2005–2008 and 2015–2016) and presents various elements of the image of an Albanian that are a result of Ottoman rule in the Balkans. In the conclusion, it is underlined that the interpretation of the earlier mentioned elements differs and depends on one’s particular nationality and ethnic identity.