Et'hem Bey was the son of Molla Bey of Petrela, from one of the prominent families of the Tirana area, back then part of the Ottoman Albania.
He is descendant of Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, who gave the main contribution to the development of Tirana as a commercial and religious center.
As a result, Abdyl Rahman Toptani exiled him away from Tirana.
He was buried in Ethem Bey Mosque, next to his wife Balkis.
[1] In Albanian he wrote a Bektashi mystical poem and a diwan, out of which nothing has survived.