In the late 1820s after the Greek War of Independence the Albanian mercenaries, who were employed by the Ottomans during the struggles, pillaged a large number of villages, while the bey families tried to restore and regain their rule.
In 1830, the Sublime Porte sent an expeditionary force under the command of Reşid Mehmed Pasha to suppress the local Albanian beys.
[5] Realising the seriousness of the situation and the danger of a general uprising, Reşid Mehmed Pasha invited the Albanian beys to a meeting on the pretext that they would be rewarded for their loyalty to the Porte.
[4] Two of the main leaders, Veli and Arslan Bey, accepted the invitation and went together with their followers to meet with Reşid Mehmed Pasha at his headquarters in Monastir.
The Monastir massacre of 1830 is the main theme of the novel Komisioni i festës[7] (English: "The Celebration Commission") by Albanian writer Ismail Kadare.