In 1883, in Çezmë in Koplik, Mehmet Shpendi, in the name of Dukagjin, sided with Ded Gjo Luli in order to resist the commission of Xhibalit which was formed in 1856 with the purpose of tricking the Montenegrins.

Shpendi later gathered his Shalë forces, joined the Highlanders of the Hoti tribe with their chieftain Ded Gjo Luli and both refused to pay Ottoman taxes and to give up their weapons.

[4] On 28 May 1911, the Highlander tribes organized a meeting at the Bridge of Shala where they decided that all of Dukagjin were to participate in an armed insurrection.

The Ottoman government announced for an amnesty for the freedom fighters, seeing the risk of the spreading insurgency.

On 15 July 1915, the Montenegrin general Radomir Vešović invited Mehmet Shpendi to a peace meeting but deceived and murdered him instead.