[1] At its peak, during the reign of Kara Mahmud Bushati, the pashalik encompassed much of Albania and Kosovo, western Macedonia, southeastern Serbia, and most of Montenegro.

In the late eighteenth century, two Albanian centers of power emerged: Shkodër, under the Bushati family; and Janina, under Ali Pasha of Tepelenë.

[citation needed] Mehmet expanded his area of control to the northeast, enlarged his political authority and refused to pay taxes to the Sublime Porte.

He courted both the Austrian and Russian empires, receiving a promise from Vienna that they would recognise him as lord of all Albania in return for an alliance against the Sublime Porte.

In 1796, the Montenegrin tribes of Piperi and Bjelopavlići defeated an expedition launched against them by the Shkodran Muslims in the Battle of Krusi and decapitated Kara Mahmud Bushati.

In return for the Pasha's support the sultan put more than half of Albania under Bushati's administration, but Mustafa requested more territory and power.

After the Russo-Turkish War, fearing Albanian disobedience and consequent independence, the sultan commanded Bushati to transfer his territories to the Grand Vizier and to agree to the placement of an Ottoman garrison in Shkodra.