A Survey Of Documentary Sources That Contains The Serbian Ethnic Name in F.Y.Republic of Macedonia
Compiled by Igor Malinovski
Skopje 2001
1)In the year 680 in Bythinia, city of
Gordoservon is mentioned whose name is derived from the Serbs resettled in Asia
Minor by Byzantine Emperor Constance II from the areas around river Vardar.
Isidor,the Episcop of Gordoservon is mentioned in 680/681 and the fact that this
town was Episcopal Center gives ground to the thesis that it had large Serbian
population. Around year 1200 this city is mentioned as Servochoria (Serbian
Habitation).
Constantin Porfyrogenitus "De administrando
imperio"
Erdeljanovich.J. "O naseljavanju Slovena u Maloj Aziji i Siriji
od VII do X veka" Glasnik geografskog drushtva vol. VI 1921
pp.189
Lequen,M. "Oriens Christianus" I, 1740,
pp.659-660
Micotky,J."Otiorum Chroate", Vol. I ,Budapest, 1806,
pp.89-112
Niederle,L. "Slovanske starozhitnosti" Dilu II,Svazek
pp.389-399; pp. 444-446
Ostrogorski,G."Bizantisko-Juzhnoslovenski
odnosi",Enciklopedija Jugoslavije 1,Zagreb 1955,pp. 591-599
Ramsay,W.M.
"The Historical Geography Of Asia Minor", London, 1890, pp.183,
pp.210
2)Arround 1229/1230 Bulgarian Emperor
John Asen II wrote an inscription in Trnovo:"I have took the land from
Adrianopolis to Drach,Greek,Albanian and also
Serbian".
Daskalov,H.S. "Otkritija v drevnei stolicji
Bolgarskoi,Ternovo"Moskva, 1859 pp.18-19
Dujchev,I. "Car Ivan Asen II"
Sofija, 1941 pp.23-24
Makushev,V "Bolgarija v' koncjah XII i v pervoi
polovini XIII veka" ,1872 pp.56-57
3)In the Law of Serbian Emperor Stephan
Dushan (Dushanov Zakonik) issued 1349-1354 in Skoplje and Seress following
peoples are mentioned in Serbia:Serbs,Greeks,Albanians (Arbanasi) (art.77,82),
Aromanians (Vlasi) (art.32,77,82), Saxons (Sasi) (art.123).
Novakovich,S.
"Zakonik Stefana Dushana Cara Srpskog 1349-1354" Beograd 1898
4)Despot Ugljesha in the 1366 letter
written and confirmed in Skoplje stated that he is the master of Serbian
land,Greece and Pomorje.
Novakovich,S. "Zakonski spomenici Srpskih
drzhava srednjeg veka", 1912, pp.509
5)Patriarch of Constantinopolis
mentioned master of Serbia,Ugljesha in a letter from 1371. Ugljesha's state was
arround Lower Struma.
Mikloshich,F & Muller,J. "Acta et diplomata" I,
1860, pp.571
6)The place of 1371 battle at
Marica,when Kings Vukashin and Ugljesha, leading armies from their provinces in
Old Serbia ,clashed with the Turks, was named "Sirf-Sindughi"-"Serbian
defeat".
Jorga,N. "Geschiste des Osmanischen Reiches" Vol.I, cap
IV,pp241
7)In the second half of 14th century,
monk Isaiah said that Ugljesha has risen Serbian and Greek army (Srbskija i
Grchskiija voiska) and his brother Vukashin,and with that army they confronted
the invading Turks.
Novakovich,S. "Srbi i Turci XIV i XV veka ,
1893,pp.184,
Mikloshich ,F. "S.Joannis Chrystostomi homilia in ramos
palmarum", 1845, pp.71
Mikloshich,F. "Chrestomatia Paleoslovenica", 1861,
pp 41
8)In 1395 Mihael Paleologos and his wife
Helena established estate to Helena's father,Master of Serbia,Konstantin
Dejanovich.Konstantin's state was around river Struma.
Mikloshich,F.
& Joseph,M. "Acta et dipolomata",1862, pp.260
9)A 1401 remark from goverment of Venice
says about the envoy of "Konstatntin,master of Serbia,which is arround our Drach
area" (Constantini domini Servie teritorii,quod est circa teritorium nostrum
Durachii).
Ljubich,S. "Listine" 4,1874, pp.437
10)Sometimes in the beggining of 15th
century Bulgarian chronicles are written,where remark that Turkish Sultan Murat
had went to conquer either Bulgars or Ugljesha.Ugljesha and King Vukashin has
gathered great Serbian army (Sobra sja mnozhestvo voisk
Serbskih).
Bogdan,J. "Archiv fur Slavische philologie" 13, 1891,pp.481;
pp.493
11)Dimitar,writter from Kratovo in 1446
said that he begin to translate "Law" for the Archbiscopate of Ohrid from Greek
language into Serbian (v ezhe sastaviti mi pisaniem srbskoga ezika sochinenie,
rekshe knigu imenuemu zakonik) under order of Ohrid Archbiscop Dorotej,who
visited him in Kratovo,because Congregational Church in Ohrid did not had that
book in Serbian language (po eziku srbskom) but only in
Greek.
Kachanovski,V. "Starine" 12,1880 ,pp.255
12)Remains of John Rilski are transfered
from Trnovo in the Monastery of Rila.That was descriped by Vladislav Gramatik,in
1469,who also mentioned Serbian soldiers (Srbskiie voje) in the 1371 Marica
battle.
Novakovich,S, "Glasnik Srpskog uchenog drushtva"
22,1867,pp.287
13)In the year 1515 Gjuragj Kratovian
was burnt.In his biography stands:...From the Serbian root and guided by Holy
Spirit you have left fatherland and relatives in Kratovo and moved to the
Sardakian City (Ot korene srpskago i douhom svetim vodimi ostavil jesi
otachastvo i srodniki izhe v' Kratovja, prishel jesi k' Gradou
Sardaskomu).
Novakovich.S. "Glasnik Srpskog uchenog drushtva" 21,1867,
pp.154
14)Jakov Soranzzo from Venice arrives in
Skoplje,in the province of Serbia, in the year 1575.
Matkovich.P."Rad.
Jugosl. Akad." 124,1895, pp.131
15)In Kraljevo (Romania) ,priest John
has written in 1580 that he is a Serb from Kratovo (Srbin od mjasta
Kratova).
Stojanovich,Lj."Stari Srpski zapisi i natpisi" I,1902
,pp.752
16)Mitropolit Jeremiah from the City of
"Pelagon" (Bitolj) went to Russia in 1603 saying that he comed from Serbian
land.
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs, Year
7112,Dec.19
17)In the October of 1605 delegation of
monks went in Russia and among them was Diakon Avksentij from the Serbian land,
Nicholas Monastery in Strumica (Serbskoi zemli nikolskoga monastira chto na
Strumicja,Diakon Avksentii).
"Snoshenia Rossii po djelam cerkovnim"
,I,1858
18)In 1609,in the archive of
Vatican,catholic church in Skoplje Serbia is mentioned (La chiesa di Scopia in
Servia).
Horvat,K. "Glasnik zemaljskog muzeja u Bosni i Hercegovini"
XXI,1909
19)Mitropolit Sergius said in Russia
that he was appointed as Mitropolit in Greven by Archbiscop of Ohrid,Nectarij of
Serbian land (Posvjashchen on na mitropoliju grevenskuju arhiepiskop ohridskim
,Nektariem serbskoi zemli).
"Snoshenia Rossii po djelam cerkovnim" II,
1860 pp.29
20)Archbiscop of Ohrid Avram in 1634
arrived in Russia with escort.When asked,they said they were Greeks from the
Serbian land of Ohrid (Grechane Serpskie zemli iz Ahridona
Goroda).
Archive of the Russian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Year 7142,No
8
21)Adressing the Russian Emperor Mihail
in 1641, Mitropolit of Skoplje said that he is from Serbian land (Serbskie zemli
Semion mitropolit).
Dimitrijevich.S. "Spom. Srp. Kralj. Akad." 38, 1908
pp.60a, pp 60b
22) Peter Heylin,English geographer
writtes under the word "Servia": Principal towns hereof : 1.Nissa 2.Vidina (by
the Turks called Kiratow) 3.Cratova........9.Scopi,by Ptolemy called
Scupi.
Heylin,P. "Cosmographie in four books"
London,1666
23)Arround 1680 Urban Cerri mentioned in
his report to Pope Inocentius XI archbiscop of Skoplje in
Serbia.
Theiner,A." Vetera. Monum. Slav. Mer. Histor. Ill." II, 1875,pp
213
24)Archbiscop of Skoplje writtes about
Serbia and says that Skoplje is capital city in serbia (Scopia....metropolli di
Servia).Further,He mentiones that Orthodox houses in Skoplje are Greek and
Serbian (Case Greche e Serviane).
Theiner,A. ibidem, pp.
220
25)Dimitrije Petrov from Kichevo arrived
in Russia to collect funds for building church dedicated to St. Demetrius in
Kichevo.He declared himself as coming from the Serbian land of Kichevo (Serbskie
zemli goroda Karacheva)
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign
Affairs,Year 1706,No 7
26)In the year 1744 Russian Empress
Elisabeth adresses "Noble and honest lords of Serbian lands in
Macedonia,Skandaria,Montenegro and Primorje of Montenegrian people,to the
governers , dukes, princess and captains as well as their spiritual and secular
masters".
Milutinovich,S."Istorija Crne Gore",1835
27)A group of French staff officers in
1807,with the permission of the Turks, traveled around Macedonia compiling a
statistical survey of the population. Apart from Greeks,Turks,Albanians and
Aromanians they found only Serbs.
Slijepchevich, Dj. "The Macedonian
Question",The American Institute For Balkan Affairs
Chicago,1958
28)A 1854 request of the inhabitants of
village Selce near Debar to Alexander Karagjorgjevich
22
Oktovra
Arsenije Janovich,Gavril Janovich,Damjan Markovich, Vasil
Milich, Tane Ninovich, Trifun Grujovich, Stanisha Nikolich, Cvetko Damjanovich,
Despot Potnikovich, Gligorije Naumovich i Filip Aleksich proshenijem od 21 t.m.
mole Knjaza da bi se obshtini ninoi Selachkoi u Albaniji za Crkvu shtogod knjiga
pravitelstvom srpskim za sirotinske crkve u Turskoj nabavljeni
podarilo.
Djambazovski, K. et al. "Arhivska Gragja za istorijata na
Makedonskiot narod" Beograd 1979 vol I, book 2, pp. 235
29)Stephan Gerlach wrote in 1574 that
relative of Mehmed Pasha "Became Archbiscop in Bulgaria,and his seat is ten days
away from Adrianopolis in the city of Ohrid,on the border between Epirus and
Serbia" (Zu eineim Erz-bischopff in der Bulgarey gemacht worden,hat seinen Sitz
zehn Tagreiss von Adrianopol,in der Stadt Ochrida,in der Grantzen Epiri und
Servien) .
Gerlach,S. "Tage-Buch",Frankfurt,1674,
pp.64a
30)Petar Bogdani had wrote in 1650 a
letter of recommendation for his relative Andria Bogdani from Albania ,saying
about him that he is recommended for Archbiscopate of Ohrid in Serbia (Proposto
per L'Archivescovato d' Ochrida su in confini della
Servia).
Fermendzhin,E. "Starine" 25,1892, pp.172
31)in 1651 Mitropolit of Kratovo wrote
to Russian Emperor "My forefathers and ancestors are lords of the Serbian land
of Kratovo".
Dimitrijevich,S. "Glasnik Srpske kraljevske akademije",
58,1900.
32)1652 In the documents of Russian
Imperial House,it is recorded that Serbian Mitropolit Mihailo(Serbskii
Mitropolit Mihailo) had dinner with the Russian Emperor.He is the same person
from reference above.
"Filologicheskaja nabljudenija A.H.
Vostokova".1865, pp.184
33)1653 Jeromonah Damaskin,wrote a
letter to his cousin,mitropolit Mihailo of Kratovo,in which there is a statement
about mercy of the Russian Emperor towards our Serbian language (Jeziku
nashemu Srbskom).
Stanojevich,Lj "Stari Srpski zapisi i natpisi",
I,1902.No 1547,No 1562
34)Catholic missionaries in Serbia
(Servia) are mentioned and among them mr.Stefan Kratovian (In Cratovo d.Stefano
da Cratovo).
Fermendzhin,E. "Starine" 25,1892,
pp.194
35)In 1665 Archbiscop Petar of Sophia
wrote that:"Now in this Kingdom of Serbia there is one Metropolitan church,that
of Skoplje"(Al presente si trovano in cotesto regno di Servia una chiesa
Metropolitana,cioe,Scopia),than saying that Pope Urban VIII in his declaration
on foundation of "del collegio Illyrico" says that there are three biscopate in
Serbia :those of Skoplje,Justinijana called Prizren ,and Nish (Che sono del
regno di Servia tre vescovati:cioe Scupi,ovvero Scopia,Justiniana detta
Prisren,et anche Nissa).
Fermendzhin,E. ibidem,pp189
36)In 1666 Mitropolit Ananije of Cratovo
wrote to Russian Emperor, mentioning "Mihailo,Mitropolit of Serbs" (Mihaila
Mitropolita Srbian).
Dimitrijevich,S. "Spomenica Srpske kraljevske
akademije",38,1900 pp.64b
37)1667 Emperor Leopold gave some
privileges to the Greeks (Graeci) and Serbs (Rasciani) who emigrated toward
Northern Hungary and most of them arived from Macedonia (Praesertim autem ex
Macedonia adventum).
Vitkovich,G "Glasnik Srpskog uchenog
drushtva",67,1887,pp.128;pp.131
38)1676 Secretary of the society "De
Propaganda Fide" wrote a report to Pope Inocentius about Catholic Church in
Bosnia and neighboring countries, in which Biscop of Skoplje,Andrea Bogdani in
Serbia (Servia) is mentioned.
Horvat,K. "Glasnik Zemaljskog Muzeja Bosne
i Hercegovine" XXI,1909,pp.393
39)Martin Crusius in his book mentiones
"Vscopia, or Scopia, a great and populous City of Turkey in the K. of
Servia".
Crusius, M. "Turcogreciae libri octo", 1584,
pp.50
40)In 1685 Catholic Archbishop of
Skoplje Petar Bogdani wrote to Cardinal Cibo saying that Turks had thrown him
into exile from entire Serbia (da tutta la Servia).
Horvat,K. "Glasnik
zemaljskog muzeja u Bosni i Hercegovini" XXI, 1909, pp. 403
41)Mitropolit Jevtimije from Serbian
land of Skoplje (Serbskija zemli goroda Skopija)
arrived in Russia where he
delivered a request in which he says that he is Mitropolit of Serbian land of
Skoplje (Mitropolit Serbskije zemli Skopskie Crkve).
Dimitrijevich,S.
"Glasnik Srpske Kraljevske Akademije" 60, 1901 pp.154
42)In a 1756 letter main cities in
Serbia (La Servie) are mentioned, and among them Skoplje ,where Serbian
Archbishop reside; Cratovo,by which province is named (Scopia, ou reside
Archeveque Rascien; Cratovo, qui donne son nom au Gouvernement).
"Le
Voyager francois, ou la connoissance de l' ancien et du noveau monde mis au jour
par M. l' Abbe Delaporte", tome XXIII, Paris, 1777
43)Around 950,Constantin Porphyrogenitos
stated that city of Servia situated north-western from Thesaloniki,has it's name
from the Serbs and around 10th century that same city is mentioned as
Srpchishte.
Constantin Porphyrogenitos "De Administrando Imperio" cap.32,
pp.152 ed.Bonn
"Starine" 14,1882 pp.163
44)In 14th century Byzantine Emperor
Kantakusen mentioned Serbs near Phillipi and Prosek.
Kantakusen
"History", bk.II pp.256 ; pp.274
45)In the year 1584 Alexander Komulovich mentioned that in Serbia (Servia),Skoplje is principal city (Scopia principale citta) and that it is situated in the middle of the province (nel mezzo della provincia).
Fermendzhin,E. "Acta Bosniae" "Monum. Slav. Mer. XXIII 1892 pp.392
46)In 1644 a Serb,Dimitrije Nikolajev
(Serbjanin' Dmitrei Nikolaev) from Kastoria, arived in Russia.
Archive of
the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs,Year 7156
47)In 17th Century,Hadji Kalpha,a
Turkish geographer recorded that mountains of the Castoria district are peopled
by Serbs and Aromanians.He also mentiones that on the bank of the lake between
Seres,Thesaloniki and Siderocaps there is a village inhabited by Greeks,Serbs
and Aromanians.
"Rumeli und Bosna,Geographisch beschrieben von Mustapha
Ben Abdalaih Hadschi Chalfa aus dem turkischen ubersetzt von J. von Hammer" Wien
1812 pp.80; pp.97
48) In an inscription from 1659
stands:"Mihail Mitropit, visitor of Holy God's Grave in the Holy Jerusalem, from
the Serbian land city of Kratovo" (Mihail Mitropolit,poklonik bozhia groba
svetago Ierusalima ot Srbskie zemli grada Kratova).
"Chtenija v
imperatorskom' obshtesvja istorii i drevnosti Rossiiskih pri Moskovskom
univerziteta" Moskva 1896 II 5th part pp.4a
49)Austrian emperor Leopold proclaimed
Jovan Monastirlija from Bitolj a Vojvoda (Military chieftain) of the Serbian
nation in Austria in 1691.
Trifunoski,F.J. "Makedoniziranje Juzhne
Srbije" Beograd 1995 pp.24
50)Bratan Ivanov,a Serb from Macedonian
land arrived in Russia (Makedonskie zemli Serbin' Bratan' Ivanov) in the year
1704.
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs,Year
1704
Kapterev,N.A. "Harakter otnoshenii Rossii k Pravoslavnomu Vostoku v XVI i XVII stoletija" 1914 pp.348
51)In 1723 Gerard Cornelius von
Driesch,secretary of the Austrian delegation heading for Constantinopolis,
mentioned that in Pirot there are Greeks and Serbs i this lands (Grichen oder
Raitzen dieses landes).He also mentioned place named Grobblian eastern of Sofia
saying that the greater part of its inhabitants are Serbs
(Raitzen).
Cornelius,G.V.D. "Historische nachricht von der Rom.
Kayser.Gross-Botschaft nacht Konstantinopol" Nurnberg 1723 pp.84;
pp.102
52) From 1880 to 1881 the Serbian
Brsjaci Revolt (Brsjachka Buna) was fought in the areas of Demir-Hisar,Porech
and Kichevo.The leaders of this uprising were local Chetniks:Ilija Delija,Rista
Kostadinovich,Micko Krstich and Andjelko Tanasovich.
Veselinovich,V.M.
"Brsjachka Buna" Beograd 1905
53)A statement by Joseph
Muller,Austrian,Medical officer in Turkish Army in early 19th century, who
worked in Albania about Slavs in neighboring countries that he
visited.
"Together with Slavic community of Spiz on Triplex confinium and
smaller communities in Skadar,Podgorica and Spuzh, Serbian tribes live in
eastern mountains Altin-Ili in Dibr-Sipre in the area of Struga as well as in
eastern coast of the Ohrid Lake, further in the valleys of Rezna and Prespa in
the city of Monastir and its northeastern surrounding, in the valley
Srebrnica,and by name on communities of Optorosh,Shrbica,Mahmusha,Mrtvuca,along
the left, eastern coast of White Drim in communities of
Kremovik,Mirozhizh,Cuprevo,Grebnik,Zlokuche………"
Joseph Muller,
“Albanien,Rumelien und die Osterreichisch-Montenegrinische
Grenze”,Prague,1844
54)"It is understandable that the Turks
preferred the patient and submissive Bulgar to the rebellious Serb or Greek.
Since the Serbian principality had gained its freedom, the Turks regarded every
Serb who declared himself to be such as a rebellious conspirator against the
Turkish regime. This circumstance was widely exploited by the Bulgars in order
to spread their propaganda among the Serbs outside the principality. Whoever was
reluctant to become a Bulgar and persisted in calling himself a Serb was
denounced to the Turks as conspiring with Serbia, and could expect severe
punishment. Serbian priests were maltreated; permission was refused to open
Serbian schools and those that were already in existence were closed; Serbian
monasteries were destroyed. In order to avoid persecution, the population
renounced its nationality and called itself Bulgarian........during the last
thirty or forty years, propaganda has been rife in which the Bulgars have
encouraged the Turks to act against Serbs and Greeks. Hence, throughout
Macedonia, Thrace and Dardania, Slavs are considered to be Bulgars, which is
quite incorrect. On the contrary, the Slavs in Macedonia are incapable of
understanding a Bulgar from Jantra. If it is desired to designate these Slavs
correctly, than they must be considered as Serbs, for the Serbian name is so
popular among them that for example male children are sometimes christened
"Srbin" [Serb]. the Serbian hero of the folk poems, Marko Kraljevich is
obviously the Serbian ruler in Macedonia."
Alexander von Heksch
"Die Donau von ihrem Ursprung bis an die
Mundung",Leipzig,1885,pp.636
55)In 1886 Russian publicist I.S. Jastrebov published his book "Obichai i pesni tureckih serbov v Prizren,Ipek,Morava,i Dibra" ("Customs and songs of the Turkish Serbs in Prizren,Pech,Morava and Debar) in which the following reference to the important Serb custom of "Slava" is found: "Slava is celebrated by Serbs not only in Serbia,in Austria,Hungary,Bosnia,Montenegro,Kosovo,Morava and area of Prizren,but also in the areas of Skopje,Veles,Prilep,Bitola and Ohrid,including also Debar and the area of Tetovo.All inhabitants in the mentioned area who speak with the Slavo-Serbian dialect keep that custom holy."
Jastrebov,I.S. "Obichai i Pesni tureckih serbov v Prizren,Ipek,Morava i Dibra",1886,pp.1-2