Ptolemy
12-02-2005, 05:06 PM
The Macedonian Question
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Macedonia: Brief History
The name "Serb" was first mentioned in the ancient land of Macedonia in the 6th century by the Greek emperor Porphirogenitus. He said that they occupied the whole area around Salonica. They were according to him, a tall strong and healthy race. Porphirogenitus emphasised their height and strength as well as their treatment of guests. He stated that they were a friendly people, who loved song drink and war. If enemy soldiers were caught,he said, they would become Serbified. What is of concern here is not the actual discription of the Serbs, but their location. Porphirogenitus was describing a people inhabiting a region called in Greek, "Macedonia, as Serbs (Serbos)."
"In Cetinje (in the Black Mountain), I spoke to two people from Debar [in Macedonia] who told me that there were many "Serbian" villages over there, in which Serbian is spoken just as they spoke it, ie: between Serbian and Bulgarian, but still closer to Serbian than actual Bulgarian. This is why...we still don't know to where there are Serbs in Macedonia."
Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic
1836
The region was then taken by the Bulgars when they arrived in the Balkans 150 years later. It was a battleground for Greeks, Serbs and Bulgars who influenced the identity of the Macedonian Serbs. In the 20th Century the land was, after a serries of disputes and Bulgar betrayal of Slavdom and Orthodoxy in the 2nd Balkan War, returned to Serbia, the Motherland of Macedonia. By then, after centuries of invasions and four different states vying for the land, after Bulgarization in the7th to10th centuries, Hellenization from the 10th to 12th centuries and Serbia's reposession was cut short after the 14th century Macedonias had lost their connection, not only to Serbia but to Bulgaria and Greece as well. The Serbs of Macedonia could not see themselves as Serbs any longer.
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"Macedonism": an outcropping of Bulgarization
After the Balkan Wars, being Macedonian was on the order of the day. The ideology was spread by students from Skoplje, the mideival capital of Serbia, studying in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. They distorted history, denying that Macedonia was ever occupied by invaders, they claimed that Alexander the Great (a Greek) was a Macedonian, even though they claimed that all Slavs were "Macedonians" though the Slavs came to the Balkans hundreds of years after the death of Alexander. They claimed that the name "Serb" caim from the Latin "Servus" (slave), even though the name was traced to the Caucasus Mountains and was still in use in Lusatia, Germany. They claimed that Greek was an artificial Pirate dialect and mapped Macedonia to include all of Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece.
After WWI, the Kingdom of Yugoslaia treated the Macedonians as Serbs. But the "theories" of the intellectuals caught on to the peasants. After WW2, the communists took up therevisionist theories now popular in this ancient Serbian land and made it official. There now existed a seperate Macedonian nationality designed only to weaken the influence of Serbia whose history, culture and faith was to great and overshadowed the communists' dreams of a union of small South-Slavic countries. They gave the "Macedonians" their own church, even though the church in Macedonia had been part of the Serbian Orthodox Church for hundreds of years.
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Macedonia: the Most Romantic Part of Serb History
Today all "Macedonians" know this revisionist history and believe they are the children of Alexander, the purest Slavs, and the inheritors of Byzantium. Sebs are an artificial nation who are in reality Macedonians and Bulgars are pure Macedonians. It is so sad to see a nation who started out as part of the Serb tribe delude themselves with fantasies and revise history to protect themselves from their confusion and lost place in history. As Serbs, the Macedonians today can be proud ofther role in history as the guards of Dusan's mighty Empire, they can be proud of their role as citizens of Serbia's capital when it was at the height of its power, of their role in protecting the rest of the Serb tribe on the Marica river. They fought on our side to liberate Kumanovo from the Turks, the Macedonian Serbs died with the rest of the Serbian family to liberate Macedonia and unite it with its sisterlands. It was the Serbs' love of Macedonia and refusal to hand it over to Bulgaria that made WWI so tragic to Serbs. When Bulgaria offered not to attack Serbia in WWI in exchange for Macedonia - the Serb gov't ardently refuse, even as England, France and Russia insisted we concede this Serb land to the Bulgars.
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Macedonia: The Exarchy & Bulgarization
and the Survival of the "Slava"
Only Greater Serbia can destroy the delusions motivated by feelings of inferiority felt by Macedonian Serbs today. They are an integral part of Serbdom. They represent as Serbs the Golden Age and the height of Serbian glory. It was the EXARCHIST CHURCH OF BULGARIA - who successfuly seperated the Macedonian Serbs from the rest of Serbdom in the 18th and 19th centuries. The EXARCHY which gave the Bulgarian Orthodox a seperate church, independent of the Greek branch, was supported by the Ottoman Empire and encouraged Bulgarian missionaries to spread the Bulgarian Church's influence into Macedonia. The rebelious Serbs - with their own Patriarchate - were a threat to Ottoman domination in the lands they still held. By relying on the EXARCHY to Bulgarianize Serbs in Macedonia, they were de-revolutionizing the people of Macedonian! Serbs were the FIRST PEOPLE IN THE BALKANS who had liberated themselves from the Ottomans. In Montenegro, Serbs had NEVER been conquered by the Turks, at all. Reducing the number of Serbs - by BULGARIANIZING THEM - was the way to go, for the Ottoman Turks. The EXARCHY spread Bulgarian identity to Macedonia and tried to whipe out the tradition of the "slava" - which is the honouring of a particular patron saint by a family - is a tradition ascribed TO ORTHODOX SERBS ALONE. Today, most people West of the Vardar have retained their "Slava", whereas in Eastern Macedonia, where Bulgarization was more successful, it is all but gone. May the "SLAVA" always serve to remind Serbs of the Serb character of the people of Macedonia!
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Pre-Exarchist Macedonia: A Serb Land!
1) Around 950,Byzantine Emperor Constantin Porphyrogenitos stated that city of "Ta Serbia" situated north-western from Thesaloniki,has it's name from its Serbian founders (around early 7th century A.D.) and in 10th century that same city is mentioned as "Srpchishte" in the manuscript by the Byzantine author John Zonara.
Constantin Porphyrogenitos "De Administrando Imperio" cap.32, pp.152 ed.Bonn
"Starine" 14,1882 pp.16
2) 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 (FYROM) . 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
3) Around 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".Since Serbian states were situated far north from the line outlined in this commemorative text,it is not unlikely that "Serbian" means an ethnically Serbian enclave,situated much more southerly than political borders of Serbia.
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
4) 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
5) 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
6) Patriarch of Constantinople mentioned master of Serbia,Ugljesha in a letter from 1371. Ugljesha's state was around Lower Struma.
Mikloshich,F & Muller,J. "Acta et diplomata" I, 1860, pp.571
7) 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
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
9) 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
10) A 1401 remark from government of Venice says about the envoy of "Konstatntin,master of Serbia,which is around our Drach area" (Constantini domini Servie teritorii,quod est circa teritorium nostrum Durachii) .
Ljubich,S. "Listine" 4,1874, pp.437
11) Sometimes in the beginning 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 gathered a great Serbian army (Sobra sja mnozhestvo voisk Serbskih) .
Bogdan,J. "Archiv fur Slavische philologie" 13, 1891,pp.481; pp.493
12) Dimitar,writer from Kratovo in 1446 said that he begin to translate "Law" for the Archbishoprics of Ohrid from Greek language into Serbian (v ezhe sastaviti mi pisaniem srbskoga ezika sochinenie, rekshe knigu imenuemu zakonik) under order of Ohrid Archbishop 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
13) Remains of John Rilski are transferred from Trnovo in the Monastery of Rila.That was described 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
14) Sometime at the end of 15th century Hungarian historian Bonfini wrote about "Macedonia,which is now called Serbia" ("Macedoniam quam Serbua nunc appelant") .
Ant.Bonfini "Rerum Hungarii Indec." II lib IX,Viennae, 1774 pp.248a
15) 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
16) Stephan Gerlach wrote in 1574 that relative of Mehmed Pasha "Became Archbishop 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
17) 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
1 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
19) ) Martin Crusius in his book mentions"Vscopia, or Scopia, a great and populous City of Turkey in the K. of Servia".
Crusius, M. "Turcogreciae libri octo", 1584, pp.5
20) 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.39
21) In 17th Century,Hadji Kalpha,a Turkish geographer recorded that mountains of the Castoria district are peopled by Serbs and Aromanians.He also mentions 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
22) Mitropolit Jeremiah from the City of "Pelagon" (Bitolj) went to Russia in 1603 saying that he arrived from Serbian land.
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs, Year 7112,Dec.19
23) 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
24) 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
25) Mitropolit Sergius said in Russia that he was appointed as Mitropolit in Greven by Archbishop 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
26) Comment by Dominican Nicolo Longi from Dubrovnik states that "it is useful to send 3-4 Serbian priest in Serbia, because in Nish, Kragujevac, Jagodina, Crna Gora (Skopska Crna Gora-I.M) and Kratovo Serbian is spoken"
Acta. S. Congr. Vol.3. Fol.24 A D Congr. diie 20 decembris 1622
27) A part of Matija Masarek's report based on a visit throughout the Serbian dioceze in 1623-1624 ,reflecting the ethnicity of Kratovo.
"Cratovo, dove saranno 40 fouchi di Catolici....habitata da Turchi di qualita, Serviani , et 160 anime piu Catoliche"
Visite e Colllegi, Vo.1 f66r-82r
2 Congregation approves purchase of a house in Skoplje ( " della Casa in Scopie " ) in which four or five young Serbs ("4, o 5 giovani Servian") are to be trained and send into the Illyrian College in Loretto ( " Collego Illirico di Loreto " )
Roma, 25 marzo 1628
Lettere, vol. 7, f.36v-37r
29) Archbishop Bianki of Bar divided Serbia into upper and lower.In the area of Upper, he sorted Prokuplje, Novo Brdo, Trepcha, Janjevo, Skopska Crna Gora, Skoplje and Kratovo,places where "all Catholics are of Serbian speech".In Lower Serbia's domain Prizren, Guri and Shegec were included by him.
"Arch. S. Congr. Visitte.Vol 16. Fol. 239.
30) Archbishop Bianki mentiones an epidemic of plague in Serbia and the newly appeared disease in Skoplje, Janjevo and Novo Brdo.
"Va p doi mesi cheo mi trovo in Servia visitando queste vile contorno Prisren che e Servia Inferiore, che la Servia Superore questa esta passat e stata gran mortalita della pesta, e che p alcuni mesie stata cessata.Hora di novo si trovano loughli infetati Scopia,Jagnevo, e Montenevo"...
....Prisren, il di 29 ottobre...
...Giorgio Bjanchi, Arciv d' Antivari et Primate di Servia.
SOCG, Vol 60f. 176r-177v.
31) Archbishop 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
32) Addressing 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
33) In 1644 a Serb,Dimitrije Nikolajev (Serbjanin' Dmitrei Nikolaev) from Kastoria, arrived in Russia.
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs,Year 7156
34) 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 Archbishopric of Ohrid in Serbia (Proposto per L'Archivescovato d' Ochrida su in confini della Servia) .
Fermendzhin,E. "Starine" 25,1892, pp.172
35) 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.
36) 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
37) 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
3 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
39) 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
40) In 1665 Archbishop 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 Biscopates 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. "Starine" 25 ,pp18
41) Peter Heylin,English geographer writes 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
42) 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
43) 1667 Emperor Leopold gave some privileges to the Greeks (Graeci) and Serbs (Rasciani) who emigrated toward Northern Hungary and most of them arrived from Macedonia (Praesertim autem ex Macedonia adventum) .
Vitkovich,G "Glasnik Srpskog uchenog drushtva",67,1887,pp.128;pp.131
44) It is stated in the "Report about Serbian or Skopje's Diocese" ( Relazione della diocesi di Servia o Skopia ) about "Main places in Serbia : Prizren , Skoplje...."
(" Li loughi principali della Servia: Prisren, Scopia ....")
Fermendzhin E., "Starine" 25, 1892. pp. 195-196
45) 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
46) Around 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
47) Archbishop of Skoplje writes about Serbia and says that Skoplje is capital city in Serbia (Scopia....metropolli di Servia) .Further,He mentions that Orthodox houses in Skoplje are Greek and Serbian (Case Greche e Serviane) .
Theiner,A. ibidem, pp. 220
4 Canonical Visit by Archbishop of Skoplje Peter Bogdani in 1680 indicated that inhabitans of Skoplje are "Greeks, Serbs, Jews, Armenians".
"Scritture orig. rif. nelle. congr. gen. vol. 482 ad congr. die 5 maii 1681 Nro 24"
49) 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
50) Mitropolit Jevtimije from Serbian land of Skoplje (Serbskija zemli goroda Skopija)
arrived in Russia in 1687 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
51) In 1690 Catholic Bishop of Cotor, Marin Drago,reports that "Skoplje is inhabited with Turks, Serbs of Greek Rite and Catholics",
"Scritture riferite nei congressi - Servia.Vol. I, Fol. 120"
52) 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
53) 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
54) 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) .The arrival is recorded as being by the: "(From) Serbian land (from) Ohrid's Eparchy (of the) Krachevite city Serb Dmitrei Petrov": "Serbskie zemli Arhidonskija Eparhi Krachevskogo goroda Serbjanin Dmitrei Petrov".
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs,Year 1706, No. 7
55) Archbishop of Bar, Vichentije Zmajevich mentiones that "main places in Serbia are: Belgrade, Smederevo, Nish, Skoplje, Prokuplje, Novo Brdo, Prishtina, Trepcha, Prizren and Pech, and forts Kachanik, Tetovo, Janjevo, Vuchitrn, Mitrovica, Djakovica and Novi Pazar"
"Scritture riferite nei congressi - Albania. Vol. V, Fol. 175"
56) In 1723 Gerard Cornelius von Driesch,secretary of the Austrian delegation heading for Constantinople, mentioned that in Pirot there are "Greeks and Serbs in those lands" (Grichen oder Raitzen dieses landes) .He also mentioned place named Grobblian located eastern of Sofia saying that the greater part of its inhabitants are Serbs (Raitzen)
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Macedonia: Brief History
The name "Serb" was first mentioned in the ancient land of Macedonia in the 6th century by the Greek emperor Porphirogenitus. He said that they occupied the whole area around Salonica. They were according to him, a tall strong and healthy race. Porphirogenitus emphasised their height and strength as well as their treatment of guests. He stated that they were a friendly people, who loved song drink and war. If enemy soldiers were caught,he said, they would become Serbified. What is of concern here is not the actual discription of the Serbs, but their location. Porphirogenitus was describing a people inhabiting a region called in Greek, "Macedonia, as Serbs (Serbos)."
"In Cetinje (in the Black Mountain), I spoke to two people from Debar [in Macedonia] who told me that there were many "Serbian" villages over there, in which Serbian is spoken just as they spoke it, ie: between Serbian and Bulgarian, but still closer to Serbian than actual Bulgarian. This is why...we still don't know to where there are Serbs in Macedonia."
Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic
1836
The region was then taken by the Bulgars when they arrived in the Balkans 150 years later. It was a battleground for Greeks, Serbs and Bulgars who influenced the identity of the Macedonian Serbs. In the 20th Century the land was, after a serries of disputes and Bulgar betrayal of Slavdom and Orthodoxy in the 2nd Balkan War, returned to Serbia, the Motherland of Macedonia. By then, after centuries of invasions and four different states vying for the land, after Bulgarization in the7th to10th centuries, Hellenization from the 10th to 12th centuries and Serbia's reposession was cut short after the 14th century Macedonias had lost their connection, not only to Serbia but to Bulgaria and Greece as well. The Serbs of Macedonia could not see themselves as Serbs any longer.
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"Macedonism": an outcropping of Bulgarization
After the Balkan Wars, being Macedonian was on the order of the day. The ideology was spread by students from Skoplje, the mideival capital of Serbia, studying in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. They distorted history, denying that Macedonia was ever occupied by invaders, they claimed that Alexander the Great (a Greek) was a Macedonian, even though they claimed that all Slavs were "Macedonians" though the Slavs came to the Balkans hundreds of years after the death of Alexander. They claimed that the name "Serb" caim from the Latin "Servus" (slave), even though the name was traced to the Caucasus Mountains and was still in use in Lusatia, Germany. They claimed that Greek was an artificial Pirate dialect and mapped Macedonia to include all of Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece.
After WWI, the Kingdom of Yugoslaia treated the Macedonians as Serbs. But the "theories" of the intellectuals caught on to the peasants. After WW2, the communists took up therevisionist theories now popular in this ancient Serbian land and made it official. There now existed a seperate Macedonian nationality designed only to weaken the influence of Serbia whose history, culture and faith was to great and overshadowed the communists' dreams of a union of small South-Slavic countries. They gave the "Macedonians" their own church, even though the church in Macedonia had been part of the Serbian Orthodox Church for hundreds of years.
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Macedonia: the Most Romantic Part of Serb History
Today all "Macedonians" know this revisionist history and believe they are the children of Alexander, the purest Slavs, and the inheritors of Byzantium. Sebs are an artificial nation who are in reality Macedonians and Bulgars are pure Macedonians. It is so sad to see a nation who started out as part of the Serb tribe delude themselves with fantasies and revise history to protect themselves from their confusion and lost place in history. As Serbs, the Macedonians today can be proud ofther role in history as the guards of Dusan's mighty Empire, they can be proud of their role as citizens of Serbia's capital when it was at the height of its power, of their role in protecting the rest of the Serb tribe on the Marica river. They fought on our side to liberate Kumanovo from the Turks, the Macedonian Serbs died with the rest of the Serbian family to liberate Macedonia and unite it with its sisterlands. It was the Serbs' love of Macedonia and refusal to hand it over to Bulgaria that made WWI so tragic to Serbs. When Bulgaria offered not to attack Serbia in WWI in exchange for Macedonia - the Serb gov't ardently refuse, even as England, France and Russia insisted we concede this Serb land to the Bulgars.
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Macedonia: The Exarchy & Bulgarization
and the Survival of the "Slava"
Only Greater Serbia can destroy the delusions motivated by feelings of inferiority felt by Macedonian Serbs today. They are an integral part of Serbdom. They represent as Serbs the Golden Age and the height of Serbian glory. It was the EXARCHIST CHURCH OF BULGARIA - who successfuly seperated the Macedonian Serbs from the rest of Serbdom in the 18th and 19th centuries. The EXARCHY which gave the Bulgarian Orthodox a seperate church, independent of the Greek branch, was supported by the Ottoman Empire and encouraged Bulgarian missionaries to spread the Bulgarian Church's influence into Macedonia. The rebelious Serbs - with their own Patriarchate - were a threat to Ottoman domination in the lands they still held. By relying on the EXARCHY to Bulgarianize Serbs in Macedonia, they were de-revolutionizing the people of Macedonian! Serbs were the FIRST PEOPLE IN THE BALKANS who had liberated themselves from the Ottomans. In Montenegro, Serbs had NEVER been conquered by the Turks, at all. Reducing the number of Serbs - by BULGARIANIZING THEM - was the way to go, for the Ottoman Turks. The EXARCHY spread Bulgarian identity to Macedonia and tried to whipe out the tradition of the "slava" - which is the honouring of a particular patron saint by a family - is a tradition ascribed TO ORTHODOX SERBS ALONE. Today, most people West of the Vardar have retained their "Slava", whereas in Eastern Macedonia, where Bulgarization was more successful, it is all but gone. May the "SLAVA" always serve to remind Serbs of the Serb character of the people of Macedonia!
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Pre-Exarchist Macedonia: A Serb Land!
1) Around 950,Byzantine Emperor Constantin Porphyrogenitos stated that city of "Ta Serbia" situated north-western from Thesaloniki,has it's name from its Serbian founders (around early 7th century A.D.) and in 10th century that same city is mentioned as "Srpchishte" in the manuscript by the Byzantine author John Zonara.
Constantin Porphyrogenitos "De Administrando Imperio" cap.32, pp.152 ed.Bonn
"Starine" 14,1882 pp.16
2) 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 (FYROM) . 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
3) Around 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".Since Serbian states were situated far north from the line outlined in this commemorative text,it is not unlikely that "Serbian" means an ethnically Serbian enclave,situated much more southerly than political borders of Serbia.
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
4) 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
5) 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
6) Patriarch of Constantinople mentioned master of Serbia,Ugljesha in a letter from 1371. Ugljesha's state was around Lower Struma.
Mikloshich,F & Muller,J. "Acta et diplomata" I, 1860, pp.571
7) 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
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
9) 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
10) A 1401 remark from government of Venice says about the envoy of "Konstatntin,master of Serbia,which is around our Drach area" (Constantini domini Servie teritorii,quod est circa teritorium nostrum Durachii) .
Ljubich,S. "Listine" 4,1874, pp.437
11) Sometimes in the beginning 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 gathered a great Serbian army (Sobra sja mnozhestvo voisk Serbskih) .
Bogdan,J. "Archiv fur Slavische philologie" 13, 1891,pp.481; pp.493
12) Dimitar,writer from Kratovo in 1446 said that he begin to translate "Law" for the Archbishoprics of Ohrid from Greek language into Serbian (v ezhe sastaviti mi pisaniem srbskoga ezika sochinenie, rekshe knigu imenuemu zakonik) under order of Ohrid Archbishop 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
13) Remains of John Rilski are transferred from Trnovo in the Monastery of Rila.That was described 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
14) Sometime at the end of 15th century Hungarian historian Bonfini wrote about "Macedonia,which is now called Serbia" ("Macedoniam quam Serbua nunc appelant") .
Ant.Bonfini "Rerum Hungarii Indec." II lib IX,Viennae, 1774 pp.248a
15) 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
16) Stephan Gerlach wrote in 1574 that relative of Mehmed Pasha "Became Archbishop 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
17) 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
1 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
19) ) Martin Crusius in his book mentions"Vscopia, or Scopia, a great and populous City of Turkey in the K. of Servia".
Crusius, M. "Turcogreciae libri octo", 1584, pp.5
20) 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.39
21) In 17th Century,Hadji Kalpha,a Turkish geographer recorded that mountains of the Castoria district are peopled by Serbs and Aromanians.He also mentions 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
22) Mitropolit Jeremiah from the City of "Pelagon" (Bitolj) went to Russia in 1603 saying that he arrived from Serbian land.
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs, Year 7112,Dec.19
23) 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
24) 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
25) Mitropolit Sergius said in Russia that he was appointed as Mitropolit in Greven by Archbishop 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
26) Comment by Dominican Nicolo Longi from Dubrovnik states that "it is useful to send 3-4 Serbian priest in Serbia, because in Nish, Kragujevac, Jagodina, Crna Gora (Skopska Crna Gora-I.M) and Kratovo Serbian is spoken"
Acta. S. Congr. Vol.3. Fol.24 A D Congr. diie 20 decembris 1622
27) A part of Matija Masarek's report based on a visit throughout the Serbian dioceze in 1623-1624 ,reflecting the ethnicity of Kratovo.
"Cratovo, dove saranno 40 fouchi di Catolici....habitata da Turchi di qualita, Serviani , et 160 anime piu Catoliche"
Visite e Colllegi, Vo.1 f66r-82r
2 Congregation approves purchase of a house in Skoplje ( " della Casa in Scopie " ) in which four or five young Serbs ("4, o 5 giovani Servian") are to be trained and send into the Illyrian College in Loretto ( " Collego Illirico di Loreto " )
Roma, 25 marzo 1628
Lettere, vol. 7, f.36v-37r
29) Archbishop Bianki of Bar divided Serbia into upper and lower.In the area of Upper, he sorted Prokuplje, Novo Brdo, Trepcha, Janjevo, Skopska Crna Gora, Skoplje and Kratovo,places where "all Catholics are of Serbian speech".In Lower Serbia's domain Prizren, Guri and Shegec were included by him.
"Arch. S. Congr. Visitte.Vol 16. Fol. 239.
30) Archbishop Bianki mentiones an epidemic of plague in Serbia and the newly appeared disease in Skoplje, Janjevo and Novo Brdo.
"Va p doi mesi cheo mi trovo in Servia visitando queste vile contorno Prisren che e Servia Inferiore, che la Servia Superore questa esta passat e stata gran mortalita della pesta, e che p alcuni mesie stata cessata.Hora di novo si trovano loughli infetati Scopia,Jagnevo, e Montenevo"...
....Prisren, il di 29 ottobre...
...Giorgio Bjanchi, Arciv d' Antivari et Primate di Servia.
SOCG, Vol 60f. 176r-177v.
31) Archbishop 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
32) Addressing 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
33) In 1644 a Serb,Dimitrije Nikolajev (Serbjanin' Dmitrei Nikolaev) from Kastoria, arrived in Russia.
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs,Year 7156
34) 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 Archbishopric of Ohrid in Serbia (Proposto per L'Archivescovato d' Ochrida su in confini della Servia) .
Fermendzhin,E. "Starine" 25,1892, pp.172
35) 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.
36) 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
37) 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
3 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
39) 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
40) In 1665 Archbishop 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 Biscopates 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. "Starine" 25 ,pp18
41) Peter Heylin,English geographer writes 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
42) 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
43) 1667 Emperor Leopold gave some privileges to the Greeks (Graeci) and Serbs (Rasciani) who emigrated toward Northern Hungary and most of them arrived from Macedonia (Praesertim autem ex Macedonia adventum) .
Vitkovich,G "Glasnik Srpskog uchenog drushtva",67,1887,pp.128;pp.131
44) It is stated in the "Report about Serbian or Skopje's Diocese" ( Relazione della diocesi di Servia o Skopia ) about "Main places in Serbia : Prizren , Skoplje...."
(" Li loughi principali della Servia: Prisren, Scopia ....")
Fermendzhin E., "Starine" 25, 1892. pp. 195-196
45) 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
46) Around 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
47) Archbishop of Skoplje writes about Serbia and says that Skoplje is capital city in Serbia (Scopia....metropolli di Servia) .Further,He mentions that Orthodox houses in Skoplje are Greek and Serbian (Case Greche e Serviane) .
Theiner,A. ibidem, pp. 220
4 Canonical Visit by Archbishop of Skoplje Peter Bogdani in 1680 indicated that inhabitans of Skoplje are "Greeks, Serbs, Jews, Armenians".
"Scritture orig. rif. nelle. congr. gen. vol. 482 ad congr. die 5 maii 1681 Nro 24"
49) 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
50) Mitropolit Jevtimije from Serbian land of Skoplje (Serbskija zemli goroda Skopija)
arrived in Russia in 1687 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
51) In 1690 Catholic Bishop of Cotor, Marin Drago,reports that "Skoplje is inhabited with Turks, Serbs of Greek Rite and Catholics",
"Scritture riferite nei congressi - Servia.Vol. I, Fol. 120"
52) 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
53) 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
54) 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) .The arrival is recorded as being by the: "(From) Serbian land (from) Ohrid's Eparchy (of the) Krachevite city Serb Dmitrei Petrov": "Serbskie zemli Arhidonskija Eparhi Krachevskogo goroda Serbjanin Dmitrei Petrov".
Archive of the Russian Ministry For Foreign Affairs,Year 1706, No. 7
55) Archbishop of Bar, Vichentije Zmajevich mentiones that "main places in Serbia are: Belgrade, Smederevo, Nish, Skoplje, Prokuplje, Novo Brdo, Prishtina, Trepcha, Prizren and Pech, and forts Kachanik, Tetovo, Janjevo, Vuchitrn, Mitrovica, Djakovica and Novi Pazar"
"Scritture riferite nei congressi - Albania. Vol. V, Fol. 175"
56) In 1723 Gerard Cornelius von Driesch,secretary of the Austrian delegation heading for Constantinople, mentioned that in Pirot there are "Greeks and Serbs in those lands" (Grichen oder Raitzen dieses landes) .He also mentioned place named Grobblian located eastern of Sofia saying that the greater part of its inhabitants are Serbs (Raitzen)