1.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha
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Sokollu Mehmed Pasha was an Ottoman statesman. He was assassinated in 1579, ending his near 15-year rule as de facto ruler of the Ottoman Empire, sokollus birth name was probably Bajica, and he was of ethnic Serb origin. He was said to be born into a modest shepherd family, adherent to the Serbian Orthodox Church, Sokollu is a demonym, derived from his place of birth. He had two brothers and a sister, who married the brother of Hüseyin Pasha Boljanić, as well as at least one uncle. However, details about his family and relations are disputed on two major counts, one is his relationship to Makarije Sokolović. Traditionally identified as his brother, today some historians consider him to have either a nephew or distant relative. The second is the matter of Mehmeds uncle, by some accounts, his uncle was a monk at the Mileševa monastery who had his two nephews, Bajica and Makarije, educated there. Other sources suggest that his uncle converted to Islam early, in 1516, an Ottoman expedition gathering up boys as part of the devşirme system reached Sokol. According to folklore, Bajica was either taken from his fathers home or, due to a reputation as a gifted child. The story further holds that his uncle unsuccessfully appealed to the authorities, as proclaimed in Baghdad on 13 March 1535, Mehmed was sent to be one of the seven retainers of the Imperial Treasurer Iskender Çelebi. Upon Iskenders death, Mehmed returned to Constantinople, in addition to Turkish, he spoke Serbian, Persian, Arabic, Venetian-Italian and Latin language. Mehmed in 1541 first became an Imperial Chamberlain and then the head of the Sultans squires, in these positions he became very close to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and learned from him. As a soldier, Mehmed excelled at the Battle of Mohács, in 1546 the Kapudan Pasha Hayreddin Barbarossa died and Mehmed was appointed his successor. In this capacity he was present at the expedition against Trablus. During his five years in this position, Mehmed Pasha greatly strengthened the arsenal of the naval fleet, Mehmed became Beylerbey of Rumelia in 1551, headquartered in Sofia. While he was visiting the area of his birth, his mother recognized him by the birthmark on his face, after the death of John Zápolya, king of Hungary as an Ottoman vassal, in 1540, Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor looked to annex Zápolyas lands. The Hungarian diet had elected infant John Sigismund Zápolya, the son of Zápolya and Isabella Jagiellon, as King of Hungary, which broke the Treaty of Nagyvárad, Isabella struggled to rule Hungary as Queen dowager for her son. Frater George Martinuzzi, appointed by John as regent, opposed her, Ferdinand I sent mercenary leader Bartolomeo Castoldo with more than 7,000 mercenaries who beat a contingent led by Péter Petrovics, killing more than 2,500 of them, near Csanád
2.
Serbs
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The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group that formed in the Balkans. The majority of Serbs inhabit the state of Serbia, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. They form significant minorities in Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia, there is a large Serb diaspora in Western Europe, and outside Europe there are significant communities in North America and Australia. The Serbs share many traits with the rest of the peoples of Southeast Europe. They are predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christians by religion, the Serbian language is official in Serbia, co-official in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is spoken by the majority in Montenegro. The modern identity of Serbs is rooted in Eastern Orthodoxy and traditions, in the 19th century, the Serbian national identity was manifested, with awareness of history and tradition, medieval heritage, cultural unity, despite living under different empires. When the Principality of Serbia gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, Orthodoxy became crucial in defining the national identity, instead of language which was shared by other South Slavs. The tradition of slava, the family saint feast day, is an important ethnic marker of Serb identity, the origin of the ethnonym is unclear. Serbia has among the tallest people in the world, after Montenegro and Netherlands, Slavs invaded and settled the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries. Up until the late 560s their activity was raiding, crossing from the Danube, the Danube and Sava frontier was overwhelmed by large-scale Slavic settlement in the late 6th and early 7th century. What is today central Serbia was an important geo-strategical province, through which the Via Militaris crossed and this area was frequently intruded by barbarians in the 5th and 6th centuries. The numerous Slavs mixed with and assimilated the descendants of the indigenous population, numerous small Serbian states were created, located in modern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. With the decline of the Serbian state of Duklja in the late 11th century, Raška separated from it, prince Stefan Nemanja conquered the neighbouring territories of Kosovo, Duklja and Zachlumia. The Nemanjić dynasty ruled over Serbia until the 14th century, over the next 140 years, Serbia expanded its borders. Its cultural model remained Byzantine, despite political ambitions directed against the empire, the medieval power and influence of Serbia culminated in the reign of Stefan Dušan, who ruled the state from 1331 until his death in 1355. Ruling as Emperor from 1346, his territory included Macedonia, northern Greece, Montenegro, when Dušan died, his son Stephen Uroš V became Emperor. With the death of two important Serb leaders in the battle, and with the death of Stephen Uroš that same year, hrebeljanović was subsequently accepted as the titular leader of the Serbs because he was married to a member of the Nemanjić dynasty. In 1389, the Serbs faced the Ottomans at the Battle of Kosovo on the plain of Kosovo Polje, both Lazar and Sultan Murad I were killed in the fighting
3.
Serbia
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Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia, is a sovereign state situated at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central Balkans. Relative to its territory, it is a diverse country distinguished by a transitional character, situated along cultural, geographic, climatic. Serbia numbers around 7 million residents, and its capital, Belgrade, following the Slavic migrations to the Balkans from the 6th century onwards, Serbs established several states in the early Middle Ages. The Serbian Kingdom obtained recognition by Rome and the Byzantine Empire in 1217, in the early 19th century, the Serbian Revolution established the nation-state as the regions first constitutional monarchy, which subsequently expanded its territory. During the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbia formed a union with Montenegro which dissolved peacefully in 2006, in 2008 the parliament of the province of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence, with mixed responses from the international community. Serbia is a member of organizations such as the UN, CoE, OSCE, PfP, BSEC. An EU membership candidate since 2012, Serbia has been negotiating its EU accession since January 2014, the country is acceding to the WTO and is a militarily neutral state. Serbia is an income economy with dominant service sector, followed by the industrial sector. The country ranks high on the Social Progress Index as well as the Global Peace Index, relatively high on the Human Development Index, located at the crossroads between Central and Southern Europe, Serbia is found in the Balkan peninsula and the Pannonian Plain. Serbia lies between latitudes 41° and 47° N, and longitudes 18° and 23° E. The country covers a total of 88,361 km2, which places it at 113th place in the world, with Kosovo excluded, the area is 77,474 km2. Its total border length amounts to 2,027 km, all of Kosovos border with Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro are under control of the Kosovo border police. The Pannonian Plain covers the third of the country while the easternmost tip of Serbia extends into the Wallachian Plain. The terrain of the part of the country, with the region of Šumadija at its heart. Mountains dominate the third of Serbia. Dinaric Alps stretch in the west and the southwest, following the flow of the rivers Drina, the Carpathian Mountains and Balkan Mountains stretch in a north–south direction in eastern Serbia. Ancient mountains in the southeast corner of the country belong to the Rilo-Rhodope Mountain system, elevation ranges from the Midžor peak of the Balkan Mountains at 2,169 metres to the lowest point of just 17 metres near the Danube river at Prahovo. The largest lake is Đerdap Lake and the longest river passing through Serbia is the Danube, the climate of Serbia is under the influences of the landmass of Eurasia and the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
4.
Kosovo Serbs
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Kosovo Serbs are the largest ethnic minority group in Kosovo, numbering around 150,000 people. By the end of 19th century they were the majority population, Kosovo was the cultural, diplomatic and religious core of the medieval Serbian state. Because of Serbian medieval history and monuments, Kosovo has long called the Serbian Jerusalem. The Medieval Monuments in Kosovo, founded by the Nemanjić dynasty, is a combined World Heritage Site consisting of four Serbian Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries, after centuries of Ottoman rule, Kosovo was annexed by the Kingdom of Serbia in 1912, following the First Balkan War. The formal names for the Serb community in Kosovo is Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija or Serbs of Kosmet, in use by the community itself and they are also referred to as Serbs of Kosovo or Serbs in Kosovo. The term Kosovo Serbs is predominantly used in English and they are known by the demonym Kosovci, though this is properly used for inhabitants of the region of Kosovo, along with Metohijci. Sclaveni raided and settled the western Balkans in the 6th and 7th century, through linguistical studies, it is concluded that the Early South Slavs were made up of a western and eastern branch, of parallel streams, roughly divided in the Timok–Osogovo–Šar line. Parts of northwestern Kosovo were part of the Serbian Principality, in the late 9th century the region was seized by the Bulgar Khanate, while the region switched hands between the Byzantines and Bulgars until the Byzantine restoration of 1018–19. In 1040–41 a massive Slavic rebellion broke out, which included Kosovo, vukan, the new independent Serbian Grand Prince, began raiding Byzantine territories, first in Kosovo, advancing into Macedonia. He broke several peace treaties concluded personally with the Byzantine Emperor at Zvečan and Lipljan, in 1166, a Serbian prince, Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, asserted independence after an uprising against the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus. Nemanja defeated his brother, Tihomir, at Pantino near Pauni, Nemanja was eventually defeated and had to return some of his conquests, and vouched to the Emperor that he would not raise his hand against him. Nemanjas son, Stefan, ruled a realm reaching the river of Lab in the south, Stefan conquered all of Kosovo by 1208, by which time he had conquered Prizren and Lipljan, and moved the border of his realm to the Šar mountain. In 1217, Stefan was crowned King of Serbs, due to which he is known in historiography as Stefan the First-Crowned, in 1219, the Serbian Church was given autocephaly, with Hvosno, Prizren and Lipljan being the Orthodox Christian eparchies with territory in modern-day Kosovo. By the end of the 13th century, the centre of the Serbian Church was moved to Peć from Žiča. King Stefan Dušan founded the great Monastery of the Holy Archangel near Prizren in 1342–52, the Serbian Kingdom was elevated into an Empire in 1345–46. Stefan Dušan received John VI Kantakuzenos in 1342 at Pauni to discuss an alliance against the Byzantine Emperor, in 1346, the Serbian Archbishopric at Peć was upgraded into a Patriarchate, but it was not recognized before 1375. After the death of Dušan in 1355, the fall of the Serbian Empire began, with feudal disintegration during the reign of his successor, parts of Kosovo became domain of Vukašin Mrnjavčević, but Vojislav Vojinović expanded his demesne further onto Kosovo. The armies of Vukašin from Pristina and his allies defeated Vojislavs forces in 1369, after the Battle of Maritsa on 26 September 1371 in which the Mrnjavčević brothers lost their lives, Đurađ I Balšić of Zeta took Prizren and Peć in 1372. A part of Kosovo became the demesne of the Lazar of Serbia, the Ottoman Empire invaded the realm of Prince Lazar on 28 June 1389, at the Battle of Kosovo near Pristina, at Gazimestan
5.
Serbs in Vojvodina
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The Serbs of Vojvodina are the largest ethnic group in this northern province of Serbia. According to the 2011 census, there were 1,289,635 Serbs in Vojvodina or 66. 76% of the population of the province, before the Roman conquest in the 1st century BC, Illyrian, Thracian and Celtic tribes inhabited the territory of present-day Vojvodina region. During the Roman rule, original inhabitants were heavily Romanized, and it is thought that this original population had not entirely disappeared, leaving certain genetic traces among the modern Serb population of the region. The Slavs settled todays Vojvodina in the 6th and 7th centuries, until the 13th century, the region had dominant Slavic population. In the 9th century the region of present-day Vojvodina was ruled by the two local Bulgaro-Slavic dukes and their names were Salan and Glad. Salan ruled the territory of Bačka, and his city was Titel. The descendant of Glad was Ahtum, another local duke of Banat, the important local Bulgaro-Slavic duke was also Sermon, a vassal of the Bulgarian emperor Samuil, who ruled over Srem in the 11th century. Parts of Vojvodina were conquered by the Kingdom of Hungary between the 10th and 12th centuries and this was followed by the destruction of the local Slavic tribal organization and introduction of the county system of rule. The first known prefect of the Bač county was recorded in 1074 and his name was Vid, during the rule of the Hungarian king Coloman, the local Serb nobles in Bačka were Uroš, Vukan and Pavle. A record from 1309 speak about Schismatics, who lived in Bačka, arsenije I Bogdanović from Srem, the second Serb archbishop after Saint Sava, was born in Srem, in the village Dabar near Slankamen. From 1282 to 1316 Serbian King Stefan Dragutin Nemanjić reigned several lands as a King of Syrmia, the center of his realm was in Lower Syrmia, while he also possibly ruled Upper Syrmia. Stefan Dragutin died in 1316, and was succeeded by his son Vladislav, an increasing number of Serbs began settling in the Vojvodina region from the 14th century onward. By 1483, according to a Hungarian source, as much as half of the population of the Vojvodina territory of the Kingdom of Hungary at the time consisted of Serbs. The Hungarian kings encouraged the immigration of Serbs to the Kingdom, after the Ottoman Empire conquered Serbian Despotate, Serbian titular despots ruled in parts of Vojvodina as vassals of the Hungarian crown. The residence of the despots was Kupinik in Srem, the Serbian despots were, Vuk Grgurević, Đorđe Branković, Jovan Branković, Ivaniš Berislav, Stevan Berislav, Radič Božić, Pavle Bakić and Stefan Štiljanović. The last three did not rule in the territory of present-day Vojvodina, but had possessions in the territories of present-day Romania, Hungary, the Ottoman Empire took control of Vojvodina following the Battle of Mohács of 1526 and the conquest of Banat in 1552. Soon after the Battle of Mohač, Jovan Nenad, a leader of the Serb mercenaries, established his rule in Bačka, northern Banat and he created an ephemeral independent state, with Subotica as its capital. At the pitch of his power, Jovan Nenad proclaimed himself Serbian Emperor in Subotica, taking advantage of the extremely confused military and political situation, the Hungarian noblemen from the region joined forces against him and defeated the Serbian troops in the summer of 1527
6.
Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina are one of the three constitutive nations of the country, predominantly residing in the political-territorial entity of Republika Srpska. In the other entity Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbs form the majority in Drvar, Glamoč, Bosansko Grahovo and they are frequently referred to as Bosnian Serbs in English, regardless of whether they are from Bosnia or Herzegovina. They are also known by names such as Krajišnici, Semberci, Bosanci, Hercegovci. The 2013 population census registered 1,086,733 Serbs or 30. 8% of the population of Bosnia. Bosnian Serbs are the most territorially widespread nation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the vast majority live on the territory of the Republika Srpska, where they constitute around 88% of population. The majority of Bosnian Serbs are adherents of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina speak the Serbian language in its Ijekavian accent, similar to that of Serbs of Montenegro and Croatia, and also to the language of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats. Slavs settled the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries, according to De Administrando Imperio, the Serbs had settled what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina. They inhabited and ruled Serbia, which included Bosnia, and the principalities of Travunija, Zahumlje and Paganija. Serbia was at the time ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, during the rule of Mutimir, the Serbs were Christianized. Prince Petar, defeated Tišemir in Bosnia, annexing the valley of Bosna, Petar took over the Neretva, after which he seems to have come into conflict with Michael, a Bulgarian vassal ruling Zahumlje. Časlav defeated the Magyars on the Drina river banks when protecting Bosnia, however, after his death, Duklja emerged as the most powerful Serb polity, ruled by the Vojislavljević dynasty. Constantine Bodin installed his relative Stefan as Ban of Bosnia, next, the Nemanjić dynasty acquired the rule of the Serbian lands. With the establishment of the autocephalous Serbian Church, Archbishop Sava founded the Metropolitanate of Zahumlje, with the Ottoman conquest of medieval Serbia, there were large migrations towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Serb Uprising of 1596–97 was suppressed at Gacko, in 1809, Jančićs Revolt broke out in Gradiška. In 1834, Priest Jovicas Revolt broke out in Gradiška, in 1858, Pecijas First Revolt broke out in Knešpolje. In 1875, the Herzegovina Uprising broke out in the Bosnia Vilayet, on July 2,1876, Golub Babić and his 71 commanders signed the Proclamation of the Unification of Bosnia with Serbia. In 1878, Bosnia and Herzegovina became a protectorate of Austria-Hungary, the first parliamentary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina were held in 1910, the winner was Serbian National Organization. On June 28,1914, Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip made international headlines after assassinating Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand in Sarajevo and this sparked World War I leading to Austria-Hungarys defeat and the incorporation of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
7.
Serbs of Montenegro
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Serbs of Montenegro or Montenegrin Serbs, compose the second largest ethnic group in Montenegro, after the Montenegrins. In historiography, the Orthodox people of Montenegro were called Serbs, in the constitutions of the Principality of Montenegro and Kingdom of Montenegro, the Montenegrin peoples ethnonym was Serbs. With the formation of Socialist Yugoslavia, the censuses showed a majority of people declaring as Montenegrins, following the Slavic settlement of the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries, several principalities were established in the Western Balkans towards the Adriatic. Duklja, first mentioned in the De Administrando Imperio, was one of the Serbian principalities that came under Byzantine rule in 1018 after Basil IIs conquest of Bulgaria, the Serbs were the Empires most important but insubodinate subjects in the western Balkans. Duklja broke away from Byzantine rule in 1042 under ruler Stefan Vojislav, all of what is today Montenegro came under the rule of Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, after 1180. Zeta, formerly known as Duklja, became an important region in the Serbian state. Nevertheless, it remained a land, given to the heir of the monarch. Several monasteries date to this period, such as, Praskvica, Banja, Morača, Vranjina, Montenegro saw independence under the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty, firstly as a principality and then as a kingdom. Both Kingdoms fought together as independent states in the Balkan Wars, the conflict led to the Christmas Uprising, in which the Whites with support from the Serbian army defeated the Greens. During the Second World War both Serbs and Montenegrins were very active in resistance movements, the Yugoslav Partisans and the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland known as the Chetniks. At the end of the war the socialist Yugoslavia was created and we Montenegrins are the salt of the Serbs. All the strength of the Serbs is not here but their soul is, the country was renamed Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Montenegro was also included by the sanctions imposed to Serbia during the 1990s. During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia both Serbia and Montenegro suffered the attacks of the NATO forces and several targets inside Montenegro were also bombarded. In 2006, six years after the fall of Milošević in 2000, and after insisting on international diplomacy, the former Yugoslavia became known as the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. The process of becoming a state union ironically lead to the separation of the two states - a change which was officiated by the referendum on Montenegrin independence on 21 May 2006. A total of 419,240 votes were cast, representing 86. 5% of the total electorate, of them,230,661 votes or 55. 5% were in favour of independence and 185,002 votes or 44. 5% were against. Since independence, the Montenegrin society has been divided among many issues, the Montenegrin language lacks ISO code, and the Montenegrin Orthodox church is canonically unrecognized
8.
Serbs of Croatia
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The Serbs of Croatia or Croatian Serbs constitute the largest national minority in Croatia. The community is predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christian by religion, as opposed to the Croats who are Roman Catholic, there has been a substantial Serb population in the territory of what is today Croatia since the Early Modern period. Serbs settled in several waves, and they populated the Dalmatian hinterland, Lika, Kordun, Banija, Western Slavonia, Eastern Slavonia. An important part of their identity is the Habsburg military service, the population has been declining sharply since 1991 and the Croatian War, from 12% to 4%. According to the 2011 census there were 186,633 ethnic Serbs living in Croatia,4. 4% of the total population. Their number was reduced by more than two thirds in the aftermath of the 1991–95 War in Croatia as the 1991 pre-war census had reported 581,663 Serbs living in Croatia,12. 2% of the total population. The lands of Pagania, Zachumlia and Travunia were inhabited by Serbs, the event would have taken place during the rule of either Radoslav or his son, Prosigoj. In the 880s, the Serb Prince Mutimir exiled his two brothers due to treachery, but kept his nephew Petar at the court, Petar later fled to the Croatian principality. When Mutimirs son Pribislav had ruled for a year, Petar returned and defeated him, in 894 Bran returned but was defeated and blinded. Pavle, the son of Bran, later returned and defeated Pavle with Bulgarian aid, King Mihailo I built the St. Michaels Church in Ston, which has a fresco depicting him. Beloš Vukanović, a member of the Serb Vukanović dynasty, was given the title of Ban of Croatia by the Kingdom of Hungary and ruled 1142-1158 and briefly in 1163. The first Serbian Orthodox monastery in Croatia, Krupa, was built in 1317 by Stephen Uroš II Milutin of Serbia, other monuments include Krka. Many monasteries and churches were damaged in the War in Croatia, members of the Orlović Serb clan settled in Lika and Senj in 1432, they later joined the Uskoks. On 22 November 1447, the Hungarian King Ladislaus V wrote a letter which mentioned Rascians, as many former inhabitants of the Austrian-Ottoman borderland fled northwards or were captured by the Ottoman invaders, they left unpopulated areas. After the Ottoman capture of Smederevo fortress in 1459 up to 200,000 Orthodox Christians moved into central Slavonia, at the beginning of the 16th century settlements of Orthodox Christians were also established in western Croatia. In the first half of the 16th century Serbs settled Ottoman part of Slavonia while in the part of the 16th century they moved to Austrian part of Slavonia. In 1550 they established the Lepavina Monastery, the Austrian Empire encouraged people from the Ottoman Empire to settle as free peasant soldiers, establishing the Military Frontiers in 1522. They were mostly of Orthodox faith, Serbs and Vlachs, Catholic Vlachs were assimilated into Croats, while the Orthodox, under the Serbian Orthodox Church, identified with Serbs
9.
Serbs of the Republic of Macedonia
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Serbs are one of the constitutional peoples of the Republic of Macedonia. Numbering about 36,000 inhabitants, they are based on the populations as well as later relocated or migrated ethnic Serbs. They follow the Serbian Orthodox Church, within the see of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, the territory of todays Republic of Macedonia was periodically part of the Serbian Kingdom and Empire from the end of the 11th century to the Battle of Kosovo when it was conquered by the Ottomans. The South Slavic Orthodox people now lived under a foreign, Muslim power, in tax registries, the Orthodox Christians were recorded as infidels. Atrocities, failed rebellions and tax increases prompted several mass migrations into the north, Minor revolts took place in Ottoman Macedonia, although the liberation of these lands came to fruit in the late 19th and early 20th century, with Serbian and Bulgarian effort. During this time a separate Macedonian identity emerged in the local Slavs, by 1913, Serbia had captured most of present-day Macedonia, which subsequently was unified in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Socialist Yugoslavia with other South Slavic peoples. In 1991, with the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars, the Socialist Republic of Macedonia became independent, the Sclaveni had pillaged the Balkans as early as the 520s. The South Slavic territories were called Sclaviniae, and were from times independent from the Byzantine Empire, in 577, some 100,000 Slavs poured into Thrace and Illyricum, pillaging cities and settling down. By the 580s, as the Slav communities on the Danube became larger and more organised, by 581, many Slavic tribes had settled the land around Thessaloniki, though never taking the city itself, creating a Macedonian Sclavinia. In 586 AD, as many as 100,000 Slav warriors raided Thessaloniki, in De Administrando Imperio, the Serbs trace their origin to the migration of the White Serbs led by the Unknown Archont, who took the protection of the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. The Serbs, who lived in Macedonia subsequently settled the lands that would become the early Serbian Principality, constans II conquered Sclavinia in 656-657, capturing many and subduing them, he also resettled Slavs from the Vardar area to Asia Minor, to a city named Gordoservon. The Sclaviniae of Macedonia were conquered in 785 by Constantine VI, meanwhile, in 681, Bulgars established the Bulgarian Khanate. By Peter I of Bulgarias reign, a symbiosis between the Bulgars and Slavs occurred and they established a form of national identity that, despite far from modern nationalism helped them to survive as a distinct ethnicity through the centuries. In 971-972, Eastern Bulgaria was conquered by John Tzimiskes, who burned down Bulgarian capital Preslav, the series of events are not clear due to contradicting sources, but it is sure that after 971, the Cometopuli brothers were the de facto rulers of the Western Bulgarian lands. Tsar Samuel then became a general under Roman I of Bulgaria, in 997, Roman died in captivity in Constantinople and Samuel was chosen as the new Emperor of Bulgaria. The political center of the Bulgarian realm was moved then to Macedonia, Ohrid served as capital, by 997, Serbia had been conquered and made again subject to Bulgaria by Tsar Samuel. When the Byzantines finally defeated the Bulgarians in 1018, they regained control over most of the Balkans for the first time in four centuries, in 1092, Grand Prince Vukan defeated an army sent by Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. Alexios I responded by sending a much larger army, but it was stopped by Serbian envoys wanting to negotiate, Peace was concluded, and Alexios returned to tackle the plundering Cumans
10.
Serbs of Romania
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The Serbs of Romania are a recognized ethnic minority numbering 18,076 people according to the 2011 census. The community is concentrated in western Romania, in the Romanian part of the Banat region, Slavic presence is attested in Romania since the Early Middle Ages. The Avar Khaganate was the dominant power of the Carpathian Basin between around 567 and 803, most historians agree that Slavs and Bulgars, together with the remnants of the Avars, and possibly with Vlachs, inhabited the Banat region after the fall of the khaganate. Place names of Slavic origin recorded already in the Middle Ages show the presence of a Slavic-speaking population. From the late 14th- to the beginning of the 16th century a number of Serbs lived in Wallachia and Moldavia. Following Ottoman expansion in the 15th century, Serb mass migrations ensued into Pannonia, in the Ottoman period, some thirty Serbian Orthodox monasteries were built in the territory of Romania. The Serbian Uprising in Banat included territories part of modern Romania, there were reprisals, contemporary sources speaking of the living envied the dead. The Great Migrations of the Serbs in 1690 and 1737–39 led to settlement of Serbs. According to the 2011 census, there was 18,076 people of the Serb minority, in Caraș-Severin County, the Serbs constitute an absolute majority in the commune of Pojejena and a plurality in the commune of Socol. Serbs also constitute absolute majority in the municipality of Svinița in the Mehedinți County, the region where these three municipalities are located is known as Clisura Dunării in Romanian or Banatska Klisura in Serbian. The following localities had a Serb population greater than 1% according to the 2011 census, Serbian placenames are included in brackets. List of Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Romania, Sveti Đurađ monastery, according to the legend, it was founded in 1485 by the Serbian despot, Jovan Branković. It was rebuilt in the 18th century and it was founded in the 15th century. Bazjaš monastery, built 1225 Bezdin monastery, the St. Peter and Paul Serbian Church, raised in 1698-1702 in Arad, early Baroque architecture Jovan Nenad, Hungarian general and self-proclaimed emperor, born in Lipova. Đorđe Branković, Transylvanian count, born in Ineu, dositej Obradović, Serbian writer and translator, born in Ciacova. Stevan Aleksic, Serbian painter, born in Arad, alexandru Macedonski, Romanian poet, novelist, and literary critic, paternal Serb descent. Ivan Tabaković, Yugoslav painter, born in Arad, emil Petrovici, Romanian linguist, born in Serbia. Ion Ivanovici Romanian military band leader and composer, andrei Ivanovitch an international classical pianist and winner of a number of international competitions
11.
Serbs in Hungary
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The Serbs in Hungary are recognized as an ethnic minority, numbering 7,210 people or 0. 1% of the total population. The number of Serbs in Hungary has drastically diminished, in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries large Serb communities existed throughout Hungary, notably in Buda, Baja, Szentendre and Szeged. The Serb community in the territory of present-day Hungary has its origin in migrations from the territory of medieval Serbian states during and after the Ottoman conquest of these states. Matthias Corvinus and his successors are known to have welcomed Serbs from the side of the Danube, giving the exiled military commanders fiefdoms to rule. The presence of Serbs in the territory of present-day Hungary date from the Middle Ages, the mother of the Hungarian king Géza II was Helena of Raška, a daughter of the great župan of Raška, Uroš I. During the rule of Géza II, her brother Beloš Vukanović was a palatine of the Kingdom of Hungary, since the 14th century, escaping from the Ottoman threat, a large number of Serbs migrated to the Kingdom of Hungary where many of them served as soldiers. After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, much of the territory of present-day Hungary came under Ottoman administration, during Ottoman administration towns in the territory of present-day Hungary began decaying and the former Hungarian and German population left them. In that time, especially in the 17th century, many Serb and it is interesting that most of the Ottoman soldiers in the territory of present-day Hungary were South Slavs. After territory of present-day Hungary came under Habsburg administration, a new wave of Serb refugees migrated to the area in 1690, as a consequence of the Habsburg-Ottoman war. In the first half of the 18th century, Serbs and South Slavs were ethnic majority in several cities in the territory of present-day Hungary, including Buda, Szentendre, Baja, Pécs, Szeged, after the devastating Ottoman wars these cities had a very low population. In 1698, more than a half of population of Pécs were South Slavs, in 1715, the population of Buda numbered 1,539 houses, of which 769 were South Slavic,701 German, and 68 Hungarian. In 1715, the population of Baja numbered 237 houses, of which 216 were South Slavic,16 Hungarian, in 1720, 88% of population of Szentendre were South Slavs. In 1720, the population of Szeged numbered 193 houses, of which 99 were Serb, during the 18th and 19th century, the Hungarian-Serb ethnic border moved southward and fixed in the territory of present-day Vojvodina. The Treaty of Trianon from 1920 defined the border between Hungary and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and assigned most of Baranya, as a response to this, a short-lived Serb-Hungarian Baranya-Baja Republic was formed in this area in 1921. The president of the republic was Serb, Petar Dobrović, after the Serb-Croat-Slovene army evacuated the territory of the Baranya-Baja Republic the two countries signed a citizenship treaty. According to that treaty, members of the Serb minority in Hungary gained right to opt for citizenship of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, about two-thirds of the Serbs left Hungary in the following decade. Almost the whole Serb population of Sárok, Deszk, Újszentiván, Szőreg, Majs, in 1910,26,248 people in the territory of present-day Hungary spoke Serbian language. In 1920, number of Serbian speakers was 17,132, in 19307,031, in 19415,442, in 197011,177, in 19803,426, in 19902,953,20013,388 and in 20113,708
12.
Serbo-Montenegrins in Albania
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The Serb-Montenegrin community in Albania is estimated to number ca.30,000 people. In the latest census, boycotted by the minorities, citizens had the option to declare as Montenegrins. The population is concentrated in the region of Vraka, the community is bilingual and by majority adhere to Eastern Orthodoxy, while a minority professes Islam. The community is known as Serbs-Montenegrins, Serbs or Montenegrins. It has also called the Serbo-Montenegrin minority or simply Serbo-Montenegrins. During the rule of Enver Hoxha, they were forced to change names but have not been able to reclaim them, the community lives largely on trade with Montenegro. In 2000, the Albanian Helsinki Committee estimated that there were ca.2,000 Serb–Montenegrin people in Albania, the Morača-Rozafa Association had 4,000 members in 2009, while President Pavle Brajović claimed a number closer to 30,000. The 2011 census in Albania was boycotted by the national minorities, according to the Assembly for the Diaspora, the Serb minority in Albania number ca.30,000 people. Smaller communities live outside northern Albania, several hundred families live in Durrës and Tirana. There are also communities in Elbasan and Korça, in two villages of Fier, the inhabitants declare as Serbs of Islamic faith. In Fier, there are some 2,000 Serbs of Orthodox faith, living mostly in the settlements of Retli Bouša and Hamir. Shijak is inhabited by a community of Bosniaks who descend from families that fled Bosnia in 1885, heading for Turkey, but were settled in the villages of Koxhas and Borake. With short interruptions, the territory later became a part of Sanjak of Scutari in the Ottoman Empire. The South Slavs began raiding Byzantine territories in the 520s and had conquered Durrës and most of Epirus, according to Emperor Constantine VII the early Serbs lived in the former Roman provinces of Dalmatia, Praevalitana and Moesia. During the rule of Časlav Klonimirović, most of Albania was part of Bulgaria, after the Byzantine annexation of Raška, the Serbian principality of Duklja succeeded as the main Serb state and it included much of the land north of Durrës, with Shkodër being an important city. Khan Samuel of Bulgaria had by 997 conquered all of Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, Jovan Vladimir ruled Duklja during the war between Byzantine Emperor Basil II and Samuel. Vladimir allegedly retreated into Koplik when Samuel invaded Duklja, and was forced to accept Bulgarian vassalage. Vladimir was later slewn by the Bulgars, and received a cult, Shingjon, in 1018 Basil II conquered most of the Balkans and established the Archbishopric of Ochrid for the South Slavs
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Serbs in Bulgaria
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The Serbs are a small community in Bulgaria, most of whom are emigrants. Many of them are athletes and businessmen that have expatriated to Bulgaria in the last two decades, according to the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues by the Bulgarian Government, there are 313 Serbs in the country, most of whom are emigrants. According to the Bulgarian government, the number of Serbian citizens. 2011 Bulgarian census registered 569 Serbian citizens living permanently in Bulgaria, during the Byzantine rule in Bulgaria, the Serbs invaded Byzantine territory in 1149. Emperor Manuel I Komnenos forced the rebellious Serbs to vassalage and settled some Serbian PoWs around Sofia and they founded the villages Mala Crkva near Samokov and the former village Popovo near Pernik. Two villages in today Bulgaria had carried till 1934 the name Srbinovo and these are the present-day villages Brezhani and Srebrinovo. Other places of possible Serbian settlements include part of Apriltsi and the villages of Malki Varshets and Yavorets, the village Brakevtsi was settled also by Serbs in late Ottoman times, after the local population had emigrated to Bessarabia. In 1919 Brakevtsi was ceded to Serbia, in 2010 an Association of the Serbs in Bulgaria was set up. Zlatomir Zagorčić, naturalized Bulgarian former footballer, now coach, played for the Bulgarian national team 1998–2004. Predrag Pažin, naturalized Bulgarian former footballer, now coach, played for the Bulgarian national team 2000–2004. Zoran Janković, naturalized Bulgarian former footballer, played for the Bulgarian national team 2002–2007. Ivan Čvorović, naturalized Bulgarian footballer, playing for the Bulgarian national team Majstor Miro, bulgarians in Serbia Bulgarian-Serbian relations Serbian diaspora Serbs of the Republic of Macedonia Serbs in Romania Serbs in Greece Serbs in Albania Miroslav Karlica. Aksinija Djurova, Vladarski kult - znak Srpske drjavnosti Zbornik radova Vizantološkog instituta,2007, UDK,94, 2–5
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Serbs in Germany
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Serbs are the seventh largest group of foreigners in Germany. Most Serbs living in Germany moved during the 1960s and 1970s as Gastarbeiter or Guest workers when Serbia was part of Yugoslavia, a small percentage of Serbs migrated to Germany as refugees during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. The majority of the Serbian population is concentrated in three states, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Within the three states the Serbs are numerous in Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Munich, in 2010, the Federal Statistical Office, the number of Serb nationals in Germany stood at 179,048. Another 93,013 people living in Germany with the citizenship of the former Serbia, earlier estimations include 700,000 and 800,000. Serbian diaspora Germany–Serbia relations Demographics of Germany Information on the Serbian community in Germany Web site of a Serbian association in Germany
15.
Serbs in Austria
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The Serbs in Austria are the second largest ethnic minority group in Austria, after Germans. The first wave of Serbs to Austria began in the early 19th century, Serb immigration to Austria is still active today due to economic and familial factors. Like in most Western European countries, the Serb community in Austria consists mainly of Serbs from Serbia and Bosnia, according to the 2014 census, there were 132,553 Austrian citizens who declared Serbian as their native language. The real number of ethnic Serbs in Austria is estimated to be much higher – e. g. the membership of Serbische Gemeinschaft in Österreich, the common estimation is a total of 300,000. The Österreichisch Serbische Gesellschaft was founded in 1936 as Österreichisch-Jugoslawischen Gesellschaft, Serbs were a notable minority of the Habsburg Monarchy, having settled Central Europe following the Ottoman conquest of Serbia. The Serbs with the aid of Austrian troops occupied Serbia in 1686–91, established the Kingdom of Serbia, and occupied it again in 1788–92
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Serbs in France
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Serbs in France or French Serbs, number around 120,000 according to estimations. They are located mostly in the regions of Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Belfort, Montbéliard, Mulhouse, a wave of Serbs came with the influx of other Southern Europeans in the 1920s. A minority are people of Serbian origin who were established in France in the aftermath of the First World War, most Serbs however moved to France during the 1960s and 1970s, some also came as refugees during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. France–Serbia relations St. Sava Church, Paris Serb diaspora French-Serbian friendship site Serbian Orthodox Church in France Serbian-French association Serbian-French cultural and sports association
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Swedish Serbs
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Serbs began migrating to Sweden in large numbers in the 1960s, as part of the migrant work-agreement signed with the Yugoslav government to help Sweden overcome its severe labour shortage. The Yugoslav wars saw another influx of Serbs, the Serbs in Sweden are one of the largest Serb diaspora communities. Serbs constituted a low percentage of the Swedish population prior to the 1960s, some came after World War II, mostly seeking political asylum. During the 1960s and 1970s, agreements were signed with the government of Yugoslavia to help Sweden overcome its severe labour shortage, bosnian and Croatian Serbs migrated in another wave during and after the Yugoslav wars. Another wave of Kosovo Serbs came during the Kosovo war in 1999, the Swedish census data includes country of birth, but does not include ethnicity, descendants or naturalized people, thus, the total number of ethnic Serbs in Sweden is hard to define. Various estimations include,80,000,110,000,120,000, the Serbs in Sweden are bilingual. The Serbian language is a contributor to the so-called Rinkeby Swedish. In 1972 the first Serbian Orthodox parish was formed in Västerås, prior to the forming the Serbs were headed by Swedish Orthodox priest Christofer Klasson, later, the same year a parish was formed in Malmö and in 1973 one in Stockholm. Later, parishes have formed in Göteborg, Jönköping, Helsingborg. The parishes have their own head-priest, in Malmö,1982, the Church of Saint Cyril and Methodius was opened, the first Serbian church in Sweden. The parish of Saint Sava opened its church in Enskede, in 1983, the parish in Malmö suffered several attacks in 1990, the premises were firebombed but the church was not damaged, the perpetrators were racist youths who were later convicted of arson. Swedish Serbs have been successful in sports, among most notable are The Stockholm Eagles is a Serbian-Swedish basketball team that has become very successful since its establishment in 2007. They won the Swedish second league back to back 2011 and 2012 and became the only team in Sweden to win 34 victories in a row
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Serbs in the United Kingdom
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British Serbs or Serbs in the United Kingdom are Serbs and people of Serbian ancestry in the United Kingdom. There has been a Serb community in Halifax since Yugoslavias liberation in the World War II, monarchist refugees left Yugoslavia as a result of Josip Broz Titos revolution. There is a Serbian Orthodox church there, there is a sizable Serb community in Shepherds Bush and Notting Hill in West London, where Serbian grocery stores, cafes, and a Serbian church is present. There are a number of Serbian Orthodox churches in the UK, the Serbian Council of Britain notes the presence of second- and third-generation British Serbs. In 2001, the Serbian Embassy estimated that there were 70,000 Serbs in the United Kingdom, a January 2012 estimation claims 80,000. The 2011 UK Census, recorded 8,049 Serbian-born residents in England,122 in Wales,188 in Scotland, milan Mandarić, businessman and owner of Sheffield Wednesday F. C. British Serbs and long distance nationalism, the Serbian Society in the UK The Serbian Council of Great Britain Saint Savas Serbian Orthodox Church Projekat iz Dijaspore u Londonu, Mala biblioteka Projekat iz Dijaspore u Londonu, iBiblioteka
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Serbs in Italy
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Serbs in Italy or Italian Serbs, number around 46,958 in the territory of Italy. In 1497 Italian court poet Rogeri de Pacienza di Nardo wrote about a group of Serbian refugees who left the Despotate of Đurađ Branković to settle in the village of Gioia del Colle near Bari, Italy. He describes how they sang and danced the kolo in honour of the Queen of Naples, the names of the singers that Pacienza wrote down are common Serbian names. In 1782 the first Serbian school opened in Trieste, and in the 19th century the Serbian Orthodox Saint Spyridon church in Trieste was built near the Ponte Rosso square, some 40,000 Serbs live in northern Italy. In Arzignano there are thousands of Serbs from all over former Yugoslavia, in Trieste,10, 000-15,000 Serbs live in the city. 46,958, Foreign citizens from Serbia There are several community organizations of Serbs in Italy, the Association of Serbs of Italy was established in April 2015 by the combined organizations meeting in Trieste. Sportspeople Giovanni Raicevich was a famous Italian wrestler in the early 20th century and he is the father of Dragan Travica Marko Stanojevic, rugby union player born in Birmingham to a Serbian father and an Italian mother. He played for the Italian national team, Rada Rassimov, actress born in Trieste to Serbian parents as Rada Djerasimović, sister of Ivan Rassimov. Singers Sara Jovanović, Serbian singer born in Rome that represented Serbia at Eurovision Song Contest 2008 Artists Marcello Dudovich was born in 1878 and he was one of the most acclaimed commercial artists of art, prints and posters during his time. Nobility Darinka Kvekić, wife of Danilo I, Prince of Montenegro Triestine Serbs Serbian diaspora Svetionik
20.
Serbs in Slovenia
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Serbs in Slovenia are, by large, first or second generation immigrants from other republics of former Yugoslavia. In the 2002 census,38,964 people of Slovenia declared Serb ethnicity, corresponding to 1. 98% of the total population, after World War II, many Serbs employed in the Yugoslav Peoples Army were stationed in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia with their families. In the period of 1971-1981, many ethnic Serbs migrated from Bosnia and Herzegovina to pursue better careers, before 1991, many Serbs in Slovenia registered as Yugoslavs, and many still prefer referring to their mother language as Serbo-Croatian, rather than Serbian. There also exists a community of Serbs in White Carniola. In 2013, the community association of Serbs in Slovenia requested that Serbs be given the status of national minority. Most of Serbs in Slovenia are concentrated in urban areas, especially in Ljubljana. The table shows the year and number and percentage of Serbs in Slovenia after World War II, all these elements make the estimate of the overall number of Serbs in Slovenia difficult. Yugonostalgia is strong among the older generation, the urban former Yugoslav immigrant community in Slovenia have developed a Balkan culture in the 1990s. The Leskovac-styled grilled meat, including ćevapčići, have become part of everyday-diet in Slovenia. However more than 31,000 people declared their mother tongue as Serbian, a mixed Slovenian–Serbian slang, srboslovenščina, became an unofficial language in football and construction building, among other traditional domains of post-war immigrants from former Yugoslavia. Serbs in Slovenia are predominantly Eastern Orthodox by faith, adhering to the Serbian Orthodox Church, there is also a substantial number of atheists and agnostics. Serb community of White Carniola Vojislav Stanovčić, položaj i identitet srpske manjine u jugoistočnoj i centralnoj Evropi, zbornik radova sa naučnog skupa održanog 26-29. The Serbs in Slovenia, A new minority, the Balkans in Focus, Cultural Boundaries in Europe
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Serbian Russians
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A Serbian Russian or Serbs in Russia, is a Russian citizen of Serbian descent or a Serbia-born person who resides in Russia. There is also a similar Russian community, near Belgrade, but those individuals were Muslims, petersburg and Kharkiv Aleksa Dundić, Serbian communist, a prominent participant in Russias October Revolution. Count Mikhail Miloradovich, a general prominent during the Napoleonic Wars, jovan Šević one of the founders of Slavo-Serbia. Jovan Albanez, commander of the Serbian Hussar Regiment, nikodim Milaš, Bishop of Dalmatia and expert in cannon law who studied at the Kievan Theological Academy, among other institutions of learning. Yevgeny Vuchetich, a prominent Soviet sculptor and artist, known for his heroic monuments, ivan the Terrible, Tsar of All-Russia from 1547 to 1584. Atanasije Stojković, Serbian writer and one of the first professor at Kharkiv University and he is considered as the founder of the Russian meteoritics. Teodor Filipović, Serbian writer and one of the first professors at Kharkiv University, simeon Piščević, Austrian and Russian general major. Matija Zmajević, Vice admiral, hero of the battles of Gangut, lazar the Serb, one of the earliest inventors of clocks. Pachomius the Serb, Serbian and Russian hagiographer, ognjeslav Kostović Stepanović, Serbian inventor who also lived in Russia. Nazary Alexandrovich Karazin, an Imperial Russian officer, came from a family of Greek and his son Vasily Karazin later worked on educational reforms and founded The Ministry of National Education in Russian Empire. He is also the founder of Kharkiv University, anto Gvozdenović, Russian commander and ambassador
22.
Serbs in Greece
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Serbs in Greece is a community of Greek nationals of ethnic Serb descent and Serbian-born Greek nationals. They number more than 15,000 people, while according to the 2001 census some 5,200 people born in Serbia have Greek citizenship, serbian diaspora Greeks in Serbia Greece–Serbia relations Колонија Срба у Солуну. Српске школе и настава српског језика у Грчкој у20, ambiguity of Integration Processes, The Serbs in Greece. National Identity of the New Immigrants
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Serbs of Slovakia
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There is a small number of Serbs in Slovakia, mostly located in the southern town of Komárno, where they have been living since the 17th century. There has also been a minority in Bratislava, where many Habsburg Serbs studied. The number of Slovaks of Serb descent is hard to determine, the Association of Serbs in Slovakia claim that 2.784 Serbs, born outside Slovakia, currently live in Slovakia, while another 800 Slovaks are of Serb descent. According to the 2011 census, there were 698 Serbian nationals in Slovakia, branko Radivojevic, Slovak ice hockey player of Serb parentage Marko Milinkovic, Serbian expatriate football player Martin Tešovič, Slovak weightlifter of possible Serb origin. Marek Krajčovič Slovak sprint canoeist of possible Serb origin, mário Filipovič Slovak sport shooter of possible Serb origin. Miroslav Machovič Slovak swimmer of possible Serb origin, gavril Stefanović Venclović Serb priest, writer, poet, orator, philosopher, and illuminator. Pavle Davidović Serb general, Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa, igor Matovič Slovak politician of possible Serb origin. Ministarstvo Republike Srbije za veze sa Srbima izvan Srbije, svaki drugi Srbin zivi izvan Srbije
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Serbian Americans
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Serbian Americans are United States citizens of Serb ethnic ancestry. As of 2012, there are 199,080 American citizens of Serbian ancestry who identify as having Serb ancestry. However, the number may be higher, as some 328,547 people who identify as Yugoslavs living in the United States, another notable early Serb in America was Basil Rosevic, who founded a shipping company, the Trans-Oceanic Ship Lines, around the year 1800. In the early 1800s, many Serb sailors and fishermen from Montenegro, in 1841, Serbs founded the Greek Orthodox Parish with Greek immigrants in New Orleans, further solidifying their presence in the region. Serbian Americans fought in the American Civil War, primarily on the side of the Confederacy, as most Serbs living in America were in Louisiana, several Confederate military units were formed by Serbs in Louisiana, such as the Cognevich Company, and the First and Second Slavonian Rifles. At least 400 Serbs and Montenegrins fought in three units during the Civil War. Several other known Serbian soldiers in the Civil War came from Alabama and Florida, other Serbs settled in Alabama and Mississippi, as well as California, where they joined the Gold Rush. Serb immigrants first came in significant numbers to the United States in the late 1800s from the Adriatic regions of Austria-Hungary and areas of the Balkans. During this time, most Serb immigrants to the United States settled in industrial cities or in California. Serb men often found employment in mines, and numerous Serb families moved to mining towns throughout the country, in 1943, many Serbian-American miners were killed in the Smith Mine disaster in Montana. In the 1910 census, there were 16,676 Serbs from Austria-Hungary,4,321 from Serbia, serbian-Americans volunteered in the First Balkan War. During World War I, as many as 15,000 Serbian-American volunteers returned to the Balkans to fight for the Allied cause in their homeland. During World War I, Pupins Consulate in New York served as a center of Serbian-American diplomacy, in the 1912–18 period, thousands of Serbian-American volunteers came from Alaska and California. After World War II many Serbs immigrated to the United States from Yugoslavia after the country came under the rule of Communist leader Josip Broz Tito. Since then, many Serbian American cultural and religious organizations have formed in the United States. With the fall of Communism and the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Serbs in the United States have established several interest groups, a total of 187,738 citizens of the United States declared Serb ethnicity in 2010. It is highly likely that among the citizens who declared Yugoslavian ethnicity are additional ethnic Serbs, major centers of Serbian settlement in the United States include Indianapolis, Chicago, New York City, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Jackson, California. Various ethnic organizations put the number of Serbian Americans at more than 350,000, notable Serbian Americans among others include recipients of the Medal of Honor such as World War I veteran Jake Allex
25.
Serbian Canadians
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The community of Serbian Canadians includes Canadian citizens of Serb ethnicity, or people born in Serbia who permanently reside in Canada. Serbs have migrated to Canada in various waves during the 20th century, the 2011 census recorded 80,320 people declaring as Serbian, living in Canada. The first Serbs to arrive in Canada came to British Columbia between 1850 and 1870, many were employed in mining or forestry near such towns as Phoenix, Golden, Prince Rupert and Kamloops. In Dawson City and Whitehorse names like Black Mike Winage and pioneer Milos Big Mike Tadich became legendary, during the Great War, Tadich fought overseas with The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada along with other Serbian Canadians, most of whom were born in Montenegro and Serbia. Those who were born in Austria-Hungary were incarcerated in Ukrainian Canadian internment camps throughout the country, by 1900, Serbs began to arrive in Alberta. Many of these settlers had migrated north from the north-west region of the United States. Coal mining attracted them to Lethbridge, while construction was a source of employment for those in Macleod. Many Serbs worked on the construction of lines that now extend from Edmonton to the Pacific coast. Others were interned in camps as enemy aliens simply because they were born under the scepter of Austria-Hungary. Luigi von Kunits, who was living and working in Toronto at the time, was one of its victims having to identify himself regularly at the station throughout the war years. Čedomilj Mijatović became very active at the beginning of the First World War and he wrote many letters and articles to British dailies but his most remarkable action in this field was his visit to the United States and Canada. He was accompanied by the most famous British suffragette, Emmeline Pankhurst, the period between the two World Wars witnessed a major increase in Serbian immigration to Canada, mostly after the breakup of the Habsburg Empire. More than 30,000 Yugoslavs came to Canada between 1919 and 1939, from the Balkans, Hungary and Romania, this included an estimated 10,000 Serbs. Many of these immigrants were single, working men who had families in their home country to seek work in Canada. The vast majority of Serbs arriving between the wars settled in Ontario or British Columbia, during this time, ties to Europe were strong and pressure from Belgrade and Ottawa resulted in certain Serbian Canadian newspapers being banned. The banned newspapers were promoting communist ideas and they were written by pro-Russian Yugoslavs who were not necessarily of Serbian origin. Major changes occurred in Yugoslavia during World War II, the newly established communist government was opposed by many Serbs and Yugoslavs. Many POWs and post war refugees refused to return to their homeland to live under a communist regime, among them were intellectuals Adam Pribićević, Miloš Mladenović, Dimitrije Najdanović
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Serbian Australians
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Serbian Australians are citizens of Australia who are of Serbian birth or descent. According to the 2011 census, there are 69,544 people in Australia who are of Serbian ancestry, large Serbian communities and ethnic neighborhoods can be found in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. There are many Serbian Australians that were born in todays Croatia as well as Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Serbian Australians are one of the largest Serb diaspora communities. Serbs have migrated to Australia in various waves during the 20th century, a wave of immigrants came during and after the World War II, majority of whom were members of royalist Chetniks movement along with their families. Serbs were a part of the immigrant community between 1948–55 and most of them opposed the communist regime then in place in Yugoslavia. In 1951 the mostly pro-royalist Serbian communities founded a chapter of the Chicago-based Serbian National Defense Council in Sydney, in 1954 there were 6,118 Yugoslav immigrants in Victoria. Worsening economy in Yugoslavia in the 60s and 70s prompted another wave, many of those who settled in Victoria had worked in Western Europe prior to coming. The 1961–1971 numbers increase to 49,755 people, after the Yugoslav Wars that broke the federal state of Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro succeeded as a federal union. Josip Broz Titos regime of what was then Yugoslavia and the recent wave since 1980 by the breakup of Yugoslavia followed by the Bosnian War of the 1990s. 69,544 Serbian ancestry 55,114 English and Serbian-speakers,9,857 only Serbian-speakers, there are many Serbian Australians who were born in Todays Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina who in turn fall under those respected statistics. Estimations of the number of ethnic Serbs vary between over 100,000, c. Danny Vukovic – Soccer player Sreten Božić aka B, monika Radulovic, Australian model, Miss Universe Australia 2015. Vedrana Grbović, Serbian-born Australian model, Miss World Serbia 2006, andreja Pejic, Bosnian-born Australian transsexual model. Nik Cubrilovic, Australian hacker and internet security expert, biljana Dekic, WIM represented Australia in 12 Womens Chess Olympiads Australian-Serbian relations Serbian diaspora Ancestry by Birthplace – Results of 2001 Australian census
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Serbian Argentine
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Serbian Argentines or Serb Argentines refers to Argentine citizens of ethnic Serb descent or a Serbia-born person who resides in Argentina. Although today Serbia and Montenegro are different countries, it is difficult to account separately the immigration flow from each of them, there are about 30000 people of Serbian and Montenegrin origin living in Republic of Argentina today. They mostly originate from the territories of today’s Montenegro and Croatia, emigration in Argentina, despite the same origin as the one in North America, has developed distinguishing social and cultural character. They live in different regions of Argentina, but mostly in the provinces Chaco, Buenos Aires, the research demonstrated that this diaspora is very much emotionally bounded to its ethnic origin, even though they are greatly assimilated. They are frequently unable to define their ethnic identity, and thus a great number of them use the term “our” to refer to their origin, language, culture. Anyway, members of this diaspora consider themselves both as an part of Serbian people and loyal citizens of Argentina. Only a small number of immigrants descedants use Serbian language, some of homeland clubs, founded by first generations of emigrants in late 19th and early 20th century are still active and represent places where emigrants and their descendants gather. As much as modern life allows them nowadays, this diaspora make efforts to gather at homeland clubs to satisfy specific cultural needs and it is important to mention that Serbian Orthodox Church also plays important role of these people, its usually their connection with the spiritual and cultural heritage
28.
Serbian South African
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Serbian South African is a South African citizen of Serbian descent or Serbia-born person who resides in South Africa. Kingdom of Yugoslavia did not give to much attention to community of Yugoslavs in Union of South Africa, state did not send teachers, priests or financially assist local associations such as was the case with communities in North and South America. In 1941, According to the first Yugoslav general consul in Cape Town Stojan Gavrilović, in 1952 Serbian community that left Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia after World War II founded a local Saint Sava church and school municipality in Johannesburg. Local Serbian Orthodox Church dedicated to Thomas the Apostle was built, today local school tecsh students Serbian language with support and under the program defined by Ministry of Education of Serbia. In 1962 Serbian modernist author Miloš Crnjanski first published his work Lament over Belgrade in Johannesburg, on 2013 Presentation of Jesus at the Temple local church in Johannesburg marked the anniversary of Serbian Revolution where 22 folklore groups took part in presentation of Serbian folklore. Serb Club Zavičaj, Church and School Municipality Saint Sava, Serb Cultural and Artistic Society Africa, South Africa-Serbia relations Serb diaspora Serbian Orthodox Church Saint Thomas, Johannesburg
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Serbian culture
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Serbian culture refers to the culture of Serbia and of ethnic Serbs. Early on, Serbs may have influenced by the Paleo-Balkan peoples. The Serbian Orthodox Church gained autocephaly from Constantinople in 1219, whereas Stephen the First Crowned was declared king by the Pope, the Republic of Venice influenced the maritime regions in the Middle Ages. Central Serbia was the first to emancipate as the Principality of Serbia in 1815, following Serbias autonomy after the Serbian revolution and eventual independence, the culture of Serbia was restrengthened within its people. After the Schism, those who lived under the Byzantine sphere of influence became Orthodox, later, with the arrival of the Ottoman Empire, many Serbs converted to Islam. Their modern descendants are considered to be members of the Gorani, the Serbian Orthodox Church was the westernmost bastion of Orthodox Christianity in Europe, which shaped its historical fate through contacts with Catholicism and Islam. During World War II, the Serbs, living in an area, were persecuted by various peoples. The outcome of these visions was the death of at least 700,000 people, the conversion of 250,000. As with most Western cultures, a child is given a first name chosen by their parents, the given name comes first, the surname last, e. g. Željko Popović, where Željko is a first name and Popović is a family name. Female names end with -a, e. g. Dragan -> Dragana, popular names are mostly of Serbian, Christian, Greek and Latin origin. Serbian, Bogdan, Dragan, Goran, Radovan, Slobodan, Greek, Nikola, Đorđe, Aleksandar, Jelena, and Katarina. Biblical, Ana, Jovan, Marko, Petar, Pavle, most Serbian surnames have the surname suffix -ić. This is often transliterated as -ic or -ici, in history, Serbian names have often been transcribed with a phonetic ending, -ich or -itch. This form is associated with Serbs from before the early 20th century, hence Milutin Milanković is usually referred to, for historical reasons. The -ić suffix, with variants -ović/-ević, is originally a Slavic diminutive, other common surname suffixes are -ov or -in which is the Slavic possessive case suffix, thus Nikolas son becomes Nikolin, Petars son Petrov, and Jovans son Jovanov. Those are more typical for Serbs from Vojvodina, the two suffixes are often combined. The most common surnames are Marković, Nikolić, Petrović, most people in Serbia will have three meals daily, breakfast, lunch and dinner, with lunch being the largest and most important meal. However, traditionally, only lunch and dinner existed, with breakfast being introduced in the half of the 19th century
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Serbian Orthodox Church
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The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Christian churches. It is the second oldest Slavic Orthodox Church in the world, the Serbian Orthodox Church comprises the majority of population in Serbia, Montenegro, and the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is organized into metropolises and eparchies located primarily in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia, the Serbian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous, or ecclesiastically independent, member of the Orthodox communion. Serbian Patriarch serves as first among equals in his church, the current patriarch is Irinej, the Church achieved autocephalous status in 1219 under the leadership of St. Sava, becoming independent Archbishopric of Žiča. Its status was elevated to that of a patriarchate in 1346 and this patriarchate was abolished by the Ottoman Turks in 1766. The modern Serbian Orthodox Church was re-established in 1920 after the unification of the Patriarchate of Karlovci, the Metropolitanate of Belgrade, Christianity spread to the Balkans beginning in the 1st century. Florus and Laurus are venerated as Christian martyrs of the 2nd century, Constantine the Great, born in Niš, was the first Christian Roman Emperor. Several bishops seated in what is today Serbia participated in the First Council of Nicaea, in 380, Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius decreed that his subjects would be Christians according to the Council of Nicea formula. Greek was used in the Byzantine church, while the Roman church used Latin, with the definite split in 395, the line in Europe ran south along the Drina river. Tim Judah says that the Roman split resulted in that Serbs are Orthodox, among old Christian heritage is the Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima, established in 535, which had jurisdiction over the whole of present-day Serbia. However, the Archbishopric did not last, as the Slavs and Avars destroyed the region sometime after 602, in 731 Leo III attached Illyricum and Southern Italy to Patriarch Anastasius of Constantinople, transferring the papal authority to the Eastern Church. Slavs invaded and settled the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries, the history of the early medieval Serbian Principality is recorded in the work De Administrando Imperio, compiled by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. The DAI drew information on the Serbs from, among others, the Serbs were said to have received the protection of Emperor Heraclius, and Porphyrogenitus stressed that the Serbs had always been under Imperial rule. The Christianization was due partly to Byzantine and subsequent Bulgarian influence, at least during the rule of Kocel in Pannonia, communications between Serbia and Great Moravia, where Methodius was active, must have been possible. This fact, the pope was presumably aware of, when planning Methodius diocese as well as that of the Dalmatian coast, there is a possibility that some Cyrillomethodian pupils reached Serbia in the 870s, perhaps even sent by Methodius himself. Serbia was accounted Christian as of about 870, the first Serbian bishopric was founded at Ras, near modern Novi Pazar on the Ibar river. According to Vlasto, the affiliation is uncertain, it may have been under the subordination of either Split or Durazzo. The early Ras church can be dated to the 9th–10th century, the names of Serbian rulers through Mutimir are Slavic dithematic names, per the Old Slavic tradition
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Slava
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The Slava is a Serbian Orthodox Christian tradition of the ritual glorification of ones familys patron saint. The family celebrates the Slava annually on the saints feast day, in November 2014 it was inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. The Slava is the annual ceremony and veneration of their patron saint. The Slava also brings friends to the house, regardless if they have the same Slava, the family saint is inherited from the patriarch – from father to son, while women do inherit the patron saint of their husbands upon leaving their families. As several patron saints are venerated twice a year, the day is the Slava. Some families may celebrate another patron saint in the case when the wife is the left of her kin, in respect to her family. In cases where the husband has joined household of the parents-in-law, the wifes fathers slava is celebrated as the main one. The tradition is an important ethnic marker of Serb identity, Serbs usually regard the Slava as their most significant and most solemn feast day. The tradition is very well preserved among the Serb worldwide. Apart from Serbs, the custom is also practised by some Orthodox Macedonian families, the tradition has its origin in the Medieval Serbia, connected to Saint Sava, the first Archbishop of the Serbs. When Bulgaria invaded southern Serbia during World War I, it regarded all who celebrated the Slava as Serbs and enemies, while the Slava kept something of a grassroots underground popularity during the Communist period, the post-Communist revival of Christian traditions has brought it a great resurgence. In November 2014 it was inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, the custom is also helpful in genealogical studies as an indicator in kinship relations between families, tracing ones family to a specific region, etc. The ritual foods that are prepared for the feast are the slavski kolač = a ritual bread, and koljivo, the top of the kolač is adorned with the Christian cross, the peace dove, and other symbols. The koljivo is a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ and partaken in memory of the dead, the family attends church services and partakes in Holy Communion on the feast day. Following the service, traditionally, the parish priest is received in the home or the family brings the slavski kolač to the church. The parish priest performs a service which entails venerating the patron saints memory, blessing the kolač and koljivo. Though not necessary, it is common for the priest to bless the house, the most common feast days are St. Nicholas, St. George, St. John the Baptist, St. Demetrius, St. Michael and St. Sava. All these dates are given in accordance to the official Gregorian calendar, many Serbian communities also celebrate their patron saint
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Serbian Christmas traditions
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Serbian Christmas traditions are customs and practices of the Serbs associated with Christmas and a period encompassing it, between the third Sunday before Christmas Day and Epiphany. There are many, complex traditions connected with this period and they vary from place to place, and in many areas have been updated or watered down to suit modern living. The Serbian name for Christmas is Božić, which is the form of the word bog. Christmas is celebrated for three days, starting with Christmas Day, which the Serbs call the first day of Christmas. On these days, one is to another person by saying Christ is Born. The Serbian name for Christmas Eve during the day is Badnji dan, after sunset it becomes Badnje veče. On this day, the family makes preparations for the oncoming celebration, the dinner on this day is festive, copious and diverse in foods, although it is prepared in accordance with the rules of fasting. The badnjak is an oak log or branch brought into the house and placed on the fire on the evening of Christmas Eve, there are many regional variations surrounding the customs and practices connected with the badnjak. Early in the morning the head of family, usually accompanied by several male relatives, selects. The group announces its departure by firing guns or small celebratory mortars called prangija, the Turkey oak is the most popular species of tree selected in most regions, but other oaks, or less frequently other kinds of tree, are also chosen. Generally, each household prepares one badnjak, although more are cut in some regions, when the head of household finds a suitable tree, he stands in front of it facing east. After throwing grain at the tree, he greets it with the words Good morning and happy Christmas Eve to you, makes the Sign of the Cross, says a prayer and he then cuts it slantwise on its eastern side, using an axe. The tree should fall to the east, unhindered by surrounding trees and its top is removed, leaving the badnjak of such a length that allows it to be carried on a mans shoulder, up to about 2.5 meters long. Once in the home, each badnjak is leaned vertically against the house beside the entrance door, in some areas, the badnjak is cut into three logs. In the evening, a man of the family brings their badnjak into the house, if there is more than one badnjak, the thickest of them is regarded as the main one, and is brought in first. Stepping across the threshold, right foot first, the man greets his family with the words Good evening. Upon entering the house the man approaches the fireplace, called ognjište —the hearth of an ognjište is similar to a campfire and he lays the badnjak down on the fire and moves it a little forward, to summon prosperity for the household. Any other logs are brought in by males and laid on the fire parallel or perpendicular to the first
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Architecture of Serbia
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The architecture of Serbia has a long, rich and diverse history. Centuries of turbulent history of Serbia caused a great regional diversity and this made for a heterogeneous and diverse architectural style, with architecture differing from town to town. The northernmost Ancient Macedonian town was Kale-Krševica, which today have the foundations of the Ancient Greek 5th century BC town. Parts and Frescoes of the two churches have been found. During the Middle Ages, architecture in Serbia was strongly influenced by Byzantine culture, the original style of Serbian Orthodox Church was the church built out of wood. These churches were found in poorer villages where it was too expensive to build a church out of stone. Church architecture developed under the patronage of the Serbian state, however, the most distinctive piece of medieval Serbian architecture was the Studenica monastery founded by Stefan Nemanja, the founder of medieval Serbia in c1190. This monastery also featured significant works of art including its Byzantine style fresco paintings and its church also features extensive sculptures based on Psalms and the Dormition of the Theotokos. UNESCO added this monastery to its list of World Cultural Heritage sites in 1986 and it was the model for other monasteries at Mileševa, Sopoćani and the Visoki Dečani. The influence of Byzantine art became more influential after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 in the Fourth Crusade when many Greek artists fled to Serbia. Their influence can be seen at the Church of the Ascension at Mileševa as well as in the paintings at the Church of the Holy Apostles at Peć. Icons also formed a significant part of church art, the influence of Byzantine architecture reached its peak after 1300 including the rebuilding of the Our Lady of Ljeviš and Church of St. George at Staro Nagoričane as well as the Gračanica monastery. Church decorative paintings also developed further in the period, the Visoki Dečani monastery in Metohija was built between 1330 and 1350. Unlike other Serbian monasteries of the period, it was built with Romanesque features by master-builders under the monk Vitus of Kotor and its frescoes feature 1000 portraits portraying all of the major themes of the New Testament. The cathedral features iconostasis, hegumens throne and carved royal sarcophagus, in 2004, UNESCO listed the Dečani Monastery on the World Heritage List. There was a spate of church building as the Serbian state contracted to the Morava basin in the late 14th century. This is the style of churches built. This style of architecture was developed in the late 13th century combining Byzantine
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Serbian art
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Serbian art refers to the visual arts of the Serbs and their nation-state Serbia. The medieval heritage includes Byzantine art, preserved in architecture, frescos, in the Early modern period, Serbian visual arts began to be influenced by Western art, culminating in the Habsburg Monarchy in the late 18th century. The beginning of modern Serbian art is placed in the 19th century, Church architecture developed under the patronage of the medieval Serbian state. The most distinctive piece of medieval Serbian architecture was the Studenica monastery founded by Stefan Nemanja and this monastery also featured significant works of art including its Byzantine style fresco paintings. Its church also features extensive sculptures based on Psalms and the Dormition of the Theotokos, UNESCO added this monastery to its list of World Cultural Heritage sites in 1986. It was the model for other monasteries at Mileševa, Sopoćani, the influence of Byzantine art became more influential after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 in the Fourth Crusade when many Greek artists fled to Serbia. Their influence can be seen at the Church of the Ascension at Mileševa as well as in the paintings at the Church of the Holy Apostles at Peć. Icons also formed a significant part of church art, the influence of Byzantine architecture reached its peak after 1300 including the rebuilding of the Our Lady of Ljeviš and St. George at Staro Nagoričane as well as the Gračanica monastery. Church decorative paintings also developed further in the period, the Visoki Dečani monastery in Metohija was built between 1330 and 1350. Unlike other Serbian monasteries of the period, it was built with Romanesque features by master-builders under the monk Vitus of Kotor and its frescoes feature 1000 portraits portraying all of the major themes of the New Testament. The cathedral features iconostasis, hegumens throne and carved royal sarcophagus, in 2004, UNESCO listed the Dečani Monastery on the World Heritage List. There was a spate of church building as the Serbian state contracted to the Morava basin in the late 14th century. Manuscripts were another significant feature of Serbian medieval art, miroslavs Gospel features lavish calligraphy and miniatures and is a significant artwork as well as a notable work of literature. The Chludov Psalter dating from the 14th century is beautifully decorated and was owned by a high-ranking noble. Serbian princes were known in the 15th century for supporting manuscripts employing scribes. The Ottoman conquest of Serbia during the 15th century is said to have had a negative impact of the visual arts. The Serbs became part of the Rum Millet, and were regarded a lower class, the Serbian nobility was not integrated into the Ottoman state system. The church was abolished in long periods by the Ottoman government, as the nobility and church were the main sources of patronage for architects and artists, the Early Modern period is considered an artistically less productive period in Serbian art
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Serbian epic poetry
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Serb epic poetry is a form of epic poetry created by Serbs originating in todays Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro. The main cycles were composed by unknown Serb authors between the 14th and 19th centuries and they are largely concerned with historical events and personages. The instrument accompanying the epic poetry is the gusle, Serbian epic poetry helped in developing the Serbian national consciousness. The cycles of Prince Marko, the Hajduks and Uskoks inspired the Serbs to restore freedom, the earliest survived record of some serb epic poem is ten verse 1497 fragment of bugarštica song about imprisonment of Sibinjanin Janko by Đurađ Branković. It is known that Serbs sang to the gusle during the Ottoman period, notable Serbian performers played at the Polish royal courts in the 16th- and 17th centuries, and later on in Ukraine and in Hungary. Chronicler and poet Maciej Stryjkowski included a verse speaking of the Serbs singing of songs about ancestors fighting the Turks in his 1582 chronicle. Józef Bartłomiej Zimorowic used the phrase to sing to the Serbian gusle in his 1663 idyll Śpiewacy, in 1824, Vuk Karadžić sent a copy of his folksong collection to Jacob Grimm, who was particularly enthralled by The Building of Skadar. Grimm translated it into German, and described it as one of the most touching poems of all nations, most of the epics are about the era of the Ottoman occupation and the struggle for the liberation from it. With the efforts of ethnographer Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, many of these epics have been collected and published in books in the first half of the 19th century. At the beginning and in the middle of the nineteenth century and they had been collected by Vuk Stefanović Karadžić fresh from the lips of the people. They were, A Small Simple-Folk Slavonic-Serbian Songbook,1814, Serbian Folk Song-Book, Serbian Folk Tales, Serbian Folk Proverbs and Other Common Expressions,1834. Next was a book of Womens Songs from Herzegovina, which was collected by Karadžićs collaborator and assistant Vuk Vrčević, Serbian folk poetry was given a marvelous reception, as it appeared in Europe when romanticism was in full bloom. Jacob Grimm began to learn Serbian so that he could read the poems in the original and he wrote minute analyses of each new volume of Serbian folk songs. He ranked them as being equal to the Song of Songs, thanks to Grimm, moreover to the initiatives of the well-educated and wise Slovene Jerner Kopitar, Serbian folk literature found its place in the literature of the world. The gusle instrumentally accompanies heroic songs in the Balkans, the instrument is held vertically between the knees, with the left hand fingers on the neck. The strings are never pressed to the neck, giving a harmonic, there is no consensus about the origin of the instrument, while some researchers believe it was brought with the Slavs to the Balkans, based on a 6th-century Byzantine source. Teodosije the Hilandarian wrote that Stefan Nemanjić often entertained the Serbian nobility with musicians with drums, reliable written records about the gusle appear only in the 15th century. 16th-century travel memoirs mention the instrument in Bosnia and Serbia and it is known that Serbs sang to the gusle during the Ottoman period
