Drobnjaci
Encyclopedia
Drobnjaci is an Old Herzegovinian
clan and region in northern Montenegro
(municipalities from Nikšić
to Šavnik
, Žabljak
and Pljevlja
). Its unofficial centre is in Boan/Šavnik
. The Drobnjaci families are predominantly Serb Orthodox, with a majority declaring as Serbs
, the rest as Montenegrins. The Orthodox families have Saint George
(Đurđevdan) as their patron saint (Serbian custom "slava
") and the majority of Drobnjak churches are devoted to Saint George
as well. Families of distant Drobnjak origin exist in Serbia
(with Kosovo
), Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Lika
(in Croatia
).
. The Parliament was chaired by the knez, who had right to choose all chiefs, who were all carrying weapons. Decisions had to be unanimous.
In the late 16th century, Serbian monks Damjan and Pavle of Mileševa
sent a letter to the Pope, explaining "what is Serbia"; Drobnjaci are recognized as one of the old Serb katuns.
), 23 April 1604, the Drobnjaci defeated the Ottomans, and all Drobnjak families symbolically became pobratim (blood brothers) and adopted Đurđevdan as their slava
and most important feast day. The Vulovići, Đurđići, Kosorići, Tomići and Cerovići settled in the Drobnjak county in the 17th century, originally from Banjani
. In 1694, Serb Uskoks
, driven out by the Turks from Albania
, settled in Drobnjak county.
In 1789, Ivan Radonjić, the governor of Montenegro, wrote for the second time to the Empress of Russia: "Now, all of us Serbs from Montenegro, Herzegovina
, Banjani, Drobnjaci, Kuči
, Piperi
, Bjelopavlići
, Zeta, Klimenti, Vasojevići
, Bratonožići, Peć
, Kosovo
, Prizren
, Arbania, Macedonia
belong to your Excellency and pray that you, as our kind mother, send over Prince Sofronije Jugović."
(1804), smaller uprisings also broke out in Drobnjaci (1805), Rovca and Morača
.
Under Prince Nicholas I of Montenegro
and the Congress of Berlin
recognition (1878), the Serb tribes of Piva, Banjani, Niksici, Saranci, Drobnjaci and a large number of the Rudinjani formed the Old Herzegovina region of the new Montenegrin state.
feudal lord, fought frequently with the Drobnjaci clan, and in letters of Njegoš in 1839 it is known that Rustem-Aga, the son of Smail, had often raped local women of the Drobnjaci and Pivljani. The Drobnjaci had enough of the violations of their women, and approached Petar II Njegoš (who had lost eight family members in the Battle of Grahovo), organizing a plot against the Ottoman lords, planning to first kill Smail. The main conspirators were Novica Cerović
and Đoko Malović. They started by asking Smail to collect the taxes himself, and in September 1840 the Aga is putting up his tent at Mljetičak, in eastern Drobnjaci. In the night, the force attacks the camp and Smail and a number of Turks are killed. The circumstances are mentioned in a letter to the Russian consul in Dubrovnik: "The notorious criminal, Smail-aga Cengic, the musselim of Gacko
, Pljevlja
, Kolašin
and Drobnjaci, attacked our frontier regions with several thousand men almost every year. This year too he pitched his tent three hours away from our border, and started collecting troops to invade our tribe of the Morača. Our men found out about his evil intention earlier, and gathered about 300-400 men, and they attacked his tent on the morning of September 23rd, cut down the Aga himself and about 40 of his like-minded criminals... This prominent person was more important in these regions that any of the viziers." The events are richly attested in Serb epic poetry.
p. 285
In 1927, Drobnjaci had 40 settlements of 2,200 houses with 14,000-15,000 inhabitants. The capital was Šavnik
.
On April 1, 1945, over thirty conspirators were executed in Šavnik, of whom a large number were of the Karadžići.
in the 17th century. The clan was originally formed by five related brotherhoods: Cerović, Đurđić, Kosorić, Tomić, Vulović and Žugić. The Drobnjaci are Serbian Orthodox in majority, the notably mixed Muslim/Serb family is Kalabic, the Muslim families are Selimovic and Dzigal.
The Uskoci and Šaranci clans are also regarded as part of, or kin to, the Drobnjaci.
Old Herzegovina
Old Herzegovina is a historical region in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina . The largest city in this region in Nikšić, and the second-largest is Herceg Novi. Until the Congress of Berlin in 1878 the Old Hercegovina was part of Bosnian Pashalik, but since then merged into Montenegro....
clan and region in northern Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
(municipalities from Nikšić
Nikšić
Nikšić is a city in Montenegro . In 2003 the city had a total population about 75,000.Nikšić is located in Nikšić plain, at the foot of Mount Trebjesa. It is the center of the municipality , which is the largest in Montenegro by area...
to Šavnik
Šavnik
Šavnik is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 570 .Šavnik is the centre of the municipality and unofficial centre of Drobnjaci region, home of the Drobnjaci tribe....
, Žabljak
Žabljak
Žabljak is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 1,937.Žabljak is the seat of the municipality...
and Pljevlja
Pljevlja
Pljevlja is a town and municipality located in the northern part of Montenegro. The city lies at an altitude of...
). Its unofficial centre is in Boan/Šavnik
Šavnik
Šavnik is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 570 .Šavnik is the centre of the municipality and unofficial centre of Drobnjaci region, home of the Drobnjaci tribe....
. The Drobnjaci families are predominantly Serb Orthodox, with a majority declaring as Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, the rest as Montenegrins. The Orthodox families have Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
(Đurđevdan) as their patron saint (Serbian custom "slava
Slava
The Slava , also called Krsna Slava and Krsno ime , is the Serbian Orthodox tradition of the ritual celebration and veneration of a family's own patron saint. The family celebrates the Slava annually on the patron saint's feast day...
") and the majority of Drobnjak churches are devoted to Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
as well. Families of distant Drobnjak origin exist in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
(with Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
), Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
(in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
).
Origin and early history
The surname Drobnjak ("Bran Drobnjak") is first recorded in 1354, and as a clan (pl. Drobnjaci) in 1390. Drobnjak had a semi-autonomy and preserved its old tribal organization, which was predicated on democratic and universal suffrage, until its annexation to Montenegro. At the head of the tribe was a hereditary knez, and the head of the army commander, who was elected to the tribal Parliament, and confirmed by the Vizier in TravnikTravnik
Travnik is a city and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90 km west of Sarajevo. It is the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton, and is located in the Travnik Municipality. Travnik today has some 27,000 residents, with a metro population that is probably close to 70,000 people...
. The Parliament was chaired by the knez, who had right to choose all chiefs, who were all carrying weapons. Decisions had to be unanimous.
In the late 16th century, Serbian monks Damjan and Pavle of Mileševa
Mileševa monastery
Mileševa is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Prijepolje, in southwest Serbia. It was founded by King Vladislav, in the years between 1234 and 1236...
sent a letter to the Pope, explaining "what is Serbia"; Drobnjaci are recognized as one of the old Serb katuns.
17th and 18th century
On the religious holiday of Đurđevdan (Saint GeorgeSaint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
), 23 April 1604, the Drobnjaci defeated the Ottomans, and all Drobnjak families symbolically became pobratim (blood brothers) and adopted Đurđevdan as their slava
Slava
The Slava , also called Krsna Slava and Krsno ime , is the Serbian Orthodox tradition of the ritual celebration and veneration of a family's own patron saint. The family celebrates the Slava annually on the patron saint's feast day...
and most important feast day. The Vulovići, Đurđići, Kosorići, Tomići and Cerovići settled in the Drobnjak county in the 17th century, originally from Banjani
Banjani
Banjani is an Old Herzegovinian and Montenegrin clan of Aromanian origin, located in Montenegro, of which territory comprises 380 km², west of Nikšić. The territory is the centrum between Nikšić and Bileća, from the top of Njegoš to the Trebišnjica, and to the Bileća lake...
. In 1694, Serb Uskoks
Uskoks
The Uskoks were Croatian Habsburg soldiers that inhabited the areas of the eastern Adriatic and the surrounding territories during the Ottoman wars in Europe. Etymologically, the word uskoci itself means "the ones who jumped in" in Croatian...
, driven out by the Turks from Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, settled in Drobnjak county.
In 1789, Ivan Radonjić, the governor of Montenegro, wrote for the second time to the Empress of Russia: "Now, all of us Serbs from Montenegro, Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, Banjani, Drobnjaci, Kuči
KUCI
KUCI is a college radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Irvine, California, USA, the station serves the Orange County area...
, Piperi
Piperi
Piperi can mean:* Piperi, Greece, an island in Greece* Piperi clan, a clan in Montenegro* Piperi , a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, Bjelopavlići
Bjelopavlici
Bjelopavlići is a strip of fertile lowland in Montenegro. It stretches along the Zeta river, being wider in river's lower end, down to the confluence with Morača river near Podgorica...
, Zeta, Klimenti, Vasojevići
Vasojevici
The Vasojevići tribe is the largest Serb clan in Montenegro. It occupies the area between Vjetarnih Lijeva Rijeka in the South and Bihor under Bijelo Polje in the North, Mateševo in the West to Plav in the East. The clan is one of seven "highland clans"...
, Bratonožići, Peć
Pec
Peć or Pejë is a city and municipality in north-western Kosovo and Metohija - Serbia, and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. Governor of city is Ali Berisha....
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
, Arbania, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
belong to your Excellency and pray that you, as our kind mother, send over Prince Sofronije Jugović."
19th century
After Karađorđe Petrović was chosen as leader of the uprising in the Smederevo SanjakFirst Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
(1804), smaller uprisings also broke out in Drobnjaci (1805), Rovca and Morača
Morača
Morača is a river in Montenegro. It originates in northern Montenegro, under Rzača mountain. It generally flows southwards for some , before emptying into Lake Skadar....
.
Under Prince Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning "Onamo, 'namo!", a popular song from Montenegro.-Early life:Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši, the ancient home of the...
and the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
recognition (1878), the Serb tribes of Piva, Banjani, Niksici, Saranci, Drobnjaci and a large number of the Rudinjani formed the Old Herzegovina region of the new Montenegrin state.
Conflict with the Čengić lords
Smail-Aga Čengić, an OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
feudal lord, fought frequently with the Drobnjaci clan, and in letters of Njegoš in 1839 it is known that Rustem-Aga, the son of Smail, had often raped local women of the Drobnjaci and Pivljani. The Drobnjaci had enough of the violations of their women, and approached Petar II Njegoš (who had lost eight family members in the Battle of Grahovo), organizing a plot against the Ottoman lords, planning to first kill Smail. The main conspirators were Novica Cerović
Novica Cerovic
Novica M. Cerović was a Serbian warrior, senator and leader of the Drobnjak clan from Old Herzegovina.-Life:...
and Đoko Malović. They started by asking Smail to collect the taxes himself, and in September 1840 the Aga is putting up his tent at Mljetičak, in eastern Drobnjaci. In the night, the force attacks the camp and Smail and a number of Turks are killed. The circumstances are mentioned in a letter to the Russian consul in Dubrovnik: "The notorious criminal, Smail-aga Cengic, the musselim of Gacko
Gacko
Gacko is a town and municipality in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. It is situated in the Foča Region.-Geography:The town is in a short distance from Montenegro...
, Pljevlja
Pljevlja
Pljevlja is a town and municipality located in the northern part of Montenegro. The city lies at an altitude of...
, Kolašin
Kolašin
Kolašin , is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 2,989 .Kolašin is the centre of the municipality and unofficial centre of Morača region, named after Morača River....
and Drobnjaci, attacked our frontier regions with several thousand men almost every year. This year too he pitched his tent three hours away from our border, and started collecting troops to invade our tribe of the Morača. Our men found out about his evil intention earlier, and gathered about 300-400 men, and they attacked his tent on the morning of September 23rd, cut down the Aga himself and about 40 of his like-minded criminals... This prominent person was more important in these regions that any of the viziers." The events are richly attested in Serb epic poetry.
20th century
The Drobnjaci supported the White List at the Podgorica AssemblyPodgorica Assembly
The Podgorica Assembly , in full the Great National Assembly of the Serb People in Montenegro , was an assembly held in Podgorica that served as the representative body of the Montenegrin people during the...
p. 285
In 1927, Drobnjaci had 40 settlements of 2,200 houses with 14,000-15,000 inhabitants. The capital was Šavnik
Šavnik
Šavnik is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 570 .Šavnik is the centre of the municipality and unofficial centre of Drobnjaci region, home of the Drobnjaci tribe....
.
On April 1, 1945, over thirty conspirators were executed in Šavnik, of whom a large number were of the Karadžići.
Brotherhoods and families
The most notable brotherhoods (bratstva) of the clan are the Abazović, Cerović, Karadžić, Malović, Čupić, Kosorić, Jauković and Zarubica families. The brotherhoods of Vulovići, Đurđići, Kosorići, Tomići and Cerovići, were established when they settled in the Drobnjak from BanjaniBanjani
Banjani is an Old Herzegovinian and Montenegrin clan of Aromanian origin, located in Montenegro, of which territory comprises 380 km², west of Nikšić. The territory is the centrum between Nikšić and Bileća, from the top of Njegoš to the Trebišnjica, and to the Bileća lake...
in the 17th century. The clan was originally formed by five related brotherhoods: Cerović, Đurđić, Kosorić, Tomić, Vulović and Žugić. The Drobnjaci are Serbian Orthodox in majority, the notably mixed Muslim/Serb family is Kalabic, the Muslim families are Selimovic and Dzigal.
- Abazović
- Cerović
- Čupić
- Drobnjak
- Đukić
- Đurđić
- Đurđević
- Jotić
- Jauković
- Jakšić
- KankarašKankarašKankaraš is a surname and brotherhood part of the Drobnjaci Old Herzegovinian clan, with origins in Golija, northern Montenegro. A part of the Kankaraši settled Plovdiv, Bulgaria and changed their surname to "Černogorski"...
- Parušić
- KaradžićKaradžicKaradžić is a Serbian and Montenegrin surname. The surname originates from northern Montenegro and is part of the northern Montenegrin Serb clan, the Drobnjaks. The bearers of the surname are Serbian Orthodox Christian, their patron saint is Saint George, the Krsna slava being Đurđevdan...
- Kosorić
- Maloviċ
- Memedović
- Ninković
- NovakovićNovakovicNovaković is a South Slavic surname, may refer to:*Aleksandar Novaković, Serbian writer*Bojana Novakovic, Serbian-Australian actress*Borislav Novaković, Serbian politician*Eveline Novakovic, British video game music composer...
- Radojević
- TomićTomićTomić is a common family name found in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is sometimes transliterated as Tomic or Tomich outside these areas...
- VujovićVujovicVujović is a Serbian surname and may refer to:*Goran Vujović , Montenegrin footballer*Grgur Vujović, communist activist*Marija Vujović , Montenegrin supermodel*Nikola Vujović, Montenegrin footballer...
- Selimović
- Ovčine
- Džigal
- Kalabić
- Grbović
- Janjić
- Janković
- Lasica
The Uskoci and Šaranci clans are also regarded as part of, or kin to, the Drobnjaci.
Notable people
- Novica CerovićNovica CerovicNovica M. Cerović was a Serbian warrior, senator and leader of the Drobnjak clan from Old Herzegovina.-Life:...
(1805-1895), warrior, senator and Drobnjak chief - Jovan CvijićJovan CvijicJovan Cvijić was a Serbian geographer, president of the Serbian Royal Academy of Sciences, and rector of the University of Belgrade. A world-renowned scientist, Cvijić is considered the founder of geography in Serbia.-Early life and family:Jovan Cvijić was born on October 11 Jovan Cvijić...
(1865–1927), geographer, ethnographer, geologist, anthropologist, and historian, president of the Serbian Royal Academy of Sciences, and rector of the University of BelgradeUniversity of BelgradeThe University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
. - Milutin "Mima" KaradžićMilutin KaradžicMilutin "Mima" Karadžić is a Montenegrin actor, producer, and occasionally, a singer of Montenegrin origin....
, actor and producer - Vuk Stefanović KaradžićVuk Stefanovic KaradžicVuk Stefanović Karadžić was a Serbian philolog and linguist, the major reformer of the Serbian language, and deserves, perhaps, for his collections of songs, fairy tales, and riddles to be called the father of the study of Serbian folklore. He was the author of the first Serbian dictionary...
(1787-1864), Serb linguist, major reformer of the Serbian languageSerbian languageSerbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries.... - Radovan KaradžićRadovan KaradžicRadovan Karadžić is a former Bosnian Serb politician. He is detained in the United Nations Detention Unit of Scheveningen, accused of war crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats during the Siege of Sarajevo, as well as ordering the Srebrenica massacre.Educated as a...
(b. 1945), former president of Republika SrpskaRepublika SrpskaRepublika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina... - Živojin MišićŽivojin MišicŽivojin Mišić OKS GCMG was a Vojvoda and the most successful Serbian commander who participated in all Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918.-Early years:Misic's grandfather was born in Struganik near Mionica...
(1855-1921), general, and participant in all of Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918, and Chief of the General Staff of Army of The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes 1920-1921 - Veselin ŠljivančaninVeselin ŠljivancaninVeselin Šljivančanin is a former Montenegrin officer in the Yugoslav People's Army who participated in the Battle of Vukovar and was subsequently convicted on a war crimes indictment by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia for his role in the Vukovar massacre...
(b. 1953), Yugoslav officer - Bogdan Memedović-Drobnjak, jurist, writer, and freedom fighter
See also
- Drobnjačka međa, in BanjaniBanjaniBanjani is an Old Herzegovinian and Montenegrin clan of Aromanian origin, located in Montenegro, of which territory comprises 380 km², west of Nikšić. The territory is the centrum between Nikšić and Bileća, from the top of Njegoš to the Trebišnjica, and to the Bileća lake...
, MontenegroMontenegroMontenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the... - Drobnjaci, in Skopska Crna Gora, Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
Litterature
- Константин Јиречек, Историја Срба. I, III;
- Цвијић, Насеља, И;
- Љ. Стојановић, Стари записи и натписи. I, II, III,
- Народна енциклопедија 1927 г., Светозар Томић
- Dimitrije-Dimo Vujovic, Prilozi izucavanju crnogorskog nacionalnog pitanja /The Research of the Montenegrin Nationality/ (Niksic: Univerzitetska rijec, 1987)
- Piva i Pivljani