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Soko Grad (Sokobanja, Serbia)
Encyclopedia
Soko Grad also known as Sokolac, is a medieval city and fortress located 2 km east of the spa town of Sokobanja
, Serbia
.
, to prevent incursions of Eurasian Avars
and Slavs
into Balkan peninsula. In 1172, it was occupied by Stefan Nemanja
and became part of the medieval Serbian state
. Turks
from the Ottoman Empire
occupied it at the end of the 14th century, in the year 1398. The town was destroyed in a violent Turk attack, and today, the only thing visible is the remains of the upper town with a gate, walls, and three towers.
Sokobanja
Sokobanja is a well-known spa town and municipality situated in eastern Serbia.-Population:In 2011 the population of the Sokobanja town is 7,972, while population of the whole municipality is 15,981...
, 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...
.
History
The fortress was founded in the 6th century during the reign of Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian IJustinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
, to prevent incursions of Eurasian Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
and Slavs
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
into Balkan peninsula. In 1172, it was occupied by Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from 1166 to 1196, a heir of the Vukanović dynasty that marked the beginning of a greater Serbian realm .He is remembered for his contributions to Serbian culture and...
and became part of the medieval Serbian state
History of Medieval Serbia
Тhe medieval history of Serbia begins in the 5th century AD with the Slavic invasion of the Balkans, and lasts until the Ottoman occupation of 1540.- Slavic invasion :...
. Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman 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...
occupied it at the end of the 14th century, in the year 1398. The town was destroyed in a violent Turk attack, and today, the only thing visible is the remains of the upper town with a gate, walls, and three towers.
External links
Soko Grad article in Politikin ZabavnikPolitikin zabavnik
Politikin Zabavnik is a popular magazine in Serbia, published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines. The first issue came out on 28 February 1939. In the beginning it was printed in the form of newspaper, and issued biweekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Nowadays it comes out weekly on Fridays...