Ottoman rule Demographic history of Macedonia

1 ottoman rule

1.1 muslims , christians
1.2 hellenic idea
1.3 bulgarian idea

ottoman rule
muslims , christians

ethnographic map of balkans in 1847 austrian ethnographer ami boué.



ethnic composition of central balkans in 1870 english-german cartographer e.g. ravenstein.

the initial period of ottoman rule led depopulation of plains , river valleys of macedonia. christian population there fled mountains. ottomans largely brought asia minor , settled parts of region. towns destroyed in vardar macedonia during conquest renewed, time populated exclusively muslims. ottoman element in macedonia strong in 17th , 18th century travellers defining majority of population, urban one, muslim. ottoman population, however, sharply declined @ end of 18th , beginning of 19th century on account of incessant wars led ottoman empire, low birth rate , higher death toll of frequent plague epidemics among muslims among christians.

the ottoman-habsburg war (1683–1699), subsequent flight of substantial part of serbian population in kosovo austria , reprisals , looting during ottoman counteroffensive led influx of albanian muslims kosovo, northern , northwestern macedonia. being in position of power, albanian muslims managed push out christian neighbours , conquered additional territories in 18th , 19th centuries. pressures central government following first russo-turkish war ended in 1774 , in ottoman greeks implicated fifth column led superficial islamization of several thousand greek-speakers in western macedonia. these greek muslims retained greek language , identity, remained crypto-christians, , subsequently called vallahades local greek orthodox christians because apparently turkish-arabic ever bothered learn how wa-llahi or allah . destruction , abandoning of christian aromanian city of moscopole , other important aromanian settlements in southern albania (epirus-macedonia) region in second half of 18th century caused large-scale migration of thousands of aromanians cities , villages of western macedonia, notably bitola, krushevo , surrounding regions. thessaloniki became home of large jewish population following spain s expulsions of jews after 1492. jews later formed small colonies in other macedonian cities, notably bitola , serres.

hellenic idea

pro-greek ethnic map of balkans ioannis gennadius, published english cartographer e. stanford in 1877.



ethnic composition map of balkans in 1877 french cartographer a. synvet. considering pro-greek later historians.

the rise of european nationalism in 18th century led expansion of hellenic idea in macedonia. main pillar throughout centuries of ottoman rule had been indigenous greek population of southern macedonia. under influence of greek schools , patriarchate of constantinople, however, started spread among other orthodox subjects of empire urban christian population of slavic , albanian origin started view increasingly greek. greek language became symbol of civilization , basic means of communication between non-muslims. process of hellenization additionally reinforced after abolition of bulgarian archbishopric of ohrid in 1767. though predominantly greek clergy, archbishopric did not yield direct order of constantinople , had autonomy in many vital domains. however, poverty of christian peasantry , lack of proper schooling in villages preserved linguistic diversity of macedonian countryside. hellenic idea reached peak during greek war of independence (1821–1829) received active support of greek macedonian population part of struggle resurrection of greek statehood. according istituto geografiko de agostini of rome, in 1903 in vilayets of selanik , monastir greek dominant language of instruction in region:

the independence of greek kingdom, however, dealt fatal blow hellenic idea in macedonia. flight of macedonian intelligentsia independent greece , mass closures of greek schools ottoman authorities weakened hellenic presence in region century ahead, until incorporation of southern macedonia greece following balkan wars in 1913.

bulgarian idea

ethographic map of europe in 1897 hungarian historian.



map german geographer heinrich kiepert created in 1882.



ethnic composition map of balkans french ethnographer guillaume lejean (1861)

most of population of macedonia described bulgarians during 16th , 17th centuries ottoman historians , travellers such hoca sadeddin efendi, mustafa selaniki, hadji khalfa , evliya celebi. name meant, however, rather little in view of political oppression ottomans , religious , cultural 1 greek clergy. bulgarian language preserved cultural medium in handful of monasteries, , rise in terms of social status ordinary bulgarian meant undergoing process of hellenisation. slavonic liturgy was, however, preserved @ lower levels of bulgarian archbishopric of ohrid several centuries until abolition in 1767.

the creator of modern bulgarian historiography, petar bogdan bakshev in first work description of bulgarian kingdom in 1640, mentioned geographical , ethnic borders of bulgaria , bulgarian people including greather part of macedonia ... far ohrid, boundaries of albania , greece ... . hristofor zhefarovich, macedonia-born 18th-century painter, had crucial influence on bulgarian national revival , affected entire bulgarian heraldry of 19th century, when became influential among generations of bulgarian enlighteners , revolutionaries , shaped idea modern bulgarian national symbol. in testament, explicitly noted relatives of bulgarian nationality , dojran. although first literary work in modern bulgarian, history of slav-bulgarians written macedonia born bulgarian monk, paisius of hilendar 1762, took century bulgarian idea regain ascendancy in region. bulgarian advance in macedonia in 19th century aided numerical superiority of bulgarians after decrease in turkish population, improved economic status. bulgarians of macedonia took active part in struggle independent bulgarian patriarchate , bulgarian schools.

the representatives of intelligentsia wrote in language called bulgarian , strove more representation of local bulgarian dialects spoken in macedonia in formal bulgarian. autonomous bulgarian exarchate established in 1870 included northwestern macedonia. after overwhelming vote of districts of ohrid , skopje, grew include whole of present-day vardar , pirin macedonia in 1874. process of bulgarian national revival in macedonia, however, less successful in southern macedonia, beside slavs had compact greek , aromanian populations. hellenic idea , patriarchate of constantinople preserved of earlier influence among local bulgarians , arrival of bulgarian idea turned region battlefield between owing allegiance patriarchate , tose exarchate division lines separating family , kin.

a map russian author m. f. mirkovich, 1867; published in atlas bulgarians in historical, ethnographical , political frontiers in 1917. @ time believed extent of albanian language reached south ambracian gulf because area between eastern montenegro , ambracian gulf called albania @ time (see also: classical map) because supposed medieval albania spread on these territories (see also: here).

ethnic composition of balkans in 1911, according encyclopædia britannica.

european ethnographs , linguists until congress of berlin regarded language of slavic population of macedonia bulgarian. french scholars ami boué in 1840 , guillaume lejean in 1861, germans august grisebach in 1841, j. hahn in 1858 , 1863, august heinrich petermann in 1869 , heinrich kiepert in 1876, slovak pavel jozef safarik in 1842 , czechs karel jaromír erben in 1868 , f. brodaska in 1869, englishmen james wyld in 1877 , georgina muir mackenzie , adeline paulina irby in 1863, serbians davidovitch in 1848, constant desjardins in 1853 , stefan i. verković in 1860, russians viktor i. grigorovič in 1848 vinkenty makushev , m.f. mirkovitch in 1867, austrian karl sax in 1878 published ethnography or linguistic books, or travel notes, defined slavic population of macedonia bulgarian. austrian doctor josef müller published travel notes in 1844 regarded slavic population of macedonia serbian. region further identified predominantly greek french f. bianconi in 1877 , englishman edward stanford in 1877. maintained urban population of macedonia entirely greek, whereas peasantry of mixed, bulgarian-greek origin , had greek consciousness had not yet mastered greek language.