Muslims and Christians Demographic history of Macedonia

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.