House of Nikolić

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The House of Nikolić was a medieval Serbian noble family from Hum (Herzegovina). The family's main estate was Popovo Polje.

The map: http://i26.tinypic.com/11tvrxx.jpg

[edit] The Nikolics as the lords of Popovo Polje and descendents of the Hum Prince (Knez) Miroslav, the brother of Stefan Nemanja, and cousins of Bosnian Ban Stjepan I Kotromanic

The Coat of Arms: http://i27.tinypic.com/sg3g45.gif

Župan Nikola, the great-grandson of Knez Miroslav, had two sons: Vladimir and Bogiša. However, little is known about the first ancestors of the Nikolić family, being last mention in 1363, most likely as the governors of Herzegovinian provinces. With princess Vukosava, Petar and Miliša Nikolić begin the second generation of the Nikolić family. It is known that their mother was a woman named Stanislava, but it is not certain who their father was, whether it was either Vladimir or Bogiša. Recent studies suggest that since Vladimir was older, and from other sources, it is able to assume that he was the father of three known princes. The mention of the Nikolić brothers begin after the death of Bosnian Ban Tvrtko I Kotromanić in 1391. As adherents of the new Bosnian Ban, Stjepan Dabiša, their reputation visually rose that by December of 1392, the Republic of Dubrovnik granted them citizenship. Stjepan Ostoja's rise to the Bosnian throne found the Nikolić brothers in an unpredicted position, as they were know adherents to Queen Jelena Gruba, former wife of Stjepan Dabiša. This caused a problem as they know had to constrainedly find refuge in Dubrovnik. Vukosav later participated in the Bosnian-Dubrovnik War of 1403-1404 as a nobleman of Duke Sandalj Hranić. Vukosav was killed in a skirmish with the Ragusans and was buried in Ston on 28 November 1403.

Grgur Vukosalić, the son of Vukosav Nikolić, was present in historical events in Bosnia in the course of Tvrtko II's campaign against Ban Stjepan Ostoja. Until the independence of Grgur Vukosalić a civil war for control of the Bosnian government came, currently headed by Ban Stjepan Ostojić. As Vukosalić was on Ban Ostojić's side, he directly turned his back on his own lord, Sandalj Hranić. Through Dubrovnik's aid, passions calmed and the Nikolić family ceased trying to gain independence from the Bosnian duke. After Hranić's death, the Nikolić family was loyal to his successor, Stefan Vukčić Kosača. Grgur died in July 1436.

The sons of Grgur Vukosalić, Vuk and Vukašin Grgurević, continued the same attitude toward Stefan Vukčić Kosača. Vukašin Grgurević was under Kosača in his efforts to overtake Zeta. In 1442, Vukasin fell into Venetian captivity, but through the help of Dubrovnik, he was freed. The last mention of the Nikolić family was in 1453, where they were still under the lordship of Stefan Vukčić Kosača. The Ottoman Empire had already started its conquest of Europe and posed a major threat to the Balkans throughout the first half of the 15th century. Finally, after decades of political and social instability, Bosnia officially fell in 1463. Herzegovina would follow in 1482, with a Hungarian-backed reinstated "Bosnian Kingdom" being the last to succumb in 1527. After the end of Bosnia Nikolićs were left on their own to fight for survival. However, their fate is little known until the 18th century.

Family being reborn

In the 18th century, it is known that the surviving members of the family lived near the border with Serbia and Montenegro as they were taken away the royal position in the country. The family counted five brothers and a sister. The odest brother Nikola, given a name by his old descendant, was the protector and the ruler of the house. One day the sister was kidnapped by Turkish solders and sent to Turkish vassal. Nikola couldn't let his family being ashamed and decided to arrange a family meeting where the brothers should decide weather to save her or not. They knew if they would stand against the Turkish, they would be killed sooner or later. Despite this the family decided to take the risk. In the second half of the 18th century, around 1780, the brothers saved the sister and killed the vassal. Soon after commiting such crime they all had to move from the territory. By the 19th century they settled the area of Azbukovica and the area of today’s Ljubovija mostly in today’s west Serbia where set up new families. Each brother named a new house by his fist name. So were Jovanović (from Jovan), Petrović (from Petar), Stojanović (from Stojan), Đorđević (from Đorđe) and Nikolić (from the eldest Nikola) set up. This is once again after long time being lost, family name Nikolić of the Great Župan Nikola being reborn and has still remained with the name of Nikolić.

World Wars and the Communist Yugoslavia

Male members of the Nikolić family were in Serbian Royal army during the World Wars. Most of them after all had to leave home and live and work abroad. It is also well known that the family still remains and that the brothers, Slobodan, Borivoje, Petar and a sister Stana live with their families but in strong contact with each other. Their father, while being young 19 years old and in the army, was lucky to survive The World War II and countinue the Nikolić family as the Communist's victoriors allowed him to live as the youngest in his army group.

Today, Nikolić is the most common last name in that area although not all are from the same family. The others (Jovanović, Petrović, Stojanović, Đorđđević) from the first nobles are almost disappeared.