Krvna Osveta
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Krvna Osveta (Serbian Cyrillic: Крвна освета, Montenegrin Blood feud) is a law of vendetta in Montenegro, practised by Serbs and Montenegrins of the clans and Albanian families throughout history since medieval times. It is an oath of revenge for vendetta, meaning that the person must take revenge on whoever killed his relative by killing the murderer or one of the murderer's close relatives[1].
The practise started in the Balkans in the 15th century, under Turkish rule and the law decreased in the 19th century, when the Balkan countries slowly got their independence from the Ottoman Empire[2].
When a family member has been killed, the murderer's familyBratstva has a "Blood debt" (krvni dug) which can only be removed when the victim's family has had their revenge by killing a member of the murderer's family. However, killing in your own house is the worst action, representing unmorality, which is a great shame.
The blood feuds resulted in major unstability in Montenegro and diaspora of Montenegrins.
Today cases have been found in Montenegro, mainly involving Serbs and Montenegrins and in Kosovo, mainly involving Albanian families.
[edit] References
- ^ Zora Latinovic, Krvna Osveta, 2005
- ^ glas-javnosti
[edit] See also
- Gjakmarrja or "Besa", the Albanian law of vendetta.
