Bosansko Krajište is name for interim borderland administrative unit of the Ottoman Empire established on the part of the Bosnia and Herzegovina during the period between 1392 and 1463 when this territory was on the border of the Ottoman Empire, but not under its firm control (Ottoman frontier). Ibrahimagić claim that Bosansko Krajište was officially established in 1451, more than 50 years after first attacks of Ottoman Empire.[1]
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Word krajište is taken from Serbian language (Serbian: krajište, крајиште). Krajište was name for administrative unit on the border of Serbian Empire or Serbian Despotate, but only if emperor or despot had not established solid and firm control over such unit, due to raids from hostile neighbouring provinces. When Ottoman Empire in 1392 conquered Skopje, former capitol of Serbian Empire, krajište was established in Western Balkan parts of Ottoman Empire.
Territory that today belongs to Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been conquered by Ottoman Empire at once, during one battle. Ottoman Empire has been conquering it during many decades. First Ottoman raids led by Timuras-Pasha happened in eastern parts of Bosnia in 1384.[2] Conquest started with first battle (Battle of Bileća in 1388) and ended in 1463 with death of Tvrtko I of Bosnia, although there were several fortresses that resisted much longer (last fortress in Herzegovina fall in 1487 and Jajce under Hungarian garrison held until 1527).[3]
Despite very important victories of Ottoman Empire against regional feudal lords in Battle of Marica (1371) and Battle of Kosovo (1389) Ottoman Army established administrative unit in Western Balkan region only in 1392 after capturing Skopje, former capitol of Serbian Empire. In the meantime there were many raids of military units of Ottoman Empire into feudal principalities on Western Balkan, some of them even into territory of today's Bosnia and Herzegovina. Battle of Bileća in 1388 was first battle of army of Ottoman Empire on the territory of today's Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ottoman Empire had two administrative units with name Krajište, Skopsko Krajište and Bosansko Krajište. They both were governed by same ruler based in Skopje.
Although first raids of Ottoman armies into territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina were organized at the end of 14th century, first permanent presence of Ottoman armies was established in 1414, after region near Donji Vakuf (known as Bosnian Skoplje in medieval times) was captured. In period 1414—1418 Ottoman Empire conquered Foča, Pljevlja, Čajniče i Nevesinje. In 1418 Isak-Beg captured Priboj, a town first mentioned in written documents on this occasion.[4] During the same year Višegrad and Sokol were captured too.
When Ottoman Empire finally conquered whole territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1463, Bosansko Krajište was divided between four newly established sanjaks:
First three of them were subordinated to beglerbey of Rumelia and Sanjak of Zvornik was under control of beglerbey of Budim.
Isa-Beg Isaković organized in 1455 one of the first Ottoman censuses in the West Balkan territory. In 1463 Bosnian Krajište was transformed to Bosnian Sanjak and Isa-Beg Isaković was its first sanjakbey.[5]