Bjelice

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Bjelice
Current region Montenegro
The Old Montenegro and its tribes

Bjelice or "The Bjelicas" (Serbian: Бјелице, Bjelice) is a pleme (tribe, clan) from Katun Province (srb. Katunska nahija) of Old Montenegro.[1] Bjelice was one of the largest traditional Old Montenegro’s clans and one of nine clans (tribes) of the then Katun Province: Cetinje, Njeguši, Ćeklići, Cuce, Ozrinići or Čevo, Pješivci, Zagarač and Komani.


Origin

Bjelice is first mentioned as a territory around 1430 a.d. in the works of the Czech historian Konstantin Jireček ("de zente Bielice"). They are also mentioned in the Kotor Archives in 1431. In the Turkish Defter in 1521. Bjelice are described as a village comprising 80 houses and four hamlets (thorps): Lješev Stup (Lješev Stub), Prediš, Rešna (Resna) and Staković. It is believed that Bjelice, along with the clans of Cuce and Bajice, are the descendants of the Orlović clan. Pavle Orlović was the 1389 Kosovo Battle hero and although the legend has it that these clans are his descendants, it is likely it was from his brothers (as there are no written records of him having any descendants). The Orlovićes flight from Kosovo before the advancing Turks had them settle in around Gacko and neighboring villages (Čarađe, Bjeletaci). They later moved to Banjani and finally to the territory of Old Montenegro.

Region

The Bjelice region is located 20-50 km northwest of Cetinje. It is of a relatively high altitude (800-900 meters above sea level) and is surrounded by high mountains – Čelinac, Štavor (k.a. Stavor) and Čevski lisac. Today, Bjelice is considered a geographic region corresponding to the territory of the traditional clan. It is also correct to call the region and clan “Bjelicas”, as “Bjelice” represents the plural form of “Bjelica”.

Brotherhoods

The Bjelice clan was divided into Upper (Gornje) Bjelice and Lower (Donje) Bjelice. Like most Montenegrin clans, this one was also consisted of numerous brotherhoods (k.a. brastva, sing. brastvo) and families (k.a. rodovi, sing. rod). The largest brotherhood was Milić. Older brotherhoods are also Abramović, Andrić, Pejović, Kuzman, Popivoda, Tomić and Mikulić while there are also a number of latter-day brotherhoods.

In 17th century Ceklin tribe expelled Bjelice from the territory they inhabit today (around Skadar Lake and Rijeka Crnojevića).[2][3]

In 1829 Bjelice struggled against Ozrinići and Cuce, two neighboring tribes, and Petar I Petrović-Njegoš sent Sima Milutinović Sarajlija and Mojsije to negotiate peace among them.[4]


Surname

The surname Bjelica is born by the families who have origins from Bjelice. A number of emigrants took the surname Bjelica in order to preserve their identity with the clan. Bjelica surname is nowadays common in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in Croatia to a lesser extent. The clan is not to be confused with the surname Bjelica although the two are related and bearers of the surname have origins from the clan.

References

  1. ↑ Историски записи. с.н. 1960. p. 394. Retrieved 7 May 2013. "Опште је познато да су Бјелице племе Катунске нахије..." 
  2. ↑ Zarij M. Bešić (1975). Istorija Črne Gore: Od poěetka XVI do kraja XVIII vijeka. pts. Red. za istoriju Črne Gore. p. 475. Retrieved 7 May 2013. "Цеклињани су тек у XVII стољећу успјели да истисну Бјелице са своје данашње територије." 
  3. ↑ Vojislav Đurić (1972). Naučnici. Matica srpska. p. 125. Retrieved 7 May 2013. "На исти начин су истерани... из Цеклина Бјелице" 
  4. ↑ Miloš Oben; Michel Aubin (1989). Njegoš i istorija u pesnikovom delu. Književne novine. p. 63. Retrieved 7 May 2013. "Бјелице су племе у Катунској нахији. Водили су 1829. оружану бор- бу са два суседна племена, Озринићима и Цуцама. Да би успоставио мир, Петар I је решио да им пошаље Симу Милутиновића и Мојсија" 

Renowned people descending from Bjelice


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