"Vasoevichi"

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Vasoevichi (, ) is a historical mountain tribe and region of Montenegro, in the Brdy region. They are the largest of the historical tribes, occupying the territory from Lieva Rijeka in the south to Bihor under Bijelo Polje in the north, Mateshevo in the west and Plava in the east. They were probably of Albanian origin. Much of the history of the tribe until the sixteenth century was naturally transmitted through oral history.

Although the unofficial center is Andrijevica in northeastern Montenegro, the tribe originates from Lieva Rijeka in central Montenegro. The tribe was formed by various tribes that were united under the rule of the central Vasojevic tribe. These tribes later migrated to the Komovi Mountains and the Lim River area. Emigration continued to the territory of modern Serbia and other parts of Montenegro.

Although the sense of tribal affiliation has diminished in recent years, it has not gone away. Tribal associations and organizations still exist (for example, Udruženje Vasojevića “Vaso”). This could be clearly seen during the Montenegro Independence Referendum in 2006, with the participation of the united Vasojevic opposition.

Geography

Vasojevići are located in the area from Lieva Rijeki in the south to Bihor near Bijelo Polje in the north, Matesevo in the west and Plava in the east. In the south, the Vasoevichi border with the neighboring tribes of Kuchi and Bratonozhici. In the east, the border with Albania runs, while the northeastern border has changed frequently in the past, and the Vasojevics have gradually expanded in this direction. Lieva Rijeka is a hilly area with forests interspersed with streams and straits, and the same applies to all Upper Vasojevics. However, in Nizhny Vasoevichy there are more plains around the rivers, so the mountain relief is more gentle.

In modern Montenegro, the territory of Vasojevicy falls into the following municipalities: Berane, Podgorica, Kolasin, Plav and Bijelo-Pole (about 15% of the territory of Montenegro). One of Montenegro’s highest mountains, Kom Vasojevicki (2,461 m (8,074 ft)), is named after the tribe, and the entire territory on which the latter inhabits is often called “Vasojevici”.

Origin

Probably of Albanian descent, the Vasojevics (Albanian: Vasaj, also Vasoviqi or Vasojeviqi) underwent a process of gradual cultural integration with the neighboring Slavic population.

The Vasojevics are not a tribe (tribe) with a common paternal ancestor, but formed under the rule of a central tribe that extended its name to many other fraternities as it expanded into new territory.

History

Middle Ages

The Vasojevics are first mentioned in the report of the Senate of Ragusa, filed by Raguz merchants and dated October 29, 1444. At the time, they were described not as a tribe but as a people, as they had not yet fully formed, but were still a clan organized as a Katun, commonly used by the Vlach and Albanian pastoral communities. The report refers to the Vasoevichs (and their leader Vaso) when they, along with the Belopavlics and Piperi, attacked the Raguz traders and inflicted