Banjani - Banjani Society

Banjani Society

Banjani is an area of significant prehistoric and turbulent history, a little explored. Crvena stijena (Red rock), archaeological site in the Lower Banjani, where a Neanderthal tooth and millstone was found, says that in this region, people living paleolithic, Neolithic and bronze. A number of ruins and piles (or barrow) testify to the end and took some of the urban characteristics of the Bronze and Iron Age.

The history of this territory began with the Romans whose routes were found Banjani on line. The Banjani village of Riječani, where he passed the important Roman roads to Duklja and Skadar, built castles Salthua. The Slavs in this region, and its wider environment, settled in the first half of the 7th century, pushing sparse Roman and Illyrian population of mountain crags. Although the Slavs did not know then state system, they began to build it so quickly, and already had local leaders that were appointed foreign words: Ban the prefect. The end is in the early Middle Ages (8th or 9th century) became banovina (principality) and belonged to the parish Onogošt. Then the various parishes to form an Onogošt Podgorje area, Latin called Submontana which belonged to the Kingdom of Duklja.

Since the eighties of the 12th century Duklja (Zeta) became part of Raska (Serbia) . Banjani be a part of Raska, therefore Nemanjic state, remain less than two centuries, and will then become part of Bosnia, which will remain less than a single lifetime - to fall to the Turks (1466).

Thanks to the relief, that the natural environment, this is the end all the necessary conditions have to be organized as a separate administrative unit, but in ancient times. Probably this was also a smaller administrative units (Banovina) in early Slavic period. One micro-location in the Banjani called Banova stolica (The Ban throne). There is still recognized by the stone seat on which, as is believed, was a Ban at the time of meetings convened by the. And later, at the time of the Turks and their administration, the end became nahija (Turkish administrative unit), probably because it was already with a certain autonomy. And that was one of the factors that even during the Turkish organized as a tribe with tribal representatives.

The basic cell for the development of the tribe, as ethnologists say was the Katun. In fact, this is the end of the semi-nomadic livestock breeding cattle - in the summer on the mountain, so the summer pasture and winter in her rural village in the bay. (This type of cattle inherited from Wallachs/Romans/Illyrians and other Balkan natives). One pasture would make about twenty houses, and families headed to Katunar. A community of more neighboring pastures, often allied linked, made up (from the 16th century) tribe led by the Duke. Important role in the survival of the tribe at the time of the Turks played the priesthood, trying to keep people fully into Orthodoxy. This was facilitated by the proximity to Old Montenegro, organized tribal, and Cetinje, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice, cities that have had economic and political ties with this region.

The first Banjani Duke came from the Petrovic. They not related with later montenegrin dynasty Petrovic - Njegoš.Duke Ivan Petrovic was a contemporary of Duke Grdan Niksic. Petrovići lived in the Lower Banjani, in a village Petrovići of them are today's Banjani clans: Kneževići, Popovici and Pejovići. Of these Popovic are Popovic clan in the village Trepcha, near of the Nikšić.From mid-17th to mid-18th century Matovic clan from the Banjani village Prigradina gave the Duchy (then referred to the Banjani is not Duke anymore), and will then be the chief prince of the village Klenak, Mulina Peter was succeeded by the Duchy of the Matović clan from Prigradina, which has become hereditary. The next prince was the son of Peter - Baćo, and then Vasilj Baćov, which will take the name of the father (Baćović), which will stabilize and for his descendants. He succeeded his son Jovan (John) Baćović, who gained the title of Duke. He was killed in battle for liberation from the Turks in Banjani (1862), and his successor, Duke Maksim Baćović(1876), too. He then moved to Duchy to Maksim uncle - Simo. In addition to Duke, Banjani had the Serdar title (high rank of nobility). The most prominent Leader of the Banjani the first half of the 19th century was Rade Bozov Miljanić from most heroic clan, and his son, the greatest Banjani hero Miljanić Djoko gets the title of Serdar. With his last name Miljanić, he added fathers name Radović, and given the tribal name- Banjanin. Last Serdar tribe was Marko Đokov Radovic - Miljanić. Important role in the tribe had some other Banjani clans. Komnenović are old and sometimes very powerful clan in Banjani. They built a church at Tupan early 17th century, they ruled a large part of the territory of the Banjani and had a summer pasture in Durmitor. Gambelići or Milovići, also known as the old Banjani house. Ognjenović had also tribal leaders during the 18th and 19th century.

Koprivica is an old Banjani clan and the largest in the tribe in the last two centuries. They are the most famous house in priesthood of Banjani. More than five centuries the priest gave the tribe. From Koprivica clan was the Serbian patriarch Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta. Koprivica clan led priest caste, and Miljanić clan, as most heroic, led warrior caste in Banjani.

Banjani final entry in the border of Montenegro, that their liberation from the Turks (1878), the tribe has become one of Montenegro's largest province, named Kapetanija (montenegrin administrative unit which mean Governy), with the Captain at the helm (Captain is in the sense of Governor title). The first Captain (Governor) of freed Banjani was Gišan Radović-Miljanić, who briefly managed the authorities, because of disagreements with Prince Nikola I Petrovic, and it inherits Ćetko Pejov Eraković. Brush was succeeded by his nephew Jevto Pejovic-Eraković. In the interwar period and after World War II, becoming Banjani district municipality of Niksic, and presidents of municipalities have been a number of Banjani clans. Since 1960, Banjani without municipal status, but have become part of the large municipality of Niksic.