HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Kratovo ( mk, Кратово ) is a small town in
North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
. It is the seat of Kratovo Municipality. It lies on the western slopes of Mount Osogovo at an altitude of above sea level. Having a mild and pleasant climate, it is located in the crater of an extinct volcano. It is known for its bridges and towers.


History


Early Middle Ages

In the
Roman period The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...
there was a settlement called ''Tranatura'' located within the modern city municipality. There was a mine nearby and the town was the seat of local authorities. No remains of the settlement has been found, however, remnants of Roman fortification were found on Zdravče kamen hill above the town. Byzantine and Bulgarian Empires ruled the area subsequently.


Late Middle Ages

In 1282 Kratovo became part of the
Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Краљевина Србија, Kraljevina Srbija) was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Prin ...
. In all probability the wealth of the town came from its mines. Saxon miners and Croatian merchants from
Dubrovnik Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranea ...
who already had worked in other parts of Macedonia settled here. The town was first mentioned under its current name in 1330. Gold, silver, lead, iron and copper were mined in the immediate vicinity and in wider surroundings of the town. During the reign of Emperor
Stefan Dušan Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан, ), known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr, / ; circa 1308 – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Tsar (or Emperor) and autocrat of the Serbs, Gre ...
of Serbia the mines of Kratovo were the prime source of wealth of ''despot''
Jovan Oliver Jovan Oliver Grčinić ( sr, Јован Оливер Грчинић; ca. 1310-1356) was a magnate of the Serbian Emperor Dušan the Mighty (r. 1331-1355), holding the titles of ''sebastokrator'' and ''despotes'', and the rank of "great voivode", s ...
. After his death, during the fall of the Empire under
Stefan Uroš V Saint Stefan Uroš V ( sr-cyrl, Свети Стефан Урош V, ; 13362/4 December 1371), known in historiography and folk tradition as Uroš the Weak ( sr-cyr, Урош Нејаки, Uroš Nejaki), was the second Emperor (Tsar) of the Ser ...
the town came into the hands of the Dejan family. Konstantin Dejan minted his silver coins here. The Ragusan merchant colony grew larger and took over the best part of trading . In 1389, during his attack on
Prince Lazar Lazar Hrebeljanović ( sr-cyr, Лазар Хребељановић; ca. 1329 – 15 June 1389) was a medieval Serbian ruler who created the largest and most powerful state on the territory of the disintegrated Serbian Empire. Lazar's state, ...
, Ottoman sultan
Murad I Murad I ( ota, مراد اول; tr, I. Murad, Murad-ı Hüdavendigâr (nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'', from fa, خداوندگار, translit=Khodāvandgār, lit=the devotee of God – meaning "sovereign" in this context); 29 June 1326 – 15 Jun ...
stopped in Kratovo to gather information and hold a war council. Next year, in 1390, his son, Bayezid, captured it from the Dejan and put his official (''emin'') to reside here. Kratovo was the seat of a ''
nahiya A nāḥiyah ( ar, , plural ''nawāḥī'' ), also nahiya or nahia, is a regional or local type of administrative division that usually consists of a number of villages or sometimes smaller towns. In Tajikistan, it is a second-level division w ...
'', as a part of the
sanjak Sanjaks (liwāʾ) (plural form: alwiyāʾ) * Armenian: նահանգ (''nahang''; meaning "province") * Bulgarian: окръг (''okrǔg''; meaning "county", "province", or "region") * el, Διοίκησις (''dioikēsis'', meaning "province" ...
of
Kyustendil Kyustendil ( bg, Кюстендил ) is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of the Kyustendil Province, a former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see. The town is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, ...
, as well as a ''
kaza A kaza (, , , plural: , , ; ota, قضا, script=Arab, (; meaning 'borough') * bg, околия (; meaning 'district'); also Кааза * el, υποδιοίκησις () or (, which means 'borough' or 'municipality'); also () * lad, kaza , ...
'', seat of a kadi/judge, engulfing not only the town's vicinity but also
Štip Štip ( mk, Штип ) is the largest urban agglomeration in the eastern part of North Macedonia, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities. As of the 2002 census, the city ...
,
Kočani Kočani ( mk, Кочани ) is a town in the eastern part of North Macedonia, situated around east from Skopje. It has a population of 28,330 and is the seat of the Kočani Municipality. Geography and population The town spreads across the Nor ...
and Nagoričani. In the 15th century Kratovo was a very important mining town, inhabited by many wealthy and educated men, such as the writer Dimitar, or Marin, son of the priest Radonja, who in 1449 donated the whole sum needed for the fresco painting of the Prohor Pčinjski monastery. In 1484 Jovan Konik and Stefan, son of Branko, both from Kratovo, paid an amazing 16,424,000 ''
akçe The ''akçe'' or ''akça'' (also spelled ''akche'', ''akcheh''; ota, آقچه; ) refers to a silver coin which was the chief monetary unit of the Ottoman Empire. The word itself evolved from the word "silver or silver money", this word is der ...
'' for a three-year rent of
mints A mint or breath mint is a food item often consumed as an after-meal refreshment or before business and social engagements to improve breath odor. Mints are commonly believed to soothe the stomach given their association with natural byproducts ...
in
Novo Brdo Novo Brdo ( sr-Cyrl, Ново Брдо), or Novobërda and Artana ( sq-definite, Novobërdë or ''Artanë''), is a municipality located in the Pristina district of Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 6,729 inhabitants. ...
,
Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
and
Serres Sérres ( el, Σέρρες ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki. Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northe ...
. As a trade center Kratovo was also settled by
Sephardic Jews Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), pt, Judeus sefa ...
. Kratovo was an important stop for Ottoman sultans: in 1455, before an attack on
Novo Brdo Novo Brdo ( sr-Cyrl, Ново Брдо), or Novobërda and Artana ( sq-definite, Novobërdë or ''Artanë''), is a municipality located in the Pristina district of Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 6,729 inhabitants. ...
, the Ottoman army regrouped here. In the past, Kratovo was also home to a sizeable Albanian population. In 15th century Ottoman defters, an Albanian (''Arnavud'') church is mentioned in Kratovo. In the 1467-68 defter, Albanian onomastics appear among the neighbourhoods and inhabitands of Kratovo. The town of Kratovo is mentioned with the mahallahas (neighbourhoods) of ''Pala Gjoni'' with these heads of households: ''Jon-ko Burrnik, Pavli Jon-ko, Stepan Burrnik,''; the mahalla of ''Radič'' with these heads of households: ''Nikolla Arbanas, Gjon domuzet, Kozma, son of Nikolla, Arbanash, Dimitri Ulko, Peja Gego, Gjergj Nikolla, Nikolla Arnaut, Bard (Bardh) Arnaut-i''; the mahalla of ''Mahi'' with these heads of households: ''Andrenik Pavli, Gjergj Pavli, Marko Lazori, Pavli Dimitri, Petro Dimitri, Gjin Gjorgji (Gjergji), Mojsa Lazor-i''; the mahalla ''Terzi'' with these heads of househoulds:''Gjon terzi, Andreja Petra, Roman Petra, Simon Marko'' and others. In the timar defter of 1530, the mahallah of ''Kodra Kuqe'', meaning "red hill" in Albanian, is mentioned in Kratovo. Besides the city, Albanians also inhabited villages around Kratovo, such as the village of Kotraç (Kodra-ç). An inscription bearing the name ''Arvanь-a'', has also been found in Kratovo, believed to be from the Middle Ages. The name evolved from ''Arban'', with a consonant change of ''rb'' to ''rv''.


Early modern period

In the 16th century Kratovo ranked among the most important mining towns in the European part of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
. The mint was opened in Kratovo in the last decade of the 15th century and immediately it became the second largest producer of coins in the Ottoman Empire (just after
Novo Brdo Novo Brdo ( sr-Cyrl, Ново Брдо), or Novobërda and Artana ( sq-definite, Novobërdë or ''Artanë''), is a municipality located in the Pristina district of Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 6,729 inhabitants. ...
), making mostly silver akce, and later gold coins as well. However, from 1520 to 1540 minting and mining were in great crisis and many of the tenants, all of them local Christians, could not pay their leases and were imprisoned. Also, between 1519 and 1530 the number of Christian households dwindled from 982 to 606. After the reform and codification of the craft, the mining and minting recovered around mid-century. In 1550 C. Zeno noted in his travelogue that the Ottoman sultan gets 70,000
ducats The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained ...
from Kratovo. The official accounts of that year tell of benefits of 1,111,555 akce. However, due to the opening of new mints, this fell down to just 573,099 akce in 1573. The mines were managed by their renters who held the title of a duke (''knez''). Most of them were Christians. Amongst these wealthy men who were the first among all men in Kratovo we find Dimitrije Pepić with his brothers or Andrija and Nikola Bojičić, who gave money for renovation of many churches around Macedonia (for instance Lesnovo Monastery). The inhabitants of Goldsmiths' and Minters' quarters, both
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
and
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ� ...
, were businessmen who were famous for their investments in opening new mines such as Kučajna,
Majdanpek Majdanpek ( sr-cyr, Мајданпек; ro, Maidan) is a town and municipality located in the Bor District of the eastern Serbia, and is not far from the border of Romania. According to 2011 census, the municipality of Majdanpek had a populati ...
or Kremkovica, or for leasing mints in other centers, for instance in
Novo Brdo Novo Brdo ( sr-Cyrl, Ново Брдо), or Novobërda and Artana ( sq-definite, Novobërdë or ''Artanë''), is a municipality located in the Pristina district of Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 6,729 inhabitants. ...
. Such activity continued in early 17th century, but later in that century, around 1660 when Kratovo was visited by
Evliya Çelebi Derviş Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi ( ota, اوليا چلبى), was an Ottoman explorer who travelled through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years, recording ...
the mint has stopped its operation. The town was commanded by an ayan. Seven mines were active, yielding mostly silver and copper, but a lot of ore was brought from
Osogovo Osogovo ( Bulgarian/Macedonian: ), or Osogovska Planina or Osogovski Planini (Осоговска Планина or Осоговски Планини), is a mountain range and ski resort between the south-western part of Bulgaria (Kyustendil Provi ...
and mountains around
Kjustendil Kyustendil ( bg, Кюстендил ) is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of the Kyustendil Province, a former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see. The town is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley ...
. Miners were locals who for their works in mines enjoyed certain freedoms and did not have to pay any taxes.
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
bishop of
Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
Petar Bogdani reports in 1685 that Kratovo has 300 houses and 8 strong towers. At the time Kratovo was also famous for its copper products which were considered to be the best in the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
. In 1637 Archbishop
Gjergj Bardhi Gjergj Bardhi or Giorgio Bianchi, shortly called Grili, (1575 – 16 October 1646) was an Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Gjergj Bardhi was born in region of Zadrima, modern northern Albania in 1575. His family included severa ...
visited Kratovo. Among its inhabitands he also reported Albanian immigrants (»dalli monti di Albania«); they were Catholic Albanians but spoke Serbian and Turkish. Their priest was of Albanian descent but spoke Serbian. When the Archbishop of Antivari visited Kratovo in February 1639, he found that all 38 Catholic families were immigrants from
Dibra Dibra is an Albanian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Abdurrahman Dibra (1885–1961), Albanian politician * Arenc Dibra (born 1990), Albanian footballer * Dino Dibra (1975–2000), Australian suspected murderer * Fuad Dibra (18 ...
in Albania, who could now understand the "Illyrian" (Serbian) language. In 1639 the number of Catholics in Kratovo was 358, all Albanians. Most of these would convert to Islam around 1645, with Visitator Gaspari finding only 15 Catholics in 1671. The demographic figures for Kratovo from 1638/39 record: 300 Muslim, 100 Orthodox, 40 Jewish and 38 Catholic (Albanian) houses. In 1689 town was taken by the advancing
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
forces. However, they soon retreated and Kratvo was burned down in retaliation. A lot of people left the town together with the Habsburg army; in early 18th century we find some of them living in Taban, the
Serb The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
suburb of Buda (today a part of
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population o ...
). After this disaster most of the mining activity in the area was taken over by Zletovo and
Probištip Probištip ( mk, Пробиштип ) is a town in North Macedonia, and seat of Probištip Municipality. The town has a population of 10,826. Features Probištip is located in the southwest corner of the Osogovo Mountains, in northeastern North ...
.


Modern

It seems that the mining recovered only in the first half of the 19th century. In 1829 a local aga managed the mines. However, mining was now done on a much smaller scale: Amu Bue in 1836 found only two
furnaces A furnace is a structure in which heat is produced with the help of combustion. Furnace may also refer to: Appliances Buildings * Furnace (central heating): a furnace , or a heater or boiler , used to generate heat for buildings * Boiler, used t ...
working, both in bad condition, and some 5,000 – 6,000 inhabitants. Later in that century the work was carried out by forced labor force recruited in villages from the region and many families have left the area because of it. In 1905 Kratovo had a Bulgarian lower grammar school and two primary schools while the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of ...
had two primary schools. Each community held one of town churches. After the
Battle of Kumanovo The Battle of Kumanovo ( sr, / , tr, Kumanova Muharebesi), on 23–24 October 1912, was a major battle of the First Balkan War. It was an important Serbian victory over the Ottoman army in the Kosovo Vilayet, shortly after the outbreak of ...
, Chetnik paramilitary groups supported by the Serbian Army attacked and expelled the Albanian populations of Kratovo. Leo Freundlich, a journalist who traveled in the Balkans during the
Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and def ...
observed
massacres A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...
against
Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ser ...
committed in Kratovo. He wrote that: "Near Kratovo, General Stefanovic, having ordered hundreds of Albanians to form two rows, shot them down with machine guns. Thereupon, the general explained: These scoundrels must be exterminated so that
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
may no longer be able to find her darlings"


Culture

Kratovo is known for its many reminders from the past. One of its symbols are its stone towers. Once there were twelve of them, but now there are only six towers remaining (Saat or
Clock Tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure which house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another buildi ...
, Simić, Krstev, Eminbeg, Zlatković and Hadži Kostov Tower). The towers were built in
late Middle Ages The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Europe, the Ren ...
, starting from late 14th century and were used not only for protection but also as storage rooms.T. Evans, Macedonia, 2012, p. 287 The Kratovo bridges are another characteristic of this town made by old masters. The town has unique and interesting architecture from the 19th century and a unique Art gallery of children's drawings, with pictures by Kratovo children which have won numerous prizes at different international exhibitions. Currently many organizations are working on rebuilding the city. One of the most valiant of these efforts comes from the University of Florida Engineering Without Borders program who are currently working on the development of a sustainable solid waste system to aid the efforts of North Macedonia in attaining recognition in the European Union.


Language

Situated in the north, the locals traditionally speak in the Kumanovo-Kratovo dialect of Macedonian language.


Sports

The most popular sports club from Kratovo is
FK Sileks FK Sileks ( mk, ФК Силекс) is a football club based in Kratovo, North Macedonia who play in the Macedonian First League. History The club was founded in 1965. Sileks biggest accomplishment in 90s came in the Yugoslav Cup where they re ...
football club and they play their games at the Gradski stadion Kratovo. They have won the Macedonian league title three times in the late 1990s.


References


See also

* Stone town of Kuklica * Kratovo municipality *
North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
{{Authority control Towns in North Macedonia