Brsjaci

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Bršjaci (also known as Berziti) were - along with the Draguvites - one of two original Slavic tribes to settle in the northern part of the region of Macedonia in the 6th century AD. The areas where they settled are today the Republic of Macedonia as well as a part of Kosovo and the adjacent Preševo Valley in Serbia.

With the advent of modern nations during the early second millennium, the local name of Brshjaks would fall into disuse, first with the locals holding onto a Slavic identity while sharing their homeland with non-Slavic peoples (e.g. Avarians, Greeks, Illyrians, Dacians, Bulgars, and others), and second, being superseded by the Serbian influence from the north and Slavic Bulgarian from the east. Both the latter groups had in the 19th century a respective country to call their own, and while being at conflict with each other, both endeavoured to capture the Brshjak territories within their borders from the ruling Ottomans.