BITOLA TRHOUGH THE CENTURIES

BITOLA THROUGH THE CENTURIES

Even in pre-historic period, and supported by scientific indications, these geographical areas had been settlement of a developed human community, which left traces of a rich material and spiritual culture. The natural conditions and abundance of Baba Mountain, the vast Pelagonia Plain and River Crna contributed to that. Although the archeological data concerning the oldest period seem to be poor, most of the discovered traces lead to old neolith. Among them the oldest

The household items and the objects connected with the house or personal needs were made of ceramics, bone, wood and other materials that could be found in nature. Many of them speak about the spiritual life, cultural tendencies and religious beliefs. Samples of “askoses”, various pots, dishes, jewelry, tools can be found. What is strikingly amazing is the skilled decoration, which reveals the artistic strife that is the need for expressing of spiritual state of that time man. The ceramic dishes with fine and rough element, decorated with barb tine and impresso technique, then painting with white on red base, only completes the impression regarding that time beliefs of the fundamentals of beauty.

In the broader city surroundings there are numerous finding places originating from different pre-historic periods. Only in the central part of Pelagonia there are over a hundred. For instance dating from eneolite period are Shuplivec in Dolno Oreovo and Tumba in Karamani. Visok Rid in Bukri, Tumba in Kanino and Tumba in Radobor are from the bronze period. The localities Visoi in Beranci, Sarai in Brod, Bel Kamen in Zhivojno and Slami in Rapesh date from iron period. All these archeological sites nearby Bitola speak about this geographical area as being very fertile for existence of various ancient cultural and developed pre-historic civilizations. That is why, this open museum of primordial father land of peoples, located in and around Bitola, provokes big interest with the domestic and foreign cultural and scientific public.

Not only pre-history is present here. It seems, the antic period left even greater traces on this soil in material and spiritual sense. Even in the early antic period, when big Aegean migrations happen, that is the second half of the second millennium BC many populations lived here, such as: Peons, Tracks, Allures, Brigs, Macedonians, Hellenic etc. In the course of time immense changes of the ethnic card occurred. Mixing of the people and tribes consequently brought processes of their mutual assimilation.

There were many legends about the name Macedonia. It is considered to derive from ancient Macedonian words: makos-which means wide (broad) and don-land, that is, Wide (broad) land. According to its configuration and relief, antic authors divided its territory on High and Low Macedonia, consisting of many regions. Historical science considers the king Perdika I (729-678 BC) to be the founder of antic Macedonian country. Antic Macedonians populated the vast areas of south Balkan to Aegean Sea, and to the lower confluence of Bistrica, Vardar and Struma, then the regions of today’s Bitola, Gevgelija and Valandovo, that is early Macedonian kingdoms Lincestida and Amfaxitida and the other places of this geographical part.

Antic Macedonia reached its biggest rise during the rein of Philip II Macedonian (350-336 BC) and his son Alexander III of Macedonia (336-323 BC), later called Alexander the Great.

Additionally to these great political changes on the geographical area our town is situated in, strong processes of cultural development occurred on the course of the centuries. The material and spiritual culture of these places even during antic times was not immune to what happened during the historical changes. Abundant archeological findings on numerous locations in this region speak of that in a very live and suggestive manner. From the antic period they are mainly time bounded, from the 6th century BC onwards. The objects found, the obtained knowledge of life then, mutual relationship, notions and beliefs, reveal high civilization achievements in all aspects of human existence. On cultural and art plan there are such creating achievements, which developed to a level of general human and universal values. Those are: different ceramic object, dishes, weapon, jewelry, coins etc. the act of providing abundant gifts for the deceased during burial ceremonies confirms the power of the political authority possessed by local rulers. The tombs of their close relations were supposed to possess plenitude of valuable objects with unique artistic characteristics.

Among more famous are the findings from the group of tombs, part of the big necropolis Crkvishte (4 century BC) near the village Beranci, as well as the ones found in a tomb near the place Petilep. In the Petilep tomb an unknown local princess had been buried. Beside her various valuable objects were found, such as: a bronze amphora, a bronze crater, a necklace of 75 amorphous pieces, amber, rings and a golden mask.

The findings in Crkvishte are of no lesser importance. They represent one more example of how much attention had been paid to burial ceremonies practiced in Paionia, Pelagonia and Macedonia. The selection of found objects seem impressive: different kinds of vases, antic and latenoid, of many types: kantaros, ihtia, cilics, oinohoa, amphora. Then, cantaros and sytula made of bronze, as well as silver star-like fibulas of Minor Asian type. Golden objects are also inevitable: a necklace with gold pendants. The golden earrings made in a technique of filigree and granulation look splendid. Here belong other objects of iron, weapon, dishes etc. It is interesting how they managed to find materials, ideas, and knowledge so that they can all reach this Bitola region. It is known that trade with close, but with remote places as well, was very developed. Through Asia Minor, the Black Sea colonies of Ion arrived the breath of east civilization. Many of those roads passed through Pelagonia.

All these areas witnessed another big historical event in 167 BC Macedonia was conquered by the Romans, so that in 148 BC to fall completely under their authority. During that period, only 2km on the south of Bitola, the antic city Heraclea Lincestis existed. It had been founded by the ancients Macedonian king Philip II in the 4th century BC When in the II c. BC Heraclea was taken over by Romans it gains on importance economically and strategically. The famous Roman road Via Agnates passed here being the closest link of the Balkan to the Asian continent. It was this road that Roman legions used for their great campaigns to the east. It also opened the path of Roman merchants to the Orient.

Although during the Hellenic period Heraclea Lincestis did not play a significant roll as an economic and cultural center, its strategic position made it an important castle, where most of the roads leading to the main Balkan cities crossed. During Roman expansion it is a famous cultural center. This is supported by the existence of the remnants of a Roman theatre, thermals as well as numerous portable objects originating from that time.

After 1,5 century of Roman rule the early Christian period started (from 4-6 century BC), Heraclea was also an Episcopal seat. That is another data showing its significance. Another confirmation for the high status is the small and the big Basilica and the Episcopal residence. By the end of the 5th century Goths, and a century later by the Huns robbed the city. With the victory of Christianity and the fall of the Roman Empire, the antic structures and their way of existence could not incorporate into the new way of living and moral and philosophical concepts. That resulted in their gradual fall and leaving of the historical stage. Heraclea met the same destiny.

By the end of the 6th century, Slavic tribes, Dragovits being the most outstanding of their representatives, populate these areas. Later they retreat towards the south and the Solun Plain. Traces of their presence in these areas are considered to be the names of the river Dragor, and the villages: Dragarino, Dragozhani and Dragosh. Berezites permanently populated this area. They formed a settlement, which under certain historical and other conditions assumes the shape of a town. There are several hypotheses about where the beginning of that urban place had been: the place. Kriva Vodenica, the graveyard Bukovski or its present location? Whatever the case, the new settlement should have been very close to Heraclea, that is a kind of its extension. Of course, that was all done in the context of other historical, economic, religious, social and cultural conditions. It is known that big wars did not spare this region from changing of the ethnic map, realized through mixing and assimilation of people.

For the history our city the 10th and 11th century are remarkably important. It was the time of very strong expansion of Christianity and Slavic literacy, especially during the activity of St. Cyril and Metodius’ disciples: St. Clement Ohridski and St. Naum Ohridski. During that period a lot of churches and monasteries were built in the city. It was the period when the famous middle-age Macedonian state of Tsar Samoil was founded. It existed from 976 to 1018. Aside Prespa and Ohrid, Bitola was one of its capitals. The big imperial palace built in the city proves that. Also the seat of Bitola bishopric was here, which was a constituent part of the Ohrid archbishopric.

His empire started weakening due to internal misunderstandings about the authority-division. However, the biggest reason for its downfall was the battle in the mountain Belasica in 1014, when the Byzantine tsar Vasil II defeated Samoil completely. During the battle about 15.00 soldiers had been captured and blinded. Shaken by the tragedy, the tsar Samoil died in a few months time, in October the same year. The fight for the throne continued thus weakening the empire quickly. Only four years later, in 1018, Macedonia fell under the Byzantine rule. Many of the events connected to the great Samoil Empire happened in Bitola. This name of the city was first mentioned during these years, the time of the reign of Samoil’s nephew-Jovan Vladislav in 1017.

As far as the name of the city is concerned, it should be pointed out that in various sources we find different names: Obitelj, Botela, Butela, Butelion, Pelagonia, Bitola, Monastir etc. the most widely spread one was Bitola. It is considered that it originates from the old Slavic word “obitel” which meant monastery, monastery place, monastery habitat – settlement. Even today a lot of people use the name Manastir or similar to that. In the next few hundred of years, until the end of the 14th century, the region around Bitola was a battlefield of many wars, uprisings and rules of numerous countries and people. Namely, Byzantine, Norman, War of the Cross and others. This region was the battlefield of: Epyr, Bulgaria Middle-age Empire, Nikei Empire, Latin Empire, Middle-age Serb Empire etc. Each attempt of the local population and domicile feudalist to free from the ruthless foreign exploitation was put down in blood.

But what is important about the city is its development. Despite what happened in historical, politician and military sense, Bitola was increasingly becoming an important cultural center. In most of the churches and monasteries in the city transcript schools existed, which speaks about its rich literary activities. With the trade development, the exchange of goods with almost all Balkan, and even some European, centers increased and this resulted with city growth and the need of famous architects, painters, musicians, wood carvers, skillful craftsmen etc., people closely connected to art. A lot of churches, monasteries and lodgings were being built which initiated the need of skilled icon painters, zograph, poets, composers etc. Not accidentally, even as early as the 12th century the Arab travelogue writer Idrisi wrote: “It takes two days of travel from Ahrida to Butuli on the east. Butili is a nice, wonderful and pleasant city.”

Long and exhausting wars led by middle-age Balkan countries economically and militarily diminished their power to fight the stronger conquerors that started coming from the East. By the end of the 14th century, Turks Ottomans started their successful invasions on Balkan Peninsula. Especially after the battle at the river Marica, in 1371, Turkish armies systematically invaded Macedonia. It is considered that Bitola fell under Turkish rule in 1385/86 after the fierce fight and pulling down of the city fortress. The city got a new name-Manastir and rarely it can be found under the name Tola Manastir. Simultaneously, immense ethnic changes started. Moslem population acquired dominance in the city on the expense of the Christian population, which remained to be more numerous in rural settlements. Different forms of Islamic assimilation of local citizens were used (economic compulsion, colonization, repression, religious intolerance etc.). For this purpose, various new facilities had been built such as: mosques, medreses, ammams, caravan-lodgings etc., which made the city assume more oriental character.

That attitude probably helped the authorities gain political power but the economic power of the city started to decline rapidly. With the absence of agricultural production of the local population, mass production of craft items, decline of services, the interruption of trade bonds with Balkan and European cities, Bitola started losing its strategic importance. Consequently, in the 15th century, the Turkish authority permitted more intensive population of the Christian people. It mainly came from the villages. More rapid development of trade and crafts started, evident in the spreading of the Old Bazaar and establishing of new connections with bigger European centers. The growing economic power of the city instigated the interest of people even form other countries, to work and live in such an environment. It started to be more rapidly populated by other ethnic groups: Jews, Vlaks, Gypsy etc., which, starting from the 16th century onwards, makes Bitola acquire more cosmopolitan character. At the same time it becomes famous, not only administrative, confessional and military, but cultural center of this part of the Balkan also.

Due to the known political reasons and interests, mostly of the authorities of the neighboring Balkan countries, Macedonian people did not have an opportunity to express their national feelings publicly. Despite the difficult creating conditions, the Macedonian, that is Bitola individual never stopped working on spreading cultural and literary activities. In this sense Bitola was ahead in many segments: song, folk dance, embroidery, frescos, icons, folk dance tradition, oral tradition, literary work (even though very often written with foreign letters), wood-carving etc. No force could stop the folk artistic genius. The fact that he often deliberately remained anonymous only confirmed his high creative value and eternity. Bitola churches and monasteries were the key ardor of our culture. Many pieces from the rich art and literary heritage of Bitola are presently considered to be some of the most valuable exhibits in many world galleries, libraries, archives, private and state collections.

One of the greatest Turkish travelogue writers Evlija Dercish Mehmet Zili, known as Evlija Chelebija, could not help but express his admiration of the city beauty. In 1661 he passed through Bitola. Being one of the most learnt people of his native Istanbul walking through the city he wrote: “Here, people say there was a big church in the time of Alexander the Great according to which the city got the name Manastir. It is located in Rumelian region. It is a great city”. He then writes about the numerous dignitaries, of the ten wooden and store brides over Dragor, of the unique greenery of “different trees rising up in the sky” of many: plane-trees, box-trees, wild cypress, pines and willows. But also about the numerous churches, 47 buildings covered by lead, then the market place, 40 restaurants, 900 shops, new and modern houses, as well as the people from Bitola who are described as excellent rhetoricians and orators “with natural manners, pleasant and favorable”.

During the 5 century long slavery Bitola experienced a lot of difficult moments, falls, migrations, but some bright moments as well. A lot of important events happened here, a lot of decisions had been brought here which often changed the course of the history not only on the Balkan, but wider in Europe. From the end of the 18th century until the beginning of the 20th century, together with Istanbul and Thessalonica, the urban fame of Bitola was compared to many European centers. The 19th century was the time when the Turkish Empire started declining. The central authority found it very difficult to rule, military and politically, over so vast territory. Various local groups and leaders, plundering groups and individuals, fled to the rural settlements and to poorly protected urban places terrorizing the population.

From the middle of the last century, an immense part of Macedonian rural population came to the city not only because of economic reasons but also as a result of the unstable situation. Of course there were other new inhabitants attracted by the city. The reasons for that were various. The more excessive political and religious propaganda of the neighboring Balkan and other European counties should also be mentioned. All the new comers felt some personal and material security in the city. So, Bitola acquired an image of a Macedonian city.

The situation in the Empire and the troubles on the Bosporus, increased the interest of big European and Balkan countries to be present officially in Bitola. Being one of the most developed centers, Bitola was expected to be the place where the history of the Balkan in the following centuries was to be created. In this so important and sensitive strategic region of European Turkey, settling down of contradictory interests of many European countries depended on solving the so called East issue. So a crucial issue was connected with Macedonia. The old aspirations for providing a better position in the known spheres of influences in global politics were expected to culminate with division of Empire.

That is why Bitola meets the second half of the 19th and the first decade of the 20th century as a “consular city”. Almost all European and Balkan countries open consular offices. From once relatively peaceful Balkan city where the western, oriental and Slavic notion of life clashed and adjusted, on the military and strategic map the city becomes a key place for solving of world problems, a battlefield of diplomatic games, military intrigues and interests. Influenced by the new tendencies, the ordinary city life of Bitola people coped with them. They started living in a modern, European way. New habits and manners of mutual communication-art and fashion were quickly accepted. It seemed that the time of the Eastern and Western milieu had run out. These were the most brilliant years of Bitola’s existence.

Also, during that time Bitola was one of the most eminent Macedonian centers where numerous events, connected to Macedonia liberation movement, happened. Simultaneously with the city growth, the consciousness of an organized fight and the consciousness for creating own, Macedonian country increased. Most of the preparations for liberation from age long oppression were carried out here. A lot of revolutionaries lived, worked or stayed in this region, in the city and the surrounding villages, organizing the population for a national uprising: Damjan Gruev, Gorgi Sugarev, Pere Toshev, Gorche Petrov, Nikola Petrov-Rusinski and many others. Even Goce Delchev stayed here for about twenty days in 1901. While working on the uprising preparations, he especially pointed out at the dangers of foreign propaganda, which later proved to be accurate.

Most of the events concerning the I linden Uprising are connected to Bitola and its surrounding. As it is known, it started on 2nd August 1903 only 50km away-in Krushevo and later spread to other cities in Macedonia. Although the Krushevo Republic lasted for only 10 days and although the uprising was severely put down by the numerous Turkish armies, it resounded strongly in Europe. Its creators and participants wrote one of the brightest pages of the later Macedonian history. It revealed the strong determination of the people, the citizens of Macedonia, regardless to their religion and nationality, that only through armed resistance they can free themselves from tyranny and live in a free Macedonian country. So all the freedom-loving democratic forces in the world gave the uprising participants their support.

After the uprising the situation in Macedonia worsened. The unprotected population was faced with a lot of crimes done by the forces, which favored lawlessness. There were a lot of armed rebel-companies, mercenary groups and individuals, who were mostly supported by certain foreign propaganda. Bitola and the surroundings transformed into a real arena for bloody encounters in which many innocent people suffered. After the uprising many famous revolutionaries from this region were victims of this terror.

Soon after that, in 1908, the Young Turk Revolution happened. Freedom-loving Bitola expected a lot from the Revolution. Many uprising groups joined Young Turks in their celebration of freedom. Among the Young Turks was Mustafa Khemal-Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. At that time he was studying at the Military gymnasium in Bitola. During the coming years, due to higher interests of big forces and the still present nationalism in some of Young Turks’ circles, as well as other Balkan countries’ propaganda, the requests of the Macedonian people for freedom, own school and autonomy failed. On the contrary, after the Balkan Wars (1912-13), as a result of the Bucharest Peace Treaty (1913) Macedonia was divided into four parts. Consequently, Bitola fell under Serbian authority.

This peace did not bring anything new for our city as well. Only two years later (1915-16) it became the battlefield for the fiercest fights in World War I between the Central Forces (Germany-Austrian-Hungary and Bulgaria) and the Antanta (France, Russia, Serbia etc). The biggest fights were fought at Sckochicir, Kajmakchalan and Pelister. The city feels under each of their authority for several times. It was constantly bombed, so it was named city hero-the second Veden. Almost all the city was ruined. By the end of 1918 what remained from this so-called most beautiful city in this part of the Balkan were only ruins. After the war, Bitola, as the rest of Vardar Macedonia, remained within the SCS Kingdom.

The period between the First and the Second World War did not bring anything new for the city. What remained from the former urban splendor of Bitola were the memories of the good old times when it had been a great crossroads in this part of the Balkan Peninsula. Another, even more frightening, world war adventure came. On 9th April 1941, the German fashist armies occupied the city. According to the previous agreement with Germany, and as its ally in the World War II, Bulgarian forces entered the city accompanied by the necessary administrative apparatus, police, education etc. The city was supposed to live a different life again, in war conditions.

During this time Macedonian nation fought its National Liberation War, on the side of the anti-fascist coalition. The partisan movement spread. A mass national support for liberation of the country began. The age long dream for a free Macedonian country started to become true. On 4th November 1944, the members of the 7th Macedonian Liberation Brigade entered Bitola victoriously. After the end of the war, which was one of the most significant for our nation, Macedonia established its own country for the first time in the more recent history. In order to achieve this freedom, about 25.000 people gave their lives on the altar of freedom of their country. Many of them were from Bitola. After the liberation, the pleasant pages of the life of Bitola started, which continue to the present.