Medieval Slavic Sources prove the Hellenicity of Macedonia

1.Patriarch Euthymius of Turnovo (Patriarch of Bulgaria between 1375 and 1393) in his “Hagiography of St. Ilarion Maglenski” wrote about the Bulgarian Char Kaloyan:



Translation in English:

“He was very brave, then,conquered a large part of the Greek land, namely Thrace and Macedonia, the Tribalia and Dalmatia, in those added Neada (sic) and Ellada and still Aitolia.”

From the above it is clear that the Patriarch Euthymius, reflecting a general perception, recognizes Macedonia as part of Greek land.

Source: E. Kaluzniacki, Werke Des Patriachen von Bulgarien Euthymius (1375-1393),. Nach den besten Handschriften, Wien 1901.

2. In an Anonymous Bulgarian Chronicle of early 15th century, we have the description of the Turkish invation in Balkans. There we read:



Translation in English:

“Then Katakouzinos came to agreement with Mourat and they gave oaths and exchanged written agreements which apply even today that Turks wont harm the Greeks, neither in Romania, nor in Macedonia in the century, and when Turks promised things will be like that, Kantakozinos left to the Turks the passage from Kallipolis.”

Source: J. Bogdan, “Ein Beitrag zur Bulgarischen und Serbischen Geschichtscheribung”, Archiv fur Slavische Plilologie, v. 13 (1891), 527

3. So even in Medieval Bulgarian sources it was well known in Macedonia were living Greeks. However Turks didnt keep their promises for long.



Translation in English:

“When Kaloyan was a king at that time, in Constantinople, Palaiologos, then Turks broke the oaths which they had agreed with the Greeks, and conquered the city of Kallipolis and the surrounding villages, took Macedonia and they started conflicts everywhere, and in the passage they look to exist their own ships in order to guard it, after they pushed and sent away the Greeks from the area.”

4. From the old-Bulgarian translation of Manasses Chronicle, a translation dating back in the first years of the Ivan Alexander’s reign (1331-1340) we find:



Translation in English:

During the reign of Anastasius, Bulgarians started to conquere this land, they passed to Bidynio and firstly begun to conquer the Lower land of Ochrid and later all of it.

Source: Die Slavische Manasses-Chronik. Ach der Ausgabe von oan Bogdan. Muncen, Wilhelm Fink Verlag 1966, page 115.

5. The Bulgarian character of Samuil’s state, contrary to the illusions of FYROM’s pseudohistorians is proved undoubtedly here. Similarly we can find again in the same source a little later:



Translation in English:

“This King Vasileios crashed Samouil, Czar of Bulgars, twice and conquered Bidynio and PLiska, and the Great Preslava and the Small one, and many other cities [..]”

Similar references can be also found in Serbian Medieval Sources:

6. From the “Bios of St Savva“ written by Teodosie Hilandara (mid 13th cent)



Translation in English:

“This Kaloyan, Czar of Zagorion moved and destroyed many Greek cities in the entire Thrace and in the entire Macedonia [..]”

Source: Teodosije Hilandarac, Zivot Svetoga Save.Izdanje Dure Danicica priredio i predgovor napisao Dorde Trifunovic, Beograd, 1973 (first publ. 1860), p. 103

Even Serbs knew Macedonia and Thrace consisted of Greek cities.

By Nicholas M.

Bibliography: “Makedonikes Tautotites ston Hrono”, Aggeliki Delikari, ‘ Η εικόνα της Μακεδονίας και η εννοια της “Μακεδονικότητας” στους Σλαβικούς λαούς της Βαλκανικής κατά την Βυζαντινή περίοδο”

source:history-of-macedonia.com