Gjergj Elez Alia orĐerzelez Alija is a legendary character found in the epic poetry and literature ofBosnia and Herzegovina,Gora,Kosovo and northernAlbania. The legendary character is believed to have been a popularMuslim epic hero of theBosnian Krajina (frontier region) from the end of the 15th century. He is one of the well known legendary heroes and a symbol of brotherly loyalty to both the Bosniaks and Albanians.
The name of the legendary character is spelled inAlbanian:Gjergj Elez Alia, inBosnianĐerzelez Alija, Đerđelez Alija or Djerdjelez Alija, inHungarian:Gerz Ilyas, inSerbo-Croatian:Ђерзелез Алија,Đerzelez Alija, inTurkish:Gürz Ilyas.[1]
The nameGürz is derived from theTurkish wordgürzi (mace) and means warrior with the mace.[2][3]
The nameGjergj is the Albanian rendering ofGeorge, which is pronounced by Bosniaks the same way as in Albanian, but spelled asĐerđ/Djerdj in Bosnian. The nameGjergjelez have been explained as a compound ofGjergj andElez, the latter corresponding to the name of the prophetIliaz (Elias). The tripartite-compound names such as the case ofGjergj Elez Alia are typically found in northernAlbanian tribes as well as in some southern Albanian mountain peoples.[4] The third part of the compound name,Ali, is anOttoman Turkish name ofArabic origin, meaning "high, noble", which is used to highlight a peculiar trait of this legendary character.[5]
It is believed that epic figure of Đerzelez Alija was inspired byAli Bey Mihaloglu[6][7] or Gürz Ilyas,[8] anOttoman military commander in 15th century and the firstsanjakbey of theSanjak of Smederevo. According to Ottoman census of 1485 he was in charge fornahiya of Dobrun nearVišegrad as histimar (land grant).[2] There is aturbe (mausoleum) in the village of Gerzovo (nearMrkonjić Grad,Bosnia and Herzegovina) which according to legend is his burial place.[9][10]
The first written record of the epic figure of Đerzelez (in the form of "Ali-beg") was a form of South Slavicbugarštica (long form epic and ballad poem),The Marriage ofVuk the Dragon-Despot, recorded by Đuro Matei at the end of 17th or beginning of 18th century.[11] In songs recorded in theErlangen Manuscript, Đerzelez is mentioned in the form of "Turk elder Balibeg".[12]
The legendary character is believed to have been a popular Muslim epic hero of theBosnian Krajina (frontier region) from the end of 15th century.[13][14] The myth of Gjergj Elez Ali / Đerzelez Alija has its roots in the origins of common beliefs and a set of interests linked to the preservation of the lineage. This was accomplished by the Bosniaks through religion, and by the Albanians through language.[15]
He is one of the well known legendary heroes and a symbol of brotherly loyalty to both the Bosniaks and Albanians.[16][17][15]
According to Rašid Durić, Ottoman historian and chronicler Ibn Kemal (1468–1534) wrote about the popularity ofGürz Ilyas in folk songs in Bosnia.[14] Đerzelez Alija was most popular in theBosnian Krajina (Frontier) region, where he, as opposed to Albanian tradition, is mostly seen as a Muslim fighting against Christians. Many stories of him fighting Christians or mythological beings exist. The most prominent ones where he fights important Christian figures are "Gjerzelez Alija i Car od Stambola"(Gjerzelez Alija and the Tsar from Istanbul) where a duel between Đerzelez andJohn Hunyadi, known as "Sibinjanin Janko" in South Slavic epic poetry, occurs.[18] There are instances of Đerzelez being portrayed as a dragon, theDragon in South Slavic mythology is usually considered to be benevolent.[19]
Some of the poems which include the name of Đerzelez in their titles are:[20][21]
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Đerzelez is one of the main characters of many other poems without his name in their title, like:[23]
According to the legend, Đerzelez also has an epic horse (sometimes called Šarac, as the horse ofPrince Marko) and he is a good friend offairies who help him when he is in danger.[24] Legend says that he was killed during his prayer (salat) because he did not want to interrupt it despite being aware that he would be killed.[25] Another legend mentions Đerzelez andPrince Marko as beingbloodbrothers, and Marko considering Đerzelez to be a fierce warrior equal to him.[26] One of many similarities between theepic poetry of theBosniaks andSerbs.
InAlbanian folklore, Gjergj Elez Alia is regarded as a great warrior and his legend is one of the most popular. A song ofGjergj Elez Alia was recorded byBernardin Palaj andDonat Kurti inNikaj (Tropojë District) and published in Tirana in 1937.[27] The song is usually sung accompanied by thelahuta (gusle), or occasionally withçifteli, by therapsod (performer of epic poetry).[28] The song ofGjergj Elez Alia is part of the heroic non-historical cycle of Albanian epic poetry, theKângë Kreshnikësh ("Songs of Heroes"), however it is not related to the epic cycle of the pair of heroic brothers Muji and Halili.[29]
Gjergj Elez Alia had nine wounds on his body and lay suffering for nine years in his house and everybody had forgotten him. Only his sister took care of him night and day for nine years. Then news came that another enemy,Balozi i Zi (black knight) had come from the sea and was killing people and destroying villages every day.
One day Gjergj felt some drops of water on his face and thought that his house had become so old that the rain was coming in. His sister told him that it was not the rain, but her tears on his face. She told him that Balozi had requested her and sooner or later would come to get her. Gjergj then told her to take his horse and make it ready for war, as he was going to fight against the horrible Baloz. He met Baloz the next day and had the fight; Gjergj was victorious. He returned home to his sister and as they hugged with joy, both their hearts stopped beating and they died instantly together. They were then buried in the same grave and the place was never forgotten. Everyone that passed by stopped to remember his great actions.
Ivo Andrić, the 1961 winner of theNobel Prize in Literature, wrotePut Alije Đerzeleza (transl. The Journey of Alija Đerzelez), published in 1920, after two fragments (Djerzelez at the Inn andDjerzelez on the Road) were published in 1918 and 1919.[30]
In Sarajevo, there is "The House of Alija Đerzelez," one of the oldest houses in the city, located on the Street of Alija Đerzelez. TheCommission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared it anational monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2005 due to its architectural significance as a residential complex.[31] There are streets in several towns inBosnia and Herzegovina (Bihać,Gračanica,Zenica, etc.) named after him.
... They say that this is where his name originated, for Djurzelez means the warrior with the mace ... with the epic Djerzelez. In a Turkish census defter [administrative register] of 1485 a timar [feudal property] of Gjerz-Eljaz is recorded for nahija [small administrative area] of Dobrun, near town of Višegrad
... his name means "the warrior with mace"
Istoričari Stojan Novaković i Milenko Vukićević su postavili hipotezu da je Đerzelez Alija u stvari Ali-beg, prvi sandžak-beg Smedereva (Semendere) i Srbije po padu Despotovine (1459).
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Aleksej Olesnički tvrdi...da je Đerzelez Alija identičan sa Mihal-oglu Ali begom...[Aleksej Olesnički claims ... that Djerzelez Alija can be identified as Mihal-oglu Ali beg]
ĐERZELEZOVO TURBE NA GERZOVU Na Gerzovu Polju, kojih tridesetak kilometara od Mrkonjić-Grada idući prema Šipovu, nalazi se turbe koje narodna predanja pripisuje legendarnom junaku Aliji Đerzelezu. [Djerdjelez's turbe on Gerzovo. On Gerzovo Polje, some thirty kilometers from Mrkonjic Grad to Sipovo there is a turbe which peoples legend attribute to legendary hero Djerdjelez Alia. ]
The mausoleum (turbeh) at Gerzovo is traditionally attributed to epic ballad hero, Alija Djerzelez.
Prvi spomen Djerzelez Alije u narodnoj pjesmi sačuvao se je kod Bogišića, u bugarštici br. 13, koja nosi naslov "Kad se Vuk Ognjeni oženio". Pjesmu je zabilježio Đuro Matei pri koncu XVII ili početkom XVIII stoljeća....se Đerzelez pominje pod imenom Ali beg...[The first mention of Djerzelez Alija in peoples poetry was preserved at Bogisic, in bugarstica num 13, which has the name "The Marriage of Vuk the Dragon-Despot". Song was recorded by Đuro Matei at the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century.... mentioning Djerzelez under name of Ali beg...]
U Erlangenskom rukopisu,...nalazimo našega junaka pod imenom "Turčina starca Balibega"...[In Erlangen manuscript we can find our hero under name of old Turk Balibeg]
Upravo je Đerzelez Alija bio junak Bosanskog krajišta sa početka 15. vijeka.
"Djerzelez Aliya" in Moslem Heroic Songs by Frndić, p. 9—20..."Djerzelez Aliya, the Emperor's Champion" in Matica Hrvatska 3..."Marko Kralyević and Djerzelez Aliya" was written down by Nikola Voynović, on July 24, 1934, in Novi Pazar in Serbia
Đerzelezovo bolovanje
Odkud je Gerzelez
Djerzelez-Alija
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Djerzelez Aliya's epic horse is similar to Prince Marko's Šarac, and in some Moslem songs is also called Šarac. Like Djerzelez Aliya, Prince Marko is friendly with fairies who help him in times of danger.
According to legend, he was slayed during prayer. He chose not to interrupt his prayers even though he was aware of his imminent death
Gjergj Elez Alia, recorded in Nikaj (District of Tropoja). Published in Visaret e Kombit, Vol II, ed. Bernandin Palay and Donat Kurti (Tirana 1937)
The first complete short story, "Put Alije Djerzeleza," was published in 1920, although two fragments, "Djerzelez u hanu" (Djerzelez at the Inn) and "Djerzelez na putu" (Djerzelez on the Road) had appeared, in issues of Knizevni jug in 1918 and 1919.
THE HOUSE OF ALIJA DJERZELEZ One of the oldest preserved authentic Bosnian houses. It is located on Sagrdzija Street in the old part of town. The house was named after an epic character – Alija Djerzelez.
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