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TheSmolyani (Bulgarian:смоляни; in Byzantine sourcesSmolenoi orSmoleanoi) were amedievalSlavictribe thatsettled in theRhodope Mountains, the valley of theMesta River and theregion aroundBlagoevgrad Province, possibly in the 7th–8th century. The tribe revolted against theByzantine authorities ofConstantinople in 837 and were supported byBulgarian rulerPresian, who, together with his deputyKavhanIsbul, crossed the lands of the Smolyani and conquered the territory as far south asPhilippi, including most ofMacedonia.[1] Their name etymologically derives from theProto-Slavic word *smola ('resin'), with same derivation being ethnonym of the West Slavic tribe ofSmeldingi and the East Slavic toponym of the city ofSmolensk.[1] The city ofSmolyan in southern Bulgaria is named after this tribe.
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