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TheRovčani (Serbian Cyrillic:Ровчани,pronounced[rǒ̞ʋt͡ʃani]) are a historicaltribe of Montenegro and one of the seven highlander tribes of theBrda region, alongside theBjelopavlići,Piperi,Kuči,Bratonožići,Moračani andVasojevići. The historical region that they inhabit is calledRovca (Serbian Cyrillic:Ровца,pronounced[rǒ̞ʋt͡za]).
The Rovčani owe their name to the region that they inhabit, called Rovca, which is derived fromSlavicrov, meaning “dent” or “trench”.[1]
Rovca borders the historical regions and tribes of the Moračani to the east, theDrobnjaci to the north, theNikšići to the west, the Bjelopavlići to the southwest, the Piperi to the south, and the Bratonožići to the southeast. Rovca consists of the following villages: Višnje, Velje Duboko, Liješnje, Cerovica, Međuriječje, Mrtvo Duboko, Sreteška Gora, Gornja Rovca, Vlahovići and Trmanje.
The region of Rovca is first mentioned in the 1477defter (tax registry) of theSanjak of Herzegovina, which had been established in 1470.
Mariano Bolizza, a Venetian patrician, recorded in 1614 that “Riouzi” (Rovci) was inhabited byOrthodox Christian Serbs and had a total of 50 houses. The 120men-at-arms were commanded by Ivan Rodonjin.[2] In 1689, an uprising broke out in Piperi, Rovca, Bjelopavlići, Bratonožići, Kuči and Vasojevići. This uprising broke out at the same time of a similar one inPrizren,Peć,Priština andSkopje, which expanded further inKratovo andKriva Palanka in October (Karposh's Rebellion).[3]
In 1768, the Rovčani helped the Bjelopavlići, who were attacked by the Ottomans.[4] In 1774,Mehmet Bushatli, thepasha of Scutari, broke into Kuči and "destroyed" it; the Rovčani housed and protected some of the refugee families.[4] On the request of Russian Empress Catherine, the Montenegrins and Herzegovinians took arms against the Ottomans in 1788. The call was gladly accepted by the Rovčani and Moračani who equipped gunpowder and weapons for the upcoming events.[5] However, the Ottomans heard of the intentions, and preemptively struck Morača, the centre of preparation.[6] In 1794, the Kuči and Rovčani were devastated by the Ottomans.[4] In 1796, the Montenegrin army under MetropolitanPetar I Petrović-Njegoš and with the assistance of the Piperi, defeated the Ottoman army at theBattle of Krusi.[4] The Montenegrin victory resulted in territorial expansion, with the tribes of Bjelopavlići and Piperi being joined into the Montenegrin state.[7] The Rovčani, as other highlander tribes, subsequently turned more and more towardsMontenegro.[8] Metropolitan Petar I sent letters in 1799 to the Moračani and Rovčani, advising them to live peacefully and in solidarity.[8]
During theFirst Serbian Uprising (1804–13), the Drobnjaci, Moračani, Rovčani, Uskoci and Pivljani rose against the Ottomans and burnt down villages inHerzegovina.[9] In 1820, after the defeat of the Ottoman army at theMorača river, the Rovčani were incorporated into Montenegro, together with the Moračani.[10]
Rovčani was one of the tribes that supported theMontenegrin Greens, a faction that opposed what they saw was an annexation ofMontenegro toSerbia and instead urged for a federation.[11] The Greens still declared themselves to be ethnic Serbs.[12] During theChristmas Uprising (January 7, 1919) two members of Bulatović family were flayed alive in Rovca by theMontenegrin Whites (the other political faction).[13]
The Rovčani tribe had historically viewed themselves as Serbs,[14] and in light of Montenegrin independence (2006), Rovca clan chief Nikola Minić said that "If Milo Djukanovic tried to divide Montenegro... we wouldn't live in his country... but remain united in a brotherhood with Serbia."[15]
According to local folklore, recalled by a Bulatović, the Rovca tribe ultimately descend fromban (duke) Ilijan, fromGrbalj in theBay of Kotor. This Ilijan allegedly married Jevrosima, the daughter ofGrand Prince Vukan (r. 1202–04) and sister ofStefan Vukanović Nemanjić, who built theMorača monastery.[16] Ilijan had a son, Nikša, who was in conflict withban Ugren of theNikšićžupa (county).[17] Nikša's son Gojak murdered Ugren, after which he was hid in the Morača monastery by his great-uncle (or uncle) Stefan, and then in the Lukavica mountain, where he is believed to have died.[16] Gojak had fours sons: Bulat (whose descendants are known as Bulatovići), Šćepan (whose descendants are known as Šćepanovići), Vlaho (whose descendants are known as Vlahovići) and Srezoje (whose descendants are known as Srezojevići).
The other part of Rovčani are descendants ofknez (duke) Bogdan Lješnjanin, who fled fromČevo due to ablood feud, and firstly settled in the village of Liješnje in the Lješnahiyah (subdistrict), and then after another blood feud there he settled in what would become Rovca, in the village of Brezno (which today is known as Liješnje). This happened in the first half of the 15th century, before the Ottoman conquest.
All of the Rovca tribe celebrate theSlava,St. Luke.
На позив руске царице Катарине, Црногор- ци и Херцеговци устали су на оружје против Турака године 1788« Овај позив радо су прихватили Ровчани и Морачани и опремили су барут и оружје за насту- пајуће догађаје.
Posebno je zanimljivo da su se i »zelenaši«,...., nacionalno smatrali Srbima" [it is especially interesting that Greens also ... declared themselves as Serbs]