Gusinje
Encyclopedia
Gusinje is a small town
in Montenegro
. According to the 2003 census, the town has a population of 1,704.
-Gusinje (as it is collectively known) was under the control of various Albanian Catholic tribes. Ottoman Turks conquered the area sometime in the 14th century.
The founder of modern-day Gusinje was Dedë Shala, an Albanian Catholic. In 1455, Shala converted to Islam and became known as Omer-aga Shala. Shala was then awarded lands throughout the region from Ottoman authorities. His son, Hasan-aga Omeragaj built the first house in Gusinje upon the Grnčar river, creating the Omeragaj branch in Gusinje. His other son, Tahir-aga Omeragaj created the Omeragaj branch in Plav. The Omeragaj (later Slavicised to Omeragići) family lead Gusinje from 1461 to 1590.
Throughout Turkish rule, the Turks were able to convert numerous citizens from Roman Catholicism to Islam. The majority of the citizens of Plav-Gusinje were of Albanian origin, hence the majority of the population was Catholic at the time, with the exception a few Eastern Orthodox families. By 1700 over 75% of the inhabitants of Plav-Gusinje embraced Islam.
Turkish rule was passed onto Montenegro
by decision of the Congress of Berlin
in 1878. However, this decision was unpopular among the local population and between 1878 and 1912, Plav and Gusinje existed as a de facto
independent state.
Ethnicity in 2003
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. According to the 2003 census, the town has a population of 1,704.
History
The history and origins of Gusinje are unknown prior to the Ottoman conquests. Before the Ottoman Turks took control of the region, PlavPlav
Plav Plav Plav (Montenegrin, (Albanian: Plav) is a town in north-eastern Montenegro. It has a population of 3,615 (2003 census).Plav is the centre of the municipality (population of 13,805),-Geography:...
-Gusinje (as it is collectively known) was under the control of various Albanian Catholic tribes. Ottoman Turks conquered the area sometime in the 14th century.
The founder of modern-day Gusinje was Dedë Shala, an Albanian Catholic. In 1455, Shala converted to Islam and became known as Omer-aga Shala. Shala was then awarded lands throughout the region from Ottoman authorities. His son, Hasan-aga Omeragaj built the first house in Gusinje upon the Grnčar river, creating the Omeragaj branch in Gusinje. His other son, Tahir-aga Omeragaj created the Omeragaj branch in Plav. The Omeragaj (later Slavicised to Omeragići) family lead Gusinje from 1461 to 1590.
Throughout Turkish rule, the Turks were able to convert numerous citizens from Roman Catholicism to Islam. The majority of the citizens of Plav-Gusinje were of Albanian origin, hence the majority of the population was Catholic at the time, with the exception a few Eastern Orthodox families. By 1700 over 75% of the inhabitants of Plav-Gusinje embraced Islam.
Turkish rule was passed onto Montenegro
Principality of Montenegro
The Principality of Montenegro was a former realm in Southeastern Europe. It existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a kingdom by Knjaz Nikola, who then became king....
by decision of the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
in 1878. However, this decision was unpopular among the local population and between 1878 and 1912, Plav and Gusinje existed as a de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
independent state.
Demographics
Population of Gusinje:- 1948 - 9,439
- 1953 - 9,546
- 1961 - 9,797
- 1971 - 9,571
- 1981 - 5,903
- 1991 - 2,472
- 2003 - 1,704
Ethnicity in 2003
| Ethnicity | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Bosniaks Bosniaks The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia... |
1,175 | 68.95% |
| Muslims Muslims by nationality Muslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina... |
262 | 15.37% |
| Albanians Albanians Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo... |
173 | 10.15% |
| Montenegrins | 48 | 2.81% |
| Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in... |
37 | 2.17% |
| Croats Croats Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have... |
1 | 0.05% |
| Macedonians Macedonians (ethnic group) The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness... |
1 | 0.05% |
| Others | 7 | 0.45% |
| Total | 1,704 | 100% |
Attractions
- Springs of Ali Pasha, named after Ali Pasha of Gusinje, are the premium attraction of the town.
Notable people
- Ali Pasha of Gucia, Albanian politician
- Dženan RadončićDženan RadoncicDženan Radončić is a Montenegrin football player playing for K-League side Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in South Korea....
, Montenegrin footballer - Fahrudin RadončićFahrudin RadoncicFahrudin Radončić, , is a Bosniak businessman and politician. Radončić's Dnevni Avaz is a widely circulated daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Career :Radončić was raised in the town of Plav in Montenegro...
, Montenegrin businessman, founder of Dnevni Avaz - Ekrem JevrićEkrem JevrićEkrem Jevrić, nicknamed Gospoda, is a popular Montenegrin singer and musician, based in Yonkers, New York. His YouTube video "Kuća poso" earned him instant popularity across former Yugoslavia, mostly because it was "so bad that it's good". The internet phenomenon was noted by BBC and The...
, Montenegrin singer