Kuzman Kapidan ( bg, Кузман Капитан mk, Кузман Капидан) or Kuzman Karamak or Kuzman voivode or Kuzman Kareman is a popular legendary hero of Bulgarian, and after WWII of Macedonian epic poetry. His figure is based on the historical person who initially was a

hajduk A hajduk ( hu, hajdúk, plural of ) is a type of irregular infantry found in Central and parts of Southeast Europe from the late 16th to mid 19th centuries. They have reputations ranging from bandits to freedom fighters depending on time, p ...

,Енциклопедия България, том 3 И-Л, София, Издателство на Българската академия на науките, 1982, с. 624. then -

serdar Serdar may refer to * Serdar (given name) * Serdar (surname) * SERDAR, a stabilized remote-controlled Ukrainian weapon station * Serdar (city) in Turkmenistan, the capital of Serdar District * Serdar (Ottoman rank), a military and noble rank of t ...

(kapidan is corruption of captain) in service of Dželadin-bey ( sq, Xheladin bej Ohri), a governor of

Ohrid Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...

kaza at the beginning of 19th century. He defeated the bands of the robbers Osman Mura and Dervish Mucha. According to some legends, he was poisoned by his enemies, and according to others he was killed in battle. His struggle against bandits was still alive among Macedonians in the 20th century, especially in Debar region, from where he operated and from where he allegedly descended. He is commemorated in numerous epic songs, including

O Armatolos "O Armatolos" ('' el, Ο Αρματωλός'') is a poem written by the 19th-century poet Grigor Parlichev. The poem was composed in 1860, and officially published on 25 March of that year to participate in the Athens University competition for b ...

, an award-winning poem written by the 19th-century Bulgarian poet

Grigor Parlichev Grigor Stavrev Parlichev (also spelled Prlichev, Parlitcheff or Prličev; bg, Григор Ставрев Пърличев; gr, Γρηγόριος Σταυρίδης, translit=Grigorios Stavrides, mk, Григор Прличев) was a Bulga ...

Historical background

At the beginning of the 19th century region of

belonged to

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

and had status of

kaza A kaza (, , , plural: , , ; ota, قضا, script=Arab, (; meaning 'borough') * bg, околия (; meaning 'district'); also Кааза * el, υποδιοίκησις () or (, which means 'borough' or 'municipality'); also () * lad, kaza , ...

of the Sanjak of Ohri. Its governor was Dželadin-bey who had to maintain balance between Ottoman porte on one side and Ali Pasha, the leader of the bands of brigands in the neighbouring

Pashalik of Yanina The Pashalik of Yanina, sometimes referred to as the Pashalik of Ioanina or Pashalik of Janina, was an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous Albanian Pashaliks, pashalik within the Ottoman Empire between 1787 and 1822 covering large a ...

, on another. The bands of Ali Pasha frequently robbed neighbouring territories, including the territory under control of Dželadin-bey. Dželadin-bey belonged to influential group of Ottoman officials at western Balkans who resisted reforms to protect their possessions they forcible confiscated from other people. This is how Dželadin-bey "earned" around 100 chifliks on the territory of the

he controlled. To better resist them Ottomans had to mobilize local Christians to help their regular military forces to guard mountain passes toward Albania. When Kuzman died his son Đore inherited his position and continued to protect their kaza with his forces consisting of both Albanians and Macedonian Slavs.

Historical background

References

Further reading