Cuce ( Cyrillic: Цуце, ) is a historical

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confl ...

(''pleme'') and region in

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = ...

, located in the area of the Katunska nahija from

Old Montenegro Old Montenegro ( sr, Стара Црна Гора, Stara Crna Gora), also known as Montenegro proper ( sr, Права Црна Гора, Prava Crna Gora), or True Montenegro ( sr, Истинска Црна Гора, Istinska Crna Gora), is a ...

History

The toponym ''Cuce'' is first mentioned in 1431 in documents from

Kotor Kotor ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrativ ...

, then again in a

chrysobull A golden bull or chrysobull was a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, most notably by the Holy Roman Emperors. The term was originally coined for the golden Seal (emblem), ...

of the

Cetinje Monastery The Cetinje Monastery ( sr, Цетињски манастир, Cetinjski manastir) is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. It is located in Cetinje and is the seat of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro. A center of historica ...

from the end of the 15th century. In Ottoman defters from 1521 and 1523, Cuce is mentioned as a village. The majority of inhabitants migrated to Cuce in the 16th and 17th century, from Old Herzegovina and Old Kuči. In 1718, after the Peace of Passowitz, the Cuce along with 9 other tribes of the Katun nahiya, became ''de facto'' independent from the Ottoman Empire. In 1829 Bjelice struggled against Ozrinići and Cuce, two neighboring tribes, and

Petar I Petrović-Njegoš Petar I Petrović-Njegoš (Serbian Cyrillic: Петар I Петровић Његош; 1748 – 31 October 1830) was the ruler of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro as the Metropolitan (''vladika'') of Cetinje, and Exarch (legate) of the Serbi ...

sent

Sima Milutinović Sarajlija Simeon "Sima" Milutinović "Sarajlija" ( sr-cyr, Симеон "Сима" Милутиновић "Сарајлија", ; 3 October 1791 – 30 December 1847) was a poet, hajduk, translator, historian and adventurer. Literary critic Jovan Skerlić d ...

and Mojsije to negotiate peace among them. Smail-aga Cengic wrote a letter in 1838 to Njegos, complaining about the Cuce who had raided Ottoman territory. Traditionally, the Vojvode (Dukes) of tribe were from the House of Krivokapić and the Serdari (Counts) were from the House of Perović. In the case of lower Cuce, Knez (Prince) Rogan founded the House of Roganović.

Anthropology

Jovan Cvijić Jovan Cvijić ( sr-cyr, Јован Цвијић, ; 1865 – 16 January 1927) was a Serbian geographer and ethnologist, president of the Serbian Royal Academy of Sciences and rector of the University of Belgrade. Cvijić is considered the ...

extensively studied the tribes of Old Montenegro. Cuce are divided into Upper Cuce and Lower Cuce. Most of the inhabitants of Upper Cuce descend from

Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geograp ...

, while the inhabitants of Lower Cuce generally descend from the Kuči tribe. * Kovači *

Kovačević Kovačević ( South Slavic, Cyrillic: Ковачевић), Kovačevič ( Slovene and Slovak; feminine (Slovak): Kovačevičová) or Kovačovič ( Slovak; feminine: Kovačovičová), is a Slavic surname meaning " lackmith's son". The surname is de ...

i *

Krivokapić Krivokapić ( sr-cyr, Кривокапић), is a Montenegrin and Serbian surname, a patronymic of the nickname '' krivokapa'', which means "crooked cap". Bearers of the surname traditionally exist in Upper Cuce, in western Montenegro, from where ...

i, brotherhood originally from

Old Herzegovina Old Herzegovina ( sr, Стара Херцеговина, Stara Hercegovina) is a historical region, covering the eastern parts of historical Herzegovina, outside the scope of modern Herzegovina. A large section of ''Old Herzegovina'' belongs to ...

* Banićevići * Šakići * Zviceri, originally from Old Kuči * Simovići *

Živković Živković (sometimes transliterated Zivkovic, sr-Cyrl, Живковић, ) is a Croatian and Serbian surname derived from a masculine given name Živko. It is the most common surname in the Šibenik-Knin County in Croatia, and among the most fr ...

i *Mijanovići *

Perović Perović ( sr-Cyrl, Перовић, ) — transliterated as ''Perovic'' or ''Perovich'', meaning "''son of Pero''" — is a Montenegrin, Serbian and Croatian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Ana Perović (born 1977), basketball ...

i * Đuričići (oldest family in Cuce) * Vujadinovići * Roganovići * Bigovići *

Marković Marković ( sr-Cyrl, Марковић, ) is a common family name in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Austria and Serbia. It is a patronym of '' Marko'', the local variant of the common European name "Marcus" or "Mark". Marković is the ...

i *

Stevović Stevović ( sr-Cyrl, Стевовић, ) is a Serbo-Croatian surname derived from a masculine given name Stevo. Notable people with the surname include: * Marko Stevović (born 1996), Serbian alpine skier * Ratko Stevović (born 1956), Montenegrin ...

i * Ćosovići *

Perišić Perišić () is a Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Aleksandra Perišić (born 2002), Serbian taekwondo practitioner * Dragan Perišić (born 1979), Serbian footballer *Goran Perišić (bo ...

i *

Popović Popović ( sr-Cyrl, Поповић; ) or Popovich or Popovitch (russian: Попо́вич) is a common Serbian, Russian, Montenegrin, Bosnian, Romanian, Croatian, Ukrainian and Belarusian surname, and sometimes a patronymic meaning ''son of a pr ...

i *

Jovović Jovović sr-cyrl, Јововић is a Serbian surname, which means little son of Jovo. * Blagoje Jovović *Boško Jovović *Igor Jovović * Mirjana Jovović-Horvat *Nebojša Jovović *Nikola Jovović *Vladimir Jovović Vladimir Jovović ( sr-c ...

i *Ivanovići, brotherhood originally from

, descending from Šćepan Ivanov; today all four brotherhoods are included in the Krivokapići; slava of St. Nicholas ** Mijatovići **

Ivanović Ivanović ( sr-cyr, Ивановић, ) or Ivanovich ( Russian: Иванович and Ukrainian: Іванович; also transliterated as ''Ivanovitch'') is a surname, a patronymic derived from ''Ivan''. It is a common surname in Bosnia and Herzego ...

i ** Zukovići ** Đukanovići, base in Krajište *

Đurović Đurović ( sr-Cyrl, Ђуровић; also transliterated Djurovic) is a Serbian patronymic surname derived from a masculine given name ''Đuro''. It may refer to: * Borislav Đurović (1952–2003), football player * Dragan Đurović (born 1959), ...

i * Cucovići *

Otašević Otašević ( sr-cyr, Оташевић) is a Serbian surname. It may refer to: *Nikola Otašević (born 1982), Serbian basketball player * Vladimir Otašević (born 1986), footballer * Momčilo Otašević (born 1990), Montenegrin actor *Dušan Otaš ...

i *

Tomanović Tomanović is a Serbs, Serbian surname that may refer to: *Goran Tomanović, member of Oktobar 1864 *Ljuba Tomanović, member of Crni ples *Zdenko Tomanović, lawyer of Slobodan Milošević *Lazar Tomanović, Prime Minister of Montenegro *Saša Tom ...

i, originally from Old Kuči The Djer-didije is a dance of the Cuce.

People

Nikac Tomanović Nikac Tomanović ( sr, Никац Томановић; 1755–56), known in epic poetry as Nikac of Rovine (Никац од Ровина/Nikac od Rovina), was Montenegrin ''harambaša'' in Nikšić and contemporary of Sava Petrović Njegoš (1735 ...

, Montenegrin chief * Slavko Perović, famous Montenegrin politician. * Ilarion Roganović, Metropolitan of Montenegro (1860-1882) *

Knez (Prince) Rogan Knez may refer to: * Knez (title), equivalent of "duke" or "prince", used in medieval Slavic countries such as Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia * Knez (Vlach leader), a leader of the Vlach (or Romanian) communities in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary. * ...

, Montenegrin clan chief of Lower Cuce & eponymous founder of house Roganović *

Krsto Zrnov Popović Krsto (Cyrillic script: Крсто), also Krste or Krǎstyo is a South Slavic masculine given name. *Krsto Papić *Krsto Ungnad * Krsto Zrnov Popović *Fran Krsto Frankopan *Vuk Krsto Frankopan *Krsto Hegedušić * Krste Crvenkovski *Krste Misirko ...

, leader of the 1919 Christmas Uprising * Radovan Krivokapić, Montenegrin football player * Miodrag Krivokapić, former Montenegrin football player *

Goran Krivokapić Goran Krivokapić ( cnr, Горан Кривокапић; born 7 May 1979) is a Montenegrin classical guitarist. Early years and education Due to the 1979 Montenegro earthquake, Krivokapić was born in Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia. He s ...

, Montenegrin classical guitarist *

Miodrag Živković (politician) Miodrag "Miko" Živković (Serbian Cyrillic: Миодраг "Мико" Живковић; born 20 September 1957) is a Montenegrin politician. He is a former president of the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro until he was expelled after allegations ...

, Montenegrin politician * Zdravko Krivokapić, Montenegrin politician *

Dragoljub Đuričić Dragoljub Đuričić ( Serbian and Montenegrin Cyrillic: Драгољуб Ђуричић; 10 February 1953 – 15 March 2021) was a Serbia-based Montenegrin drummer. Đuričić started his career in the early 1970s in Herceg Novi, playing in l ...

, prominent Serbian and Montenegrin musician * Miko Đuričić, prominent Montenegrin photographer * Nenad Knežević Knez, popular Montenegrin singer, by ancestry *

Ranko Krivokapić Ranko Krivokapić (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Ранко Кривокапић; born August 17, 1961) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the minister of foreign affairs in 2022. He is a former long-term President of the Parliament of Montenegro ...

, Montenegrin politician, by ancestry * Miodrag Krivokapić, Serbian actor; by paternal ancestry *

Boris Krivokapić Boris Krivokapić (born November 16, 1958, in Belgrade, Serbia) is a full professor of Public International Law as well as of Human Rights with the University Union - Nikola Tesla in Belgrade, and professor at Law School of the Samara National Res ...

, Serbian professor of Public International Law and Human rights and author; by paternal ancestry * Milorad Krivokapic, Serbian-Hungarian handballer; by paternal ancestry * Milorad Krivokapić, former Montenegrin water polo player, by ancestry * Petar Banićević, Montenegrin actor * Ana Pešikan, former minister of science and technology in the

Government of Serbia The Government of Serbia ( sr, Влада Србије, Vlada Srbije), formally the Government of the Republic of Serbia ( sr, Влада Републике Србије, Vlada Republike Srbije), commonly abbreviated to Serbian Government ( sr, � ...

* Blažo Pešikan, former Montenegrin footballer

References

External links

Branko Krivokapić: Crnogorsko Pleme Cuce, O Sebi i Drugima
Tribes of Montenegro {{Montenegro-stub