The Macure were an

Albanian tribe The Albanian tribes () form a historical mode of social organization (''farefisní'') in Albania and the southwestern Balkans characterized by a common culture, often common patrilineal kinship ties and shared social ties. The ''fis'' ( sq-defini ...

that lived on the territory on the part of

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

which is today known as Šekular.

Bratonožići The Bratonožići ( sr-Cyrl, Братоножићи, ) is a historical tribe (''pleme'') of Albanian origin in the Brda region of Montenegro. It appeared during the Ottoman period and was a captaincy of the Principality of Montenegro in the 19 ...

and

Rovci Rovci may refer to: * Rovci or Rovčani The Rovčani ( sr-Cyrl, Ровчани, ) are a historical tribe of Montenegro and one of the seven highlander tribes of the Brda region, alongside the Bjelopavlići, Piperi, Kuči, Bratonožići, Mo ...

. Like other non-Slavic tribes of Montenegro, they were either assimilated or expelled. The majority of scholars consider them to have been of Albanian origin. Today, their name is preserved in local Serbian legends and myths, while their name is sometimes used in Montenegro as derogative.

Origin

Milan Šufflay Milan Šufflay (8 November 1879 – 19 February 1931) was a Croatian historian and politician. He was one of the founders of Albanology and the author of the first Croatian science fiction novel. As a Croatian nationalist, he was persecuted in ...

was the first to set the hypothesis that Macure were of Albanian origin, like

Mataguži Mataguži (, ) is a village in the new Zeta Municipality of Montenegro. Until 2022, it was part of Podgorica Municipality. Mataguži is located in the Upper Zeta region, just north of Lake Skadar Lake Skadar or Lake Scutari (, ; cnr-Cyrl-La ...

, Maine,

Malonšići Malonšići (in older forms: Malončići and Malonjšiki, Cyrillic: Малоншићи) was a historical Tribes of Montenegro, tribe (''pleme'') of Albanians, Albanian origin and area in the Brda (Montenegro), Brda region of Montenegro. Malonši� ...

and

Bukumiri Bukumiri (alternatively, ''Bukmiri'') was an Albanian tribe (''fis'') that lived in present-day central and south-eastern Montenegro. They were semi-nomadic pastoralists whose social organization was based on kinship around brotherhoods of common p ...

. This hypothesis about Macure was accepted by many other authors, including Pantelić.

Vladimir Ćorović Vladimir Ćorović ( sr-cyrl, Владимир Ћоровић; 27 October 1885 – 12 April 1941) was a Serb historian, university professor, author, and academic. Ćorović served two terms as the Rector of the University of Belgrade and twice ...

presented a hypothesis that one of the possibilities is that Macure are related to Albanian Macarke or Macreke.

Jovan Erdeljanović Jovan Erdeljanović (11 November 1874 – 12 February 1944) was a Serbian and Yugoslav ethnologist. Biography Jovan Erdeljanović was born in Pančevo, Austria-Hungary. He studied at the universities of Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig and Prague. In 19 ...

believed they were of Vlach origin whose name was derived from some Roman word which basis was ''mazz''.

Etymology

Macure might be related to the Montenegrin word ''maca'' meaning ''large hammer'' but it is used also to describe ''very strong'' as this word is used even today by people in Montenegro to describe a strong man by saying ''Jak ko maca!'' or ''Maca od čo'jeka''. Also, it is common to find Montenegrin words that are of Slavic roots and end with "ure", for example Ljušture (meaning ''multiple layers''), and Đevojčure ( plural: girls). This might indicate origin of name Macure is as to say multiple of strong people.

History

Like all other non-Slavic tribes of Montenegro, Macure were also completely assimilated or expelled by Slavs. Macure became a derogative term in Montenegro, which is the case with names of other conquered and expelled tribes of Lužani,

, Mataruge and others. With Ottoman incursion into Serbian Despotovina and Zeta, Macure, Mataruge and Kriči migrated in two directions. The first was across Eastern Bosnia and Central Bosnia, into Western and North Western Bosnia. The second was across Herzegovina and Dalmatia.

Legacy

Macure are commemorated in Serbian legends and myths. According to Serbian legends, they were tall and strong people. The Serb legends say that they saw snow for the first time when they came to

Sinjajevina Sinjajevina (, ), also known as Sinjavina (), is a mountain in northern Montenegro. The highest point of Sinjajevina is ''Jablanov vrh'', which is high. Features Mount Sinjajevina extends from southeast to northwest, between the town of Kolašin ...

in Montenegro and made a snowball to bring it back to show it to their friends which soon melt in their hands. According to Erdeljanović, the toponym ''Macur-jama'' in Piperi territory has its origin in the name of the Macure tribe. A word ''Macurovine'' (), a first name Macur (recorded in 1575) and a surname Macura (recorded since 17th century) is derived from the name of the Macure tribe.

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Macure Medieval history of Montenegro Tribes of Montenegro Tribes of Albania