[Nicole Kennard] Balkans- A Glance at the History

As history has always been a topic I've loved, especially older history, I was truly ecstatic when the professors mentioned that we should perhaps try to dig a little deeper into the complex past of the Balkans. When reading through the Encyclopedia Britannica history of the region, I was struck first and foremost by how many people and cultures have passed through there! The Roman Empire, Slavic Invasion, Mongols, the Ottoman Empire—not to mention the constant groups constantly passing in and out without actually settling. These influences certainly lead to a complex and rich culture of the region, and as I dug deeper I found that religious differences especially differ throughout these seemingly close states. For example, Orthodox Christianity found its root (especially in Serbia), aligning them with the Byzantine/Greek Empires as early as 395. At the same time, Roman Catholicism tied Croatia and Slovenia to the countries of Western Europe. However, as the Turks expanded the Ottoman Empire to the Balkans area first in the 1300s, Muslim influences began profoundly as well (especially in Bosnia).

A view of the span of the Ottoman Empire at its decline

While the Turkish were supposedly not very violent in enforcing the Islamic religion, many people living in the larger towns felt it more beneficial to convert (often fewer taxes, etc). What I find most interesting, is, that one would think after this long time of Turkish rule (1300s to early 1900s), the major groups of the Balkans (Croats, Serbs, etc) would have conformed to mainly Turkish customs. This, however, was not the case at all. They found a way to preserve their earlier culture (especially in the smaller villages). After Ottoman rule, the dominant religions of each country came back to the forefront, and many Muslims in these areas found it difficult to live under now-Christian states, resulting in even more population shifts as many left the region; alternatively, many refugees from surrounding countries also immigrated into the Balkans area, including the Jewish from Russia and also Armenians. After reading of all the constant upheaval and conflict in this area (which I knew of vaguely but now feel like I have a solid grasp on), it finally makes complete sense why the term “Balkan” originally meaning mountain, has been formed into a political term of “Balkanization,” describing conflict and ethnic tensions. Reading through this history also gives me a stronger sense of the people of the Balkans area, and I think the best word to use to describe them would be resiliency. After every invader, intruder, conflict, and political trial, what is preserved through it all is the people-their faith, their culture and customs. I believe the professors are right--the questions about the “presentist” wars, while intriguing, only scratch at the surface of the rich stories and enlightenment this region has to offer. The question that should be asked should be deeper, perhaps; rather than “How have the different groups (even Mongols and Ottoman Empire) shaped identities and contributed to ethnic tensions?”, a question more along the lines of “How have different historic groups, and the conflict and struggle brought with them, shaped both the collective identity of the people of the Balkans, and how have traditions and culture been adapted/preserved in the face of this “Balkanization” at its core?

Sources:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/50325/Balkans 

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