SHORT HISTORY OF HERZEGOVINA

HERZEGOVINA, formerly Zahumlje or Humska zemlja (the Land of Hum), as historical and geo-graphic name, was first mentioned in 1454 in the letter of the Bosnian sanjak-bey, Isa-bey Ishaković. Greater Herzegovina stretches over an area of 12, 419 square kilometres, and according to the 1991 census it had 502,237 inhabitants. Up to an altitude of 500 metres above the sea level we can speak of low (littoral) Herzegovina, while the areas above this altitude belong to the high (mountainous) Herzegovina. Like a jugular vein, the Neretva river flows through it with its tributaries: Trebižat, Rama, Krupa, Bregava and others. High mountains dominate the karst relief and Dinara crags: Maglić (2386), Volujak (2294), Čvrsnica (2228), Cincar (2006) and Dinara (2913). The largest karst plains are Livanjsko Polje (400 km2), Duvanjsko Polje (I50 km2) and Popovo Polje (146 km2).

The oldest traces of human presence were discovered in the semi-cave Badanj near Stolac, in the canyon of the Bregava River in 1976. Men used to dwell there about 16, 000 years before Christ. Other major pre-historic finds are Varvara (Prozor), Crvena Stijena (the Red Rock) above the Trebišnjica river, Ravlića Cave (Grude) and Zelena Cave above the spring of the Buna river (Mostar). Apart from the mentioned ones, there were in the Neolithic human abodes at Čair near Stolac, Lisičići near Konjic and in the surroundings of Posušje. The Bronze Age (1800 - 700 B.C) abounds considerably more in finds. The most important remains from the Bronze Age, and partly from the Iron Age, are certainly fort-hills (fortifications on mountaintops) and cairns (heap of rough stones used as a memorial) scattered over the hilly landscape. In the Iron Age there appeared Illyrian tribes on the historical scene, the most important having been Delmatians, Ardidei and Daors. At fist the Delmatians lived about the Duvanjsko and Livanjsko Polje, but later they spread as far as the Adriatic Sea and probably the Neretva. In the littoral and by the lower course of the Neretva river there pirated the warlike Ardidei. Daors had been Hellenised very early, they minted their coins, their capital was above Ošanići near Stolac.

The Roman penetrated into the Neretva valley as early as in the 3rd century B. C. From Narona (today Vid near Metković) they would take war operations against the rebellious Delmatians whom they finally defeated after Baton's uprising 6 - 9 A.D. Herzegovina found itself within the Roman province of Dalmatia. The Dalmatian governor Publius Cornelius Dolabella constructed several roads leading from Salona (today Solin near Split) and intersecting Herzegovina. One of the more significant ones was SALONA -NARONA- DILUNTUM - LEUSINIUM (Solin - Vid - Stolac - Livno) road. Prom the Roman times many stone epitaphs have been preserved that are now l2ept in several museums (Humac, Mostar, Sarajevo, Split, Livno). Archaeologists have discovered quite a number of farms (villae rusticae): Mogorjelo, Panik, Višići and others. In early Christian period many basilicas and churches were built: Žitomislići, Cim, Klobuk, Tasovčići, Čerin, Lisičići and elsewhere.

In the seventh century Croats and Slavs started migrating across the Roman provinces. Many towns, estates, forts and temples perished in the process. The period between VII and IX centuries is called "dark centuries" by historians, for there are hardly any traces from that time. Thanks to the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenetus we know that there were three early medieval principalities in Herzegovina: Pagania, Zahumlje and Travunia. The first known prince in Zahumlje was Mihovil Višević (910 - 950). Later Zahumlje came under the rule of Croatian rulers Tomislav and Krešimir.

The rise of the Bosnian state started with the rule of Stjepan Kotromanić 11 (1322 - 1353). He gained control of Hum as well, which would remain under the power of Bosnian rulers for a long time to come. However, in the I5th century the power of certain outstanding peers started to grow in the Land of Hum, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača being the most important for the history of Herzegovina. In 1448 he took the title of "herzeg" (duke). He was a cunning politician, a fickle believer and a lady's man.

The famous Tablet of Humac originates from the early Middle Ages, probably from the l2th century. It is a spiral inscription in Cyrillic alphabet with the remains of Glagolitic letters. Today it is in the archaeological collection of the monastery at Humac. Numerous are the finds of Caroline swords, spurs, jewellery and coins, especially Byzantine ones. The largest trade port was Drijeva on the Neretva near Gabela. In the spiritual life, the appearance of the Bosnian Church with heretic "krstjani" (Christians) is rather mysterious. The fortified towns (castles) were: Blagaj near Mostar, Počitelj, Ljubuški, Vidoški, Trebinje, Mičevac, Livno, Klobuk, and Ključ near Gacko. The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries are recognisable by the medieval tombstones "stećci”, the most famous stećci necropolis being Radimlja near Stolac. Cyrillic epitaphs on the stećci are valuable for historians and linguists, for example that of Viganj Milošević at Kočerin near Široki Brijeg.

The Osmanli Turks attacked and conquered Bosnia in 1463 and Herzegovina in 1482. Soon afterwards Herzegovinian Sanjak was established which was incorporated into the Rumelian Province (Ejalet) in 1580, and later into the Bosnian Pashadom. The administrative division was different in individual periods, but counties (under the jurisdiction of a kadi, Turkish judge) and districts (nahiye) persisted longest as administrative units. Shape (timer) system put the country back. Islam spread considerably: mosques and medreses (religious schools) were being built, but Catholic monasteries in Konjic, Mostar and Ljubuški were destroyed. Fights with Venice and Austria started, the most fierce having been during the Wars of Candia and Vienna. With the Piece Agreement of Karlovci and Požarevac in the early l8th century, more or less today š borders of Herzegovina were established. In the second half of the l9th century rebellions and uprisings flared up, the best known being the insurrection in 1875 when the first insurgent gun was fired on the bridge on the Krupa near Dračevo.

Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878. Herzegovina became a district with the seat in Mostar. In Sarajevo Land Government was formed headed by the joint finance minister of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, first B. Kallay and then S. Burian. In 1914 World War I broke out. Towards the end of the war great famine decimated Herzegovina. Franciscan father Didak Buntić ,saved Herzegovinian children from famine by sending them to Slavonia.

In the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, many social problems remained unsolved, especially in agriculture, on which 88% of people lived. The state introduced monopoly on tobacco and deceived tobacco growers with very low prices. A ray of hope flashed when Stjepan Radić established his Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS). In 1939 Herzegovina found itself within the Croatian Bannat. Two years later World War II broke out. This time Herzegovina found itself within the framework of the Independent State of Croatia in the counties of Hum and Dubrava. Many Croats joined the Home Guards (Domobrani) or Ustashas and so did Muslims for the most part, while the Serbs mainly joined the Chetnick Movement. Under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito Partisan Movement also developed in Herzegovina. With the help of the Allies they won the day in 1945. The Croatian people perished in the slaughter at Bleiburg, in Široki Brijeg and on many Ways of the Cross. In February 1945 Partisans killed 30 Franciscans without trial.

The 1945-1990 period was marked by the sys-tem of the Socialist Yugoslavia. In Herzegovina, mainly a non-self-supporting region, there were no political freedoms whatsoever. Partisan bigotry dominated Yet, we have to note that material construction rose: factories were built, many of them political ones though, and so were roads, schools, railways, hotels and cultural institutions.

The first post-war multi party elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina were held on September 18, 1990. Three national parties won the day: Croatian Democratic Union, Party of Democratic Action and Serbian Democratic Party. However, party confrontations started, and then, on the 1st of October 1991, the JNA launched aggression against Herzegovina levelling to the ground the Croatian village of Ravno. The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was raging all way until the signature of the Dayton Peace Agreement on the 22nd of October 1995. Herzegovina found itself finally in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (its western part) and the Republika Srpska (its eastern part).