Front Matter

Evidence of the Existence of Macedonians Throughout the Ages

Compiled By

Risto Stefov

Evidence of the Existence of Macedonians Throughout the Ages

March 21, 2022

INTRODUCTION

This document was prepared in response to Greek allegations that Macedonians do not exist and have ceased to exist since the so called “Slav invasions” of the fifth and sixth centuries AD.

Some, who even claim to be historians, have made statements that the Macedonians were a modern creation perpetrated by Marshal Broz Tito solely for the usurpation of the so called “Greek-Macedonia”.

The Greek Republic (known internationally) or Hellenic Republic (known internally within Greece) has even gone as far as to claim that Macedonian symbols, including the name Macedonia are properties of Greece and the modern Macedonians have no rights to them on account that they are “Slavs” and not Macedonians.

Greece continues to interfere in the affairs of the independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia and is refusing to recognize the Macedonian minority living within its borders on the grounds that Macedonians do not exist.

The following, a very small sample of data of what there is available in the Macedonian archives, is a collection of historical documents from international sources that prove contrary to Greek claims, without a doubt that Macedonians have existed throughout the ages and continue to exist to this day.

The Macedonian nation was NOT artificially created in 1945 as Greek propagandists would have us believe but has existed since pre-history. Here is evidence that proves it.

My sincere thanks to all Macedonian scholars who worked diligently on the research and translation of the material for this document.

THE HUNGARIAN DUKE ARPADIAN ATTACKS THE MACEDONIANS

After 896 AD

According to the anonymous Hungarian chronicler (279)

(The Hungarian military commanders) returned to Arpadian (280) and sent emissaries to receive permission to go to Greece in order to subjugate all of Macedonia, from the Danube to the Black Sea (281). (Arpadian permitted them) to go to Greece and to conquer the land...

After several days, Zuard and Kaduze (282) with their entire army sailed across the Danube and captured the fortification of Beron (283).

Then they headed for the fortress of Serdika. Hearing of this, the Macedonian (284) and the Bulgarian inhabitants were frightened at their appearance. Then all the inhabitants of this country sent emissaries with many gifts for them to subjugate their country and to give their sons as hostages.

Anonymi (P. Magistri) Gesta Hungarorum, Scriptores rerum Hungaricarum tempore ducem regumque stirpis Arpadinae Gestarum. Vol. I (Edendo operi praefuit E. Szentpetery) Budapestini 1937, p. 91, 92.

(279) The anonymous Hungarian author (P. Magister) was a notary to Bela III (11721196). In his work De gestis Hungarorum liber (Gesta Hungarruom) from which only an extract is presented here, in addition to other peoples he also mentions the Macedonians.

(280) “Arpadian the grand duke” (890-907), under whose command the Hungarians arrived in the Pannonian valley.

(281) At the end of the 12th century in Hungary, Macedonia referred to the territory from the Danube to the Black Sea.

(282) Refers to the two army commanders who were granted permission by Arpadian to conquer the above-mentioned country on the Balkans.

(283) Berons, Branitevo -present-day Kostolac.

(284) Cives Bulgarorum et Macedonum. Here the author clearly differentiates the Bulgarians and the Macedonians. For similar examples see S. Antoljak, “Makedonija” i “Makedonsite” vo sredniot vek p. 114 et seq.

(Page 76, The University of “Cyril and Methodius”, Documents on the Struggle of the Macedonian People for Independence and a Nation-State, Volume I)

A MAN LIVING IN THE OHRID REGION, IVAN IERAKAR, INTRODUCES HIMSELF AS A MACEDONIAN

Beginning of the 13th century

From the synod records of the Ohrid Archbishopric (569)

(Ivan Ierakar) (570) by birth Macedonian (571).

J. Pitra, Analecta sacra et classica specilegio Solesmensi parta, t. VI Juris ecclesiastici graecorum selecta paralipomena. Parissis et Romae 1891, col. 315.

(569) In 1891 Cardinal J. Pitra published a collection of documents, 155 in number, which refer to the Ohrid Church during the time of Archbishop Demetrius Homatian (12161235). It is established from these records that in this period in Macedonia the majority of the population consisted of Macedonians. Angelov has arrived at this conclusion on the basis of his studies of the synod records to determine the nationality of the subjects of the state of Epirus. Namely, he notes that “the second national population element in importance and numbers with in the borders of the Epirus despocy in that period were the Macedonians, of whom there is frequent mention in the records of the archbishopric (over 50 times)”, i.e. the Macedonians “formed the basic majority of the population”. (D. Angelov, Prinos KJM Narodostite i Pozemleni Otnoshenja vo Makedonija pp. 11-12 et. seq.; 43). The extract given here is from document number 72.

(570) Ivan Ierakar was from the village Vlasto, now Velesto, in Ohrid Region, (See Iv. Sneragov Istoria na Ohriskata Arhiepiskopija I, p. 250), who, besides this village in the Ohrid region, has picked out villages with Slav names in the records of the archbishopric. Ela now Elsani ?), Ezerjani, and Robi, as well as the first names Bratan, Radov, Grida, Draza, Drvoslav, Dragomad, Sarakin, Dobri, Velkan and others. cf. also D. Angelov, Prinos…, p. 120.

(571) To de genos Elkon ek Makedonon. This name for the population of Macedonia, according to Angelov, was “due to their territorial appurtenance” (D. Angelov, Prinos…, p. 12). With

reference to the different naming of the separate peoples within the borders of Byzantium see G. G. Litavrin Vizandinsko Obshestvo i Gosudarstvo v. X-XI BB, Moscow, 1977, p. 156 et seq.

(Pages 129 and 130, The University of “Cyril and Methodius”, Documents on the Struggle of the Macedonian People for Independence and a Nation-State, Volume I)