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- Title
TRGOVAČKI PUTEVI I TRGOVINA U SREDNJEM I DONJEM POLIMLJU U SREDNJEM VIJEKU.
- Authors
PREMOVIĆ, Marijan
- Abstract
In this paper, the terms such as Middle and Lower Polimlje refers to the area of the following medieval parishes: Lim, Ljubovidj (which is now the territory of municipality of Bijelo Polje, Montenegro), Zvijezd, Crna Stena (the territory of the municipality of Prijepolje, Serbia) and Dabar (includes Priboj, Serbia and Rudo in Bosnia and Herzegovina). Due to the favorable geographical and strategic position, this area had a well developed road network in the Middle Ages. Many important international roads passed through Polimlje connecting the central and eastern parts of the Balkans with the middle part of the Adriatic coast. They were well-known roads, which connected Dubrovnik with the continental parts of Balkans. The supplies were usually dispatched by the roads of Drina and Lake in order to reach Polimlje after leaving Dubrovnik. About karavnskog traffic intensity and fl y shops in Polimlje valuable testimonials provide information from Dubrovnik books of the officials. Data from the books of the officials of Dubrovnik witness about the intensity of traffic and mile-lond columns of vehicles transporting the supplies in Polimlje. In Polimlje, the caravan traffic started to develop in XIII century, and having regard to some preserved contracts obtained from Dubrovnik's archive, the traffic used to be very constant during the fi rst four decades of XV century. The squares served as caravan stations, where people and cattle used to take a rest during the trip or even spend a night when having a long trips. Goods could not be transported by car, but loaded the horses, the transport of goods took care of the people from Vlaska. The historical sources show that the caravan stations and boarding houses in this area occur as a fortified town with suburbs (Severin), squares (Brskovo, Prijepolje, Bukovica), churches and monasteries (Sveti Petar na Limu, Sveti Nikola, Mili, Grlica, Nikoljac) as well as the places for leisure and reloading (Crnča, Brodarevo, Breza, Komarani, Drenova, Ivanje, selo Pribila Kučinića - Kučin, Dobro Polje). In Polimlje, the squares looked like open-type settlements. Brskovo and Prijepolje were the two most relevant trade centers. There are the two groups of caravan stations, in terms of dynamics and these are the following: the fi rst one refers to the stations which were in use by the end of XIV and fi rst two decades of XV century, and those were the following: Bukovica, Pribil Kučinić's house, Church of St. Peter, Lim, the Church of St. Nikola in Banja, Ivanje and Mili Monastery. The second group includes the following stations which reached the peak in 20s and 30s (XV century): Breza, the Church of Grlica, Komorani, Drenova, Brodarevo). Constant trade traffic between Polimlje and Dubrovnik significantly contributes to the improvement of the economic environment. From Dubrovnik, traders usually used to transport the following goods: salt (due to its importance for human consumption and livestock economy), large quantities of textile products, tin, salted fi sh, vine, soap, glass for windows, etc. From Polimlje, which was predominantly livestock area, trades could procure livestock products, leather, wax and other goods. Economic boost followed by urbanization process, occurred during the fi rst half of XV century. The increase in number of caravan stations and squares, both small and large, proves the high level of economic development. The approaching the Ottomans, the fi rst decline of Despotovina (1439) and all the negative events that followed it, have negatively impacted on the caravan trade. After the definitive Ottoman conquest of the area, 1455 and in 1465, the caravan traffic between Dubrovnik and Polimlje slowly subsided. Finally, we can conclude that the emergergence and development of caravan stations in Polimlja was influenced by many favorable circumstances, especially good traffic connection, and then the increase of export of precious metals from Serbia, via Dubrovnik, to the Mediterranean market. Development of trade positively aff ected many segments of life of the medieval population in this area, primarily in the way that the excess of products was carried to the market and usually exchanged for salt or just sold. Intense commercial traffic, transit and the stay of many caravans and merchants from Dubrovnik encouraged locals to actively involve in trade with the coastal towns. Some families from the area achieved great business success, gained considerable capital and settled in Dubrovnik. Economic progress was best reflected through the development of Prijepolje, which became an urban settlement with the special business quarter where the people of Dubrovnik had their stores. The growth of trade traffic strongly influenced the process of urbanization of Polimlje in the first half of the fi fteenth century.
- Publication
Acta Histriae, 2015, Vol 23, Issue 4, p693
- ISSN
1318-0185
- Publication type
Article