The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-03-10
SOME BALKAN HISTORY
REAL BEGINNING or THE KING
DOM OF MONTENEGRO.
country's Records Date From the
the Ninth century-orlaln Of the
Name "serb"-order Of Nobility
Not Recognized.

Montenegro does not date from tho
battle of Kossovo, in 1889. but from
some year in the ninth century, for al
ready in 1917 the first Serbian king
was crowned in Montenegro, and he
was the grandson of an Independent
Serbian ruler IN Montenegro. The only
new thing which Montenegro received
after the battle of Kossovo was its
name. and even that was not given
II Immediately after the battle, but
fully one century later Before this
time Montenegro was known as zeta;
the first king reigned in Cattaro; his
son and heir, crowned Serbian king,
lived In Scutari.
The mobiles of the old Serbian en-
pire did not fee to the "Black noun
tain" but those who survived that
battle remained with the son OF King
Lazar and with his nephew, George
Despot, until 1859, or 20 years after
the battle of Kossovo. After that date
the Serbian nobility ceased to exist,
and It is Just as extinct today as 1t
was at that early date. Today Serbia
has no nobility, and anyone today who
poses as a Serbian or Montenegrin
noble is simply taking advantage OF
the credulity of the American people.
The difference between the people OF
Montenegro and the people Of Serbia
is as pronounced as the difference be-
tween the inhabitants of New York
and Maine; they belong to two sepa-
rate states, which are as much a prod
uct Of historical events as these two
American states.
In the whole history of Serbia no
such term as Serves" can be found.
The name Serb" as a name and ma
tionality was known to the old Roman
historian Plinius (23-79 A. D. and to
the old Alexandrian historian Ptolo-
mius (160 A. D.. That this name has
nothing to do with the Latin term
'servus" is evident from the fact that
there is another Slav nationality with
the same name-Serbs Of Luzica liv-
ing under German rule for centuries.
In the old Serbian empire there exist
ed term designating a social class.
1t was "Sebar." Even this is not con-
nected with the word Serb" for the
old Serbian kings called themselves
Serbs" AS late as 1859 Montenegro
was a part of the Serbian empire. But
later, as the last remnants of the Ser
people, one Serbian Iobleman attempt
ed to rule Independently in Montene-
gro. His son had submitted to the
Turks and he himself, changing his
faith from Christian to Moslem, fed
to Constantinople and died as the sub
ject Of the sultan. From that date
till 1913 Montenegro was considered a
Turkish province but being situated
aside from the main highway enjoyed
a kind of semi-independenCe, as was
the case of several Turkish dependeD-
Cies in the Balkans. In 1913 one of the
Petroyichs-Bishop Danilo-drove the
Turks from Montenegro and thereby
laid the cornerstone of Montenegro of
today. But there is one thing which
must be borne in mind; that is, not
only are there no noblemen in Monte
negro today, but even the Petrovichs
are descendants Of a peasant family.
Both Serbia and Montenegro are the
products Of the struggle of the Serbian
peasants against Turkish noblemen,
against the beys and the spahis. And
it is this fact which constitutes one of
the most sacred traditions of the Serbs
of today. Therefore the claim to no
bility of INSCRIPTIONS persons who
themselves as noblemen is
considered an objectionable offense
against the people of Serbia and Mon
tenegro.-New York Times.