Herzegovina

Quick Facts: Who was Herzegovina?

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Herzegovina

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Historical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, known for its complex medieval history.

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Origins & Early Life

Herzegovina ( HAIRT-sih-GOH-vih-nə or HURT-sə-goh-VEE-nə; Serbo-Croatian: Hercegovina / Херцеговина, pronounced [ˈxɛ̌rt͡se̞ɡoʋina]) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It does not have strictly defined administrative borders today; however, in the past it was organized as the Sanjak of Herzegovina (1470–1833; 1851–1912) and Herzegovina Eyalet (1830–1851). Bosnia, the larger of the two regions, lies to the north of Herzegovina; the Croatian region of Dalmatia lies to the southwest; the Montenegrin region of Old Herzegovina lies to the southeast. The area of Herzegovina is around 12,188 km2 (4,706 sq mi), or around 24% of the country. The largest city is Mostar, in the center of the region.

Career & Major Achievements

Other large settlements include Trebinje, Široki Brijeg, Ljubuški, Čapljina, Konjic and Posušje. The Ottomans were the first to officially use the name Hercegovina (English: Herzegovina; Turkish: Hersek, Ottoman Turkish: هرسك) for the region in their administrative affairs in a letter from 1 February 1454, written by the Ottoman commander Esebeg from Skopje, and established a sanjak bearing that name in 1470, the Sanjak of Herzegovina, with its first seat at Foča. They simply followed their established custom of naming places and territories they conquered by the name of its prior rulers. In this case Ottomans used Stjepan Vukčić Kosača's title, herceg, a title he gave himself in 1448, and a year later changed it to Herceg of St. Sava, after the Serb saint buried on his territory, considered a miracle worker by Christians of all faiths. It practically became part of his name, in the last few years of his life when he was commonly referred to as Herceg-Stjepan, to name a region he ruled at the time of Ottoman conquest of Bosnia in the second half of the 15th century.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Hercegovina is, thus, a possessive noun derived from Herceg-Stjepan's title-name compound and literally means 'duke's land' (hercegovina), 'herceg's land', herceg's holdings and/or territory owned/ruled by a herceg. The title herceg is a Slavic form of German herzog (the German term for a duke; Serbo-Croatian: vojvoda), and the first among the Kosača dukes to use the title was Herceg-Stjepan, who became the Herceg of Hum in 1449–50. In December 1481, the lands of Stjepan Vukčić's successors were finally occupied by Ottoman forces. Prior to the widespread adoption of the name "Herzegovina", the region was thus referred to as Humska zemlja ("Hum Land"), or Hum for short in Serbo-Croatian. However, this is just a superficial understanding, and cannot be attributed to Herceg-Stjepan alone, as his title was not of decisive importance after all.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1448: 1448 Milestone — In this case Ottomans used Stjepan Vukčić Kosača's title, herceg, a title he gave himself in 1448, and a year later changed it to Herceg of St.
2. 1449: 1449 Milestone — The title herceg is a Slavic form of German herzog (the German term for a duke; Serbo-Croatian: vojvoda), and the first among the Kosača dukes to use the title was Herceg-Stjepan, who became the Herceg of Hum in 1449–50.
3. 1454: 1454 Milestone — The Ottomans were the first to officially use the name Hercegovina (English: Herzegovina; Turkish: Hersek, Ottoman Turkish: هرسك) for the region in their administrative affairs in a letter from 1 February 1454, written by the Ottoman commander Esebeg from Skopje, and established a sanjak bearing that name in 1470, the Sanjak of Herzegovina, with its first seat at Foča.
4. 1470: 1470 Milestone — It does not have strictly defined administrative borders today; however, in the past it was organized as the Sanjak of Herzegovina (1470–1833; 1851–1912) and Herzegovina Eyalet (1830–1851).
5. 1481: 1481 Milestone — In December 1481, the lands of Stjepan Vukčić's successors were finally occupied by Ottoman forces.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Herzegovina

True or False: “The name 'Herzegovina' was solely established by the Ottoman Empire after conquering the region from local lords.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the Ottomans formalized its use, the term derived from Stjepan Vukčić Kosača's title ('herceg'), and earlier references existed.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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Frequently Asked Questions about Herzegovina