A 17th Century Catholic Text about Macedonia

The English translation of the Latin text says “Macedonians. This is a strong, used to hard labour people. … Their leaders speak Greek and Bulgarian, and their main city is Phillipopolis. … They are faithful to those to whom they serve, and as I said, they are hired as seimeni. THe princes of Wallachia and Moldova used them a lot. They live in fearful (“strahoviti”) forests and mountains, they are natural enemies of the Turks who deprive them of everything they have and leave them [as little] as to be able to survive. Recently, in order to revenge, they are gathering in the forests and got used to attack and plunder whole caravans, destroying [even] pashas.”

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