One of the oldest travel writings in 16th century in Balkan is the one written by Kuripešić. Moreover, it is the oldest in the Ottoman period where the most texts refer to BiH.
The work of travel writer Benedikt Kuripesic, known under the title: “Travelling through Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Rumelia in 1530” was printed the first time in 1531 (Itinerarium, Wegrayss Kün. May. potsehafft gen Constantinopel zu dem Turkischen Keiser Soleyman. Augsburg Anno MDXXXI).
One of the oldest travel writings in 16th century in Balkan is the one written by Kuripešić. Moreover, it is the oldest in the Ottoman period where the most texts refer to BiH. The following is the part where the author writes about the peoples and religions he found on his way through Bosnia:
“In the aforementioned kingdom of Bosnia, we found three peoples and three religions. The first are natives Bosniaks (Woßner); they are of Roman Christian faith. They were left to their faiths by Turks who won the Kingdom of Bosnia. Others are Serbs (Surffen), often called Vlachs (Wallachen), and we call them Ziegen (Ćići, Čiči) or martoloz. Tey came from places of Smederevo (Smedraw) and the Greek Belgrade (griechisch Weussenburg), and their faith is St. Paul (Sanndt Paulus). We consider them to be good Christians, because we do not find any difference between them and the Roman faith.
The third people are the real Turks. These are especially warriors and residents, who rule the previously mentioned two peoples in a very tyrannical manner. They (Christians), were left in their faith by a Turkish king, but to just work in the fields (except those who decide to become a Muslim). He left them and their priests, churches and other ceremonies and they were not bound to give any taxes from the products they obtain from the fields, except once a year they were obliged to give one Hungarian forint, ie. 50 aspers from every house. “(26:27)
(Source: slobodna-bosna)
