The Balkans
My Balkan trip was from 14 Oct to 14 Nov 2018. Countries covered were Bosnia-Hercegovina (Sarajevo, Mostar, Srebrenica), Croatia (Dubrovnik), Montenegro (Kotor), Albania (Tirana), Kosovo (Pristina), Montenegro (Skopje), Bulgaria (Sofia), Greece (Tessaloniki), and Turkey (Istanbul). Took a flight from Kuala Lumpur via Doha to Sarajevo and back to KL from Ataturk Airport. Within the Balkans travel was by bus.. The Balkans was under the Ottoman Turk empire from 14th to early 20th century although some earlier or later than others, e.g., Bosnia-Hercegovina 1463 to 1878 when it was captured by the Austro-Hungarian empire. One question on my mind was why some countries converted to or retained Islam more than others when they became independent.
One thing that I learned was that the Ottoman’s rule was quite benign [Encyclopedia Britannica]. They did not force Islam on the population. Thus the Orthodox (Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece) and Roman Catholic (Croatia, Slovenia) largely remained as such. It was advantageous to the sultans because non-Muslims had to pay a tax. Bosnia-Hercegovina became Muslim because the aristocracy (also in Albania) and the Bogomil Christians who were persecuted by the Catholics and Orthodox for heresy converted. Albania (and Kosovo) who were Illyrians rather than Slavs of the other countries (apart from Greece) too converted – partly to distinguish themselves from the Slavs? Even when the Ottomans were defeated and driven back the situation remains.
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