Changes

It was the most powerful chieftains (the main political players) who left a '''mark''' on history. Taking this into account, over a period of time in the middle ages we have new '''political identities''' of Southern Slavs emerging (regionally based ''or'' names brought with them). Among these were Croatians, Narentines, Bulgarians<ref>Bulgarians also have a strong historic association with Turkic semi-nomadic tribes. It has been written that in early medieval times the Bulgar elite spoke a language that was a member of the Turkic language group. </ref>, Bosnians, Serbs (Raška) etc.  

It was the most powerful chieftains (the main political players) who left a '''mark''' on history. Taking this into account, over a period of time in the middle ages we have new '''political identities''' of Southern Slavs emerging (regionally based ''or'' names brought with them). Among these were Croatians, Narentines, Bulgarians<ref>Bulgarians also have a strong historic association with Turkic semi-nomadic tribes. It has been written that in early medieval times the Bulgar elite spoke a language that was a member of the Turkic language group. </ref>, Bosnians, Serbs (Raška) etc.  

It is true that some of the origins of some of these words denoting southern slavic groups (i.e. Harvat, Horvat) can be traced further back in history. Some have wrongly associated the etymology of these words to proclaim ethnicities or national identities back deep into the past. To my understanding there is no real hard historic proof that these ethnic identities existed (i.e. Harvat, Horvat).  

It is true that some of the origins of some of these words denoting southern Slavic groups (i.e. Harvat, Horvat) can be traced further back in history. Some have wrongly associated the etymology of these words to proclaim ethnicities or national identities back deep into the past. To my understanding there is no real hard historic proof that these ethnic identities existed (i.e. Harvat, Horvat).  

When the Serbian forces were annihilated in the ''Battle of Kosovo'' by the [[Directory:Turkey|Ottoman Empire]] in '''1389''' very large groups of peoples started to migrate westward (Constantinople feel to the Ottoman Empire in 1453). The Ottomans (Turks) caused huge instability in the area and actually managed to twice besiege Vienna (Austria). The Western Balkans from that period forward began to acquire new groups of people in its regions (i.e.,Eastern Croats, Serbs, Albanians, Greeks, Turks & others), thus creating new ethnic mixes. I believe that due to these events the old Slavic '''tribal''' borders, what was left of them, changed forever during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.  

When the Serbian forces were annihilated in the ''Battle of Kosovo'' by the [[Directory:Turkey|Ottoman Empire]] in '''1389''' very large groups of peoples started to migrate westward (Constantinople feel to the Ottoman Empire in 1453). The Ottomans (Turks) caused huge instability in the area and actually managed to twice besiege Vienna (Austria). The Western Balkans from that period forward began to acquire new groups of people in its regions (i.e.,Eastern Croats, Serbs, Albanians, Greeks, Turks & others), thus creating new ethnic mixes. I believe that due to these events the old Slavic '''tribal''' borders, what was left of them, changed forever during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.