Đerzelez Alija

Đerzelez Alija or Gjergj Elez Alia is a legendary character found in the epic poetry and literature of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gora, Kosovo and northern Albania. The legendary character is believed to have been a popular Muslim epic hero of the Bosnian Krajina (frontier region) from the end of 15th century. He is one of the well known legendary heroes and a symbol of brotherly loyalty to both the Bosniaks and Albanians.

Name

The name of the legendary character is spelled in Albanian: Gjergj Elez Alia, in Bosnian Đerzelez Alija, Đerđelez Alija or Djerdjelez Alija, in Hungarian: Gerz Ilyas, in Serbo-Croatian: Ђерзелез Алија, Đerzelez Alija, in Turkish: Gürz Ilyas.[1]

The name Gürz is derived from the Turkish word gürzi (mace) and means warrior with the mace.[2][3]

The name Gjergj is the Albanian rendering of George, which is pronounced by Bosniaks the same way as in Albanian, but spelled as Đerđ/Djerdj in Bosnian. The name Gjergjelez have been explained as a compound of Gjergj and Elez, the latter corresponding to the name of the prophet Iliaz (Elias). The tripartite-compound names such as the case of Gjergj Elez Alia are typically found in northern Albanian tribes as well as in some southern Albanian mountain peoples.[4] The third part of the compound name, Ali, is an Ottoman Turkish name of Arabic origin, meaning "high, noble", which is used to highlight a peculiar trait of this legendary character.[5]

Historical background

It is believed that epic figure of Đerzelez Alija was inspired by Ali Bey Mihaloglu[6][7] or Gürz Ilyas,[8] an Ottoman military commander in 15th century and the first sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Smederevo. According to Ottoman census of 1485 he was in charge for nahiya of Dobrun near Višegrad as his timar (land grant).[2] There is a turbe (mausoleum) in the village of Gerzovo (near Mrkonjić Grad, Bosnia and Herzegovina) which according to legend is his burial place.[9][10]

The first written record of the epic figure of Đerzelez (in the form of "Ali-beg") was a form of South Slavic bugarštica (long form epic and ballad poem), The Marriage of Vuk the Dragon-Despot, recorded by Đuro Matei at the end of 17th or beginning of 18th century.[11] In songs recorded in the Erlangen Manuscript, Đerzelez is mentioned in the form of "Turk elder Balibeg".[12]

The legendary character is believed to have been a popular Muslim epic hero of the Bosnian Krajina (frontier region) from the end of 15th century.[13][14] The myth of Gjergj Elez Ali / Đerzelez Alija has its roots in the origins of common beliefs and a set of interests linked to the preservation of the lineage. This was accomplished by the Bosniaks through religion, and by the Albanians through language.[15]

He is one of the well known legendary heroes and a symbol of brotherly loyalty to both the Bosniaks and Albanians.[16][17][15]

In Bosniak tradition
See also: Bosniak epic poetry and Bosnian Krajina

According to Rašid Durić, Ottoman historian and chronicler Ibn Kemal (1468–1534) wrote about the popularity of Gürz Ilyas in folk songs in Bosnia.[14] Đerzelez Alija was most popular in the Bosnian Krajina (Frontier) region, where he, as opposed to Albanian tradition, is mostly seen as a Muslim fighting against Christians. Many stories of him fighting Christians or mythological beings exist. The most prominent ones where he fights important Christian figures are "Gjerzelez Alija i Car od Stambola" (Gjerzelez Alija and the Tsar from Istanbul) where a duel between Đerzelez and John Hunyadi, known as "Sibinjanin Janko" in South Slavic epic poetry, occurs.[18] There are instances of Đerzelez being portrayed as a dragon, the Dragon in South Slavic mythology is usually considered to be benevolent.[19]

Some of the poems which include the name of Đerzelez in their titles are:[20][21]

Đerzelez is one of the main characters of many other poems without his name in their title, like:[23]

  • Porča of Avala and Vuk the Fiery Dragon
  • The Marriage of Vuk the Dragon-Despot

According to the legend, Đerzelez also has an epic horse (sometimes called Šarac, as the horse of Prince Marko) and he is a good friend of fairies who help him when he is in danger.[24] Legend says that he was killed during his prayer (salat) because he did not want to interrupt it despite being aware that he would be killed.[25] Another legend mentions Đerzelez and Prince Marko as being bloodbrothers, and Marko considering Đerzelez to be a fierce warrior equal to him.[26] One of many similarities between the epic poetry of the Bosniaks and Serbs.

In Albanian tradition
See also: Albanian epic poetry and Kângë Kreshnikësh
Wikisource has original text related to this article:

In Albanian folklore, Gjergj Elez Alia is regarded as a great warrior and his legend is one of the most popular. A song of Gjergj Elez Alia was recorded by Bernardin Palaj and Donat Kurti in Nikaj (Tropojë District) and published in Tirana in 1937.[27] The song is usually sung accompanied by the lahuta (gusle), or occasionally with çifteli, by the rapsod (performer of epic poetry).[28] The song of Gjergj Elez Alia is part of the heroic non-historical cycle of Albanian epic poetry, the Kângë Kreshnikësh ("Songs of Heroes"), however it is not related to the epic cycle of the pair of heroic brothers Muji and Halili.[29]

Gjergj Elez Alia had nine wounds on his body and lay suffering for nine years in his house and everybody had forgotten him. Only his sister took care of him night and day for nine years. Then news came that another enemy, Balozi i Zi (black knight) had come from the sea and was killing people and destroying villages every day.
One day Gjergj felt some drops of water on his face and thought that his house had become so old that the rain was coming in. His sister told him that it was not the rain, but her tears on his face. She told him that Balozi had requested her and sooner or later would come to get her. Gjergj then told her to take his horse and make it ready for war, as he was going to fight against the horrible Baloz. He met Baloz the next day and had the fight; Gjergj was victorious. He returned home to his sister and as they hugged with joy, both their hearts stopped beating and they died instantly together. They were then buried in the same grave and the place was never forgotten. Everyone that passed by stopped to remember his great actions.

Scenes of the legend of Gjergj Elez Ali, depicted on postage stamps of Albania (1990)
Gjergj Elez Ali lying wounded
Gjergj Elez Ali being helped onto horse by his sister
Gjergj Elez Ali fighting Bajloz
Gjergj Elez Ali on horseback over severed head of Bajloz

Legacy

Ivo Andrić, the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, wrote Put Alije Đerzeleza (transl. The Journey of Alija Đerzelez), published in 1920, after two fragments (Djerzelez at the Inn and Djerzelez on the Road) were published in 1918 and 1919.[30]

One of the oldest houses in Sarajevo, "The House of Alija Đerzelez", is named after him.[31] There are streets in several towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bihać, Gračanica, Zenica, etc.) named after him.

References
  1. Fishta, Gjergj; Robert Elsie (2005). The highland lute: (Lahuta e Malcís) : the Albanian national epic. London: I.B. Tauris. p. 402. ISBN 978-1-84511-118-2. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  2. Norris, H. T. (1993), Islam in the Balkans : religion and society between Europe and the Arab world, Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, p. 159, ISBN 978-0-87249-977-5, OCLC 28067651, retrieved 25 November 2011, ... They say that this is where his name originated, for Djurzelez means the warrior with the mace ... with the epic Djerzelez. In a Turkish census defter [administrative register] of 1485 a timar [feudal property] of Gjerz-Eljaz is recorded for nahija [small administrative area] of Dobrun, near town of Višegrad
  3. Velikonja, Mitja (2003), Religious separation and political intolerance in Bosnia-Herzegovina, College Station: Texas A & M University Press, p. 86, ISBN 978-1-58544-989-7, OCLC 53971200, retrieved 25 November 2011, ... his name means "the warrior with mace"
  4. Pipa 2017, p. 43
  5. Prifti 2002, p. 349.
  6. Škrijelj, Redžep (2005). Alamanah 31-32 (PDF) (in Serbian). Podgorica. p. 156. Retrieved 22 June 2011. Istoričari Stojan Novaković i Milenko Vukićević su postavili hipotezu da je Đerzelez Alija u stvari Ali-beg, prvi sandžak-beg Smedereva (Semendere) i Srbije po padu Despotovine (1459).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. Hadžijahić 1934, p. 8
    Aleksej Olesnički tvrdi...da je Đerzelez Alija identičan sa Mihal-oglu Ali begom...[Aleksej Olesnički claims ... that Djerzelez Alija can be identified as Mihal-oglu Ali beg]
  8. Elsie 2004, p. 369
  9. Mujezinović, Mehmed (1974). Islamska epigrafika u Bosni i Hercegovini: Bosanska krajina, zapadna Bosna i Hercegovina [Islamic inscriptions -- Bosnia and Hercegovina]. Sarajevo: Veselin Masleša. p. 12. ĐERZELEZOVO TURBE NA GERZOVU Na Gerzovu Polju, kojih tridesetak kilometara od Mrkonjić-Grada idući prema Šipovu, nalazi se turbe koje narodna predanja pripisuje legendarnom junaku Aliji Đerzelezu. [Djerdjelez's turbe on Gerzovo. On Gerzovo Polje, some thirty kilometers from Mrkonjic Grad to Sipovo there is a turbe which peoples legend attribute to legendary hero Djerdjelez Alia. ]
  10. Tomašević, Nebojša (1982). Treasures of Yugoslavia: an encyclopedic touring guide. Yugoslavia public. p. 305. The mausoleum (turbeh) at Gerzovo is traditionally attributed to epic ballad hero, Alija Djerzelez.
  11. Hadžijahić 1934, p. 10
    Prvi spomen Djerzelez Alije u narodnoj pjesmi sačuvao se je kod Bogišića, u bugarštici br. 13, koja nosi naslov "Kad se Vuk Ognjeni oženio". Pjesmu je zabilježio Đuro Matei pri koncu XVII ili početkom XVIII stoljeća....se Đerzelez pominje pod imenom Ali beg...[The first mention of Djerzelez Alija in peoples poetry was preserved at Bogisic, in bugarstica num 13, which has the name "The Marriage of Vuk the Dragon-Despot". Song was recorded by Đuro Matei at the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century.... mentioning Djerzelez under name of Ali beg...]
  12. Hadžijahić 1934, p. 11
    U Erlangenskom rukopisu,...nalazimo našega junaka pod imenom "Turčina starca Balibega"...[In Erlangen manuscript we can find our hero under name of old Turk Balibeg]
  13. Buturović, Đenana (1976). Studija o Hörmannovoj zbirci muslimanskih narodnih pjesama (in Croatian). Sarajevo: Svjetlost. p. 88. Retrieved 25 November 2011. Upravo je Đerzelez Alija bio junak Bosanskog krajišta sa početka 15. vijeka.
  14. Elsie 2004, p. 369: "According to Rašid Durić, the Turkish chronicler and historian Ibn Kemal (1468—1534) refers to Gürz Ilyas'heroism... mentions his popularity in folk verse in Bosnia."
  15. Pipa 2017, pp. 43–44
  16. Elsie 2004, p. xiii: "We found out that there are some songs common to both Serbo-Croatian and Albanian tradition and that a number of Moslem heroes of Yugoslav poetry, such as...Đerđelez Alija are found also in Albanian." p. 369: "Bosnia. Gjergi Elez Alia is at any rate well known to the Albanians and Bosnians as a legendary hero and as a symbol of fraternal fidelity."
  17. Elsie 2001, p. 101
  18. Junačke Muslimanske Pjesme (in Bosnian). Sarajevo: Napredak. 1924. pp. 34–63.
  19. Conversation Enver Julardžija and Esad Krcić, 3.1. 2003. Interview published 3.1. 2003. on Bosnjaci.net
  20. Popović 1988, pp. 164, 166, 200
    "Djerzelez Aliya" in Moslem Heroic Songs by Frndić, p. 9—20..."Djerzelez Aliya, the Emperor's Champion" in Matica Hrvatska 3..."Marko Kralyević and Djerzelez Aliya" was written down by Nikola Voynović, on July 24, 1934, in Novi Pazar in Serbia
  21. Hadžijahić 1934, p. 45
    Đerzelezovo bolovanje
  22. Milutinović, Sima (1837), Пјеванија Црногорска и Херцеговачка, сабрана Чубром Чојковићем Церногорцем (Folk songs of Montenegro and Herzegovina collected by Čubro Čojković Cernogorac) (in Serbian), Leipzig: Tauchnica, p. 269, OCLC 257765748, retrieved 16 January 2012, Odkud je Gerzelez
  23. Chadwick, Munro; Nora K. Chadwick (1940). The Growth of Literature. Cambridge [Eng.]: The University press. pp. 322, 323. ISBN 9781108016155. Retrieved 25 November 2011. Djerzelez-Alija
  24. Popović 1988, p. 164
    Djerzelez Aliya's epic horse is similar to Prince Marko's Šarac, and in some Moslem songs is also called Šarac. Like Djerzelez Aliya, Prince Marko is friendly with fairies who help him in times of danger.
  25. Velikonja, Mitja (2003), Religious separation and political intolerance in Bosnia-Herzegovina, College Station: Texas A & M University Press, p. 86, ISBN 978-1-58544-989-7, OCLC 53971200, retrieved 25 November 2011, According to legend, he was slayed during prayer. He chose not to interrupt his prayers even though he was aware of his imminent death
  26. Buturović, Đenana (1995). Usmena Epika Bošnjaka (in Bosnian). Sarajevo: Preporod. pp. 491–493.
  27. Elsie 2004, p. xi
    Gjergj Elez Alia, recorded in Nikaj (District of Tropoja). Published in Visaret e Kombit, Vol II, ed. Bernandin Palay and Donat Kurti (Tirana 1937)
  28. Elsie, Robert (2001). A Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology, and Folk Culture. NYU Press. p. 101. ISBN 0-8147-2214-8.
  29. Elsie 2004, pp. iii, 91–102
  30. Hobdell Jackson, William Thomas; George Stade (1990). European Writers. New York: Scribner. p. 1753. ISBN 978-0-684-16594-3. Retrieved 24 November 2011. The first complete short story, "Put Alije Djerzeleza," was published in 1920, although two fragments, "Djerzelez u hanu" (Djerzelez at the Inn) and "Djerzelez na putu" (Djerzelez on the Road) had appeared, in issues of Knizevni jug in 1918 and 1919.
  31. "sarajevothroughhistory". Sarajevo-tourism web site. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2011. THE HOUSE OF ALIJA DJERZELEZ One of the oldest preserved authentic Bosnian houses. It is located on Sagrdzija Street in the old part of town. The house was named after an epic character – Alija Djerzelez.

Sources

Further reading
  • Olesnički, Aleksije (1932), Tko je zapravo bio Djerzelez Alija? [Who was in fact Djerzelez Alija?] (in Croatian), Zagreb: Nadbiskupska tiskara, OCLC 493451253
  • Simović, Živomir (1991), Ko je zapravo, bio Đerđelez Alija - junak narodnih pesama i vanredna ličnost muslimanske tradicije? [Who was actually Djerzelez Alija — the hero of national songs and exceptional person of Muslim tradition], Mostovi (in Serbian), vol. 23, pp. 81–87, OCLC 442745889
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