Bjelice

Bjelice (Serbian: Бјелице/Bjelice) is a historical region and tribe of the Katunska nahija of Old Montenegro. The tribe was one of the largest traditional tribes of Old Montenegro and one of nine tribes of the Katunska nahija, along with Cetinje, Njeguši, Ćeklići, Cuce, Ozrinići (Čevo), Pješivci, Zagarač and Komani.

The Bjelice region is located 20–50 km northwest of Cetinje. It is of a relatively high altitude (800–900 meters above sea level) and is surrounded by high mountains – Čelinac, Štavor and Čevski lisac. Today, Bjelice is considered a geographic region corresponding to the territory of the traditional tribe.

Czech historian Konstantin Jireček noted that Bjelice was first mentioned as a territory around 1430 ("de zente Bielice"). They are also mentioned in a 1431 document found in the Kotor Archives, and in the Ottoman defter (tax registry) from 1521. Bjelice are described as a village comprising 80 houses and four hamlets: Lješev Stup (Lješev Stub), Prediš, Rešna (Resna) and Staković. It is believed that Bjelice, along with the clans (brotherhoods) of Cuce and Bajice, are the descendants of the Kosovars. They later moved to Banjani and finally to the territory of Old Montenegro.The Bjelice tribe Slavized in Montenegro.

In 17th century Ceklin tribe expelled Bjelice from the territory they inhabit today (around Skadar Lake and Rijeka Crnojevića).

...
Wikipedia