Kriči

The Kriči (Serbian Cyrillic: Кричи) were, according to tradition, an "older" people that inhabited an area somewhere by the Tara river in what is today northern Montenegro. Kriči (and similar names) has been periodically mentioned in historical sources, geographical and ethnological literature. Their ethnic affiliation is unknown from historical sources, although tradition points that they were an old population, deemed Vlachs (Romanized Illyrian) in theories found in anthropological studies. They, as other pre-Slavic tribes in the region, eventually assimilated into the Serb ethnos. Some toponyms in Montenegro and surnames are derived from the name of this tribe.

The name Kričan is mentioned as a region in the 1260 charter of Stefan Uroš I regarding the borders of the village of Prošćenje (near Mojkovac); Kričan borders the village to the north. The toponym may have given its name to the people, or vice versa. In ca. 1300 was mentioned personal name Kričan.

According to oral tradition, Kriči inhabited Jezera and Šaranci, and good part of Sinjajevina. They several times violently fought with Drobnjaci tribe (including Kriči voivode Kalok) and were moved over Tara river. Then inhabited lands from Sutjeska to Kolašin. Their center was in Pljevlja (with local toponym Kričak between it and Bijelo Polje).

Kotor documents mention Lore Kričko (Lore de Criçco) in 1326, and Kriče Vitomirov (Crice Vitomiri) in 1327.Dubrovnik archive mention Dobrija and Đurađ Nenadić from Krički (de Crizche) in 1453. In Ottoman defter from 1477 was recorded nahija Kričak, with 5 džemat (katuns), one by knez Jarosav, another on name Nikola son of Kričko, as well nahija Mataruge with 3 katuns. In 1492, in Poljica in Dalmatia was recorded David Kričković. In 1528, Nikola Grubanović Kričak from village Kruševica transcribed a Church book. In the memorial of Hilandar from 16h or 17th century is mentioned Filip Kričak and several his Kričak relatives. In 1694 in Drniš is mentioned priest Radojica Kričak, while 1762 priest Maksim Kričković.

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