Bosnia

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

THe Easterne part of Liburnia they now call Liburnia, from the Bessi, a people of lower Moesia: who afterward being expulsed by the Bulgarians, did remove into higher Maesia, and by changing the letter e for o, they were called instead of Bossis Bossi or Bosni: and afterward Bosna, and Besnia. There have beene the like changes in other names, as Melita, now called Malta, Langones and Lingones, Scandia and Schondia, &c. Iaitza is a Citty of Bosnia, seated on a high hill, and encompassed with two Rivers. These Rivers doe flowe at the foote of the Mountaine, and so having encircled the Citty, doe joyne together, and runne both into Savus. It was the Metropolis of Bosnia, and it hath a strong impregnable Castle. This Country also hath other chiefe Citties, especially Schwonica, and Warbosayne, which is now the Metropolis, but not walled about. The River Milliatzka doth devide it into two parts, &c.

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Bosnia or Bossina, a Province of Europe, formerly a Kingdom. It is situated betwixt the Rivers of Unna, Sav•, and Drina, and took its name from the River Bosna. It has Servia on the East, Dalmatia on the South, Croatia on the W•st, and Sclavonia on the North. The principal City of this Kingdom was in times past Jaiza, then Warbosaum, and now Sari, which is also named Bosna. This Country was anciently part of Pannonia, conquer'd since by the Goths, and at last by the Sclavonians, who becoming Tributaries and Subjects to the Hungarians, Bosnia had the same fate. It consisted then only of one Province, which hath since had Princes of its own. Mahomet II. seized it in 1463, and flea'd Stephen the last King of Bosnia. Cluvier, Chalcondile. In 1688, at the same time that the Duke of Bavaria marched to the Siege of Belgrade, Prince Lewis of Baden went with a strong Detachement of Germans and Hungarians to the Conquest of Bosnia. The Croatians having Orders to join with him, the 14th of August his Army passed the River Unna, though the Bassa opposed him with 15000 Men, after which he took Cas•anovitza, which is a Castle of 3 strong T•wers, and a Wall according to the ancient way of Fortification, and seated on the Unna between Croatia and Bosnia, which yielded without resistance. The 15th the Army went towards Gradisca, which was set on fire and deserted, as was also Debitza and Jassenowitz, and 3000 Turks were intercepted and cut off near the former. The 25th he marched towards Brod (the Croats being sent home) in order to reinforce the Siege of Belgrade, but finding the Bassa had still a considerable Body of Men in the Field, he resolved to disperse them before he went. The Bassa lay then at Terwent 5 Hungarian miles from Brod, and the 4th of September he marched towards the Bassa in the night with a Body of 3000 German Horse without any Foot, the 5th by break of day they fell upon the Enemies Camp 15000 strong, and defeated their Horse, and of 7000 Foot, which could not so well shift, 5000 were slain and 2000 taken, with the loss of 150 of his Men, upon which Bagnaluca the last Town yielded to him, and since that the Germans are become Masters of all the other Places, and have re-conquered the whole Province from the Turks.

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

BOSNIA.

BOSNIA, derives its Name from the River Bosna, that runs through it, lying between the Ʋnna, the Save and the Drina, as also bordering on Servia to the East, Croatia on the West, Sclavonia and Rascia on the North, and Dalmatia on the South. It was heretofore a free independent Kingdom, but in the Year 1310. became tributary to Charles Robert King of Hungary, who changed its Royal Style into that of a Dukedom. In the Year 1415. the Bosnians threw off the Hungarian Yoke, and betook themselves to the Grand Signior's Protection. Then King Sigismund invaded their Country, and reduc'd them to their Allegiance: Nevertheless they soon revolted again, and were a second Time subdued by Matthias Corvinus. But Mahomet II. Emperor of the Turks, took Jaycza, the then Metropolis of these Territories, in 1472. and made himself absolute Lord of them, after having caused Stephen, the last Duke to be flead alive: So that since that Time it hath been reckon'd a Province of the Turkish Empire, and govern'd by a Bassa, who usually resided at Bagnaluca, till at last the victorious Prince Lewis of Baden, with a strong Detachment of Germans and Hungarians reconquer'd it, A. D. 1688.

BOSNA-SARAY, Bosna-Saraium, is watered with the Streams of the River Miglazza, and now reputed the principal City of Bosnia; which Advantage was some time peculiar to Jaycza, and afterward to Wanbosaum. It is distant 50 miles from Peter Waradin to the South-west, and 175 from Buda to the South.

Jaycza, Gieza or Gaitia, formerly the Metropolis of Bosnia, is defended by a Castle and other strong Fortifications, and situated on the River Plena, at the distance of 42 miles from Wihitz to the East, 60 from Bagnaluca almost to the North, 82 from Zara to the North-east, and 154 from Buda to the South. The King of Hungary recover'd this Town, A. D. 1463. out of the Hands of the Turks, who in vain attempted to retake it the same Year, but they afterward accomplish'd their Design, and made it the Seat of a Sangiack.