Land Tenure Reforms in the Area of Leskovac after the Treaty of Berlin (1878–1882)
Land Tenure Reforms in the Area of Leskovac after the Treaty of Berlin (1878–1882)

Summary/Abstract: After the Treaty of Berlin (1878), the area of Leskovac became a part of Serbia. With the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Muslim population also departed leaving their properties. Abandoned lands were taken by the local Christians, who had been in feudal relationships with previous owners. The article follows the politics of the Serbian government regarding the issues of ownership and compensation to Muslim landowners. Furthermore, concrete cases of land possession legal disputes between local Serbs and the former proprietors will be presented. The research compares different political and social structures before and after the Treaty of Berlin. Also, it points out the peasants’ new economic situation after the liberation from the feudal system. Analysing the unpublished and published documents, with the help of periodicals and literature, the article provides the new insights and views into the studies of the rural history of Serbia and Southeastern Europe in the 19th century.

• Details
• Contents