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Jan 1, 1219
Arrival of Christianity
The first Serbian Orthodox Church was established. Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius translated Christian religious service from Greek to Old Slavic language, and therefore encouraged Orthodox Christianity to spread throughout the Byzantine cultural circle, carrying out huge influence. -
Jan 1, 1389
Battle of Kosovo
Autonomous Serbian Orthodox Church was established in Kosovo, so when the Ottomans Turks arrived it sparked the Battle of Kosovo, where Serbian prince Lazar got killed. Serbs interpreted his defeat as analogous to the crucifixion of Christ, because he was betrayed by many Slavs who sided with the Ottoman Muslims. -
Jan 1, 1463
Spread of Islam
Official Turkish Occupation began. The feeling of otherness between Serbs and Croats were fueled by the fact that former belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the latter to the Ottoman Empire. Islam spread dominance in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The Turks gave Muslims unfair privileges. -
Hapsburg Dynasty
Austro- Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Hapsburg dynasty significantly decreases Muslim faith and increase Roman Catholic influence. -
Slavic Kingdoms Are Formed
Alexander I founded the state of Yugoslavia by reorganizing the kingdom into 6 republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. Kosovo and Vojvodina were autonomous. The Serbs and Bosnians wrote with Eastern or Cyrillic alphabet, whereas Croats and Slovenes used the Western or Roman alphabet. Slovenia and Croatia became more economically developed, and Serbia and Montenegro became politically stronger. -
End of World War II
World War II ended. In Yugoslavia region, Muslim population grew while Christian population diminished. -
Civil War Begins
After increasing tension and separatist tendencies, the Civil War begins in Bosnia. Nearly 800 Serbian Orthodox parishes, monasteries, churches, and chapels were damaged or destroyed. Additionally, 300 mosques and Islamic sacred buildings were destroyed in Kosovo. This accompanied ethnic cleansing, where Serbs and Croats carried out massacre in Bosnia and Herzegovina. -
Battle of Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina was recognized independent. The Battle of Sarajevo began where the Serbian force joined with Yugoslav National Army seized Sarajevo, a Muslim region. -
U.N. Sanctions
U.N. put sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro to stop the massacre. However, the problem was not solved fully because the sanction favored the better-armed Serbs. -
End of Civil War
NATO intervened and turned the tide against Serbs. It forced them to sign a peace agreement with Bosnia and Croatia. Finally, the Civil War ended, the agreement was made, and Bosnian Serbs gained the right to have a Serb Republic within Bosnia.
