One thing I am positive of is that Serbs ARE NOT Slavs in an ethnic sense (we are in a linguistic sense however). Serbs have been proven to only have 15% of the Slavic gene so I fail to comprehend why Serbs are so proud of being Slavs and what not when as far as genetics and ethnicity go, we have very little to do with Slavs. Second, Serbs have been being called Illyrians and Triballians for our entire existance up until the 19th century when Austrian propaganda shifted her interests towards to puppet state of Albania it created. The Byzantines, Hungarians, and Austrians weren't idiots that they gave applied the Illyrian name specifically to Serbs and used it commonly (more than they used the actual Serb name) to refer to us. Thirdly, Serbian genetic and racial composition is primarily of Dinaric nature and of a non-Slavic variant meaning we are the descendants of the native populations of the Balkans.
Its only logical considering that the Illyrians lived in huge numbers across former Yugoslavia and no mention is made that they were slaughtered meaning that they were assimilated by a smaller ruling elite.
I'll post a few historical quotes. I'd post more but I have no time.
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Count George Brankovic (1645-1711), self-proclaimed 'Despot of Illyria'
Count George Brankovic has proclaimed himself 'Despot of Illyria', a state that would include all 'Illyrian, Thracian, Moesian and other Eastern lands, the lands of St Sava, Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bosnia, Sirmia and other lands of Hungarian Kingdom'.
"After he had got a certificate from Patriarch Arsenie, which confirmed his descent of Serbain Despot family Brankovic, in order to proclaim himself despot of independent Illyrian state under the name of Despot George Brankovic II, he informed Emperor Leopold I about the idea. His plans were declined by the Austrian Court and he was given the title of count instead.
"After proclaiming the invitation to the Serbian people to follow him as their despot, and to start a struggle for freedom against the Turks, he was captured in Kladovo in 1689 by Austrian authorities and held captive until he died in 1711."
DUŠAN J. POPOVIĆ, Велика сеоба Срба 1690. (Great Migration of Serbs in 1690), Belgrade 1954.
STEFAN ČAKIĆ, Велика сеоба Срба 1689/90 и патријарх Арсеније III Црнојевић (Great Migration of Serbs in 1689/90 and Patriarch Arsenie III Crnojevic, Novi Sad 1990.
Illyrian reference of Serbian people settled in Habsburg lands in 1690
Cardinal Leopold Kollonich (1631-1707), Minister of State and Privy imperial councilor, names the arrived Serbs as 'Illyrians or Rascians' in 1706:
Cardinal Kollonich wrote to Emperor Leopold I in 1706 that the Privileges allowing the freedom of Orthodox religion cannot be allowed, and that Serbs cannot be allowed to remain in their "schismatic" faith, and continues : "... it has to be done in a quiet and silent way so that all this Illyrian or Rascian people can be brought to union with Roman Church, from which it merely differs at all."
RADOSLAV M. GRUJIĆ, Како се поступало са српским молбама на двору цесара Австријског последње године живота патријарха Арсенија III Црнојевића (The way Serbian pledges were treated on the Court of Austrian Caesar during the last year of life of Patriarch Arsenie III Crnojevic), Novi Sad 1906.
Montenegrin Bishop Vasilie Petrovic (1754) describes the Great Migration of Serbs, naming the people as 'Illyro-Serbian':
"(...) колико народь черногорскиi услижил Дому аустрискому чрезъ природнаго своего патриарха Арсениа Черногорца, коториi на милостивое писмено позвание римскаго цесара Леополда прваго, в коториi и изабраниi народь Албанскиi по их и других илиро-србским народомъ с всаким удоволства обешчаниiемъ."
(Translation: ...) how much the Montenegrin people served the Austrian Court through their own Patriarch Arsenie the Montenegrin, who with the merciful invitation of Roman Caesar Leopold I, (took with) him the chosen people of Albania and other Illyro-Serbian people, with all the privileges promissed.)
VASILIE PETROVIČ, Историја о Чернои Гори (History of Monte Negro), Moscow 1754.
Serbian national Privileges in Habsburg Monarchy were titled to
'Illyrian nation'
Front page of the first printed version of Serbian Privileges in 1715, Vienna:
PRIVILEGIA
PER
DIVOS
IMPERATORES
LEOPOLDUM
ET
JOSEPHUM
GLORIOSISSIMÆ REMINISCENTIÆ
NEC NON
MODERNAM REGNANTEM
MAJESTATEM,
CAROLUM VI.
INCLYTÆ
NATIONI ILLYRICÆ
'ILLYRIO SERBICA 1683-1715 (1723)' papers, Haus, Hof u. Staat. Archiv Wien
STEFAN ČAKIĆ, Велика сеоба Срба 1689/90 и патријарх Арсеније III Црнојевић (Great Migration of Serbs in 1689/90 and Patriarch Arsenie III Crnojevic), Novi Sad 1990.
Front page of the Privileges printed in Slavonic in 1745:
П Р И В И Л É Г Ï И
чрез
Блаження Ïмператоры
ЛЕWПÓЛДА
IWСИФА
и
КАРÓЛА ШÉСТАГW
Славнеишагw Поминанiа
такожде
Нне Царствующее Величество
МАРÏЮ
ΘЕРЕЗÏЮ
Славному народу Iллvрiко Рассианскому
(Translation: Privileges of Emperors Leopold, Josef and Charles VI, and also of Her Royal Majesty Maria Theresa to glorious Illyrico-Rassian nation)
Translation of the Privileges by Zhefarovic and Nenadovic, 1745, Museum of 'Matica Srpska', Novi Sad.
STEFAN ČAKIĆ, Велика сеоба Срба 1689/90 и патријарх Арсеније III Црнојевић (Great Migration of Serbs in 1689/90 and Patriarch Arsenie III Crnojevic, Novi Sad 1990.
Various Serbian institutions in Habsburg Monarchy that were named 'Illyrian':
The Orthodox Serbian community living in the Military Border Zone, however, enjoyed freedom of religion guarded by the Illyrian Commission.
World History at KMLA: History of Austria: Austria under Maria Theresia, Domestic Policy 1740-1780 ->
www.zum.de/whkmla/ 1718 - The German magistrate is set up in Timisoara, led by surgeon Tobias Balthazar as mayor. Judge Nicola Muncsia is appointed leader of the Timisoara's Rascian-Illyrian magistrate, existing already under the Turkish occupancy.
1761 - The city hall of the Rascian-Illyrian magistrate is finalized in Timisoara.
1764 - The first permanent theatre hall is set up in Timisoara in the Rascian-Illyrian Mayoralty building.
1784 - In Timisoara's Fabric district functions an Illyrian school, which in 1852 was divided into a Romanian and a Serbian school.
Genealogical Research, Private Inquest & Probate Investigations in the line of Genealogy & Family History for Banat, Transylvania & Romania,
Banat's historical chronology for the last millennium, XVIII century ->
www.genealogy.ro "The idea of distinct political nationhood among the Serbs of Hungary first showed up in a definite form at the Serbo-Illyrian Congress of 1790, held in Temesvar (Timisoara).
"The Temesvar Serb Congress of 1790, to which the Serb parish priests, smallholders, burghers, high clergy and military leaders received an invitation, regarded this ad hoc privileged position as final. Albeit the Turkish occupation ended. On the basis of the existing situation, Frontier General Secujac, backed by the Serb military leaders and the high clergy, demanded the establishment of a Serbo-Illyrian chancellery.
"Nevertheless the Vienna Royal Court, following its self-serving divisive policy towards the nationalities of the Danube region, found the creation of an Illyrian chancellery practicable."
SÁNDOR KOSTYA, Pan-Slavism, Astor, Fla, Danubian Press, 1981.
The initiative for the establishment of the school was taken up by Serb intellectuals during the mid 18th century. At that time, Serbs within the Hapsburg monarchy retained unique privileges which were regulated and protected in Vienna by the so-called Illyrian Royal Office (Hofdeputatio in Transsylvanicis, Banaticis et Illyricis).
In 1774, Jovan Muškatirović, an attorney, Teodor Janković Mirijevski, a reformer of the Serbian educational system, and Marko Đurković Servijski, a well known charity worker, brought forth the first official request for a university, which would include studies in theology, philosophy and law. Initially, it is written, the request was accepted. However, since the Hungarian Royal Office (Cancellaria Regia Hungarica Aulica) insisted otherwise, Vienna quickly withdrew its approval. Serb intellectuals received the news with disappointment, but they continued the political struggle for the school's establishment.
University of Novi Sad: History: Demands for the establishment of a Law School in Vojvodina ->
www.pravni.ns.ac.yu "У времену развојачења Потиске и Поморишке границе, део "милитара" се населио у Банат, од Велике Кикинде до Банатске Клисуре. Од њих је 1764. године формиран Илирски пешачки пук, који је укинут 1776. године, када је основан Влашко-Илирски пук, који се пружао од Караша до Ђердапа. Западно од њега, према Панчеву, формиран је Немачки банатски пук."
(Translation: During demilitarization of Potis and Pomoris border, a part of "militaries" settled in Banat, from Velika Kikinda to Banatska Klisura. They formed the Illyrian Regiment, which was formed in 1764 and abolished in 1776, when Wallachian-Illyrian Regiment was formed from Karas to Djerdap. On the west, towards Pancevo, German Regiment of Banat was formed.)
(...)
"Имајући у виду захтеве Темишварског сабора, цар је фебруара 1791. године донео одлуку о установљењу Илирске дворске канцеларије, својеврсног министарства за "српска питања". А када је протекло нешто више од годину дана, када је окончан аустријско-турски рат и како Бечу није више била потребна српска помоћ, цар је укинуо Илирску дворску канцеларију, попуштајући пред захтевима мађарског племства."
(Translation: Having in mind the demands of Timisoara Congress, the Emperor made a decision to found the Illyrian Imperial Chancery, a form of a Ministry for "Serbian questions". In less than two years, when Austrian-Turkish war was finished, and when Vienna needed Serbian help no longer, the Emperor abolished Illyrian Imperial Chancery, yielding to the demands of Hungarian gentry.)
LJUBIVOJE CEROVIĆ, Srbi u Rumuniji od ranog srednjeg veka do današnjeg vremena (Romanian Serbs from Medieval to present times), Beograd 1997.
The name of Illyria then disappeared from history, only to acquire new significance through the modern history of Austria. Under Leopold I (1636-1705) the Serbs or Raizi, who had been established on Hungarian territory since 1690, were designated as the Illyrian nation; to provide for their protection against Magyar incursions a special office was created at the Court of Vienna, known as the Illyrian Court Deputation, which was abolished in 1777, and in 1791 enjoyed a brief revival as the "Illyrian Imperial Chancery."
Catholic Encyclopedia: Illyria ->
www.newadvent.orgSava Tekelija (also: Tököli Száva, 1761-1841)
the leader of Illyrian political thought of his time
In 1804 Sava Tekelija sent a Memorandum to Emperor Napoleon I, proposing the creation of a vast Illyran Kingdom - a large South Slav state that would, under the auspices of France, encompass the most of the Serb and Slav-inhabited Balkan regions. A year later, Tekelija sent a similar, slightly revised project to the Habsburg Emperor Francis I.
S. TEKELIJA, Opisanije života (Biography), Beograd: Prosveta 1966, pp. 171-187, 379-396.
The Illyrian Kingdom, consisting mostly of Serbs, as the largest Slav nation in the Balkans, would be, according to Tekelija, a major contribution to the long-term stability of the region. Stretching from the Adriatic to the Black Sea, this kingdom would be a solid barrier against both Russia and Austria. Europe should, therefore, guarantee ‘the distinguished position and successful continuity’ of a nation that could provide this kind of stability: ‘Right now’, Tekelija would mention in his memorandum to Napoleon I, ‘such a nation is rising its head and rejecting the yoke never to accept it again for any other domestic or foreign influence. It is a Serbian nation, or Serbians, if we take into account only those who live in Serbia (…)
When they, supported by Europe, unite into a large Illyrian Kingdom that would join together Bosnia, Bulgaria, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Dubrovnik and Serb-inhabited areas of Hungary with Serbia, this kingdom will be a powerful barrier against those powers, namely Austria and Russia, that would try to establish their domination in the Balkans. However, in a similar memorandum submitted to Emperor Franz I in 1805, Count Tekelija mentioned only Russia as a potential threat to the Balkans.
S. GAVRILOVIĆ, Vojvodina i Srbija u vreme prvog srpskog ustanka (Vojvodina and Serbia during the Serbian Uprising I), Novi Sad: Institut za istoriju 1974 pp.20-24.
"Ali mu to ništa ne smeta (Tekeliji) da o sebi ima veoma visoko mišljenje i, bez zazora, priča kako je pisao Napoleonu da ga postavi za kralja Ilirskog kraljevstva!"
(Translation: But all of that doesn't stop him (Tekelija) to think of himself highly, and speak without shame or fear how he wrote Napoleon asking him to be set as a king of Illyrian Kingdom!)
MEŠA SELIMOVIĆ, Za i protiv Vuka, Belgrade 1967.
"Што се тиче Илирског имена (...) ја сам га јоште 1802. године изабрао, под којим сам се надао да би све јужне Славјане ујединити могло. (...) Може Бог дати, да ће опет време бити, кад ће јужни Славјани под именом Илирским, Хорватским или Србским себе сојединити, у мислих својих и љубав за народ и језик удржати."
(Translation: As for the sake of Illyrian name (...), I chose it in distant 1802, hoping to join all Southern Slavs under it. May God allow, the time shall come again when Southern Slavs will join themselves under Illyrian name, or Croatian, or Serbian, in their thoughts and for the sake of love for their people and their tongue).
Tekelija's letters, MILAN TUTOROV, Banatska Rapsodija (Banatian Raphsody), Novi Sad 2001.
Official languages of Dukedom Serbia and Tamis Banat in 1849
When Dukedom (Vojvodina) of Serbia and Tamis Banat was established in 1849, Serbian language, which became official beside German, was named 'Illyrian':
The two official languages of the province were German and "Illyrian" (what would become Serbo-Croatian).
Wikipedia, Vojvodina of Serbia and Tamiš Banat -> en.wikipedia.org
Friar Ioann Raich (also: Jovan Rajic, 1726-1801), author of 'History of Various Slavic Peoples, of Bulgars, Croats and Serbs' in 1794
In his work Raich often refers to Southern Slavs in general as Illyrians and vice versa, and calls the common folk speech of Serbs 'Illyrian', making a difference from Slavonic, which was the official language in Serbian Church and literature:
"Тако древный оный Языкъ Славенскїй въ Славенносербскихъ во Iллvрикh церквахъ (кромh прочихъ Народовъ Славенскихъ Греческаго Исповhданїя) и до нынh процвhтаетъ, а Iллvрическїй, то естъ простое нарhчїе или дїалект Сербскїй въ свhтскихъ дhлахъ употребляется. Славяни же Iллvрическїй Римскаго Закона яко нарhчїе древнее, тако и писмена Славенская отвергли, доволствующеся точїю дїалектомъ простимъ, которїю Iллvрическимъ нарицаютъ, и въ мhсто писменъ Славенскихъ. Римскїя литери употребляти начали въ началh сего столhтствїя."
('Illyrian': Tako se drevni onaj jezik Slavenski u Slavenosrpskim crkvama u Iliriku (izuzev inih Naroda Slavenskih Grčke Ispovesti) do danas održao, a Ilirski, to jest prosto narečje ili dijalekt Srpski, upotrebljava se u svetovnim stvarima. Slavjani pak Ilirski Rimskog Zakona, koji su narečje drevno i pismo Slavensko odbacili, zadovoljavaju se samo dijalektom prostim, Ilirskim, kojim govore, i mesto pismena Slavenskih, Rimska litera upotrebljavaju već stolećima.
(English: And so the ancient Slavonic language remained in Slavic-Serbian churches in Illyricum (and with other Slavic Nations of Greek Confession) until today, and Illyrian, that is common Serbian speech or dialect, is used in secular affairs. Illyrian Slavians of Roman Confession, although having abandoned the ancient dialect and Slavic letters, are satisfied with the common dialect, the Illyrian dialect, which they speak, and instead of Slavic letters have been using Roman letters for centuries.)
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Historical and genetic evidence is on our side. Serbs (and Bosnians, Montenegrins, and Croats for that matter) are native to the Balkans.