| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5,000–20,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Greece | 4,000 |
 North Macedonia | 1,000 |
 Turkey | 4,000–5,000[1] |
 Romania (Dobruja) | 1,200 |
| Languages | |
| Megleno-Romanian, Greek, Macedonian | |
| Religion | |
| Orthodox Christianity, Sunni Islam (in Turkey) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Aromanians, Daco-Romanians, Istro-Romanians | |
The Megleno-Romanians (Romanian: Meglenoromâni), Moglenite Vlachs (Greek: Βλαχομογλενίτες, Vlachomoglenítes) or simply Meglenites (Romanian: Megleniţi, Megleno-Romanian: Miglinits) or Vlachs (Megleno-Romanian: Vlaș ; Romanian: Vlaşi. Macedonian: Власи) are a small Eastern Romance people, originally inhabiting seven villages in the Moglena region spanning the Pella and Kilkis regional units of Central Macedonia, Greece, and one village, Huma, across the border in North Macedonia. These people live in an area of approximately 300 km2 in size. Unlike the Aromanian Vlachs, the other Romance speaking population in the same historic region, the Meglen Vlachs are traditionally sedentary agriculturalists, and not traditionally transhumants.
They speak a Romance language most often called by linguists Romanian: Meglenoromâni), Moglenite Vlachs (Greek: Βλαχομογλενίτες, Vlachomoglenítes) or simply Meglenites (Romanian: Megleniţi, Megleno-Romanian: Miglinits) or Vlachs (Megleno-Romanian: Vlaș ; Romanian: Vlaşi. Macedonian: Власи) are a small Eastern Romance people, originally inhabiting seven villages in the Moglena region spanning the Pella and Kilkis regional units of Central Macedonia, Greece, and one village, Huma, across the border in North Macedonia. These people live in an area of approximately 300 km2 in size. Unlike the Aromanian Vlachs, the other Romance speaking population in the same historic region, the Meglen Vlachs are traditionally sedentary agriculturalists, and not traditionally transhumants.
They speak a Romance language most often called by linguists Megleno-Romanian or Meglenitic in English, and βλαχομογλενίτικα (vlachomoglenítika) or simply μογλενίτικα (moglenítika) in Greek. The people themselves call their language vlahește, but the Megleno-Romanian diaspora in Romania also uses the term meglenoromână.
Unlike the other Balkan Romance populations, over time Megleno-Romanians have laid aside a name for themselves which originates in the Latin Romanus, and instead have adopted the term Vlasi or Vlashi, derived from "Vlachs", a general term by which, in the Middle Ages, non-Romance peoples designated Romance peoples and shepherds. The term Megleno-Romanians was given to them in the 19th century by the scholars who studied their language and customs, based on the region in which they live.
Their number is estimated between 5,213 (P. Atanasov, most recent estimate), and 20,000 (P. Papahagi, c. 1900). There is a larger Megleno-Romanian diaspora in Romania (c. 1,500 people), and a smaller one in Turkey (c. 500 people). Greece does not recognize national minorities, thus this approximately 4,000-strong community does not have any official recognition from Greece. Another 1,000 Megleno-Romanians live in North Macedonia. It is believed, however, that there are up to 20,000 people of Megleno-Romanian descent worldwide (including those assimilated into the basic populations of these countries).
| Village | Population |
| Notia (Nânti, Nânta) | 3,660 |
| Perikleia (Birislav) | 380 |
| Lagkadia (Lugunţa) | 700 |
| Archangelos (Ossiani, Osani) | 1,500 |
Aromanian village surrounded by the Megleno-Romanian ones.
20th centuryMost Meglen Vlachs are Orthodox Christians, but the population of the village of Nânti (Nótia), which in 1900 had a population of 3,660, of which 3,500 Megleno-Romanians, in the Upper Karadjova Plain converted to Islam in the 17th or 18th century. It is the only case among Eastern Romance populations of an entire community converting to Islam.[13] The entire population of this village was expelled by force to Turkey in 1923, as part of the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, where they mostly settled in Kırklareli and Şarköy, and became known as Karadjovalides[14] after the Turkish name of Moglen.[15] Since 1913, after the Second Balkan War, there was a general policy of the Balkan states to achieve greater ethnic uniformity through exchange of population. On September 29, 1913, a first such treaty was signed between Turkey and Bulgaria regarding exchange of population up to a range of 15 km from their border. The Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine (November 27, 1919) led to an exchange of 40,000 Greeks for 80,000 Bulgarians between the two countries. After the Greek-Turkish War, by the Treaty of Lausanne, 500,000 of Turks and other Muslims were exchanged for a comparable number of Asia Minor Greeks. Muslim Megleno-Romanians, despite all their protests were forcefully deported to Turkey because of their religion. A significant number of incoming Greeks were settled in Greek MacedoniaMost Meglen Vlachs are Orthodox Christians, but the population of the village of Nânti (Nótia), which in 1900 had a population of 3,660, of which 3,500 Megleno-Romanians, in the Upper Karadjova Plain converted to Islam in the 17th or 18th century. It is the only case among Eastern Romance populations of an entire community converting to Islam.[13] The entire population of this village was expelled by force to Turkey in 1923, as part of the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, where they mostly settled in Kırklareli and Şarköy, and became known as Karadjovalides[14] after the Turkish name of Moglen.[15] Since 1913, after the Second Balkan War, there was a general policy of the Balkan states to achieve greater ethnic uniformity through exchange of population. On September 29, 1913, a first such treaty was signed between Turkey and Second Balkan War, there was a general policy of the Balkan states to achieve greater ethnic uniformity through exchange of population. On September 29, 1913, a first such treaty was signed between Turkey and Bulgaria regarding exchange of population up to a range of 15 km from their border. The Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine (November 27, 1919) led to an exchange of 40,000 Greeks for 80,000 Bulgarians between the two countries. After the Greek-Turkish War, by the Treaty of Lausanne, 500,000 of Turks and other Muslims were exchanged for a comparable number of Asia Minor Greeks. Muslim Megleno-Romanians, despite all their protests were forcefully deported to Turkey because of their religion. A significant number of incoming Greeks were settled in Greek Macedonia and Greek Thrace, including in traditional Aromanian and Megleno-Romanian areas. Economic and social consequences soon ensued, and local conflict between Aromanians and Greeks appeared. Acts of intimidation by the Greek authorities led to the formation in 1921–1923 of a national movement among Aromanians and Megleno-Romanians favourable to the idea of emigration to Romania, especially from Moglena, Veria and Vodena.[16][17] In 1926, about 450 families of Megleno-Romanians of Greece moved to Romania, and settled in Southern Dobruja (Cadrilater or 'Quadrilateral'), a region which became Romanian in 1913. They originated from the villages of Osani, Liumnita, Cupa, Lundzini, Birislav, Livezi, and were settled in villages around the city of Durostor such as Cocina (Turkish: "Koçina", now Profesor-Ishirkovo), Cazimir (Turkish: "Kazemir", now Kazimir), Capaclia (Turkish: "Kapaklı", now Slatina), Bazarghian (Turkish: "Bezirgan", now Miletich), Aidodu (Turkish: "Aydoğdu", now Zvezdel), Tatar Admagea (Turkish: "Tatar Atmaca", now Sokol), Uzungi Ozman (Turkish: "Uzunca Orman", now Bogdantsi), Strebarna Viskioi (Now Sreburna), Cadichioi (Turkish: "Kadıköy", now Maluk Preslavets), Haschioi (Turkish: "Hasköy", now Dobrotitsa).[18] After Bulgaria re-acquired Southern Dobruja from Romania in 1940, the Megleno-Romanians were evacuated to other regions of Romania, many of them to the village of Cerna in Tulcea County, in northern Dobruja. 270 families of Megleno-Romanians and 158 families of Aromanians settled in this village in 1940. Between 1940 and 1948, the Aromanian families moved to other localities of Dobruja.[19] In 1947–1948, the new Communist authorities deported 40 Megleno-Romanian families from Cerna to Ialomiţa and Brăila Counties, and to Banat. Only a few of them returned to Cerna, where about 1,200 continue to speak Megleno-Romanian.[20] Another wave of Megleno-Romanians emigrated to Romania and to other countries during World War II and the Greek Civil War, due to the heavy fighting in the Moglená region.[21] The following is a list of the Megleno-Romanian settlements.[22][23] GreeceIn seven villages (including one already assimilated by Greeks) and the small town of Notia, c. 4,000 Moglen Vlachs still speak their language today, while several thousand others are already assimilated:
In seven villages (including one already assimilated by Greeks) and the small town of Notia, c. 4,000 Moglen Vlachs still speak their language today, while several thousand others are already assimilated:
North |