Historiography Ilarion Ruvarac

in 1887 serious intellectual debate being waged between adherents of old, traditionalist , romantic schools in serbian historiography, represented historians panta srečković , miloš milojević, , advocates of new, critical , realistic school, headed ilarion ruvarac , ljubomir kovačević.

ruvarac first make name himself historian sought justice , truth in every critical work undertook. used scientific approaches refute many rooted , beloved legends, traditions treachery of vuk branković, eternal freedom of montenegro, , death of tsar stefan uroš v @ alleged hands of vukašin mrnjavčević. ruvarac first stress use of primary sources as possible in order obtain evidences of historical truth. questioned himself, more not, when critically examining historical texts, asking how obtained, had written them , when, , purpose.

being pitilessly conscientious , of cynical, sharp wit, ruvarac exposed many montenegrin fables wished palm off historical facts—either personal, political gain, dynastic reasons (habsburgs, vatican, ottomans), or flatter own vanity. ruvarac ushered in revision of historical inconsistencies written foreigners or inspired them concerning serbs of montenegro , other regions, destroying 1 ill-conceived legend after no less passion had fabricated them in first place. ruvarac, intellectuals, knew so-called events can exert influence though never occurred.

he proved so-called massacres described in njegoš s mountain wreath , in montenegrin histories of period, had never taken place. knew njegoš used poetic licence create drama in ideas across. ruvarac right in denounced such speculation being unauthenticated , therefore unhistorical, indeed were.

ruvarac had reason exasperated inaccuracies , fabrications of histories because written foreigners perpetuated kinds stories , myths without researching venetian archives. republic of venice, after all, had lorded on adriatic coast , fought on turks 4 centuries (not mention french, austrians, hungarians, , intrigue of vatican, each own political agenda).

most of ruvarac s career spent mercilessly struggling national myth distorted historical truth, there no turning after him, since inspired other historians investigate past critical eye. tradition of ruvarac s scholarship , critical method carried on stojan novaković (1842–1915), ljubomir kovačević (1848–1918), mihailo gavrilović, stanoje stanojević , many others. jovan radonić dedicated first book ilarion ruvarac honouring him introduction of critical approach serbian historiography.