Martirasi (Gjurgjeviku i Madh) lies about 10 km east of Klina. Old burial grounds, stonework, roof tiles and traces of earlier settlement survive at Lugu i Kishës and elsewhere in its territory. Written records mention the settlement in 1200–1202, in charters from 1282 and 1302, and in the Deçan Monastery chrysobull of 1330. An Ottoman register from 1485 records it as Gjorgjovik with 72 households.
The 20th century brought severe violence. In 1912, the Serbian army bound and burned 22 members of Isuf Dushi's family — children, women and men — and also burned the village. In 1919, during the terrorisation of the population, 9 men were killed, 42 houses were burned and property was looted. During the interwar period, 9 Serbian colonist families were also settled here.
In 1998 the village had 135 Albanian households with 1,218 residents and 4 Serbian households. From 27 July, Serbian forces burned houses and auxiliary and economic buildings and looted residents' property. The mosque, built in 1827, was shelled and heavily damaged. Seven residents were killed and 11 people remained missing.
Source
Source and further reading
Principal source: Prof. Dr. Jusuf Osmani, Settlements of Kosovo 3 — Klina, Prishtina, 2003.
Source entry: MARTIRASI (Gjurgjeviku i Madh)
This page presents a selected summary from the published study of the settlement. For complete archival references, family histories, microtoponymy and the full treatment, consult the original volume.