The History of Budva

Budva – and ancient town, next to the very coast, hides a rich historical past. The distant past reaches back to the V century B.C. According to the numerous legends Budva was firstly the Illyrian town. Its first inhabitants were the King of the historically well-known Thebe – Kadmo and the Queen Harmonia.

Already in the II century B.C. Budva falls under the Romans. On its territory at that time the trading was very developed. The citizens were engaged in raising grapes and olives. After the fall of the Roman Empire, in Budva began the period of Byzantium reign. The struggle of people from Budva against Byzantium began in 535 year. The fall of the Byzantium reign happened after the arrival of the Nemanjic dynasty on the territory of the former Montenegrin coast (1184. – 1186.).

Still, the greatest bloom Budva experienced in the Middle century during the period of life of Serbian emperor Dusan. At that time Budva got its statute, in which the new conditions of life in the Middle century are described.

Under the reign of the Venetian Republic, Budva falls in 1442. Beside the oppression by the Venetians, the troubles of citizens of Budva came also from the Turks, who often invade Budva and surrounding places and they as well fight with the Venetians. Budva is bearing the brunt between the two belligerent sides, all the time until the beginning of the XVIII century.

In 1807. Budva is taken over by the French, and in 1813. it falls under the Austro – Hungarian reign, which governs Budva for the next one hundred years. Ravaged and impoverished Budva, under the reign of the Austro – Hungary awaits the I World War, that is, the year 1914. The liberation from the Austro – Hungarian monarchy came in 1918.

Still, that was just a pause until the II World War, because already in 1941 Budva and its surrounding were again occupied, this time by Italy. The liberation from the Nazi reign Budva awaited on the 22nd of November 1944.

The legend of the foundation of Budva

With the special attention Budva and people from Budva keep the mythical legend about the foundation of the town. BATHUA, BUTOBA, BUTUA – today Budva – hides its name behind the most famous authentic story about the foundation of the town from the time of the Stefan Byzantium from the VI century.

As it s written in the incites of the Filon from Bilbos from the II century A.D., the foundation of Budva is connected to the founder of the town Thebe, a mythical personality and the son of the Phoenician King Agemor – Kadma.

Namely, Kadmo and his wife Harmonija in their old ages were exiled from Thebe and on the ox driven vehicles they directed themselves to the land of the Enheleans – the eel people, (the oldest citizens in the area of Budva), where they have founded a new town BOUTHOE – Budva.

According to the legend, it is by the oxen that Budva got its name, (Bous – in Greek Ox), which brought the spouses Kadma and Harmonija, the former rulers of Thebe, in Budva. According to some other sources, Harmojia gave birth to the son of Illyrian.

Still, because of some murder that Kadmo committed in his youth, the punishment of Gods came onto him, so the spouses (Kadmo and Harmonija), according to the legend, were turned into snakes.