Haiduc, hajduk or haiduk is a term most commonly referring to a Balkan bandit. Forms of the word in various languages include haiduc (Romanian), hajduk (Serbian or Croatian), haidut (Bulgarian), aiducco (Italian), haïdouk (French).

In Balkan folkloric tradition, the haiduc (hajduci or haiduci in plural) is a romanticised hero figure who steals from and leads his fighters into battle against the Ottoman oppressors. In reality, the haiduci of the 18th and 19th centuries were guerilla fighters cum bandits who preyed not only on Ottomans but also on local merchants and travellers. However, the haiduci did follow a moral code which forbade robbing of the poor and motiveless murder.

The actual origin of the word haiduc is unclear. One theory is that haiduc was derived from the Turkish word hajdud, which was originally used by the Ottomans to refer to Hungarian infantry soldiers. Another theory suggests that the word comes from the Hungarian hajtó (plural hajtók), meaning a (cattle) drover.

The Serbian leader Haiduk Veljko, the Croatian football team Hajduk Split, the Romanian band Taraful Haiducilor and the pop-music project Haiducii are all named after the haiduci. The surname of actress Stacy Haiduk is likewise derived from this name.

The term haiduci was used by the Romanian resistance movement Haiducii Muscelului , between 1947 and 1959, which opposed the Soviet occupation and the Communist government.

Romanian haiducs

• Toma Alimoş (legend)
• Gruia lui Novac (legend)
• Pintea Viteazul (1670-1703)
• Iancu Jianu (d. 1817)

See also

• Bandolero , a similar later figure in Andalusia.
• Hajduk (Hungarian soldiers)

External links

• The Role of Banditry in the Creation of National States in the Central Balkans During the 19th Century