Voivoda

… According to the numerous Balkan legends about hajduks, unable to bear the hardships of life and the cruelty of the Turks, they left their villages and retreated to the mountains to form bandit groups (usually about 10-80 people). They followed strict unwritten rules, elected a leader (called harambaşa in Serbian, voivoda in Bulgarian, kápitan in Greek), and new members swore an oath of comradeship when they joined the group. In the 17th and 18th centuries, when their activities were at their peak, hajduks could be seen in almost all the mountains of the Balkans, including the Stara Planina and the Rhodopes, attacking caravans and travelers on mountain passes, and sometimes invading towns to attack the houses of governors and merchants. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "voivoda" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　バルカンに数多く伝わるハイドゥク伝説によれば，生活の貧苦やトルコ人の暴虐に耐えかねて村を出た彼らは山地にこもって匪賊集団(たいてい10～80人程度)を形成した。彼らは不文律の厳しい掟にしたがい，頭目(セルビア語ではハランバシャharambaşa，ブルガリア語ではボイボダvoivoda，ギリシア語ではカピタンkápitanと呼ばれた)を選出し，新成員は入団の際に同志の誓いを立てた。彼らの活動が盛んになる17～18世紀にはスターラ･プラニナ山脈やロドピ山脈をはじめバルカンのほとんどすべての山々にハイドゥクの姿が見られ，キャラバンや旅行者を山道で襲ったり，ときには町へ侵入して代官や商人の館を襲撃したりした。…

※「voivoda」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報