The original manuscript of the proclaimation and other printed proclaimations of Emperor Leopold the first from 1690 with which he takes the Macedonian people under his protection

10 Roman Empire’s army during its advance into the Balkans, already commanding several hundred soldiers when they received their captaincy. It is worth mentioning that Marko and Dimitrija were not the only Macedonian officers in the Holy Roman Empire’s army. There was also a certain Jovan Monastirliya (originating from Bitola), who in the 17th century reached the rank of General in the Austrian army and was declared a Serbian sub-commander. 2. As captains in the Holy Roman Empire’s army, Marko Kraida and Dimitrija Gjorgji Popović requested an audience with Emperor Leopold I. The reason for this gesture was most likely the Proclamation of April 6, 1690, which we presented. It is entirely possible that upon reading the Proclamation, in which their homeland of Macedonia was mentioned among the countries and peoples under the Emperor’s protection, they sought an audience with him to obtain a special Proclamation specifically concerning Macedonia and the Macedonian people. 3. The original manuscript of the Proclamation dedicated to the Macedonian people resolves an important historical dilemma mentioned earlier. The text of this Proclamation was first published in Macedonia in the book Selected Texts on the History of the Macedonian People (compiled by Ljuben Lape, Skopje, 1951, pp. 192–193). Lape cited as the source the book by Jovan Radonić ( Doctor of Historical Sciences and later Serbian academic ), titled Contributions to the History of Serbs in Hungary (Novi Sad, 1909, pp. 52–53). Later, the Proclamation was republished by numerous other authors, even in printed form in Latin. However, nowhere in these publications was it mentioned that Marko Kraida and Dimitrija Gjorgji Popović were actually officers (captains) in the Holy Roman Empire’s army and personally received by Emperor Leopold I. The Emperor’s words describing Marko Kraida as “our captain” and later referring to both as “our captains” were either omitted or ambiguously translated in all previous Macedonian versions. This omission led historians to speculate how these two Macedonians could have reached the Emperor, one of the most powerful men in the world at the time. Some assumed they had sent a letter from Macedonia or were refugees requesting an audience. Thanks to the discovery of the original manuscript, all these questions are now resolved: they were his officers and, as such, requested and obtained a personal audience. This demonstrates the importance of consulting original texts rather than later copies. 4. Undoubtedly, Marko and Dimitrija, though from different Macedonian cities (Kozani and Thessaloniki), firmly identified themselves as Macedonians and presented themselves as such to Emperor Leopold I, who, based on their self-declaration, issued his Proclamation for the protection of the Macedonian people. 5. From the Proclamation itself, it is evident that Emperor Leopold guaranteed all rights to the Macedonians, forbidding his military commanders from harming them and ordering them to protect the Macedonian people wherever they were. He also invited the Macedonians to join his army in the fight against the common enemy. The Emperor could not have issued such a decisive Proclamation solely based on the request of his two officers. Considering the assumption that these officers were likely co-opted into the Austrian army because they commanded several hundred Macedonian fighters, it becomes clear why the Emperor issued the Proclamation—