Even though historians have noticed that nearby Kichevo exists a
city called Uskana (during the rule of the ancient Maceodnian kings
Perseius and connected with the Macedonian - Roman Wars, in 170-169
BC.), Kichevo is mentioned for the first time in 1018 AD. in the scripture
of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, under the name Kichavis which from
a religious viewpoint belonged to the Ohird Eparchy after the fall
of Czar Samoil. The city was populated by the tribe Bersites (Brsjaci)
which were skilled in agriculture and cultivation.
In the middle ages this territories belong to the middle-age Serbian
Republic, which is confirmed by the gifts given to the Monastery of
St. Gjorgija in the village of Knezino in 1294. Kichevo falls under
Ottoman rule by the end of the 14th century. After being conquered
Kichevo was turned into military and administrative center of the
Ottoman Turks.
The first nuclei of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization began
with the revolutionary work of priest Yoseph of the monastery St.
Bogorodica Pre?ista (Holy Virgin Mary Most Innocent) and by many teachers
of a few surrounding villages.
After first contacts with the people from the villages surrounding
Kichevo, Pere Toshev together with Yoseph in 1878 formed the first
armed detachment, lead by Duko Tasev, in which also served Jordan
Piperkata which lead the famous 'Brsjacka Buna' in 1880. On August
2nd, 1903, the Kichevo citizens joined the struggle for independence
of Macedonia, lead by the duke Arso & Jordan Piperkata, held as free
territories until 9th August when the rebellion was put down. Kichevo
is freed from a 5-century rule in 1912, after the end of the first
Balkan War.
In 1919 with the Versailles treaty this region belongs to the Kingdom
of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes which have a systematic government with
the assimilation of the population.
Later in the second world war Kichevo was occupied by the faschists
Italian forces, but Kichevo did not abandon its old revolutionary
tradition and responded the call of Communist Party of Macedonia for
the revolutionary fight for freedom, and as an ideal leader Kuzman
Josifovski - Pitu. On 15th December 1941 was formed the first party
organization in the village of Karbunica. The first liberation of
Kichevo comes on 11th September 1943 (right after the fall of Italy).
In this period until 1945 Kichevo has been freed 6 times. Still, it
will remain in the history books that the first liberated city in
Macedonia was Kichevo.
Two great heroes Mirko Mileski and Miha Mihajlovski, and for all 555
fighters there is a monument called 'Kitino Kale'.
