Bjelice () is a historical region and tribe of the Katunska nahija region of Old Montenegro. The tribe was one of the largest traditional tribes of Old Montenegro and one of nine tribes of the Katunska nahija, along with Cetinje, Njeguà ¡i, ÃÂekliÃÂi, Cuce, OzriniÃÂi (ÃÂevo), Pjeà ¡ivci, Zagaraàand Komani.
The Bjelice region is located 20âÂÂ50 km northwest of Cetinje. It is of a relatively high altitude (800âÂÂ900 meters above sea level) and is surrounded by high mountains â ÃÂelinac, à  tavor and ÃÂevski lisac. Today, Bjelice is considered a geographic region corresponding to the territory of the traditional tribe.
Czech historian Konstantin JireÃÂek noted that Bjelice was first mentioned as a territory around 1430 ("de zente Bielice"). They are also mentioned in a 1431 document found in the Kotor Archives, and in the Ottoman defter (tax registry) from 1521. Bjelice are described as a village comprising 80 houses and four hamlets: Ljeà ¡ev Stup (Ljeà ¡ev Stub), Predià ¡, Reà ¡na (Resna) and SlatkoviÃÂ. It is believed that Bjelice, along with the clans (brotherhoods) of Cuce and Bajice, are the descendants of the Orloviàclan. Pavle Orloviàis a Serb legendary hero who fell at the Battle of Kosovo (1389), which legend holds that these clans are his descendants, it is likely it was from his brothers (as there are no written records of him having any descendants). The Orloviàflight from Kosovo before the advancing Ottomans had them settle in around Gacko and neighboring villages (ÃÂaraÃÂe, Bjeletaci). They later moved to Banjani and finally to the territory of Old Montenegro.
In 17th century Ceklin tribe expelled Bjelice from the territory they inhabit today (around Skadar Lake and Rijeka CrnojeviÃÂa).
In 1829 Bjelice struggled against OzriniÃÂi and Cuce, two neighboring tribes, and Petar I PetroviÃÂ-Njegoà ¡ sent Sima MilutinoviàSarajlija and Mojsije to negotiate peace among them.
The Bjelice tribe was divided into Upper (Gornje) Bjelice and Lower (Donje) Bjelice. Like most tribes, it also consisted of numerous brotherhoods and families. The largest brotherhood was MiliÃÂi whose branch are LonÃÂareviÃÂi. Older brotherhoods are also AbramoviÃÂ, AndriÃÂ, PejoviÃÂ, Kuzman, Popivoda, TomiÃÂ and MikuliÃÂ while there is also a number of younger brotherhoods. Many emigrants from the tribe took Bjelica for their surname.