DEDO ILO MALESEVSKI

Ilo Markov was born in 1822 in the small town of Berovo. Even as a young man he could not tolerate the Turkish violence and that is why he became an outlaw. Many people joined him and chose him as their outlaw duke.
He was a freight to all despot people, and a protector to all the unjusticed.
His first outlaws went on for six years, where during that time he was a true duke in the needed Malesevija. People far away talked about his heroism, and songs were sung between the people. He had a numbered squat which was made up of the bravest people. The Turkish leaders then cheated (promising them peaceful life), and succeeded in encouraging them to leave their weapons and come down from the hiding forests. After they agreed, all his outlaw friends were meaninglessly killed, and only Ilo managed to escape in time from Berovo.
Ilo again became an outlaw, and mobilised a new squat. The enemy could not catch him, so they locked up his family: his wife Cona, his sons Nikola and Jovan, and his daughter which later died. Ilo Markov at one time helped neighbouring Serbia in battles during the Serbo - Turkish clash.
He lived and fought in the Malesevija region, and later in Belgrade and Kragujevac. Ilo earned a medal for bravery during the Rusko - Turkish war. He fought in battles all his life, and died from old age at the end of the 19th century in Kustendil.
Ilo's Guns During his life time, he was admired and popular with the people, and legends live on about him even after his death. He used to be called Ilo Markov, Ilo Vojvoda (Duke Ilo) and Dedo Ilo Malesevski.

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