Korun Aramija or Korun Haramija or Korun Kesedžija is a popular legendary hero of Serbian epic poetry and Bulgarian and Macedonian folklore. He is known as a rival of Prince Marko, another hero of South Slavic folklore. The epic hero Korun Aramija is based on actual historical person, Theodor Corona Musachi from Muzaka family that was in conflict with Prince Marko over the town of Kastoria.
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Historical background
The Muzaka family was in conflict with Prince Marko before his death in 1396 which is probably why Theodor Corona Musachi is commemorated in Serbian and south Slavic epic poetry as Korun, Marko's enemy. The term Aramija is derived from Turkish word for bandit (Turkish: haram).
Epic poems
Songs about Korun and Nenad Jugović (three different versions) were collected by Vuk Karadžić and published posthumously in 1899 in chapter titled "The earliest songs about heroes" (Serbian: Најстарије пјесме јуначке).
In epic poetry from Macedonia Korun Aramija is also described as attacking nuptial, making love to widows etc. and always being killed at the end by Sekula, Kostadin or Popović Ivan. Song about fight between Prince Marko and Korun Aramija (Marko and the Highland Fighter Korun) was first recorded by Ivan Stepanovič Jastrebov in Macedonian region of Debar. This song has similar motif as song about Prince Marko and Musa Kesedžija because Marko was again fighting against better hero who also is depicted as having more than one heart.
In a song recorded in the region of Prilep, Korun is referred to as hajduk who can not die because of many sins he committed.
Some of the poems about Korun are: