Mačva (Hungarian Macsó) is a region in the northwest of Serbia. It is situated in a fertile plain between the Sava and Drina rivers. The chief town of this region is Šabac. The modern Mačva okrug of Serbia is named after the region.
History
Mačva was inhabited since the Stone Age, and in recorded history part of the Roman Empire (the province of Moesia). Historical records talk about a single town called Mačva during the early historic period but the location of this settlement has not been clearly established in modern times. It is suspected that the town of Mačva existed a few kilometers down the river from modern Šabac.
In the Middle Ages Mačva was part of the Byzantine Empire, Bulgaria, Hungary and Serbia. Between 1282 and 1316 Serbian king Dragutin ruled semi-independent state consisted of Srem, Macva, Usora and Soli. Name of his state was: Kingdom of Srem. His capital city was Debrc (between Belgrade and Sabac).
During the Hungarian rule the region was territory of several powerful bans. In the 13th century, Bela of Macsóság (grandson of Hungarian king Bela IV) ruled Macsóság as well as Usora and Söli (areas across Drina river in today's northeastern Bosnia).
Region was subject of a dispute between the kings of Serbia (notably Stefan Dragutin) and the Hungarian Kingdom. In the 14th century, the bans of the Gorjanski family (Pavle Gorjanski, Nikola I Gorjanski of Mačva and his son Nikola II Gorjanski of Mačva) which were under the Hungarian suzerainty expanded their rule not only to Bosnia but to Srem and the last one also became the ban of Slavonia and Croatia, which was also part of the Hungarian kingdom at the time.
In the 15th century, Macva was part of Serbia. Latter, Turks conquered the region, and it was under Turkish rule until the early 19th century. Since 1804, Macva is part of Serbia.
In modern times, a certain controversial painter Milić Stanković became known as "Milić of Mačva".
