The first written mention of the Banjani is in 1319. Some scholars argued that the name could derive from
balnea (sr.
banja), which means "bath" or "spa". According to oral tradition, the tribal name comes from
Banjska in
Kosovo from where they migrated. The Novljani were a medieval Serb community, which became a component part of the Drobnjaci tribe in
Old Herzegovina (in
Montenegro). According to folklore, the Novljani settled
Bosnia at the time of the Serb settlement in the Balkans, then later crossed into the Banjani plateau in Old Herzegovina. From there, the Novljani and other Serb tribes pushed out the native population towards the Tara and source of Morača, and towards the south, Podgorica, and then settled and divided the conquered lands between themselves. The Novljani received the wide land that later encompassed the tribes of Banjani and Drobnjaci.
Sir Arthur Evans noted that the Banjani were mentioned as
Vlachs in
Herzegovina and Montenegro of the Middle Ages in
Ragusan reports and Serbian
chrysobulls. In Herzegovina were situated on the territory of Jezera and Piva. At the end of 14th century
katunar (head of the tribe) was Jurek Junaković, later Herak Draženović of Radovan (1412), a certain Nenad (1432), and so on. Initially vassals of
Pavlović (1430), in 1444 and 1463 they were recorded as vassals of
Stjepan Vukčić Kosača. They are mentioned in mid-15th century documents from the
Bay of Kotor. At the time of the Ottoman occupation in 1466, the Banjani became part of southeastern
Sanjak of Herzegovina. During occupation many Vlachs, including from Banjani, collaborated with the Ottomans as slave agents. In Jovan Radonjić's letter from 1789. to Queen Catherine II. in asking for support from Empress of Russia for the Serbs from different tribes and regions, Banjani were also included. ==Banjani society==