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| Serbian Revolution | |||||||
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| Part of Modern Serbia | |||||||
 Flag of Revolutionary Serbia |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
.svg){kind=small} Serb revolutionaries Volunteers from Habsburg Empire Russian Empire |
.svg){kind=small} Ottoman Empire First French Empire |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| Karađorđe Petrović Miloš Obrenović Mateja Nenadović Veljko Petrović Stanoje Glavaš |
Sultan Selim III Marashli Pasha Sultan Mahmud II Napoleon Bonaparte |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 80,000 Serbscitation needed | 300,000 Ottomanscitation needed | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 50,000 Serbscitation needed | 75,000 Ottomancitation needed | ||||||
Serbian revolution or Revolutionary Serbia refers to the national and social revolution of the Serbian people between 1804 and 1817, during which Serbia managed to fully emancipate from the Ottoman Empire and exist as a sovereign European nation-state. The term was invented by a famous German historian Leopold von Ranke in his book Die Serbische Revolution, published in 1829.1 These events marked the foundation of modern Serbia.2
The abovementioned timeframe covers several phases of the revolution:
- First Serbian Uprising (1804–13), led by Karađorđe Petrović
- Hadži Prodan's revolt (1814)
- Second Serbian Uprising (1815) under Miloš Obrenović
The Proclamation3 (1809) by Karadjordje in the capital Belgrade represented the peak of the revolution. It called for unity of the Serbian nation, emphasising the importance of freedom of religion, Serbian history and rule of law- all of which Ottoman Empire couldn't- or has denied to provide, beeing a non-secular Muslim state.3 It also called on Serbs to stop paying taxes to the Porte because they were based on religious affiliation.
The ultimate result of the uprisings was Serbia's suzerainty from the Ottoman Empire. Principality of Serbia was established, governed by its own Parliament, Government, Constitution and its own royal dynasty.4 Social element of the revolution was achieved through introduction of the bourgeois society values in Serbia,5 which is why it was considered the world's easternmost bourgeois revolt,6 which culminated with the abolition of feudalism in 1806- just 15 years after the French revolution.7 First constitution in the Balkans and its oldest university- Belgrade's Great Academy (1808) added to the achievements of the young Serb state.8 De jure independence of the Principality was internationally recognized during the second half of the 19th century.
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Background (1791-1804)
- See also: Kočina Krajina Serb rebellion
The withdrawal of the Austrians from Serbia in 1791 marked the end of the Kočina Krajina Serb rebellion, which was ignited by Austria. Ottoman Empire annexed the Pashaluk of Belgrade, retaliated against the perpertrators of the uprising and their families, thus forcing thousands into exile in Austria. Reforms made by the Porte to ease the pressure on Serbs were only temporary; by 1799 the Janissary corps have returned, suspended the Serb autonomy and drastically increased taxes, enforcing martial law in Serbia.
Serb leaders from both sides of the Danube began to conspire against the dahias. When they found out, they rounded up and murdered tens of Serbian noblemen on the main square of Valjevo in an event known today as Seča knezova (Massacre of Serbian knights on February 4, 1804). The massacre outraged the Serbian people and incited the revolt across the Pashaluk of Belgrade. Within days, in the small Šumadija village of Orašac, the Serbs gathered to proclaim the uprising, electing Karađorđe Petrović as the leader. That afternoon, a Turkish inn (caravanserai) in Orašac was burned and its residents fled or were killed, followed by similar actions country-wide. Soon the cities Valjevo and Požarevac were liberated, and the siege of Belgrade launched.
Revolution erupts: First Serbian Uprising
- See also: First Serbian Uprising
During almost 10 years of the First Serbian Uprising (1804-1813), Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after 300 years of Ottoman and short-lasting Austrian occupations. Revolutionary Serbia responded to the Ottoman Massacre of Serbian knights by establishing its separate institutions, such as the government (Praviteljstvujusci Sovjet), Serbian Prince, Parliament (Zbor) and University of Belgrade. Following the French invasion in 1812 the Russian Empire witdrew its support for the Serb rebels; unwilling to accept Ottoman conditions, Serbs were fought into submission following the brutal Ottoman incursion into Serbia.5 One quarter of Serbia`s population (at the moment around 100,000 people) were exilled into Austria, including the leader of the Uprising, Karadjordje.9
Hadži Prodanova buna
- See also: Hadži Prodanova buna
Despite the lost battle, the tensions nevertheless persisted. In 1814 an unsuccessful Hadži Prodan's revolt was launched by Hadži Prodan Gligorijević, one of the veterans of the First Serbian Uprising. He knew the Turks would arrest him, so he thought it would be the best to resist the Ottomans; Milos Obrenović, another veteran, felt the time was not right for an uprising and did not provide assistance.
Hadži Prodan's Uprising soon failed and he fled to Austria. After a riot at a Turkish estate in 1814, the Turkish authorities massacred the local population and publicly impaled 200 prisoners at Belgrade.10 By March 1815, Serbs have held several meetings and decided upon a new revolt.
Second Serbian Uprising
- See also: Second Serbian Uprising
The Second Serbian Uprising (1815-1817) was a second phase of the national revolution of the Serbs against the Ottoman Empire, which erupted shortly after the brutal annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire and the failed Hadži Prodan's revolt. The revolutionarry council proclaimed an uprising in Takovo on April 23 1815, with Milos Obrenović chosen as the leader (while Karadjordje was still in exile in Austria). The decision of the Serb leaders was based on two reasons. First, they feared a general massacre of knezes. Second, they learned that Karageorge was planning to return from exile in Russia. The anti-Karageorge faction, including Milos Obrenovic, was anxious to forestall Karageorge and keep him out of power.11
Fighting resumed at Easter in 1815, and Milos became supreme leader of the new revolt. When the Ottomans discovered this they sentenced all of its leaders to death. The Serbs fought in battles at Ljubic, Čačak, Palez, Požarevac and Dublje and managed to reconquer the Pashaluk of Belgrade. Milos advocated a policy of restraint:12 captured Ottoman soldiers were not killed and civilians were released. His announced goal was not independence but an end to abusive misrule. Wider European events now helped the Serb cause. The final defeat of Napoleon in 1815 raised Turkish fears that Russia might again intervene in Turkey. To avoid this the sultan agreed to make Serbia suzerain- semi independent state nominally responible to the Porte.
Negotiations/ Legal Status of Serbia
- See also: Suzerainty
In mid 1815, the first negotiations began between Obrenović and Marashli Ali Pasha, the Ottoman governor. The result was acknowledgment of a Serbian Principality by the Ottoman Empire. Although a suzerain of the Porte (yearly tax tribute), it was, in most means, an independent state.
By 1817, Obrenović succeeded in forcing Marashli Ali Pasha to negotiate an unwritten agreement, thus ending the Second Serbian uprising. The same year, Karadjordje, the leader of the First Uprising (and Obrenović's rival for the throne) returned to Serbia and was assassinated by Obrenović's orders; Obrenović consequently received the title of Prince of Serbia.
The Convention of Ackerman (1828), the Treaty of Adrianople (1829) and finally, the Hatt-i Sharif (1830), formally recognised the suzerainty of Principality of Serbia with Miloš Obrenović I as its hereditary Prince.
State organs
During the intermezzo period ("virtual autonomy") (the negotiation process between Belgrade and Istanbul 1817-1830) Prince Miloš Obrenović I secured a gradual but effective reduction of Turkish power and Serbian institutions inevitably filled the vacuum. Despite opposition from the Porte, Milos created the Serbian army, transferred properties to the young Serbian bourgoasie and passed the "homestead laws" which protected peasants from usurers and bankruptcies.13
New school curriculum and the re-establishment of the Serbian Orthodox Church reflected the Serbian national interest. Unlike the Serbian medieval tradition, Prince Milos has separated the education from religion, on the merits that he could oppose the Church through independent education (secularism) more easily. By that time the Great Academy in Belgrade has been in operation for decades (since 1808).14
References
- ^ English translation: Leopold Ranke, A History of Servia and the Servian Revolution. Translated from the German by Mrs Alexander Kerr (London: John Murray, 1847)
- ^ L. S. Stavrianos, The Balkans since 1453 (London: Hurst and Co., 2000), p. 248-250.
- ^ a b Povest - Prikljucenije
- ^ Čedomir Antić (1998). "The First Serbian Uprising" (in English). The Royal Family of Serbia.
- ^ a b The History of Yugoslavia Serbia and Montenegro until 2006
- ^ 200 godina ustanka
- ^ http://www.nbs.bg.ac.yu/view_file.php?file_id=57
- ^ University of Belgrade
- ^ http://staff.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lecture5.html
- ^ http://staff.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lecture5.html
- ^ http://staff.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lecture5.html
- ^ http://staff.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lecture5.html
- ^ http://staff.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lecture5.html
- ^ http://staff.lib.msu.edu/sowards/balkan/lecture5.html
See also
- Principality of Serbia
- Pashaluk of Belgrade
- Vojvodina of Serbia and Tamis Banat
- Habsburg Serbia
- List of Serbian monarchs
- Military history of Serbia
- History of the Serbian-Turkish wars
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