| Second Serbian Uprising | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofSerbian Revolution | |||||||||
 The Takovo Uprising, byPaja Jovanović, 1889 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Serbian rebels[1] |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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| Strength | |||||||||
| At beginning 1,700 later 15,000 men and 3 cannons | 17,000 later reinforcement 30,000 soldiers | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Over 2,500 killed | 10,000+ killed 1,000 Turks and 1,000 Albanianscaptured (later released) | ||||||||
| Rise of nationalism in the Balkans Nationalism under theOttoman Empire |
|---|
TheSecond Serbian Uprising[3] was the second phase of theSerbian Revolution against theOttoman Empire, which erupted shortly after the re-annexation of the country to theOttoman Empire in 1813. The occupation was enforced following the defeat of theFirst Serbian Uprising (1804–1813), during which Serbia existed as ade facto independent state for over a decade. The second revolution ultimately resulted in Serbian semi-independence from the Ottoman Empire. ThePrincipality of Serbia was established, governed by its own parliament, constitution and royal dynasty.De jure independence, however, was attained in 1878, following the decisions of theCongress of Berlin.[4]
TheFirst Serbian Uprising liberated the country for a significant time (1804–1813) from theOttoman Empire; for the first time in three centuries, Serbs governed themselves without the supremacy of the Ottoman Empire orHabsburg Austria. After the failure of the First Serbian Uprising 1813, most commanders escaped to the Habsburg Monarchy, includingKarađorđe Petrović, leader of the First Serbian Uprising.
Only a few commanders such asMiloš Obrenović andStanoje Glavaš remained in Serbia. Obrenović for the most part used diplomatic way to protect and share the destiny of the local people.
Obrenović surrendered to the Ottoman Turks and received the title of "obor-knez" ("senior leader") of his home district of Rudnik.[5]Stanoje Glavaš also surrendered to the Turks and was made a supervisor of a road, but the Turks killed him after they became suspicious of him.[5] In mid–September 1814 a rebellion was launched by veteranHadži-Prodan (1760–1825) in thePožeganahija. He was initially a rebel who surrendered to the Ottomans and was rewarded with a pardon, becoming a collaborator of the müsellim of Čačak in the Požega nahija.[6] Following the capture and robbing of some Ottomans by his cousin in the village of Trnava, the Ottomans ended up blaming him as local Serbs rallied around him.[6]Miloš Obrenović, another veteran, felt the time was not right for an uprising and did not provide assistance, instead aiding in the capture of the rebels.[5][6]
Hadži Prodan's Uprising soon failed and he fled to Austria. After the failure of this revolt, the Turks inflicted more persecution against the Serbs, such as high taxation, forced labor, and rape. In March 1815, Serbs had several meetings and decided upon a new revolt.
Themeeting inTakovo proclaimed open revolt against the Ottoman Empire on 23 April 1815. Miloš Obrenović was chosen as the leader and famously spoke, "Evo mene, evo vas. Rat Turcima!" ("Here I am, here you are. War to the Turks!"). When the Ottomans discovered the new revolt they sentenced all of its leaders to death. The Serbs fought in battles at Rudnik,Ljubić,Palež, Valjevo, Čačak, Karanovac,Požarevac, Kragujevac, Jagodina, and Dublje and drove the Ottomans out of thePashalik of Belgrade.
In mid-1815, the first negotiations began between Miloš Obrenović andMarashli Ali Pasha, theOttoman governor. Miloš Obrenović got a form of partial autonomy for Serbs, and, in 1816, the TurkishPorte signed several documents for the normalization of relations between Serbs and Turks.[7] The result was the acknowledgment of thePrincipality of Serbia by the Ottoman Empire. Miloš Obrenović received the title ofPrince of Serbia. Although the principality paid a yearly tax to the Porte and had a garrison of Ottoman troops in Belgrade until 1867, it was, in most other matters, an independent state. Under the grandson of Miloš's brother,Milan,Serbia gained formal independence in 1878 under theTreaty of Berlin.
In 1817, Miloš Obrenović succeeded in forcing Marashli Ali Pasha to negotiate an unwritten agreement, an act which effectively ended the Second Serbian uprising.[8] The same year, Karađorđe, the leader of the First Uprising, returned to Serbia and was assassinated on the orders of Obrenović.[9]
Serbia's semi-independence was reaffirmed by aFerman fromthe Porte in 1830, and in 1835, one of the first constitutions in theBalkans was written in the Principality of Serbia.[10] It introduced theSerbian Parliament on the regular basis and established theObrenović dynasty as the legal heir to the throne of Serbia.[11] It also described Serbia as an independent parliamentary Principality, which outraged the Ottoman Empire and theHabsburg monarchy.
led the Serbs in a new andsuccessful revolt against the Turks
Media related toSecond Serbian Uprising at Wikimedia Commons
