Two centuries of Second Serbian Uprising

BELGRADE - Today marks two centuries of the Second Serbian Uprising, also known as the second Serbian revolution against the Ottoman Empire.

At a meeting of the national council in Takovo on April 23, 1815, Milos Obrenovic heralded the start of the uprising with his famous quote: "Here I am, and here you are at war against Turks."

The second wave of resistance of Serbs against the Ottoman Empire came only two years after the First Serbian Uprising was quelled. Turks under the command of Suleiman Pasha Skopljak had no mercy for the conquered nation.

After many Serb commanders surrendered, terror against the people became unbearable, and this spontaneously led to the Second Serbian Uprising.

The Turkish Porte sent two troops from the Empire and one from the Belgrade pashadom to crush the insurgents.
After four months of fight and triumph of the Serbian insurgents, Turks were present only in Belgrade and several more fortified towns. In October 1815, Obrenovic managed to negotiate an unwritten agreement on ceasefire with Mara?l? Ali Pasa and received the title of Prince of Serbia.

Afterward, Obrenovic turned to peaceful means to build up Serbia's autonomy, which was finally recognized by the 1830 Hatt-i humayun of the Turkish Porte.

The Second Serbian Uprising victories laid the foundations for creation of the Serbian state and army, and therefore April 23 also marks the Day of the Serbian Armed Forces.

Photo Tanjug, R. Prelic