Serb uprising of 1596–1597

Part of the Long Turkish War

Map showing the revolting tribes and key towns
| Date| Late 1596 — after 10 April 1597[b]

|

Location|

Eastern portion of the Sanjak of Herzegovina and parts of the Montenegro Vilayet

Result|  Ottoman victory;
Rebellion suppressed by the Ottoman Empire
Belligerents

Serb rebels

* Bjelopavlići
* Drobnjaci
* Nikšići
* Pivljani

|  Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Grdan
Organized by
Visarion and Jovan Kantul|  Dervish Bey

* v
* t
* e

Long Turkish War

* Sisak
* Veszprém
* 1st Tata
* 1st Székesfehérvár
* Romhány
* Banat
* 1st Győr
* Călugăreni
* Giurgiu
* Klis
* 1st Esztergom
* Brest
* Eger
* Keresztes
* Herzegovina
* 2nd Tata
* 2nd Győr
* 1st Buda
* Șelimbăr
* Kanizsa
* Mirăslău
* Guruslău
* 2nd Székesfehérvár
* 3rd Székesfehérvár
* 2nd Buda
* Brașov
* 3rd Buda
* Bocskai uprising
* 2nd Esztergom

The Serb uprising of 1596–1597[a], also known as the Herzegovina uprising of 1596–1597, was a rebellion organized by Serbian Patriarch Jovan Kantul (s. 1592–1614) and led by Grdan, the vojvoda ("duke") of Nikšić against the Ottomans in the Sanjak of Herzegovina and Montenegro Vilayet, during the Long Turkish War (1593–1606). The uprising broke out in the aftermath of the failed Banat Uprising in 1594 and the burning of Saint Sava's relics on 27 April 1595; it included the tribes of Bjelopavlići, Drobnjaci, Nikšić, and Piva. The rebels, defeated at the field of Gacko (Gatačko Polje) in 1597, were forced to capitulate due to a lack of foreign support.

## Background

[edit]

The burning of Saint Sava's remains after the Banat Uprising provoked Serbs in other regions to revolt against the Ottomans.[1]

In early 1594, the Serbs in Banat rose up against the Ottomans.[2] The rebels had, in the character of a holy war, carried war flags with the icon of Saint Sava.[3] The war banners were consecrated by Patriarch Jovan Kantul,[4] and the uprising was aided by Serbian Orthodox metropolitans Rufim Njeguš of Cetinje and Visarion of Trebinje (s. 1590–1602).[5] In response, Ottoman Grand Vizier Koca Sinan Pasha demanded that the green flag of Muhammed be brought from Damascus to counter the Serb flag and ordered that the sarcophagus containing the relics of Saint Sava be removed from the Mileševa monastery and transferred to Belgrade via military convoy.[3][4] Along the way, the Ottoman convoy killed all the people in its path as a warning to the rebels.[3] The Ottomans publicly incinerated the relics of Saint Sava on a pyre atop the Vračar plateau on 27 April 1595 and had the ashes scattered.[3][4]

The incineration of Sava's relics provoked the Serbs, and empowered the Serb liberation movement. From 1596, the center of anti-Ottoman activity in Herzegovina was the Tvrdoš Monastery in Trebinje, where Metropolitan Visarion was seated. Many of the Orthodox bishops appealed to the Archduchy of Austria for help in liberating their lands. The Uskoks, irregular soldiers in Habsburg Croatia, supported Austria, being scattered over the whole area between Senj and Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik). With a daring raid on 8 April 1596, the Uskoks even managed to occupy the Klis Fortress, though they were unable to hold it. At one point, Austrian officials considered taking military action in Bosnia, where Dalmatian-born Maltese knight Franjo Brtučević was in their service. However, they did not have the strength to fight the Ottomans in Bosnia. Earlier, Austrian forces had gone to great lengths and still barely managed to resist the Ottomans in Hungary.[6]

## Uprising

[edit]

Patriarch Jovan Kantul and Pope Clement VIII

In 1596, the liberation movement spread into Ottoman Montenegro and the neighbouring tribes in Herzegovina, especially those under the influence of Metropolitan Visarion.[5] Of the priests, Patriarch Jovan depended mostly on Visarion, and of the chieftains, mostly on Grdan, the vojvoda ("duke") of Nikšić.[7] A Ragusan document from the beginning of 1596 claimed that the metropolitan and many Herzegovinian chieftains gathered in the Trebinje Monastery where they swore oath "to give up and donate 20,000 heroes to the [Austrian] emperors' light."[8] The rebels sought help from the Austrians, and asked to be handed an Austrian flag to show the Ottomans that they had at least symbolic Austrian support.[8] Shortly thereafter, on 8 April 1596, Klis was captured by the Uskoks, prompting a wave of excitement among Christians from Lika to Herzegovina.[8] At the end of 1596, after the outbreak of the Himara Revolt, Serbs began to rebel against the Ottomans.[6] The uprising, led by Grdan, broke out in Bjelopavlići, then spread to Drobnjaci, Nikšić, Piva, and Gacko.[6] Save for the Brđani, the Montenegrin tribes did not participate in the uprising.[9] At the time, Dervish Bey, the sanjak bey of Montenegro, threatened the Montenegrins through the provveditore ("overseer") of Kotor.[9]

Two Serbian monks, Damjan Ljubibratić and Pavle, were dispatched by Patriarch Jovan Kantul to Pope Clement VIII in 1597.[10] Patriarch Jovan assured the pope of his "loyalty and obedience" to the Church of Rome, and sought help "to liberate the Serb people from the Ottomans".[10] The monks made an exhibition to the papal curia on Serbian history and, among other things, petitioned the pope to send an army to Herceg Novi, which would aid vojvoda Grdan on the land;[6] the tribes of Zupci, Nikšić, Piva, Banjani, Drobnjaci, and Gacko would rise up in arms.[5] From there, they would go to Onogošt (Nikšić), where all chieftains of Montenegro, Dukađin, and the nearby lands, would gather.[6] In the case of action, they could count on 100,000 fighters.[6] It was said that since the Ottomans took Saint Sava from the Serbs "God does not help them any more, Christians kill them from every side".[6] The curia then accused the monks, of "[praying] to God for our Evil."[6] The monks asked the pope, with the support of Serb spiritual and secular leaders, to send a respectable Christian to oversee them.[6]

Field of Gacko.

The Archbishop of Ohrid, Atanasije, after his movement had largely failed in Albania, was now in Rome.[6] The Serb uprising had no better luck; the Herzegovinian tribes, Drobnjaci, Nikšić, and Piva began fighting, but were defeated at the field of Gacko (Gatačko Polje) by Dervish Bey[6] sometime in 1597.[b] According to the Venetian Lazzaro Soranzo (1599), the Piperi, Kuči, Klimenti, Bjelopavlići, and others tried to liberate themselves from Ottoman tyranny, and upon hearing the false claim[11] that Sultan Mehmed III lost the battle and his life at the Siege of Eger, "they all rose up under the command of vojvoda Grdan and there was a great slaughter of Turks who were on their land. As I tried to find out more, I heard the contrary, that they unhappily withdrew into their mountains";[12][13] Montenegrin historian Gligor Stanojević, based on Soranzo's account, which he described as "the most interesting and most contradicting note on the movement of the Brda and Herzegovina tribes in this time", believed that the rebellion did not have the scale of a national uprising.[10]

> [There were] spontaneous uprisings or rebellions which often erupted caused by some event and quickly died away. Such disturbances, insurrections or rebellions took place earlier and later in all parts of the Balkans, and the Turks very quickly and efficiently reacted to them. If those rebellions did not lead to anything, they were another drop of hatred between the conquerors and the people.[13]

> — Gligor Stanojević, Jugoslovenske zemlje u mletačko-turskim ratovima XVI–XVIII vijeka

When the talks between the rebels and the papacy led to nothing and no foreign support arrived, the rebels were forced to capitulate to the Ottomans.[14][10] Ahmed-paša Dugalić, the beylerbey ("governor") of Bosnia, pardoned Grdan of his crimes,[13] and did not even strip him of his lands in Nikšić.[15]

> The rebels were challenged before any real action could be realized. Austria was not able to move towards Buda, let alone Bosnia or Serbia; the papal curia did not choose to aid the rebels; and Spain had their own problems. The diplomats—various adventurers, though well-meaning—were amateurs, and had wrongfully and colourfully painted the picture to both sides. To some they promised more than they could do, and to others they presented opportunities as being more mature than they were. Many false reports were made. [The rebels] naïvely thought that the messages and promises they received would give them greater success than they had. The only lesson learnt was for them to be more cautious. The Ottomans, occupied in Hungary, Croatia and the coast, were willing to somewhat leave them alone for the moment being. At this time, none of the prominent leaders in the Ottoman Serb regions were hurt.

> — Vladimir Ćorović, Preokret u držanju Srba[6]

## Aftermath and legacy

[edit]

After the failure of the uprising, many Herzegovinians moved to the Bay of Kotor and Dalmatia.[16] The earliest more significant Serb migrations took place between 1597 and 1600.[17] Grdan and Patriarch Jovan would continue to plan revolts against the Ottomans in the coming years.[5] Jovan contacted the pope again in 1599, without success.[5] Serbian, Greek, Bulgarian, and Albanian monks visited European courts to solicit help.[18] The first decade of the 17th century saw some successful Montenegrin battles against the Ottomans under Metropolitan Rufim. The tribe of Drobnjaci defeated the Ottomans in Gornja Bukovica on 6 May 1605. However, Ottomans retaliated the same summer and captured the duke Ivan Kaluđerović, who was eventually taken to Pljevlja and executed.[19] From the assembly in Kosijerevo monastery, on 18 February 1608, Serb leaders urged the Spanish and Neapolitan court for final energetic action. Preoccupied, Spain could not do much in Eastern Europe. However, the Spanish fleet did attack Durrës in 1606. Finally, on 13 December 1608, Patriarch Jovan Kantul organized an assembly in Morača Monastery, gathering all the rebel leaders of Montenegro and Herzegovina. The assembly officially negotiated with Emmanuel I to send a force for the liberation of the Balkans, in exchange for "the Crown of Macedonia", at the same time requesting that Pope Paul grant the Serbian Orthodox Church special privileges. "In our parts," they demanded, "we do not want any Jesuits, or anyone else, who intends on turning the Christian folk to Roman law."[18] Jovan assured him that an army of 20,000, 25 guns, and weapons for 25,000 more to be distributed in the Balkans would overwhelm the Ottoman sultan.[18][6] After years of planning, nothing concrete resulted in it, because such an operation "required Spanish naval and logistical support". The rebellion slowly faded through 1609 towards the end of 1610.[18] The 1596–97 uprising would stand as a model for multiple anti-Ottoman uprisings in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the coming centuries.[1]

## See also

[edit]

* Holy League of Pope Clement VIII
* First Tarnovo Uprising (1598), in Bulgaria.

## Annotations

[edit]

1. ^

It has been called the Herzegovina Uprising (Serbian: херцеговачки устанак) and Uprising in Herzegovina (Serbian: Устанак у Xерцеговини). Other names include Patriarch Jovan's Uprising (Serbian: устанак патријарха Јована) Grdan's Uprising (Serbian: Грданов устанак) and Grdan's Rebellion (Serbian: Грданова буна).

2. ^

The timespan of the revolt was from the late or end of 1596 until sometime in 1597. In 1599, Lazzaro Soranzo claimed that the rebels rose up during the Siege of Eger,[13] which lasted from 20 September to 12 October 1596. One of Jovan Kantul's petitions to the Pope was presented by his emissaries on 10 April 1597.[20][21]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Bataković 1996, p. 33.
2. ^ Veselinović 1966.
3. ^ a b c d Nikolaj Velimirović (January 1989). The Life of St. Sava. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press. p. 159\. ISBN 978-0-88141-065-5.
4. ^ a b c Mitja Velikonja (5 February 2003). Religious Separation and Political Intolerance in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 75–. ISBN 978-1-58544-226-3.
5. ^ a b c d e Editions speciales. Naučno delo. 1971. "Дошло ]е до похреаа Срба у Ба- нату, ко]и су помагали тадаппьи црногоски владика, Херувим и тре- бюьски, Висарион. До покрета и борбе против Ту рака дошло ]е 1596. године и у Цр- иэ] Гори и сус]едним племенима у Харцеговгаш, нарочито под утица- ]ем поменутог владике Висариона. Идупе, 1597. године, [...] Али, а\адика Висарион и во]вода Грдан радили су и дал>е на организован>у борбе, па су придобили и тадапньег пеЬког патри^арха 1ована. Ова] ]е папи Клименту VIII послао писмо, у коме каже да би се, у случа^у када би папа организовао напад на Нови, дигла на оруж]е и херцего- вачка племена: Зупци, Никшипи, Пивл>ани, Банъани, Дробшаци, Рудине и Гацко. Пошто ]е папа одговорио само уви]еним рщ'ечнма, патри- ]арх тован му се поново обрайао 1599. године, али без успеха."
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Ćorović 2001, Преокрет у држању Срба
7. ^ Samardžić 1993, p. 323.
8. ^ a b c Istorisko društvo Bosne i Hercegovine (1959). Annuaire de la Société historique de Bosnie et Herzégovine. Istorisko društvo Bosne i Hercegovine. "из Дубровника из почетка 1596 тврди да су се многи херцего- вачки главари са митрополитом састали у требшьском манастиру и заклели »да Ье се дати и поклонити светлости импературови су 20 тисуЪа ]унака«. Устаници траже помоЬ или бар симболично аустриску заставу као доказ везе са Аустри]ом. Ускоро ^е дошло до ускочког осва^ан>а Клиса (8 IV 1596) што ]е изазвало силно узбзфеиье од Лике до Херцеговине. Ускоци су ако развили сво^е походе; на бедемима дубровачким ста^але су отсечене главе цоги- нулих харамбаша"). Шпанско-папска флота била ^е у Месини и очекивала наре1>еNoе за удар против турских обала3"). На новом збору у Требин>у владиха Висарион и главари упутали су Доминика да оде у Грац и Праг. Избавили су да чекану »заповест за устанак«; тада ]е Клис ]ош био ускочки. Из Граца ]е стигао агент Михо ЗлатариЬ те ..."
9. ^ a b Историски записи. с.н. 1959. "У покрету против Турака крајем XVI века не учествуЈу Црногорци, већ само Брђани. То је било у време када је Дервиш- бег Сарвановић претио которском провидуру Црногорцима. 3) Црном Гором влада у духовним стварима ..."
10. ^ a b c d Samardžić 1993, p. 324.
11. ^ The Ottomans conquered Eger after a siege that lasted from 20 September to 12 October.
12. ^ Marko Jačov (1997). I Balcani tra impero ottomano e potenze europee (sec. XVI e XVII): il ruolo della diplomazia pontificia. Periferia. "sotto il commando di Gardan Vaivoda"
13. ^ a b c d Stanojević & Vasić 1975.
14. ^ Trevor W. Harrison; Slobodan Drakulic (31 August 2011). Against Orthodoxy: Studies in Nationalism. UBC Press. pp. 99–. ISBN 978-0-7748-2096-7.
15. ^ Kočić 1936, p. 55.
16. ^ Jovan Cvijić (1987). Sabrana dela: Balkansko Poluostrvo. Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti. p. 145\. ISBN 9788639100445.
17. ^ Radovan Samardžić (1990). Seobe srpskog naroda od XIV do XX veka: zbornik radova posvećen tristagodišnjici velike seobe Srba. Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva. ISBN 9788617015631.
18. ^ a b c d Gregory Hanlon; University Research Professor Gregory Hanlon (22 February 2008). The Twilight Of A Military Tradition: Italian Aristocrats And European Conflicts, 1560–1800. Routledge. pp. 86–. ISBN 978-1-135-36143-3.
19. ^ "О ДРОБЊАКУ И ДРОБЊАЦИМА" (PDF). udruzenjedurmitoraca.org.rs (in Serbian).
20. ^ Miomir Dašić (1986). Vasojevići: od pomena do 1860. godine. Narodna knjiga. ISBN 9788633100847. "Из pannje спомин>ане представке Kojy су 10. априла 1597. године у име пепког патри^арха Дована предала папи Клименту VIII два српска калуфера, види се да се рачунало и на устанак становништва у Горн>ем Полимл^у („Хас ..."
21. ^ Историски записи. Vol. 39\. с.н. 1986. p. 36\. "Будимљанску жупу, односно нахију Будимља. То потврђује и молба од 10. априла 1597. године, који су ерпски калуђери Дамњан и Павле, у име пећког патријарха Јована, никшићког војводе Грдана и осталих српских старјешина, предали папи Клименту VIII у Риму, у којој је тражено да се папа заложи да хришћански владари западних држава пошаљу војну помоћ хришћанима покорених наших зе- маља ради вођења борбе за ослобођење од Турака. Найме, у тој молби се набрајају крајеви и области који су спремни за дизање на устанак, почев од Новог преко Оногошта до Сјенице и Новог"

### Sources

[edit]

* Bataković, Dušan T. (1996). The Serbs of Bosnia & Herzegovina: History and Politics. Dialogue Association. ISBN 9782911527104.
* Ćorović, Vladimir (2001) [1997]. "Преокрет у држању Срба". Историја српског народа (in Serbian). Belgrade: Јанус.
* Kočić, Petar (1936). Razvitak. Vol. 3–4.
* Stanojević, Gligor; Vasić, Milan (1975). Istorija Crne Gore (3): od početka XVI do kraja XVIII vijeka. Titograd: Redakcija za istoriju Crne Gore. OCLC 799489791.
* Samardžić, Radovan; Veselinović, Rajko L.; Popović, Toma (1993). Samardžić, Radovan (ed.). Историја српског народа: Срби под туђинском влашћу (1537–1699). Belgrade: Srpska književna zadruga.
* Samardžić, Radovan (1993). "Дуги рат између Аустрије и Турске (1593–1606)". Историја српског народа III/1. Belgrade: Srpska književna zadruga. pp. 214–335.
* Veselinović, Rajko (1966). Историја Српске православне цркве са народном историјом (1): 1219–1766. Belgrade: Св. Арх. Синод СПЦ. pp. 70–71.
* Soranzo, Lazzaro (1599). L' Ottomanno (in Italian).

* v
* t
* e

Rebellions in the Ottoman Empire

Rise (1299–1453)|

* Sheikh Bedreddin rebellion (1416–20)
* Uprising of Konstantin and Fruzhin (1404–18)
* Skanderbeg's rebellion (1443–68)
* Buçuktepe rebellion (1446)

Classical Age (1453–1550)|

* Şahkulu Rebellion (1511)
* Nur Ali Halife rebellion (1512)
* Nasir al-Din rebellion (1518)
* Celali rebellions (1519)
* Expeditions against the Druze (1523–1524)
* Baba Zünnun Rebellion (1526)
* Kalender Çelebi rebellion (1527)

Transformation (1550–1700)|

* Mariovo and Prilep Rebellion (1564–65)
* Expedition against the Druze (1565)
* Revolts of 1565–1572
* Expeditions against the Druze (1574–1576)
* Theodoros Boua Grivas revolt (1585)
* Expedition against the Druze (1585)
* Cairo Rebellion (1586)
* Beylerbeyi Event (1589)
* Celali rebellions (1590–1610)
* Uprising in Banat (1594)
* Himara Revolt (1596)
* Serb Uprising (1596–97)
* First Tarnovo Uprising (1598)
* Thessaly Rebellion (1600)
* Mamluk Rebellion (1609)
* Epirus revolt (1611)
* Druze rebellion (1623)
* Abaza rebellions (1624, 1627)
* Druze rebellion (1642)
* Atmeydanı Incident (1648)
* Çınar Incident (1656)
* Abaza Hasan Revolt (1658–1659)
* Druze power struggle (1658–1667)
* Second Tarnovo Uprising (1686)
* Chiprovtsi uprising (1688)
* Karposh's rebellion (1689)

Old Regime (1700–1789)|

* Edirne event (1703)
* Naousa uprising (1705)
* The Great Insurrection (1707–11)
* Karamanli revolt (1711)
* Uprising in Vučitrn (1717)
* Patrona Halil Rebellion (1730)
* Serb Uprising (1737–39)
* Orlov Revolt (1770)
* Koča's frontier rebellion (1788)
* Tripolitanian civil war (1793–1795)

Decline (1789–1908)|

* Dahije in Belgrade (1801–04)
* First Serbian Uprising (1804–13)
* Kabakçı Mustafa rebellion (1807)
* Jančić's Rebellion (1809)
* Hadži-Prodan's Rebellion (1814)
* Second Serbian Uprising (1815-17)
* Wallachian Uprising (1821)
* Niš Rebellion (1821)
* Greek War of Independence (1821–29)
* Atçalı Kel Mehmet revolt (1830)
* Bosnian uprising (1831–33)
* Bilmez Rebellion (1832–33)
* Laz rebellion (1832–34)
* Shkodër Rebellion (1833)
* Priest Jovica's Rebellion (1834)
* Second Mašići Rebellion (1834)
* Syrian Peasant Revolt (1834-35)
* Tripolitanian revolt (1835–1858)
* Posavina Rebellion (1836)
* Livno Rebellion (1836)
* Pirot Rebellion (1836)
* Berkovitsa Rebellion (1836)
* Belogradchik Rebellion (1836)
* Vlora Rebellion (1836)
* Druze revolt (1838)
* Diber Rebellion (1838–39)
* Cretan Revolt (1841)
* Niš Rebellion (1841)
* Uprising of Dervish Cara (1843–44)
* Albanian Revolt (1845)
* Albanian Revolt (1847)
* Herzegovina Uprising (1852–62)
* Epirus Revolt (1854)
* Greek Macedonian rebellion of 1854 (1854)
* Doljani Revolt (1858)
* Mount Lebanon civil conflict (1860)
* Cretan Revolt (1866–69)
* Greek Macedonian rebellion of 1867 (1866–67)
* Herzegovina Uprising (1875–77)
* Bulgarian April uprising (1876)
* Razlovtsi insurrection (1876)
* Kumanovo Uprising (1878)
* 1878 Macedonian rebellion (1878)
* Cretan Revolt (1878)
* Kresna–Razlog Uprising (1878–79)
* Epirus Revolt (1878)
* Thessaly Revolt (1878)
* Ulcinj rebellion (1878)
* Brsjak Revolt (1880–81)
* Cretan Revolt (1896–97)
* 1896–1897 Macedonian rebellion (1896–97)
* Cretan Revolt (1897–98)
* Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising (1903)
* Shoubak revolt (1905)
* Theriso revolt (1905)
* Mesopotamia uprising (1906)
* Bitlis uprising (1907)

Dissolution (1908–1922)|

* Young Turk Revolution (1908)
* Hamawand rebellion (1908–10)
* Al-Bejat Revolution (1909)
* 31 March Incident (1909)
* Hauran Druze Rebellion (1909)
* Zaraniq rebellion (1909–1910) (1910)
* Karak revolt (1910)
* Albanian revolt of 1910 (1910)
* Malissori uprising (1911)
* Albanian revolt of 1912 (1912)
* Savior Officers (1912)
* Raid on the Sublime Porte (1913)
* Euphrates rebellion (1913)
* Bitlis uprising (1914)
* Kurdish rebellions during World War I (1914–18)
* Uprising in Karbala (1915)
* Arab Revolt (1916–18)
* Uprising in Hilla (1916)
* Koçgiri rebellion (1921)

* v
* t
* e

Serb rebellions

Ottoman territories
(Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Macedonia, Montenegro)|

* during Long Turkish War (1593–1606)
* Banat Uprising (1594)
* Peć Uprising (1594)
* Serb uprising (1596—1597)
* 1603
* 1604
* 1609
* 1611
* 1613
* Brda 1633–39
* during Cretan War (1645–1669)
* Brda 1658–
* during Great Turkish War (1683–99)
* Arsenije III Čarnojević's Revolts
* 1694
* Kuči Revolt
* Montenegrin Uprising (1709–10)
* Uprising in Vučitrn (1717)
* Serb Uprising of 1737–39
* 1768–74
* Koča's Revolt (1788)
* First Serbian Uprising (1804–13)
* Jančić's Rebellion (1809)
* Vlasotince Uprising (1809)
* Hadži-Prodan's Rebellion (1814)
* Second Serbian Uprising (1815-17)
* Belgrade Revolt (1817)
* Demir-Mićić Revolt (1819)
* Vlasotince Uprising (1821)
* Niš Rebellion (1821)
* Priest Jovica's Rebellion (1834)
* Second Mašići Rebellion (1834)
* Niš rebellion (1835)
* Pirot Rebellion (1836)
* Niš Rebellion (1841)
* Leskovac–Vranje Rebellion (1842)
* Zvornik–Bijeljina Plot (1847–48)
* Bjelopavlići–Piperi Rebellion (1854)
* Drobnjaci Rebellion (1855)
* Kuči Rebellion (1856)
* Pecija's First Revolt (1858)
* Prota's Revolt (1858)
* Vlasotince Uprising (1860)
* Herzegovina Uprising (1852–62)
* Trebava Rebellion
* Herzegovina Uprising (1875–78)
* Javor Rebellion (1876)
* Topola Rebellion (1877)
* Uprising in Vlasotince and Leskovac (1877)
* Raonič Revolt
* Kumanovo Uprising (1878)
* Brsjak Revolt (1881)
* Action in Macedonia (1903–08)

Habsburg territories
(Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia)|

* 1623
* 1631
* 1632
* 1658
* Stefan Osmokruhović's Revolt (1665–66)
* 1672
* 1693–97
* 1700
* 1706
* 1714
* 1718
* 1719
* 1723
* 1727
* 1728
* 1730
* 1735
* Posavska Krajina Rebellion
* Podunavska Krajina Rebellion
* Pomorišje Uprising
* 1736
* 1739
* 1743
* 1748
* 1751–58
* Petar Ljubojević's Revolt (1754–55)
* 1777
* Tican's Rebellion (1807)
* Kruščica Rebellion (1808)
* Serb Uprising (1848–49)
* Krivošije Uprising (1869)
* 1870
* Herzegovina Uprising (1881–82)
* 1883

Venetian Dalmatia
(Croatia)|

* Kuridža's Rebellion (1704)

See also: Serbian revolutionary organisations, Military history of Serbia

* v
* t
* e

Wars and battles involving Serbs

Medieval|

| Serbian–Bulgarian|

* Bulgar–Serb War (839–842)
* Bulgar–Serb War (853)
* Bulgarian–Serbian wars of 917–924
* Bulgarian–Serbian border revolt
* Bulgarian-Serb War (998)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1202)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1203)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1290)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1291)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1330)
* Battle of Velbazhd

|

Serbian–Ottoman|

* Early skirmishes
* Battle of Gallipoli
* Battle of Stephaniana
* Battle of Demotika in 1352
* Battle of Sırp Sındığı in 1364
* Fall of the Serbian Empire
* Battle of Maritsa in 1371
* Battle of Dubravnica in 1381
* Battle of Savra in 1385
* Battle of Pločnik in 1386
* Battle of Kosovo in 1389
* Serbian Despotate
* Battle of Karanovasa
* Battle of Tripolje in 1402
* Siege of Novo Brdo in 1412
* Battle of Vitosha Pass in 1413
* Battle of Carmorlu
* First Scutari War
* Second Scutari War
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1425
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1427
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1437
* Battle of Trnava (1430)
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1438
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia (1439–1444)
* Crusade of Varna
* Battle of Nish (1443)
* Battle of Zlatitsa in 1443
* Battle of Kunovica in 1444
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia (1454–1455)
* Battle of Kruševac in 1454
* Battle of Leskovac in 1454
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1456
* Siege of Belgrade
* Siege of Smederevo
* Ottoman invasion and conquest of Serbia in 1459
* Battle of Breadfield in 1479
* Ottoman conquest of Zeta in 1499

Serbian–Byzantine|

* Serb Uprising of 1038–1042
* Battle of Bar
* Slav Uprising in Pomoravlje
* Battle of Zvečan (1094)
* Battle of Haram
* Siege of Ras (1127)
* Battle of Tara (1150)
* Byzantine–Hungarian War (1149–1155)
* Siege of Braničevo (1154)
* Battle of Pantina
* Byzantine–Hungarian War (1127–1129)
* Byzantine civil war of 1321–1328
* Serbian invasion of Macedonia led by Syrgiannes Palaiologos (1334)
* Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347

Other|

* Hungarian invasions of Europe
* Magyar–Serb conflict
* Byzantine–Hungarian War (1127–1129)
* Battle of Sirmium
* Battle of Gacko
* Serbian conflict with the Nogai Horde
* Mongol invasion of Bulgaria and Serbia
* Mačva War
* Hungarian–Serbian War (1321-1324)
* War of Hum (1326–1329)
* Serbian civil war of 1331
* Serbian nobility conflict (1369)
* Battle of Rovine
* Battle of Nicopolis
* Battle of Ankara
* Battle of Kosmidion
* Battle of Çamurlu
* Battle of Despotovac
* Siege of Belgrade (1440)
* Battle of Kosovo (1448)
* Fall of Constantinople

Foreign rule|

| Habsburgs|

* Jovan Nenad's uprising
* Hungarian campaign of 1527–1528
* Battle of Szőlős
* Battle of Sződfalva
* Battle of Keresztes
* Great Turkish War
* Siege of Belgrade (1688)
* Battle of Batočina
* Battle of Niš (1689)
* Siege of Belgrade (1690)
* Battle of Lugos
* Rákóczi's War of Independence
* Battle of Saint Gotthard (1705)
* Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718)
* Siege of Belgrade (1717)
* Russo-Turkish War (1735–1739)
* Battle of Zsibó
* Battle of Trenčín
* Battle of Petrovaradin
* Battle of Banja Luka
* Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791)

|

Ottomans|

* Long War (Ottoman wars) (1593–1606)
* Banat Uprising (1594)
* Serb Uprising of 1596–1597
* Battle of Mohács (1687)
* Uprising in Vučitrn
* Serb uprising of 1737–1739
* Kočina Krajina Serb rebellion
* Battle of Martinići (1796)
* Battle of Krusi
* Battle of Lopate

Venice|

* Morean War
* Cretan War (1645–1669)
* Great Turkish War
* Battle on Vrtijeljka
* Battle of Slankamen
* Battle of Senta

Russia|

* Serbian Hussar Regiment
* Pruth River Campaign
* War of the Polish Succession
* Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743)
* Seven Years' War

19th century|

| Serbian Revolution|

* First Serbian Uprising
* Vračar
* Rudnik
* Svileuva
* Batočina and Jagodina
* Kragujevac
* Drlupa
* Čokešina
* Šabac
* Požarevac
* Karanovac
* Adakale
* Ivankovac
* Rudnik
* Vrbica
* Mišar
* Deligrad
* Belgrade (1806)
* Liberation of Belgrade
* Loznica
* Malajnica and Štubik
* Čegar
* Jasika
* Prahovo
* Suvodol
* Drina
* Varvarin
* Loznica
* Mačva
* Ravnje
* Hadži Prodan's Revolt
* Second Serbian Uprising
* Ljubić
* Čačak
* Palež
* Požarevac
* Rudnik
* Družetić
* Kragujevac
* Jagodina
* Karanovac
* Batočina
* Užice
* Valjevo
* Batočina

|

Ottoman|

* Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1852–1853)
* Battle of Grahovac
* Battle of Kolašin
* Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1861–1862)
* Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1876–1878)
* Battle of Vučji Do
* Battle of Fundina
* Battles for Plav and Gusinje
* Velika attacks
* Battle of Novšiće
* Battle of Murino

Other|

* Kumanovo uprising
* Adriatic campaign of 1807–1814
* Jančić's rebellion
* Priest Jovica's Rebellion
* Several battles of Hungarian Revolution of 1848
* Battle of Vršac (1849)
* Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876–1878)
* Battle of Vranje
* Siege of Cattaro
* Herzegovina uprising (1852–1862)
* Krivošije uprising (1869)
* Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
* AU-BiH War
* Battle of Jajce (1878)
* Battle of Vitez (1878)
* Battle of Sarajevo (1878)
* Serbo-Bulgarian War
* Battle of Pirot
* Battle of Slivnitsa

20th century|

| Macedonian Struggle|

* Fight on Šuplji Kamen
* Fight on Čelopek
* Fight in Tabanovce
* Fight in Velika Hoča
* Fight on Čelopek (1906)
* Battle of Pirot (1913)

|

Balkan Wars|

* First Balkan War
* Battle of Kumanovo
* Battle of Prilep
* Battle of Monastir
* Siege of Scutari
* Siege of Adrianople
* Siege of Odrin (1912–1913)
* Second Balkan War
* Battle of Bregalnica
* Battle of Kalimanci
* Battle of Knjaževac
* Siege of Vidin (1913)
* Ohrid–Debar uprising

World War I|

* Montenegrin campaign
* Battle of Mojkovac
* Serbian campaign
* Battle of Cer
* Battle of the Crna Bend (1916)
* Battle of Bazargic
* Battle of Dobro Pole
* Battle of the Drina
* Battle of Florina
* Battle of Kaymakchalan
* Battle of Kolubara
* Kosovo offensive (1915)
* Liberation of Serbia, Albania and Montenegro (1918)
* Battle of Malka Nidzhe
* Macedonian front
* Monastir offensive
* Morava Offensive
* Ovče Pole Offensive
* Vardar offensive
* Srem Offensive
* Toplica Uprising

Interwar|

* Carinthia War
* Uprising in Drenica
* Christmas Uprising
* Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War
* Albanian-Yugoslav Border War (1921)
* Drenica-Junik Uprising

World War II|

* Invasion of Yugoslavia
* Uprising in Serbia (1941)
* Uprising in Montenegro (1941)
* June 1941 uprising in eastern Herzegovina
* Battle of Novi Pazar
* Battle of Pljevlja
* Battle of Kozara
* Battle of Loznica (1941)
* Battle of Livno
* Battle of Neretva
* Battle of the Sutjeska
* Raid on Drvar
* Battle of Knin
* Battle of Mostar
* Battle of Lijevče Field
* 1942 Montenegro offensive
* Bihać Operation
* Battle of Batina
* Belgrade Offensive
* Capture of Banja Koviljača
* Case Black
* Case White
* Operation Draufgänger
* Kozara Offensive
* Battle of Kupres (1942)
* Battle of Višegrad
* Mostar operation
* Nagykanizsa–Körmend Offensive
* Niš operation
* Battle of Odžak
* Capture of Olovo (1941)
* Operation Alfa
* Operation Delphin
* Operation Kopaonik
* Operation Kugelblitz
* Operation Mihailovic
* Operation Southeast Croatia
* Operation Trio
* Operation Uzice
* Battle of Poljana
* Operation Prijedor
* Siege of Rogatica (1941)
* Operation Rösselsprung (1944)
* Kosovo Operation (1944)
* Operation Spring Awakening
* Srb uprising
* Stratsin-Kumanovo operation
* Syrmian Front
* Battle of Zvornik
* Battle of Sarajevo (1945)
* Battle of Zelengora

Croatian War|

* Pakrac clash
* Plitvice Lakes incident
* Battle of Borovo Selo
* Operation Stinger
* 1991 Yugoslav campaign in Croatia
* Battle of Osijek
* Battle of Vukovar
* Battle of Gospić
* Battle of Šibenik
* Battle of Zadar
* Battle of Kusonje
* Battle of the Barracks
* Siege of Varaždin Barracks
* Siege of Bjelovar Barracks
* Battle of the Dalmatian Channels
* Siege of Dubrovnik
* Operation Otkos 10
* Operation Orkan 91
* Operation Whirlwind
* Operation Baranja
* Operation Jackal
* Battle of the Miljevci Plateau
* Operation Tiger
* Operation Maslenica
* Operation Medak Pocket
* Operation Winter '94
* Operation Flash
* Operation Summer '95
* Operation Storm

Bosnian War|

* Battle of Bosanski Brod
* Battle of Kupres
* Siege of Sarajevo
* Siege of Srebrenica
* Siege of Goražde
* Siege of Doboj
* Operation Jackal
* Siege of Bihać (1992–95)
* Operation Vrbas '92
* Operation Corridor 92
* Operation Bura
* Kravica attack
* Siege of Mostar
* Operation Irma
* Operation Bøllebank
* Operation Tiger
* Battle of Kupres
* Operation Amanda
* Operation Spider
* Operation Winter '94
* Battle of Vlašić
* Operation Leap 1
* Battle of Orašje
* Operation Leap 2
* Operation Summer '95
* Battle of Vrbanja Bridge
* Battle of Vozuća
* Operation Miracle
* Operation Mistral 2
* Operation Sana
* Operation Una
* Operation Southern Move
* NATO intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* 1995 Pale air strikes
* Operation Deny Flight
* Operation Deliberate Force
* Operation Maritime Monitor

Kosovo War|

* Insurgency in Kosovo
* Albanian–Yugoslav border incident (December 1998)
* Albania–Yugoslav border incident (April 1999)
* April 23, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border ambush
* Attack on Orahovac
* Attack on Prekaz
* Battle of Lođa
* Battle of Oraovica
* Battle of Belaćevac Mine
* Battle of Podujevo
* December 14, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border ambush
* Battle of Glođane
* July 18, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border clashes
* Battle of Junik
* Battle of Košare
* Insurgency in the Preševo Valley
* Prizren incident (1999)
* NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
* Dubrava Prison bombings and executions
* 1999 F-117A shootdown

21st century|

| Peacekeeping|

* Central African Republic
* Cyprus
* DR Congo
* Ivory Coast
* Lebanon
* Liberia
* Mali
* Somalia

|

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