TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Revolt · 1804
The growing oppression of the renegade janissaries (dahis) and their auxiliaries around Belgrade sparked the Serbian uprising under Karađorđe in 1804. Beginning as a reaction against the janissaries, it took on a national character and the Serbs began to demand autonomy; having taken Belgrade, the Serbian forces seized the rest of the sanjak of Smederevo. By the Treaty of Bucharest that ended the Russo-Ottoman War of 1806–1812, the Ottoman government agreed to grant the Serbs partial autonomy. The uprising of the Serbs, who demanded wider rights, was completely crushed in 1813; Belgrade was retaken and Karađorđe fled to Austria.
| Date | 1804 – 1813 |
|---|---|
| Location | Sanjak of Smederevo (Belgrade) |
| Result | Partial autonomy was conceded in the Treaty of Bucharest (1812); the uprising, which demanded more, was crushed in 1813, Belgrade was retaken and Karađorđe fled to Austria |
| Belligerents | Ottoman Empire (Selim III, Mahmud II) | Serbian insurgents Russian Empire (supporter) |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Karađorđe |
Took place during the reign of Selim III (1789–1807). Selim III
Open the reign of Selim III on the mapBy the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 4,596,000 km² in 1804; at the start of Selim III's reign they measured 4,596,000 km², at its end 4,551,000 km².
During Selim III (1789–1807) the atlas records 0 regions gained and 1 region lost.
Regions lost: Budjak–Bessarabia (1806).
He launched a thorough programme of reform: a new army, permanent embassies, engineering schools. The programme was overthrown by a Janissary revolt and he himself was killed; yet the Nizam-ı Cedid became the blueprint for Mahmud II's reforms.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “Sırbistan” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.