Arsenije III Carnojevic
Encyclopedia
Arsenije III Čarnojević (Serbian Cyrillic: Арсеније III Чарнојевић, ǎrsɛːnijɛ trɛ̂t͡ɕiː t͡ʃârnɔjɛʋit͡ɕ, 1633, Bajice, Cetinje
, Montenegro
- 1706, Vienna
, Habsburg Monarchy
) was the Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs
from 1674 to 1691 and Metropolitan of Szentendre
from 1691 to his death in 1706.
. His surname was written by himself as Črnojević, that is Crnojević, the same as the surname of the last dynasty that ruled Montenegro until 1499 but it remains unclear if Arsenije was in any way related to them. The spelling was later corrupted to more Church Slavonic and Russian-sounding Čarnojević as he is known to this day.
d and ordained a decon
and then a priest
, thanks to the good graces of his mentor
Maksim whom Arsenije later described as, “my father and teacher”. In 1665, Arsenije became the abbot (archimandrite
) of this monastery. When Patriarch Maksim suffered a stroke, Arsenije was elected as Metropolitan
of Hvosno
and as coadjutor of the patriarch. He was consecrated bishop
by the metropolitans of the patriarchal synod on the Feast of the Ascension
in 1669. When, in 1672, Patriarch Maksim fell sick and withdrew from the position, Arsenije, only 39 years old, was elected patriarch, probably between Easter
and Ascension.
. He met Roman Catholic archbishop of Bar
, Andrija Zmajevic
, who was a Serb, and also a member of the Carnojevic family, in order to contact European powers for the protection of Christians under Islamic Turkish rule. He also visited his flock in Bosnia and Herzegovina
in 1674 and in Branicevo
and Srem
in 1676. In 1677 he went to Zica
Monastery, then again to Branicevo; he also visited Smederevo
in 1680. All these visits were in order to give spiritual support to the Serbian people who were being oppressed by the Ottomans. In 1682 Arsenije decided to make a pilgrimage
to Jerusalem, but before leaving, he paid a visit to Metropolitans Teofan of Skopje
and Ananije of Kratovo and all the faithful of that region.
When he arrived in Jerusalem, Arsenije was the honored guest of the famous Patriarch Dositheus II Notarius of Jerusalem (1669-1707). While he was in the Holy Land
, Arsenije immediately
embarked on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
, Mar Saba
and other monasteries, the journey of which we know from the diary he kept.
Arsenije III always spoke strongly in favor of the expulsion of the Turks from the Balkans
and it was chiefly through his influence that the support of the Serbian people was given to Count George Brankovic (1645-1711), the leader of the 1683 Serbian uprising against the Ottoman Empire.
(12 September 1683). The battle placed forces of the Ottoman Empire
under Kara Mustafa Pasha against forces of the Holy League
under John III Sobieski
. The battle broke a two-month siege of Vienna
and forced the Ottoman army to retreat. A note survives that reports Arsenije taking the news with pleasure.
As the war approached, and Serbs from Dalmatia
, Herzegovina
and Boka Kotorska already took to arms, Arsenije III continued with his regular duties visiting in 1684 Slavonia
, but on the other hand secretly maintained contacted with forces of the League, particularly those from the Republic of Venice
and the Archduchy of Austria
. In 1685, Serbs in Montenegro and Dalmatia under the leadership of their local Uskok
Stojan Jankovic
fought in the ranks of the army of the Republic of Venice
, led by Francesco Morosini
(1619-1694), against the Ottoman Empire in the Morean War
.
The passing Ottoman armies plundered the local populace mercilessly; the worst of them all was the one under notorious Jegen Osman-pasha who for two years (1687-1689) robbed the area from Belgrade
to Ohrid
and from Sofia
to Peć
. This force also managed to rob the vast treasure of Peć Patriarchy, deposited there for centuries. Jegen Osman-pasha in addition captured Arsenije III demanding a ransom of 10,000 thaler
s. After this was paid and he was released, Arsenije’s mind was made up. He was soon forced to leave Pec because the Turks tried to assassinate him.
Arsenije contacted Peter I of Russia
, asking the monarch to recognize him as the leader of the Serbs, but the Austrians cut these liaisons abruptly. Faced with Turkish threats, Arsenije escaped to Nikšić
and then to his native Cetinje
which was already taken by the Venetian forces. There, he swore allegiance to the Doge
. However, his close ties with the Venetian Republic were scrutinized in Vienna. Representatives of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
warned Arsenije that unless he renewed his cooperation with the Habsburgs, they would see to the election of a more obedient patriarch.
and entered the territory of present-day Central Serbia
. Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden
called Arsenije III to raise arms against the Turks; the patriarch accepted and returned to the liberated Peć. As Serbia fell under Habsburg control, Leopold I granted Arsenije nobility and the title of duke. In early November, Arsenije III met with Habsburg commander-in-chief, General Enea Silvio Piccolomini
in Prizren
; after this talk he sent a note to all Serb leaders (George Brankovic, Jovan Monasterlija, Stefan Prodan Steta, Stojan Jankovic
), metropolitans (Teofan, Ananije, and others) and bishops (Isaija Djakovic, his most trusted bishop) to come to him and collaborate only with Habsburg forces. Some 20,000 Serbs joined the Austrian army, and the fire of Skopje 1689
saw Patriarch Arsenije III and General Piccolomini combine their respective forces to rout the Turks from Kosovo
and Macedonia
. In October of the same year, Voyvode George Brankovic, who also held the title of count of the Holy Roman Empire, was seized and arrested by Louis William of Baden under the orders of Leopold I, and sent to prison in Vienna, without a single word of explanation.
As the tide turned in 1690, and Turks advanced through Serbia, Arsenije retreated with the Austrian army and 60-70,000 Serbs (about 37,000 families) to the north, in an episode later named the First Serbian Migration of the Great Serb Migrations. In April, Emperor Leopold issued his Letter of Invitation, in which he invites Serbs and other Balkan nations on the run to come to the Habsburg Monarchy
. In front of this huge decision Arsenije III organized the ecclesiastical and national gathering in Belgrade
(Beogradski sabor) that met on June 18 and decided to accept Leopold as Serbian king, continuing the war against the Turks but only on clear conditions that were sent to Vienna.
Based on these, and in grave need of soldiers and farmers, on August 21, Leopold issued his first Chapter on Privileges in which he recognizes Serbs within the Habsburg Monarchy as a separate political entity (corpus separatum
) under the Serbian Orthodox Church
. This edict
guaranteed them national and religious singularity and certain rights and freedoms in the Habsburg Monarchy
. On September 29, Serbs -- led by the key person of these processes Arsenije III -- started the crossing of Sava and the Danube
. Driven by further Turkish advance, they fled upstream the Danube all the way to Buda
and Szentendre
. This migration increased the number of Serbs in the Pannonian Plain. The privileges that were given to the Serbs by Leopold formed the legal base for the creation of Serbian Vojvodina
in the 19th century, if not before.
Soon, Arsenije III was upset by news that the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church
was forcing the newly arrived Serbs to convert. Upon reporting this to the Emperor, he was granted the Diploma of Protection for the Serbs and their religion on December 11, 1690. In the following years, Arsenije III traveled through the Habsburg realms, including the Kingdom of Hungary
, Croatia and Slavonia
with this diploma allowing him to stop the forceful conversions, ordering new priests and organizing the church. At the same time, he was inaugurating new Serb infantry and hussar
regiments that were to aid in the ongoing war.
demanding a separate territory where Serbs would settle – Slavonia
and Srem
were proposed. The Viennese court starts to view Arsenije as a threat and a burden and started to promote other Serb leaders.
In 1695, Arsenije III formed seven new bishoprics in the territories where they were scarce prior to the migration of 1690. This was protected by another diploma (the last in the line) since it disrupted the decree of the Fourth Council of the Lateran
that prevented two bishops from holding jurisdiction in the same area. Meanwhile, Serbs fought in the decisive Battle of Slankamen
and Senta
, in which the Turks were utterly defeated
After the Treaty of Karlowitz
was concluded, Serb assistance was no longer needed and the Habsburg authorities started disregarding the previously given privileges one by one. Upon the advice of the proselyte
fanatic
Cardinal Leopold Kolonić, in 1701 the rights of Arsenije III as the Serb patriarch were limited to the newcomers living in the vicinity of Szentendre
and he was reduced in rank to the "Metropolitan of Szentendre", a title which was never accepted by Serbs. In connection with this, Arsenije was also forbidden to leave the town. In 1703, he was prohibited to use the title of patriarch and all Orthodox bishops were to recognize the authority of Roman Catholic ones.
However, things changed when in 1703, the rebellion of Hungarians under Francis II Rákóczi
erupted. Austrian forces needed the Serbs’ assistance once more and privileges were instantaneously confirmed. Arsenije III was sent from Vienna to the Serb areas to explain the situation to the people.
He died in 1706 in Vienna and was buried in Krušedol monastery
in Syrmia
.
Cetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
- 1706, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
) was the Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs
Patriarch of Serbia
This is a list of the Archbishops and Patriarchs of Peć and the Serbs from the creation of the church as an archdiocese in 1219 to today's Patriarchate. The list includes all the Archbishops and Patriarchs that led the Serbian Orthodox community under Patriarchate of Peć...
from 1674 to 1691 and Metropolitan of Szentendre
Szentendre
Szentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest...
from 1691 to his death in 1706.
Family
Arsenije was born to the Cetinje clan of Old MontenegroMontenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. His surname was written by himself as Črnojević, that is Crnojević, the same as the surname of the last dynasty that ruled Montenegro until 1499 but it remains unclear if Arsenije was in any way related to them. The spelling was later corrupted to more Church Slavonic and Russian-sounding Čarnojević as he is known to this day.
Early career
As a young boy Arsenije came to live in the monastery of Pećka Patrijaršija, the seat of the Patriarchy, at the time led by Patriarch Maksim I of Skopje. There as he grew older he was tonsureTonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d and ordained a decon
Decon
Decon is a New York based idea shop / production company / record label. Its in-house label represents hip-hop and contemporary R&B artists including Jay Electronica, Nneka, 88-Keys, RJD2, the Alchemist, Freddie Gibbs, Goapele, and Aceyalone....
and then a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, thanks to the good graces of his mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
Maksim whom Arsenije later described as, “my father and teacher”. In 1665, Arsenije became the abbot (archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
) of this monastery. When Patriarch Maksim suffered a stroke, Arsenije was elected as Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Hvosno
Hvosno
Hvosno was a medieval Serbian župa located in the northern part of the Metohija region, in Kosovo. It roughly encompassed the areas of the modern Istok and Peć municipalities...
and as coadjutor of the patriarch. He was consecrated bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
by the metropolitans of the patriarchal synod on the Feast of the Ascension
Feast of the Ascension
The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is one of the great solemnities, in the Christian liturgical calendar, and commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day from Easter day...
in 1669. When, in 1672, Patriarch Maksim fell sick and withdrew from the position, Arsenije, only 39 years old, was elected patriarch, probably between Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
and Ascension.
Patriarch
After the death of Maksim, in 1673, the new patriarch visited the Serbs in the coast lands who were then subjects of the Republic of VeniceRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. He met Roman Catholic archbishop of Bar
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Montenegro. It is centred in the city of Bar . It was erected as a diocese in the 9th century and elevated to an archdiocese in 1089...
, Andrija Zmajevic
Andrija Zmajevic
Andrija Zmajević was a distinguished Serbian Baroque poet and contributor to the Roman Catholic Church from the Bay of Kotor...
, who was a Serb, and also a member of the Carnojevic family, in order to contact European powers for the protection of Christians under Islamic Turkish rule. He also visited his flock in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
in 1674 and in Branicevo
Branicevo
Braničevo can refer to:* Braničevo , a geographical region in Serbia.* Braničevo District, a district in Serbia.* Braničevo , a village in Serbia, in the Golubac municipality....
and Srem
Srem
Śrem is a town on the Warta river in central Poland. It has been situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; from 1975 to 1998 it was part of the Poznań Voivodeship...
in 1676. In 1677 he went to Zica
Žica
Žiča is an early 13th century Serb Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first King of Serbia, Stefan the First-Crowned and the first Head of the Serbian Church, Saint Sava....
Monastery, then again to Branicevo; he also visited Smederevo
Smederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
in 1680. All these visits were in order to give spiritual support to the Serbian people who were being oppressed by the Ottomans. In 1682 Arsenije decided to make a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Jerusalem, but before leaving, he paid a visit to Metropolitans Teofan of Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
and Ananije of Kratovo and all the faithful of that region.
When he arrived in Jerusalem, Arsenije was the honored guest of the famous Patriarch Dositheus II Notarius of Jerusalem (1669-1707). While he was in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, Arsenije immediately
embarked on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....
, Mar Saba
Mar Saba
The Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified, known in Arabic as Mar Saba , is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the West Bank east of Bethlehem. The traditional date for the founding of the monastery by Saint Sabas of Cappadocia is the year 483 and today houses around 20...
and other monasteries, the journey of which we know from the diary he kept.
Arsenije III always spoke strongly in favor of the expulsion of the Turks from the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and it was chiefly through his influence that the support of the Serbian people was given to Count George Brankovic (1645-1711), the leader of the 1683 Serbian uprising against the Ottoman Empire.
Great Turkish War
Upon his return, we know that in 1683, Arsenije III was in Nikolje Monastery where he received news of the Battle of ViennaBattle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
(12 September 1683). The battle placed forces of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
under Kara Mustafa Pasha against forces of the Holy League
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
under John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
. The battle broke a two-month siege of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and forced the Ottoman army to retreat. A note survives that reports Arsenije taking the news with pleasure.
As the war approached, and Serbs from Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
and Boka Kotorska already took to arms, Arsenije III continued with his regular duties visiting in 1684 Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
, but on the other hand secretly maintained contacted with forces of the League, particularly those from the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
and the Archduchy of Austria
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
. In 1685, Serbs in Montenegro and Dalmatia under the leadership of their local Uskok
USKOK
USKOK is a Croatian government institution. It is a State Attorney office specialized in corruption and organized crime.USKOK started work in December 2001...
Stojan Jankovic
Stojan Jankovic
Stojan Mitrović Janković, also known as Knight Janko was the commander of the Dalmatian Serb army, in the service of the Republic of Venice, from 1669 until his death in 1687. He participated in the Cretan and Great Turkish War, as the supreme commander of the Venetian Serb troops, of which he is...
fought in the ranks of the army of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, led by Francesco Morosini
Francesco Morosini
Francesco Morosini was the Doge of Venice from 1688 to 1694, at the height of the Great Turkish War...
(1619-1694), against the Ottoman Empire in the Morean War
Morean War
The Morean War is the better known name for the Sixth Ottoman–Venetian War. The war was fought between 1684–1699, as part of the wider conflict known as the "Great Turkish War", between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire...
.
The passing Ottoman armies plundered the local populace mercilessly; the worst of them all was the one under notorious Jegen Osman-pasha who for two years (1687-1689) robbed the area from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
to Ohrid
Ohrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
and from Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
to Peć
Pec
Peć or Pejë is a city and municipality in north-western Kosovo and Metohija - Serbia, and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. Governor of city is Ali Berisha....
. This force also managed to rob the vast treasure of Peć Patriarchy, deposited there for centuries. Jegen Osman-pasha in addition captured Arsenije III demanding a ransom of 10,000 thaler
Thaler
The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s. After this was paid and he was released, Arsenije’s mind was made up. He was soon forced to leave Pec because the Turks tried to assassinate him.
Arsenije contacted Peter I of Russia
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
, asking the monarch to recognize him as the leader of the Serbs, but the Austrians cut these liaisons abruptly. Faced with Turkish threats, Arsenije escaped to Nikšić
Nikšić
Nikšić is a city in Montenegro . In 2003 the city had a total population about 75,000.Nikšić is located in Nikšić plain, at the foot of Mount Trebjesa. It is the center of the municipality , which is the largest in Montenegro by area...
and then to his native Cetinje
Cetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
which was already taken by the Venetian forces. There, he swore allegiance to the Doge
Doge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
. However, his close ties with the Venetian Republic were scrutinized in Vienna. Representatives of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
warned Arsenije that unless he renewed his cooperation with the Habsburgs, they would see to the election of a more obedient patriarch.
Habsburg rule
In 1688, the Habsburg army took BelgradeSiege of Belgrade (1688)
The Siege of Belgrade in 1688 was the fourth siege of that city, taking place during the Great Turkish War.Belgrade was at that time a part of the Ottoman Empire, and had been for 167 years. The Ottoman Empire was at war with the Holy League, the forces of which were led by the elector of Bavaria,...
and entered the territory of present-day Central Serbia
Central Serbia
Central Serbia , also referred to as Serbia proper , was the region of Serbia from 1945 to 2009. It included central parts of Serbia outside of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina. The region of Central Serbia was not an administrative division of Serbia as such; it was under the...
. Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Louis William, Margrave of Baden was the ruler of Baden in Germany and chief commander of the Imperial army. He was also known as Türkenlouis...
called Arsenije III to raise arms against the Turks; the patriarch accepted and returned to the liberated Peć. As Serbia fell under Habsburg control, Leopold I granted Arsenije nobility and the title of duke. In early November, Arsenije III met with Habsburg commander-in-chief, General Enea Silvio Piccolomini
General Enea Silvio Piccolomini
Enea Silvio Piccolomini was an Italian nobleman coming from a well known family from Siena in Italy, who served in the Habsburg army...
in Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
; after this talk he sent a note to all Serb leaders (George Brankovic, Jovan Monasterlija, Stefan Prodan Steta, Stojan Jankovic
Stojan Jankovic
Stojan Mitrović Janković, also known as Knight Janko was the commander of the Dalmatian Serb army, in the service of the Republic of Venice, from 1669 until his death in 1687. He participated in the Cretan and Great Turkish War, as the supreme commander of the Venetian Serb troops, of which he is...
), metropolitans (Teofan, Ananije, and others) and bishops (Isaija Djakovic, his most trusted bishop) to come to him and collaborate only with Habsburg forces. Some 20,000 Serbs joined the Austrian army, and the fire of Skopje 1689
Fire of Skopje 1689
In 1689 the Austrian General Enea Silvio Piccolomini led an army to capture Kosovo, Bosnia and Macedonia from the Ottoman Empire. During the offensive, the city of Skopje, present-day capital of the Republic of Macedonia, was plagued by epidemics of cholera...
saw Patriarch Arsenije III and General Piccolomini combine their respective forces to rout the Turks from Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
. In October of the same year, Voyvode George Brankovic, who also held the title of count of the Holy Roman Empire, was seized and arrested by Louis William of Baden under the orders of Leopold I, and sent to prison in Vienna, without a single word of explanation.
As the tide turned in 1690, and Turks advanced through Serbia, Arsenije retreated with the Austrian army and 60-70,000 Serbs (about 37,000 families) to the north, in an episode later named the First Serbian Migration of the Great Serb Migrations. In April, Emperor Leopold issued his Letter of Invitation, in which he invites Serbs and other Balkan nations on the run to come to the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. In front of this huge decision Arsenije III organized the ecclesiastical and national gathering in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
(Beogradski sabor) that met on June 18 and decided to accept Leopold as Serbian king, continuing the war against the Turks but only on clear conditions that were sent to Vienna.
Based on these, and in grave need of soldiers and farmers, on August 21, Leopold issued his first Chapter on Privileges in which he recognizes Serbs within the Habsburg Monarchy as a separate political entity (corpus separatum
Corpus separatum
Corpus separatum is used with regard to Jerusalem according to the 1947 UN Partition Plan which used it to refer to a proposed internationally administered zone to include Jerusalem in the 1947 municipal boundaries "plus surrounding villages and towns, the most eastern of which shall be Abu Dis;...
) under the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
. This edict
Edict
An edict is an announcement of a law, often associated with monarchism. The Pope and various micronational leaders are currently the only persons who still issue edicts.-Notable edicts:...
guaranteed them national and religious singularity and certain rights and freedoms in the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. On September 29, Serbs -- led by the key person of these processes Arsenije III -- started the crossing of Sava and the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. Driven by further Turkish advance, they fled upstream the Danube all the way to Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
and Szentendre
Szentendre
Szentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest...
. This migration increased the number of Serbs in the Pannonian Plain. The privileges that were given to the Serbs by Leopold formed the legal base for the creation of Serbian Vojvodina
Serbian Vojvodina
The Serbian Vojvodina was a Serbian autonomous region within the Austrian Empire...
in the 19th century, if not before.
Soon, Arsenije III was upset by news that the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
was forcing the newly arrived Serbs to convert. Upon reporting this to the Emperor, he was granted the Diploma of Protection for the Serbs and their religion on December 11, 1690. In the following years, Arsenije III traveled through the Habsburg realms, including the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Croatia and Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
with this diploma allowing him to stop the forceful conversions, ordering new priests and organizing the church. At the same time, he was inaugurating new Serb infantry and hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
regiments that were to aid in the ongoing war.
Falling out of favor
As the religious pressures mounted, Serbian leaders met in 1694 in BajaBaja, Hungary
Baja is a city in , southern Hungary. It is the second largest city in the county, after the county seat at Kecskemét, and is home to around 37,000 people....
demanding a separate territory where Serbs would settle – Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
and Srem
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
were proposed. The Viennese court starts to view Arsenije as a threat and a burden and started to promote other Serb leaders.
In 1695, Arsenije III formed seven new bishoprics in the territories where they were scarce prior to the migration of 1690. This was protected by another diploma (the last in the line) since it disrupted the decree of the Fourth Council of the Lateran
Fourth Council of the Lateran
The Fourth Council of the Lateran was convoked by Pope Innocent III with the papal bull of April 19, 1213, and the Council gathered at Rome's Lateran Palace beginning November 11, 1215. Due to the great length of time between the Council's convocation and meeting, many bishops had the opportunity...
that prevented two bishops from holding jurisdiction in the same area. Meanwhile, Serbs fought in the decisive Battle of Slankamen
Battle of Slankamen
The Battle of Slankamen was fought near Slankamen in the Ottoman Sanjak of Syrmia on August 19, 1691 between the Ottoman Empire, and the forces of Austria and states of the Holy Roman Empire as part of the Great Turkish War.The Ottomans had suffered partial military collapse against the Austrians...
and Senta
Senta
Senta is a town and municipality on the bank of the Tisa river in the Vojvodina province, Serbia. Although geographically located in Bačka, it is part of the North Banat District...
, in which the Turks were utterly defeated
After the Treaty of Karlowitz
Treaty of Karlowitz
The Treaty of Karlowitz was signed on 26 January 1699 in Sremski Karlovci , concluding the Austro-Ottoman War of 1683–1697 in which the Ottoman side had been defeated at the Battle of Zenta...
was concluded, Serb assistance was no longer needed and the Habsburg authorities started disregarding the previously given privileges one by one. Upon the advice of the proselyte
Proselyte
The biblical term "Proselyte", derives from the Koine Greek προσήλυτος/proselytos, as used in the Septuagint for "stranger", i.e. a "newcomer to Israel"; a "sojourner in the land", and in the New Testament for a convert to Judaism from Paganism...
fanatic
Fanaticism
Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in some cases sports, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby...
Cardinal Leopold Kolonić, in 1701 the rights of Arsenije III as the Serb patriarch were limited to the newcomers living in the vicinity of Szentendre
Szentendre
Szentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest...
and he was reduced in rank to the "Metropolitan of Szentendre", a title which was never accepted by Serbs. In connection with this, Arsenije was also forbidden to leave the town. In 1703, he was prohibited to use the title of patriarch and all Orthodox bishops were to recognize the authority of Roman Catholic ones.
However, things changed when in 1703, the rebellion of Hungarians under Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi Hungarian aristocrat, he was the leader of the Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs in 1703-11 as the prince of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of Hungary. He was also Prince of Transylvania, an Imperial Prince, and a member of the Order of the Golden...
erupted. Austrian forces needed the Serbs’ assistance once more and privileges were instantaneously confirmed. Arsenije III was sent from Vienna to the Serb areas to explain the situation to the people.
He died in 1706 in Vienna and was buried in Krušedol monastery
Krušedol monastery
The Krušedol monastery is a Serb Orthodox monastery on the Fruška Gora mountain in the northern Serbia, in the province of Vojvodina. The monastery is the legacy of the last Serbian despot family of Srem - Branković. It was built between 1509 and 1514...
in Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
.