Despotovo
Encyclopedia
Despotovo is a village located in the Bačka Palanka
municipality, in the South Bačka District
of Serbia
. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina
. Despotovo had a total population of 2,081 inhabitants in 1991 and 2,096 in 2002. Most of the inhabitants of the village are ethnic Serbs
.
the village was called Sentivan, because the family who owned it were the Sentivanji. In the second half of the 13th century it was called Szentivankeszi (Serbs
called it Kesi-selo / Кеси-село). By 1418, the Serbs called it Despot Sentivan (Деспот Сентиван). It was named by Despot Jovan Branković
. Hungarians later accepted that name and they called it like that from the 16th century to the 18th. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Hungarians called it Edzasszentivan, Kisszentivan and again Sentivan. In 1904 Hungarians called the village Ursentivan. After World War I
, when Ursentivan became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, they called it Despot Sveti Ivan (Despot Saint John). After World War II
it changed name to Vasiljevo (Васиљево), because of Soviet
soldier Vasilj who was the first soldier who entered the village after the Germans abandoned it. After a few years it became known as Novo Vasiljevo, and then, finally, Despotovo.
. When the Ottomans
conquered Vojvodina
many people left the village. Because of the many wars between the Habsburg Monarchy
and the Ottoman Empire
, the village's population changed a lot from the 16th century to the 18th century, although it was mainly populated by Serbs during the Ottoman rule. After the Habsburgs defeated the Ottomans, Serbs started settling in Despotovo again. The village's first school opened in the 1770s and its church was built in 1786.
Backa Palanka
Bačka Palanka is a city and municipality located in Serbia, on left bank of the Danube, at 45.15° North, 19.24° East...
municipality, in the South Bačka District
South Backa District
South Bačka District is a northern district of Serbia. It lies in the southern part of Bačka and northern part of Syrmia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It has a population of 607,835...
of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
. Despotovo had a total population of 2,081 inhabitants in 1991 and 2,096 in 2002. Most of the inhabitants of the village are ethnic Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
.
Name of the village
During its history, Despotovo has had many names. In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the village was called Sentivan, because the family who owned it were the Sentivanji. In the second half of the 13th century it was called Szentivankeszi (Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
called it Kesi-selo / Кеси-село). By 1418, the Serbs called it Despot Sentivan (Деспот Сентиван). It was named by Despot Jovan Branković
Jovan Branković
Jovan Branković was the titular Despot of Serbia from 1496 until his death in 1502. He held the title of despot given to him by Vladislas II of Hungary, and ruled a region known as Racszag under the Kingdom of Hungary...
. Hungarians later accepted that name and they called it like that from the 16th century to the 18th. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Hungarians called it Edzasszentivan, Kisszentivan and again Sentivan. In 1904 Hungarians called the village Ursentivan. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when Ursentivan became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, they called it Despot Sveti Ivan (Despot Saint John). After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it changed name to Vasiljevo (Васиљево), because of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
soldier Vasilj who was the first soldier who entered the village after the Germans abandoned it. After a few years it became known as Novo Vasiljevo, and then, finally, Despotovo.
History
Despotovo is one of the oldest villages in BačkaBacka
Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...
. When the Ottomans
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...
conquered Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
many people left the village. Because of the many wars between 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...
and 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...
, the village's population changed a lot from the 16th century to the 18th century, although it was mainly populated by Serbs during the Ottoman rule. After the Habsburgs defeated the Ottomans, Serbs started settling in Despotovo again. The village's first school opened in the 1770s and its church was built in 1786.
1991
According to the 1991 census, Despotovo had a total population of 2,081 inhabitants, comprising:- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
= 1,793 (86.16%) - CroatsCroatsCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
= 68 (3.27%) - YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
= 63 (3.03%) - SlovaksSlovaksThe Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
= 40 (1.92%) - MuslimsMuslims by nationalityMuslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
= 18 (0.86%) - Roma = 17 (0.82%)
- Hungarians = 15 (0.72%)
- RusynsPannonian RusynsRusyns in Pannonia, or simply Rusyns or Ruthenians , are a Slavic minority in Serbia and Croatia...
= 14 (0.67%) - Montenegrins = 11 (0.53%)
- GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
= 6 (0.23%) - Others = 36 (1.73%)
2002
In 2002, the population of the village numbered 2,096 people, including:- 1,863 SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
- 46 SlovaksSlovaksThe Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
- 43 CroatsCroatsCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
- 31 YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
- 19 Hungarians
- 17 Roma
- 12 RusynsPannonian RusynsRusyns in Pannonia, or simply Rusyns or Ruthenians , are a Slavic minority in Serbia and Croatia...
- 10 MuslimsMuslims by nationalityMuslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
- others.
See also
- Bačka PalankaBacka PalankaBačka Palanka is a city and municipality located in Serbia, on left bank of the Danube, at 45.15° North, 19.24° East...
- South Bačka DistrictSouth Backa DistrictSouth Bačka District is a northern district of Serbia. It lies in the southern part of Bačka and northern part of Syrmia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It has a population of 607,835...
- BačkaBackaBačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...
- List of places in Serbia
- List of cities, towns and villages in Vojvodina