Sava Grujić
Encyclopedia
General Sava Grujić was a Serbia
n military, diplomat and a Radical Party
politician.
As a diplomat
he was the first to represent Serbia in Bulgaria and was Serbian representative to the Russian Empire, Serbian Deputy in Constantinople and Representative to the Serbian Minister in Athens.
As a military he participated in both Serbian - Ottoman Wars (1876-1877) and (1877-1878) and served as Minister of War and Minister of Defence.
Starting from comparatively humble origins, he served as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Serbia five times between 1889 and 1906 in the Governments of both Karađorđević and Obrenović.
Sava Grujić was considered one of the builders of Yugoslavia
and played an instrumental role in its creation. He was an able negotiator and diplomat and with some of his contemporaries put together ideas for the formation of a south Slav State working together with prominent liberals of his day.
His grandfather, Vule Ilic, was a well-known vojvoda (duke or military commander) under Karadjordje who distinguished himself by his skill and bravery at the battle of Suvobor in 1809 during the First Serbian Uprising
against the Ottoman Empire.
His parents, on the other hand, were very modest and, once Sava had finished his elementary education at the village school, could no longer afford to pay for any further education; fortunately, the local priest and another local official recognised Sava's potential and arranged for him to go to Belgrade for secondary education.
When the Polish uprising against Russian oppression started in 1863, inspired by new and modern ideas Sava left Berlin (without permission) to join the Polish fighters, when the uprising collapsed he could not return to Berlin so he went back to Belgrade.
Two years later he was recalled into the army and sent to military schools in Russia to continue his military training for the next six years after which he returned to Serbia where he was sent to the arsenal of Kragujevac as expert in artillery and armaments.
Kragujevac became Serbia's main center for arms production and the modernization of armaments.
Sava Grujić as Chief of Artillery took a leading part in the battle and by the end of 1876 was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
On April 24, 1877, Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire and in December was joined by the Serbs and Montenegrins in what became known as the Russo-Turkish War
.
Sava was appointed Minister of War a position he held from until October 1st 1878.
After the Treaty of Berlin (July 13, 1878). Serbia and Montenegro received their independence from the Ottoman Empire and also made substantial territorial gains.
From 1885 to 1887 he became the Serbian representative to the Russian Empire and moved his family to Saint Petersburg.
In 1887 he was reappointed Minister of War and was sent as a special envoy to Constantinople during the conflict between Russia, Turkey and Austria.
As a trusted political friend of Russia he was sent there to negotiate with the Turks on behalf of the Russians.
in Serbia of which he became the leader.
The Radicals stood for radical changes, Sava was always inspired by new, modern ideas and stood for political freedom and independence for small nations.
in 1888 he became Prime Minister for the first time, he made a new constitution.
A year later he became Foreign Secretary as well as Prime Minister.
His premierships never lasted long, politics being very stormy at that time with many changes of government and policy.
From 16 March 1890 to 11 February 1891 he was again Minister of Defence and then went to St. Petersburg as Minister and a Serbian deputy to Constantinople from 1891 to 1893.
On his return he became President of the new Government, Minister and Military Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In June 1903 he was appointed President of the State Council and twice Prime Minister under King Peter Karađorđević.
He remained in that office until 27 November 1904.
He became one more time Prime Minister and Minister of the Military from 1 March to 17 April 1906 and finally President of the Council of State from 1906 to 1910.
minister diplomat, rector of the University of Belgrade and President of the Serbian Royal Academy.
In 1906 he retired from active political life but remained President of the State Council, In 1910 he retired from all activities.
Sava Grujić died peacefully in his home just a few
days after celebrating this historic event.
He wrote a number of military manuals and books. One of his best known publications which was very popular at the time was the History of the Serbo-Turkish Wars of 1816 - 1818 in four volumes.
Several other manuscripts were lost during the first World War as they were about to be published.
Sava was an honorary member of the Serbian Academy of Science and the Russian Archaeological Institute.
His medals, stolen during the first world War, appeared recently at a sale at Sothebys.
As well as Serbian, Sava spoke German, Russian, French, Turkish and some Greek.
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...
n military, diplomat and a Radical Party
People's Radical Party
The People's Radical Party of Serbia was a political party formed on January 8, 1881, which was active in the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes...
politician.
As a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
he was the first to represent Serbia in Bulgaria and was Serbian representative to the Russian Empire, Serbian Deputy in Constantinople and Representative to the Serbian Minister in Athens.
As a military he participated in both Serbian - Ottoman Wars (1876-1877) and (1877-1878) and served as Minister of War and Minister of Defence.
Starting from comparatively humble origins, he served as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Serbia five times between 1889 and 1906 in the Governments of both Karađorđević and Obrenović.
Sava Grujić was considered one of the builders of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and played an instrumental role in its creation. He was an able negotiator and diplomat and with some of his contemporaries put together ideas for the formation of a south Slav State working together with prominent liberals of his day.
Early life
Sava Grujić was born on 25th November 1840 at Kolari, a village in the district of Smederevo, just ten years after Serbia became a semi-independent state after five centuries of Turkish occupation.His grandfather, Vule Ilic, was a well-known vojvoda (duke or military commander) under Karadjordje who distinguished himself by his skill and bravery at the battle of Suvobor in 1809 during the First Serbian Uprising
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
against the Ottoman Empire.
His parents, on the other hand, were very modest and, once Sava had finished his elementary education at the village school, could no longer afford to pay for any further education; fortunately, the local priest and another local official recognised Sava's potential and arranged for him to go to Belgrade for secondary education.
Military Career
After leaving school Sava entered the Military Academy in Belgrade, he later got a commission into the Serbian Army. From 1861 to 1863 he study at the Prussian Military Academy (Preußische Kriegsakademie).When the Polish uprising against Russian oppression started in 1863, inspired by new and modern ideas Sava left Berlin (without permission) to join the Polish fighters, when the uprising collapsed he could not return to Berlin so he went back to Belgrade.
Two years later he was recalled into the army and sent to military schools in Russia to continue his military training for the next six years after which he returned to Serbia where he was sent to the arsenal of Kragujevac as expert in artillery and armaments.
Kragujevac became Serbia's main center for arms production and the modernization of armaments.
The Serbo-Turkish war
In July 1875 the Christian peasants of Herzegovina rebelled against their Muslim landlords and Ottoman Turkish rulers. The insurrection which was aided by Serbia and Montenegro quickly spread to Bosnia and aroused enormous popular sympathy in Serbia, still an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire.Sava Grujić as Chief of Artillery took a leading part in the battle and by the end of 1876 was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
On April 24, 1877, Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire and in December was joined by the Serbs and Montenegrins in what became known as the Russo-Turkish War
Russo-Turkish War
Russo-Turkish War may refer to one of the following conflicts between Imperial Russia and the Ottoman Empire:*Russo-Turkish War *Russo-Turkish War *Russo-Turkish War *Pruth River Campaign...
.
Sava was appointed Minister of War a position he held from until October 1st 1878.
After the Treaty of Berlin (July 13, 1878). Serbia and Montenegro received their independence from the Ottoman Empire and also made substantial territorial gains.
Diplomatic Career
In 1879 he was sent to Bulgaria as the first Serbian diplomatic representative to that country, then in 1882 to 1884 he was posted to Athens as Serbian Minister.From 1885 to 1887 he became the Serbian representative to the Russian Empire and moved his family to Saint Petersburg.
In 1887 he was reappointed Minister of War and was sent as a special envoy to Constantinople during the conflict between Russia, Turkey and Austria.
As a trusted political friend of Russia he was sent there to negotiate with the Turks on behalf of the Russians.
Politital Career
He was very active in forming the Radical PartyPeople's Radical Party
The People's Radical Party of Serbia was a political party formed on January 8, 1881, which was active in the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes...
in Serbia of which he became the leader.
The Radicals stood for radical changes, Sava was always inspired by new, modern ideas and stood for political freedom and independence for small nations.
in 1888 he became Prime Minister for the first time, he made a new constitution.
A year later he became Foreign Secretary as well as Prime Minister.
His premierships never lasted long, politics being very stormy at that time with many changes of government and policy.
From 16 March 1890 to 11 February 1891 he was again Minister of Defence and then went to St. Petersburg as Minister and a Serbian deputy to Constantinople from 1891 to 1893.
On his return he became President of the new Government, Minister and Military Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In June 1903 he was appointed President of the State Council and twice Prime Minister under King Peter Karađorđević.
He remained in that office until 27 November 1904.
He became one more time Prime Minister and Minister of the Military from 1 March to 17 April 1906 and finally President of the Council of State from 1906 to 1910.
Personal life
Sava Grujić married Milica Radovenovic from Sremska Mitrovica. They had four children: Captain Boro Grujić (born 1921), Captain Alek Grujić, Mara (1924) married to Cavalry Division General Vojin Tcholak-Antitch great-grandson of vojvoda Čolak-Anta Simeonović, and Olga, Royal Lady in Waiting, married to Milivoje S. Lozanić professor of Chemistry courses and son of Sima LozanićSima Lozanic
Sima Lozanić was a Serbian chemist, president of the Serbian Royal Academy, the first rector of the University of Belgrade, minister of foreign affairs, minister of industry and diplomat.-Biography:...
minister diplomat, rector of the University of Belgrade and President of the Serbian Royal Academy.
Retirement from Political Life
In 1901 Sava Grujić headed the Serbian delegation to the second International Court of Justice in The Hague where he spent several months.In 1906 he retired from active political life but remained President of the State Council, In 1910 he retired from all activities.
Death and Legacy
October 1913 saw the end of the Balkan War against the Turks when Serbia together with Greece and Bulgaria liberated the Balkan Paninsula from the Turks.Sava Grujić died peacefully in his home just a few
days after celebrating this historic event.
He wrote a number of military manuals and books. One of his best known publications which was very popular at the time was the History of the Serbo-Turkish Wars of 1816 - 1818 in four volumes.
Several other manuscripts were lost during the first World War as they were about to be published.
Sava was an honorary member of the Serbian Academy of Science and the Russian Archaeological Institute.
His medals, stolen during the first world War, appeared recently at a sale at Sothebys.
As well as Serbian, Sava spoke German, Russian, French, Turkish and some Greek.