Stevan Šupljikac
Encyclopedia
Stevan Šupljikac, known simply as Vojvoda Šupljikac ( ; 1786 – 15 December 1848;) was a voivode (military commander) and the first Duke
of the Serbian Vojvodina
, in 1848.
, in 1786. He had a brother Jovan who was also a fighter, and a sister Anka who later married Gabriel Miletić.
He entered the Austrian army in 1805, subsequently becoming a general. Between 1806 and 1814 he was officer of the Imperial French
army. During the Russian Campaign of 1812, he was awarded with the Légion d'honneur
. In 1814, he again served as officer in the Austrian army, as a commander of the Ogulin regiment at Banat
and Lika
. He then was brigade commander under Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
, after which he was awarded with the Great Cross of the Iron Crown
. In 1848 he took part in the suppresion of Italian rebels in the Unification of Italy.
As part of the Revolutions of 1848
, the Serbs under Austria-Hungary demanded what they had in the previous century; recognition of Serbian as official language, equality of the Orthodox church as with Catholics, and annual church assembly gatherings. They met at Sremski Karlovci
and Novi Sad
. Several thousand Serbs met at the May Assembly
in Sremski Karlovci
on May 1, 1848. The delegates chose Šupljikac as voivode, the civil and military commander. Josif Rajačić
was elected the patriarch of the Serbs. The Serbs demanded a national unit consisting of Banat
, Backa
, Baranja and part of Srem
, known collectively as Vojvodina
.
During the revolutions, there was much fighting in Vojvodina, in June, Hungarian and Serbian bands began fighting. General Stratimirović, head of the main committee, on May 10, urged Prince Aleksandar for assistance and asked Stevan Knićanin
, a commissioner, to intercede. Knićanin was elected military commander. In June and July a large wave of volunteers from the Principality entered Vojvodina, Knićanin arrived at July 25.
Hungarians were not positive to the Serbs at this time, but support came from Vienna
- the new emperor Franz Joseph approved the establishment of the Serbian Vojvodina
, with Šupljikac as Duke. He became the supreme military commander of the Serbian national troops on October 6. He died on December 15, at Pančevo
, he was buried in the Krušedol Monastery
.
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of the Serbian Vojvodina
Serbian Vojvodina
The Serbian Vojvodina was a Serbian autonomous region within the Austrian Empire...
, in 1848.
Life
He was born in PetrinjaPetrinja
Petrinja is a city in central Croatia near Sisak in the historic region of Banovina. The city belongs to Sisak-Moslavina County .- History :The name of Petrinja has its roots in Latin petrus, meaning "stone"...
, in 1786. He had a brother Jovan who was also a fighter, and a sister Anka who later married Gabriel Miletić.
He entered the Austrian army in 1805, subsequently becoming a general. Between 1806 and 1814 he was officer of the Imperial French
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
army. During the Russian Campaign of 1812, he was awarded with the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. In 1814, he again served as officer in the Austrian army, as a commander of the Ogulin regiment at Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
and Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
. He then was brigade commander under Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
Johann Josef Wenzel Graf Radetzky von Radetz was a Czech nobleman and Austrian general, immortalised by Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March...
, after which he was awarded with the Great Cross of the Iron Crown
Order of the Iron Crown
The Imperial Order of the Iron Crown was established June 5, 1805 by Napoleon Bonaparte . It took its name from the ancient Iron Crown of Lombardy, a medieval jewel with an iron ring, forged from what was supposed to be a nail from the True Cross as a band on the inside. This crown also gave its...
. In 1848 he took part in the suppresion of Italian rebels in the Unification of Italy.
As part of the Revolutions of 1848
Revolutions of 1848
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary...
, the Serbs under Austria-Hungary demanded what they had in the previous century; recognition of Serbian as official language, equality of the Orthodox church as with Catholics, and annual church assembly gatherings. They met at Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci is a town and municipality in Serbia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, situated on the bank of the river Danube, 8 km from Novi Sad...
and Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
. Several thousand Serbs met at the May Assembly
May Assembly
May Assembly was the national assembly of the Serbs in Austrian Empire, held in 1 and 3 May 1848 in Sremski Karlovci, during which the Serbs proclaimed autonomous Serbian Vojvodina. This action was later recognized by the supreme Austrian authority in Vienna...
in Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci is a town and municipality in Serbia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, situated on the bank of the river Danube, 8 km from Novi Sad...
on May 1, 1848. The delegates chose Šupljikac as voivode, the civil and military commander. Josif Rajačić
Josif Rajacic
Josif Rajačić was a metropolitan of Sremski Karlovci, Serbian patriarch, administrator of Serbian Vojvodina and baron.-Life:...
was elected the patriarch of the Serbs. The Serbs demanded a national unit consisting of Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, Backa
Backa
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...
, Baranja and part of 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...
, known collectively as Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
.
During the revolutions, there was much fighting in Vojvodina, in June, Hungarian and Serbian bands began fighting. General Stratimirović, head of the main committee, on May 10, urged Prince Aleksandar for assistance and asked Stevan Knićanin
Stevan Knicanin
Stevan Petrović, KCMT , known simply as Stevan Knićanin was a Serbian voivode of the Serbian volunteer squads in Serbian Vojvodina during the 1848 revolution.-Life:...
, a commissioner, to intercede. Knićanin was elected military commander. In June and July a large wave of volunteers from the Principality entered Vojvodina, Knićanin arrived at July 25.
Hungarians were not positive to the Serbs at this time, but support came from 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...
- the new emperor Franz Joseph approved the establishment of the Serbian Vojvodina
Serbian Vojvodina
The Serbian Vojvodina was a Serbian autonomous region within the Austrian Empire...
, with Šupljikac as Duke. He became the supreme military commander of the Serbian national troops on October 6. He died on December 15, at Pančevo
Pancevo
Pančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
, he was buried in the 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...
.
Aftermath and legacy
Sources
- Jovan Mirosavljević, Brevijar ulica Novog Sada 1745-2001, Novi Sad, 2002.
- Barbara Jelavich, History of the Balkans: Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
- Vojna enciklopedija, Beograd, 1970, Book 1
- Radoš Ljušić, 2008, Ilija Garašanin on Serbia's Statehood
See also
- May AssemblyMay AssemblyMay Assembly was the national assembly of the Serbs in Austrian Empire, held in 1 and 3 May 1848 in Sremski Karlovci, during which the Serbs proclaimed autonomous Serbian Vojvodina. This action was later recognized by the supreme Austrian authority in Vienna...
- Rulers of VojvodinaRulers of VojvodinaThis is a list of local rulers of Vojvodina. The list also include local rulers of Banat, Bačka and Srem, including parts of mentioned regions, which are not part of present-day Vojvodina, as well as other rulers of larger political units that had specific local ties to territory of present-day...