Stojan Jankovic
Encyclopedia
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 enumerated in Serb epic poetry. He was one of the three best-known uskok
leaders of Kotar
.
(1613-1659), another renowned anti-Ottoman rebel in Venetian service, noted commander of the Morlach army in the Cretan War (1645–1669)
. Mitar, Janko's grandfather and eponymous founder of the noble family, hailed from Žegar. Stojan had two brothers (Ilija and Zaviša) and a sister. The Mitrovići resettled, together with others from Žegar, in Budim near Posedarja, then under Venetian control.
Stojan began fighting alongside his father and Ilija Smiljanić early on, in the Cretan War. Ilija, as the more experienced, was named serdar in 1648 after his father, Serdar Petar had died. In 1650, Stojan begins to receive a pay of 4 ducats, in 1653 the pay is raised to 6. In February 1659, at the Cetina
river, both leaders Janko and Ilija Smiljanić succumb to wounds after battling the Turks. The same year, the well experienced 23-year-old Stojan is chosen as leader by the band. As leader, he constantly takes part in battles in the Frontier
. He was known to have defeated several Turkish contingents, and even himself slew the commanders, among which are notable: Ali-beg Durakbegović, Redžep-aga Filipović, aga Velagić, aga Pajalitović and Ibrahim-aga Kovačević.
In 1669-1670, Venice awards him 29 ducats monthly, and among other gifts he received a golden ring of St. Mark, and his two sons became captains. He was also given Islam Grčki, but lost it in 1671 with new border negotiations of Mahmud Pasha and Giann Battista. A truce ensured 1670-1684. In 1672, he is mentioned in Orthodox church books in Zadar. In 1681, he is mentioned as capo principale di Morlacchi, or Head Boss of the [Uskok] Serbs', with a monthly pay of 25 ducats.
In 1684 he returned from a 14-month stay in Constantinople, and joined the war against the Ottomans; liberating Sinj
, Lika
and Krbava
in 1686.In the summer of 1685, Cosmi, the Archbishop of Split, wrote that Stojan had brought 300 families with him to Dalmatia, and also that around Trogir and Split there were 5000 refugees from Turkish lands, without food - seen as a serious threat to the defense of Dalmatia. Grain
sent by the Pope
prooved insufficient, and the Serbs were forced to launch expeditions into Turkish territory. During the siege of Hercegnovi, he went with one part of the troops and pillaged the outskirt of Ottoman Duvno, where he was killed (1687).
Yugoslav writers Boško and Vladan Desnica
are descendants of Stojan's youngest brother Zaviša.
Serbs of Croatia
Višeslav of Serbia, a contemporary of Charlemagne , ruled the Županias of Neretva, Tara, Piva, Lim, his ancestral lands. According to the Royal Frankish Annals , Duke of Pannonia Ljudevit Posavski fled, during the Frankish invasion, from his seat in Sisak to the Serbs in western Bosnia, who...
army, in the service 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...
, from 1669 until his death in 1687. He participated in the Cretan
Cretan War (1645–1669)
The Cretan War or War of Candia , as the Fifth Ottoman–Venetian War is better known, was a conflict between the Republic of Venice and her allies against the Ottoman Empire and the Barbary States, fought over the island of Crete, Venice's largest and richest overseas possession...
and Great Turkish War
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:...
, as the supreme commander of the Venetian Serb troops, of which he is enumerated in Serb epic poetry. He was one of the three best-known 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...
leaders of Kotar
Gorski kotar
Gorski kotar is the mountainous region in Croatia between Karlovac and Rijeka. Together with Lika and the Ogulin-Plaški valley it forms Mountainous Croatia. Because 63% of its surface is forested it is popularly called the green lungs of Croatia or Croatian Switzerland...
.
Life
He was the son of harambaša Janko MitrovićJanko Mitrovic
harambaša Janko Mitrović was the commander of the Dalmatian Serb army, in the service of the Republic of Venice, from 1648 until his death in 1659. He participated in the Cretan War , alongside Ilija Smiljanić, as the supreme commanders of the Venetian Serb troops, of which he is enumerated in...
(1613-1659), another renowned anti-Ottoman rebel in Venetian service, noted commander of the Morlach army in the Cretan War (1645–1669)
Cretan War (1645–1669)
The Cretan War or War of Candia , as the Fifth Ottoman–Venetian War is better known, was a conflict between the Republic of Venice and her allies against the Ottoman Empire and the Barbary States, fought over the island of Crete, Venice's largest and richest overseas possession...
. Mitar, Janko's grandfather and eponymous founder of the noble family, hailed from Žegar. Stojan had two brothers (Ilija and Zaviša) and a sister. The Mitrovići resettled, together with others from Žegar, in Budim near Posedarja, then under Venetian control.
Stojan began fighting alongside his father and Ilija Smiljanić early on, in the Cretan War. Ilija, as the more experienced, was named serdar in 1648 after his father, Serdar Petar had died. In 1650, Stojan begins to receive a pay of 4 ducats, in 1653 the pay is raised to 6. In February 1659, at the Cetina
Cetina
Cetina is a river in southern Croatia. It has a length of and its basin covers an area of . Cetina descends from an altitude of 385 m at its source to the sea level when it flows into the Adriatic Sea. It is the most water-rich river in Dalmatia....
river, both leaders Janko and Ilija Smiljanić succumb to wounds after battling the Turks. The same year, the well experienced 23-year-old Stojan is chosen as leader by the band. As leader, he constantly takes part in battles in the Frontier
Military Frontier
The Military Frontier was a borderland of Habsburg Austria and later the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which acted as the cordon sanitaire against incursions from the Ottoman Empire...
. He was known to have defeated several Turkish contingents, and even himself slew the commanders, among which are notable: Ali-beg Durakbegović, Redžep-aga Filipović, aga Velagić, aga Pajalitović and Ibrahim-aga Kovačević.
In 1669-1670, Venice awards him 29 ducats monthly, and among other gifts he received a golden ring of St. Mark, and his two sons became captains. He was also given Islam Grčki, but lost it in 1671 with new border negotiations of Mahmud Pasha and Giann Battista. A truce ensured 1670-1684. In 1672, he is mentioned in Orthodox church books in Zadar. In 1681, he is mentioned as capo principale di Morlacchi, or Head Boss of the [Uskok] Serbs', with a monthly pay of 25 ducats.
In 1684 he returned from a 14-month stay in Constantinople, and joined the war against the Ottomans; liberating Sinj
Sinj
Sinj is a town in the continental part of Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. The town itself has a population of 11,448, while the population of the administrative municipality which includes surrounding villages is 24,832 ....
, 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...
and Krbava
Krbava
Krbava is a region of mountainous Croatia. It can be considered either located east of Lika, or indeed as the eastern part of Lika. The town of Udbina is the central settlement of the Krbava karst field....
in 1686.In the summer of 1685, Cosmi, the Archbishop of Split, wrote that Stojan had brought 300 families with him to Dalmatia, and also that around Trogir and Split there were 5000 refugees from Turkish lands, without food - seen as a serious threat to the defense of Dalmatia. Grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
sent by the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
prooved insufficient, and the Serbs were forced to launch expeditions into Turkish territory. During the siege of Hercegnovi, he went with one part of the troops and pillaged the outskirt of Ottoman Duvno, where he was killed (1687).
Family
With his wife Vinka (or Vuka) he had sons Nikola and Djuradj, and a daughter Anastasija.Yugoslav writers Boško and Vladan Desnica
Vladan Desnica
Vladan Desnica was a Croatian and Serbian writer.-Life:He was born in Zadar, then part of Austria-Hungary...
are descendants of Stojan's youngest brother Zaviša.
In folk tradition
- In the Serb epic poem "The Wedding of Janković Stojan", he is offered, by a girl called Hajkuna, to become Muslim and share his wealth with her. He responds: "Don't be foolish, Hajkuna! My God is my witness that I would not become a Turk, even if I was given LikaLikaLika 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...
and Udbinja". The poem ends by Hajkuna being christianized. - He is also enumerated in Muslim (Bosniak) folk poems.
See also
- Vuk MandušićVuk MandušićVuk Mandušić was a Croatian Serb military commander in the Croatian Military Frontier that fought the Ottoman Empire. He was born near Visovac on the Krka, in modern Croatia. His sabre is kept at the Visovac Monastery...
(fl. 1648), Serbian military commander in Austrian service - Jovan MonasterlijaJovan MonasterlijaJovan Monasterlija was a 17th-century Serbian vice-voivode and Austrian imperial officer that led a Serb army against the Ottoman Empire and other enemies of the Austrian Emperor...
(fl. 1689-1706), Serbian military commander in Austrian service - Vuk IsakovičVuk IsakovičVuk Isakovič was a Serbian military commander in Austrian service during the Austrian-Turkish Wars. He was the inspiration for the main character in the Seobe-roman by Miloš Crnjanski.-Life:...
(fl. 1696-1759), Serbian military commander in Austrian service
Sources
- Berber, S. 2004, "Istorijski podaci o uskočkom serdaru Stojanu Jankoviću", Norma, vol. 10, no. 1-2, pp. 151-161. (Serbian)
- Baština dvora Jankovića, Istorijski muzej Srbije, Beograd 2006 (Serbian)
- Epske narodne pesme, Uskoci, str. 17-43, Beograd, 1965 (Serbian)
- Rodoslov Jankovića i Desnica vid. Baština dvora Jankovića, Istorijski muzej Srbije, Beograd 2006, str. 92 (Serbian)
- http://www.kulajankovica.hr/?do=jandes