Principality of Serbia


The Principality of Serbia was a semi-independent state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the Serbian Revolution, which lasted between 1804 and 1817. Its creation was negotiated first through an unwritten agreement between Miloš Obrenović, leader of the Second Serbian Uprising, and Ottoman official Marashli Pasha. It was followed by the series of legal documents published by the Porte in 1828, 1829 and finally, 1830 — the Hatt-i Sharif. Its de facto independence ensued in 1867, following the expulsion of all Ottoman troops from the country; its independence was recognized internationally in 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin. In 1882 the country was elevated to the status of kingdom.

History

The Serbian revolutionary leaders — first Karađorđe and then Miloš Obrenović — succeeded in their goal of liberating Serbia from centuries-long Turkish rule. Turkish authorities acknowledged the state by the 1830 Hatt-i Sharif, and Miloš Obrenović became a hereditary prince of the Serbian Principality.
At first, the principality included only the territory of the former Pashaluk of Belgrade, but in 1831–33 it expanded to the east, south, and west. In 1866 Serbia began the campaign of forging The First Balkan Alliance by signing the series of agreements with other Balkan entities in the period 1866–68. On 18 April 1867 the Ottoman government ordered the Ottoman garrison, which since 1826 had been the last representation of Ottoman suzerainty in Serbia, withdrawn from the Belgrade fortress. The only stipulation was that the Ottoman flag continue to fly over the fortress alongside the Serbian one. Serbia's de facto independence dates from this event. A new constitution in 1869 defined Serbia as an independent state. Serbia was further expanded to the southeast in 1878, when its independence from the Ottoman Empire won full international recognition at the Treaty of Berlin. The Principality would last until 1882 when it was raised to the level of the Kingdom of Serbia.

Political history

Constitutions

Military

Demographics

This is ethnic and religious composition of Principality of Serbia in 1866 and after that population by year.
In the first decades of the principality, the population was about 85% Serb and 15% non-Serb. Of those, most were Vlachs, and there were some Muslim Albanians, which were the overwhelming majority of the Muslims that lived in Smederevo, Kladovo and Küprili. The new state aimed to homogenize of its population. As a result, from 1830 to the wars of the 1870s in which Albanians were expelled from the environs of Nis, it has been estimated that up to 150,000 Albanians that lived in the territories of the Principality of Serbia had been expelled.
NameNumber
Serbs1,057,540
Vlachs 127,326
Roma 25,171
Others5,539

YearTotal population
1834678,192
1841828,895
1843859,545
1846915,080
1850956,893
1854998,919
18591,078,281
18631,108,668
18661,216,219
18781,669,337

Rulers

The Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynasty, except for a period under Prince Aleksandar of the Karađorđević dynasty. Princes Miloš and Mihailo Obrenović each reigned twice.
PortraitNameBirthDeathFromUntilNotes-
Miloš Obrenović IMarch 17, 1780September 26, 1860November 6, 1817June 25, 1839-
Milan Obrenović IIOctober 21, 1819July 8, 1839June 25, 1839July 8, 1839son of Miloš Obrenović I-
Mihailo Obrenović IIISeptember 16, 1823June 10, 1868July 8, 1839September 14, 1842son of Miloš Obrenović I-
Aleksandar KarađorđevićOctober 11. 1806May 3. 1885September 14, 1842December 23, 1858-
Miloš Obrenović IMarch 17, 1780September 1860December 23, 1858September 26, 1860-
Mihailo Obrenović IIISeptember 16, 1823June 10, 1868September 26, 1860June 10, 1868-
Milan Obrenović IVAugust 22, 1854February 11, 1901June 10, 1868March 6, 1882

Gallery

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