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| 3. Serbia |
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| RULERS OF SERBIA (YUGOSLAVIA, 1804-1945) |
| Like most Balkan nations, Serbia in the 19th century expended most of its energies on establishing itself as a European nation, complete with a modern state apparatus; by 1866 Serbia had the largest army in the Balkans. With a population that grew from 368,000 to 2.9 million by 1910, Serbia remained rural; only 10 percent of the population was urban by 1874. The result was land hunger and little industrialization. By 1911, 80 percent of the population was still employed in agriculture. Although Serbian nationalism was built on a cultural revival, at the turn of the century 55 percent of Serbs were still illiterate. | 1 |
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| 1804–13 |
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| First Serbian Revolution, under the local notable Karageorge Petrovic (See 1815–17). The Serbian Revolution grew out of general conditions in the Balkans, especially the breakdown of law and order and the organization of local governments. At the outbreak of the revolution, most Serb leaders wanted only the restoration of peace and security with the recognition of some autonomy. After initial difficulties, the Porte exploited European wars to suppress the Serbs. | 2 |
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| 1813 |
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| The first Serbian newspaper, Srpske Novine, published in Vienna. It moved to Belgrade in 1834. | 3 |
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| 1815–17 |
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| Second Serbian Revolution, under Milosh Obrenovich. The Porte was more willing to find a peaceful solution, fearing European interference. | 4 |
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| 1817 |
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| Milosh was recognized by the sultan as prince of Serbia (the pashalik of Belgrade), which was given a measure of self-government. A National Chancery of twelve Serbian notables was to be set up in Belgrade as the highest court. Serbian officials were to collect taxes and to administer local affairs. Milosh followed a cautious policy of bribery, gradually securing larger powers from the Porte. During the Greek War (See 1821–31), he managed to play a canny game between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. | 5 |
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| 1829 |
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| The Treaty of Adrianople guaranteed the autonomy of Serbia and religious liberty. | 6 |
| Vuk Karadzic and Leopold Ranke published a history of the Serbian Revolution. | 7 |
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| 1830 |
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| The sultan recognized Milosh as hereditary prince, added some territory to his jurisdiction, obliged the Ottoman landlords to sell their holdings, and confined Ottoman troops to a few garrison towns. | 8 |
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| 1832 |
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| A convention signed with Phanar authorities gave Serbia the right to choose a metropolitan and the bishops. The bishop of Belgrade became the metropolitan of Serbia. | 9 |
| The first minister of education was installed in office. By 1839 he oversaw 72 primary schools and 5 lycées. | 10 |
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| 1833 |
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| Pavle Javanovic became Petar, the first metropolitan. | 11 |
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| 1834 |
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| A new civil code was promulgated. | 12 |
| The first theater in Serbia was organized in Kragujevac, but the true centers of Serbian culture remained Vienna and Pest. | 13 |
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| 1835 |
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| Opposition of the notables to Milosh's autocratic and oppressive rule (use of bastinado on his opponents, appropriation of forests, control of the pork business) forced Milosh to grant a constitution providing for a Senate of elders with legislative, executive, and judicial powers, and a popular assembly (Skupshtina) with control of the budget. | 14 |
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| 1835–36 |
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| Agricultural laws confirmed village community ownership of forests and pastures. Milosh granted these in an attempt to gain the loyalty of the peasantry, which represented 95 percent of the population. These laws stabilized the conditions of peasant life, making the peasants a community of smallholders. | 15 |
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