Stevan Petrović,

KCMT KCMT (92.1 FM) is an American Regional Mexican radio station that serves Tucson, Arizona. KCMT is licensed to broadcast from Green Valley, Arizona (a southern suburb of Tucson), and broadcasts on the frequency of 92.1 MHz. KCMT is owned by ...

( sr-cyr, Стеван Петровић), known as Stevan Knićanin (Стеван Книћанин, ''Stevan of Knić''; 15 February 1807 – 14 May 1855) was a

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hu ...

n ''

voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...

'' (commander) of the Serbian volunteer squads in

Serbian Vojvodina The Serbian Vojvodina ( sr, Српска Војводина / ) was a short-lived self-proclaimed Serb autonomous province within the Austrian Empire during the Revolutions of 1848, which existed until 1849 when it was transformed into the new (o ...

during the

1848 revolution The Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Springtime of the Peoples or the Springtime of Nations, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe starting in 1848. It remains the most widespread revolutionary wave in Europe ...

Life

Stevan Petrović was born on 15 February 1807 in

Knić Knić (; ) is a village and municipality located in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. According to 2011 census, the population of the town is 2,166, while population of the municipality is 14,237. Settlements Aside from the town of Knić, ...

near

Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...

(hence his nickname), during the

Serbian Revolution The Serbian Revolution ( sr, Српска револуција / ''Srpska revolucija'') was a national uprising and constitutional change in Serbia that took place between 1804 and 1835, during which this territory evolved from an Ottoman prov ...

, the region at the time being part of the

Sanjak of Smederevo The Sanjak of Smederevo ( tr, Semendire Sancağı; sr, / ), also known in historiography as the Pashalik of Belgrade ( tr, Belgrad Paşalığı; sr, / ), was an Ottoman administrative unit (sanjak), that existed between the 15th and the out ...

of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

(today

). During the rule of Prince

Miloš Obrenović Miloš, Milos, Miłosz or spelling variations thereof is a masculine given name and a surname. It may refer to: Given name Sportsmen * Miłosz Bernatajtys, Polish rower * Miloš Bogunović, Serbian footballer * Miloš Budaković, Serbian ...

, Knićanin's political career began as a commissioner of the Jasenica municipality in 1835, and in 1839 as a commissioner of the

Smederevo Smederevo ( sr-Cyrl, Смедерево, ) is a city and the administrative center of the Podunavlje District in eastern Serbia. It is situated on the right bank of the Danube, about downstream of the Serbian capital, Belgrade. According t ...

district, but he eventually joined the opposition as a Constitutionalist and supporter of the rival Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević of the

Karađorđević dynasty The Karađorđević dynasty ( sr-Cyrl, Динасија Карађорђевић, Dinasija Karađorđević, Карађорђевићи / Karađorđevići, ) or House of Karađorđević ( sr-Cyrl, Кућа Карађорђевић, Kuća Karađ ...

. Since he supported " ustavobranitelji" (the defenders of the constitution), he was expelled from the

Principality of Serbia The Principality of Serbia ( sr-Cyrl, Књажество Србија, Knjažestvo Srbija) was an autonomous state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the Serbian Revolution, which lasted between 1804 and 1817. Its creation wa ...

in 1840–1841. He returned in 1842, after Aleksandar Karađorđević had acceded to the throne on 14 September, after being elected the Prince of Serbia at the National Assembly in Vračar.

1848 revolution

During the 1848 Revolution, the Hungarians demanded national rights and autonomy within the Austrian Empire. However, they did not recognize the national rights of other nationalities which lived in the Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary in that time. As part of the

Revolutions of 1848 The Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Springtime of the Peoples or the Springtime of Nations, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe starting in 1848. It remains the most widespread revolutionary wave in Europ ...

, 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.Jelavich, p. 316 They met at

Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ; hu, Karlóca; tr, Karlofça) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danu ...

and

Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the P ...

. Several thousand Serbs met at the

May Assembly May Assembly ( sr, Мајска скупштина / Majska skupština) was the national assembly of the Serbs in Austrian Empire, held on 1 and 3 May 1848 in Sremski Karlovci, during which the Serbs proclaimed autonomous Serbian Vojvodina. This ...

on 1 May 1848. The delegates chose prominent Austrian-Serb general

Stevan Šupljikac Stevan Šupljikac ( sr-cyr, Стеван Шупљикац; 1786 – 15 December 1848), known simply as Vojvoda Šupljikac was a Serbian ''voivode'' and the first voivode of the Serbian Vojvodina. Life He was born in Petrinja, in 1786. He ...

as ''voivode'', the civil and military commander (Duke).

Josif Rajačić Josif Rajačić ( sr-Cyrl, Јосиф Рајачић; 20 July 1785 – 1 December 1861), also known as Josif Rajačić-Brinski, was a metropolitan of Sremski Karlovci, Serbian Patriarch, administrator of Vojvodina, and baron. Life Rajačić was ...

was elected the patriarch of the Serbs. The Serbs demanded a national unit consisting of

Banat Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of ...

Bačka Bačka ( sr-cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska () is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hunga ...

, Baranja and part of

Srem Syrmia ( sh, Srem/Срем or sh, Srijem/Сријем, label=none) is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia and Croatia. Most of the region is flat, with the ex ...

, known collectively as ''

Vojvodina Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...

''. This was completely against the Hungarian authorities visions. From May 1848 onward,

Serbs of Vojvodina The Serbs of Vojvodina are the largest ethnic group in this northern province of Serbia. For centuries, Vojvodina was ruled by several European powers, but Vojvodina Serbs never assimilated into cultures of those countries. Thus, they have cons ...

directly sought aid from the Serbian Principality, and on 10 May, general Stratimirović, head of the main committee, appealed to Prince Aleksandar for assistance and urged Knićanin to intercede. Knicanin was elected military commander. He had no prior experience in war, nor went to military school. In June and July a large wave of volunteers from the Principality entered Vojvodina. Knićanin arrived on 25 July. Among others who arrived were: the brother and nephew of

Hajduk Veljko Veljko Petrović ( sr-cyr, Вељко Петровић, ; c. 1780 – 1813), known simply as Hajduk Veljko (Хајдук Вељко, ǎjduːk v̞ɛ̌ːʎkɔ, was one of the '' vojvodas'' (military commanders) of the Serbian Revolutionary force ...

, council member

Milutin Petrović Milutin Petrović (; Serbian Cyrillic: Милутин Петровић; 1791–1861) was one of the '' vojvodas'' (military commanders) of the Serbian Revolutionary forces in the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire, in charge of th ...

, major Stanojlo Petrović, captain Sava Petrović and ''voivode'' prota Nenadović. From August 1848, Knićanin was a commander of the Serbian volunteer squads in the

, in which unit also

Golub Babić Golub Babić ( sr-cyr, Голуб Бабић; 7 September 1824 – 19 December 1910) was a Bosnian Serb guerrilla chief and one of the most prominent rebel commanders of the 1875–77 Herzegovina Uprising in the Ottoman Empire's Bosnia Vilaye ...

fought in. The size of his army exceeded 8,000 or 10,000 men. His military knowledge was expressed in more occasions, especially in the battles near

Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; german: Pantschowa; hu, Pancsova; ro, Panciova; sk, Pánčevo) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, ...

and

Vršac Vršac ( sr-cyr, Вршац, ; hu, Versec; ro, Vârșeț) is a city and the administrative centre of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2011, the city urban area had a population of 35,701, while ...

during the 1848 Revolution in what was then the Austrian Empire. After his return to Serbia in May 1849, Knićanin was awarded with the title of

by Aleksandar Karađorđević, at that time it had only been given to

Toma Vučić Perišić ''Prince'' Toma Vučić Perišić (Serbian Cyrillic: Тома Вучић Перишић; 1787 – 13 July 1859) was a Serbian politician, military leader during the Serbian Revolution, Freemason and one of the most powerful and influential indivi ...

.Kosta N. Hristić: „Zapisi starog Beograđanina“, Nolit, Beograd 1989, str. 516–517, He was a " Knight of Maria Therese", the highest order of the Austrian army.

Later years and death

As a result of a stroke in 1854, he died on 14 May 1855, in Belgrade.

Legacy

In 1850, Louis Kossuth wrote: "Bold Knicanin did wonders of bravery on the Lower Danube,"p. 297
/ref> The village of

Knićanin Knićanin (, ) is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Zrenjanin municipal area, in the Banat region (Central Banat District), Vojvodina province. Its population is 2,034 (2002 census) and most of its inhabitants are ethnic Serbs (97.39% ...

in the Serbian province of

was named after him.

References

Literature

* 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., knjiga prva, strana 423. * *Radoš Ljušić, 2008
''Ilija Garašanin on Serbia's Statehood''

External links

*Nasa Borba
''Junak poput mramornog stuba ''
(Serbian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Knicanin, Stevan 1807 births 1855 deaths 19th-century Serbian people Serbian revolutionaries Serbian military leaders Knicanin, Stevan Petrovic People of Serbian Vojvodina People of the Revolutions of 1848 People from Knić Interior ministers of Serbia