Sali Aga
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Sali Aga Đevrlić, also known as the Rudnik Bull, was a '' mutesellim'' (local governor) of the ''
nahiyah A nāḥiyah ( , plural ''nawāḥī'' ), also nahiyeh, nahiya or nahia, is a regional or local type of administrative division that usually consists of a number of villages or sometimes smaller towns. In Tajikistan, it is a second-level divisi ...
'' ( Ottoman administrative district) of Rudnik in what is now
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
at the beginning of the 19th century. He was a brother of Kučuk Alija, who was a
Janissary A janissary (, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops. They were the first modern standing army, and perhaps the first infantry force in the world to be equipped with firearms, adopted dur ...
, a ''mutesellim'' and one of four '' Dahiyas'' (leaders of rebel Janissaries) who controlled
Belgrade Pashaluk Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
from 1802 until the beginning of the
First Serbian Uprising The First Serbian Uprising (; sr-Cyrl, Први српски устанак; ) was an uprising of Serbs in Orašac (Aranđelovac), Orašac against the Ottoman Empire from 14 February 1804 to 7 October 1813. The uprising began as a local revolt ...
.


Biography

Sali Aga was born to the Đevrlić family from Rudnik. Before the First Serbian Uprising he was appointed by the ''Dahiyas'' to the position of ''mutesellim'' of Rudnik ''nahiyah'' and became known for his cruelty towards the local Christian population. He was particularly proud of his nickname, "Rudnik bull", which he received because of orgies with the local Christian population that he organized for him and his men. On Sali Aga's orders Christian brides and young women were brought to his wooden house near Rudnik every Sunday to dance in front of him so he could choose the most beautiful of them. If there was more than one bride he liked he would choose them to stay with him for the night. Sometimes he would keep a bride with him for a longer time. While they danced they sang songs dedicated to him, some of them still preserved in sources. Sali Aga organized orgies not only in his house but at festivals in villages around Rudnik. He introduced a special 'queens' custom in every nearby village in which he chose three young women and awarded them with titles of queen, king and flag-bearer. They had to serve drink and food to him and his men and to do whatever he demanded from them. The 'flag-bearer' was in charge to hold Sali Aga's flag, the 'king' was to serve
rakia Rakia, rakija, rakiya, rachiu or rakı (), is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50–80%). Ov ...
which was poured in Sali Aga's mouth by the 'queen' who also fed him.


First Serbian Uprising

At the end of February 1804, at the beginning of the First Serbian Uprising, 500 rebels commanded by
Arsenije Loma Arsenije Loma ( sr-cyr, Арсеније Лома; 1768–1815) was a Serbian ''voivode'' (military commander) in the First and Second Serbian Uprising of the Serbian Revolution (1804–1817). He was appointed by Karađorđe to command Kačer ...
and Petar Trešnjevčanin besieged Rudnik. The district was under the control of Sali Aga, reinforced by Ali Aga Džavić from
Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a popu ...
and Pljako from Karanovac (modern-day
Kraljevo Kraljevo ( sr-Cyrl, Краљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar River, Ibar, in the geographical region of ...
) and their 500 Janissaries. The Serbian rebel leader
Karađorđe Đorđe Petrović (; ;  – ), known by the sobriquet Karađorđe (; ), was a Serbian revolutionary leader who led a struggle against the Ottoman Empire during the First Serbian Uprising. He held the title of Grand Vožd of Serbia from 14 ...
joined the besieging forces on 2 March 1804 and invited local Muslim leaders loyal to the Ottoman Sultan to join negotiations, hoping to divide them from Janissaries loyal to the ''Dahiyas''. A leader of the local Muslims, Tokatlić, responded to Karađorđe's invitation and was given a request that Sali Aga, Džavić and Pljako should either surrender or leave Rudnik. Tokatlić soon came back with Džavić who informed Karađorđe that the three Janissary commanders accepted the request to leave Rudnik. On the following day, 3 March, they requested additional seven days to make their retreat, moved their families into the fortress and sent a messenger to Kučuk Alija requesting his help. According to Kosta S. Protić, a runaway Serb from Rudnik told Karađorđe about Sali Aga's plans. He decided to attack the town and fortress of Rudnik. When Sali Aga realized that the Serbian rebels would attack Rudnik he decided to attack first but was defeated, leaving 86 dead Janissaries on the battlefield. Without any food in the fortress, Sali Aga had to inform Karađorđe that he would accept the Serbian demand to leave Rudnik together with Džavić, Pljako and the other Janissaries. The Serbian rebels captured Rudnik on 11 March.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sali Aga 19th-century civil servants from the Ottoman Empire Ottoman military personnel of the Serbian Revolution People from the Ottoman Empire of Serbian descent Year of birth missing Year of death missing