Janko Popović ( sr-cyr, Јанко Поповић; 1779–1833), nicknamed Cincar Janko (Цинцар-Јанко), was a Serbian
vojvoda, one of the most prominent leaders of the
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising ( sr, Prvi srpski ustanak, italics=yes, sr-Cyrl, Први српски устанак; tr, Birinci Sırp Ayaklanması) was an uprising of Serbs in the Sanjak of Smederevo against the Ottoman Empire from 14 February 18 ...
.
Early life
Janko was born in 1779 in
Ohrid
Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...
, in a family of priests. His father came from the
Aromanian village of
Dolna Belica,
[ "According to local traditions, the exoduses from Niçë and Llëngë led to the establishment of two new Vlach villages north-west of Lake Ohrid, on Mount Jablanica. First Gorna Belica (Biala di ni sus) was established, high on the unseen slopes of Jablanica, and shortly afterwards Dolna Belica (Biala di n gios/Kimpu), down in the foothills.... The close relations between Gorna and Dolna Belica and the older Vlach villages of Niçë and Llëngë (a relationship akin perhaps to that between a metropolis and its colonies) is probably attested by the intermarriage and family connections which developed among them."; pp. 468-469.] where his cousin
Cincar Marko Kostić, another leader in the
Serbian Uprising was born. After he had murdered a certain Turk, Janko fled northwards and around the year 1800 and settled in
Valjevo
Valjevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Ваљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Kolubara District in western Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the administrative area of Valjevo had 90,312 inhabitants, 59,07 ...
where he lived as a tradesman. His nickname was ''Cincar'' ("Aromanian"), because of his roots.
[ "Во струшкиот Дримкол имало две впашки населби - Горна и Долна Белица."]
Serbian Uprising (1804-1813)
When the outlawed
janissaries
A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orhan ( ...
from
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
decided to preemptively murder all the important Serbs in the district they controlled, Popović was also imprisoned, but was in the end released due to the pleading of many citizens of
Valjevo
Valjevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Ваљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Kolubara District in western Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the administrative area of Valjevo had 90,312 inhabitants, 59,07 ...
.
Having lived through this ordeal, Popović joined the insurrection immediately. From 1804 until 1811 he fought against the Turks mostly on
Drina River
The Drina ( sr-Cyrl, Дрина, ) is a long Balkans river, which forms a large portion of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps whic ...
. He took part in the taking of Karanovac (nowadays
Kraljevo
Kraljevo ( sr-cyr, Краљево, ) is a city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar, in the geographical region of Šumadija, between the mountains of K ...
) in 1805, battle of
Lješnica (1806) and the battle of Čučuge (1806). He was appointed to be the commander of bećari, unmarried men or Serbs from out of Serbia, who – unlike the rest of the peasant army which was not too keen of leaving their villages for too long – were the most mobile part of the insurrectionist army.
Cincar Janko distinguished himself in the battle of
Mišar (1806) and in the consequent pursuing of the defeated Bosnian army during which he even crossed into the
Habsburg Empire
The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
to attack those who sought refuge there. Because of this incident, the Austrians will continue pressing for his trial. In late 1806 he took part in the liberation of
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
. In 1807 he was at the head of the
Šabac
Šabac (Serbian Cyrillic: Шабац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Mačva District in western Serbia. The traditional centre of the fertile Mačva region, Šabac is located on the right banks of the river Sava. , the city p ...
garrison and fought in the skirmished on River
Drina
The Drina ( sr-Cyrl, Дрина, ) is a long Balkans river, which forms a large portion of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps whic ...
.
In 1809 he is given the title of vojvoda (“duke”) and is commanding troops that crossed into Bosnia. In 1810 Popović was wounded in the battle of Tičar, near
Loznica
Loznica ( sr-cyrl, Лозница, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city located in the Mačva District of western Serbia. It lies on the right bank of the Drina river. In 2011 the city had a total population of 19,572, while the administrative ar ...
.
He was famous for taking part in duels that took place before the battle would start.
During the Uprising Cincar Janko continued, as much as he could, with trade. He also bought himself a house in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
.
In the conflict between the supreme commander
Karadjordje and some of the leaders of the Insurrection, Cincar Janko took Karadjordje’s side. Cincar Janko became
vojvode
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 ...
of the County of
Požarevac
Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Braničevo District in eastern Serbia. It is located between three rivers: Danube, Great Morava and Mlava and below the hill Čačalica (208m). As of 2011, ...
. He remained on this position until the end of the Uprising.
During the 1813 Ottoman offensive Cincar Janko was defending
Deligrad
Deligrad, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Jabukovac
) is a village in the municipality of Aleksinac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 211 people.
History
In December 1806, it was the sit ...
on the southern front but had to retreat, first to
Požarevac
Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Braničevo District in eastern Serbia. It is located between three rivers: Danube, Great Morava and Mlava and below the hill Čačalica (208m). As of 2011, ...
and then to
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
, where from he crossed to the Habsburg Empire.
Life in Russia (1813-1830)
Because of the 1809 border incident Cincar Janko was now put to trial and imprisoned in
Arad. Upon the insisting of the Russian Emperor he was released and joined the other leaders of the Insurrection in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. Like many of them, Cincar Janko lived in
Hotin
Khotyn ( uk, Хотин, ; ro, Hotin, ; see other names) is a city in Dnistrovskyi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast of western Ukraine and is located south-west of Kamianets-Podilskyi. It hosts the administration of Khotyn urban hromada, one of the ...
(today in
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
) until 1830. His sons got educated as officers of the Russian army in which they started their career but later returned to Serbia with their father.
Return to Serbia and Death (1830-1833)
After the Sultan had granted Serbia autonomy, Prince of Serbia
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 f ...
, allowed most of the exiled vojvodas to return. Cincar Janko did so and settled in
Šabac
Šabac (Serbian Cyrillic: Шабац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Mačva District in western Serbia. The traditional centre of the fertile Mačva region, Šabac is located on the right banks of the river Sava. , the city p ...
. In 1833 he got sick; on his way to the
Sokobanja
Sokobanja ( sr-cyr, Сокобања, ) is a spa town and municipality located in the Zaječar District of the eastern Serbia. As of 2011, the population of the town is 7,982, while population of the municipality is 16,021.
Geography
Sokobanja ...
spa he stopped at
Ravanica Monastery
The Ravanica Monastery ( sr, / ) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery on Kučaj mountains near Senje, a village in Ćuprija municipality in Central Serbia. It was built in 1375–1377 as an endowment of prince Lazar of Serbia, who is buried ...
where he died.
Popović was a brave man and an able leader. All of his life he remained a devout Orthodox Christian. He helped several churches in Serbia and in the Habsburg Empire. He is mentioned in many
epic folk songs as well as in
Sima Milutinović Sarajlija
Simeon "Sima" Milutinović "Sarajlija" ( sr-cyr, Симеон "Сима" Милутиновић "Сарајлија", ; 3 October 1791 – 30 December 1847) was a poet, hajduk, translator, historian and adventurer. Literary critic Jovan Skerlić ...
’s epic ''Serbijanka''.
[S. M. Sarajlija, Srbijanka, pp. 26, 35-37, 596-597]
His descendants took the surname Cincar-Janković and were an eminent
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
family.
References
External links
* M. Dj. Milićević, ''Pomenik'', Belgrade 1888, 1979
* ''Mala enciklopedija Prosveta'', Belgrade 1959, 1986, vol. 3, p. 878
* A. Gavrilović, ''Znameniti Srbi 19. veka'', Belgrade-Zagreb 1901
* ''Riznica srpska'' http://www.riznicasrpska.net/ponossrpstva/index.php?topic=211.0
{{DEFAULTSORT:Janko, Cincar
1779 births
1833 deaths
People from Ohrid
Aromanians from the Ottoman Empire
Military personnel from Požarevac
People of the First Serbian Uprising
19th-century Serbian people
Serbian people of Aromanian descent
Aromanian military personnel
Burials at Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches