Georgije Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Георгије Бранковић; 1830–1907) was the Patriarch of Karlovci, the spiritual leader of Habsburg

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...

, from 1890 until his death in 1907. He instigated a number of significant religious, educational, and economic reforms within territories covered by the Patriarchate, and was a renowned patron of the arts.

Biography

A painting called '' Migration of the Serbs'' was commissioned by Patriarch Georgije for the 1896 Budapest Millennium Exhibition, marking a thousand years of the Hungarian Empire and reaffirming that country's territorial rights. Prompted by patriotism and contemporary politics, Patriarch Georgije convinced painter

Paja Jovanović Pavle "Paja" Jovanović ( sr-cyr, Павле "Паја" Јовановић; ; 16 June 1859 – 30 November 1957) was a Serbian painter who painted more than 1,100 works including: '' The Wounded Montenegrin'' (1882), '' Decorating of the Bride'' ...

to present the case for the legitimacy of the Serbian historical presence and territorial claims and, as a consequence, contemporary acceptance of the "legal and privileged position of the Serbs in the Austrian monarchy". The Serbian understanding was that their migration was in response to

Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I (Leopold Ignaz Joseph Balthasar Franz Felician; hu, I. Lipót; 9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, by his first wife, Maria An ...

's request for their assistance in protecting his borders against the Turks. The contemporary message was that this was the genesis of the Serbian presence in the border areas now under

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brankovic, Georgije 1830 births 1907 deaths Patriarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church