Janko Mitrović

Janko Mitrović ( sr-cyr, Јанко Митровић; 1613–1659) was a ''harambaša'' (Ottoman for "bandit leader"), and the commander of the ''Morlach army'', in the service of the Republic of Venice, from 1648 until his death in 1659. He participated in the Cretan War (1645–69), alongside Ilija Smiljanić, as the supreme commanders of the Venetian Morlach troops, of which he is enumerated in Serb epic poetry (as Janko of Kotari, Јанко од Котара). His son, Stojan Janković, followed in his father's footsteps.

Life

Janko was the son of Mitar (born c. 1585), whose family hailed from village Zelengrad or Žegar in the area of Bukovica. Janko had brothers Jovan, Stjepan, Pavle, and Andrija, and probably was among the youngest brothers. Vukadin Mitrović was also a ''harambaša'' in Venetian service, possibly another brother, or a cousin.

Mitrović in 1646 was recorded as a defender of Šibenik, and in 1649 was rewarded with a monthly payment of 4 ducats. Stojan, who was Janko's eldest son, began fighting alongside him and Ilija Smiljanić early on, in the Cretan War (1645–69). Ilija, as the more experienced, was named ''serdar'' in 1648 after his father, serdar Petar Smiljanić had died.Berber, p. 3 In 1648, when the Ottoman army took their village, the ''Mitrovići'' and 70 other Žegar families settled in the small village of Budin near Posedarje, under Venetian control. In January 1654, with 100 horsemen and 150 other soldiers prevented Ottoman's destruction of Posedarje for which was rewarded by the authorities. After the death of Filip Smiljanić, in 1656 was named as a serdar. Under his command were people of Ražanac, Vinjerac, Ljubač, Posedarje, Novigrad, Krmpoćani, as well controlled two cols at Old Obrovac

In February 1659, at the Cetina river, both leaders Janko and Ilija Smiljanić succumb to wounds after battling the Turks. He was buried on 28 February 1659 in the Catholic church of St. Elias in Zadar, until mid-18th century part of the Catholic župa of Zadar Cathedral in which register of deaths (1651–1667) was recorded. Janko's wife was Antonija, and they had three sons, Stojan, Ilija and Zaviša, and a daughter Ana.Berber, p. 6 According to one document, stating that they had many people of the same confession faithful to the Roman Church, it is argued that they were Roman Catholics.

Notes

See also

*Vuk Mandušić (fl. 1648), military commander in Venetian service
*Stojan Janković (1636–1687), Morlach leader
* Ilija Perajica, Morlach leader
*Stanislav Sočivica, Venetian rebel
*Sinobad
* Cvijan Šarić
* Petronije Selaković
* Bajo Plivljanin
* Grujica Žeravica
* Vukosav Puhalović
* Ilija Smiljanić
*Petar Smiljanić
*Vuk Močivuna
*Juraj Vranić
*Tadije Vranić

References

Sources

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*Rodoslov Jankovića i Desnica vid. Baština dvora Jankovića, Istorijski muzej Srbije, Beograd 2006, str. 92 (Serbian)

External links

*http://www.kulajankovica.hr/?do=jandes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitrovic, Janko
Characters in Serbian epic poetry
Republic of Venice military personnel
1613 births
1659 deaths
Cretan War (1645–1669)
Venetian period in the history of Croatia