Jovan Popović Tekelija (

Serbian Cyrillic The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet ( sr, / , ) is a variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language, updated in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two alphabets used to write standard modern Serbian, th ...

: Јован Поповић Текелија; c. 1660 – c. 1721–1722) was a

Serb 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 ...

army officer serving in the Habsburg army. As commander of the

Serbian Militia The Serbian (Rascian) Militia ( lat, Rascianica militia; sr, Рашка Милиција or ) was a military unit of the Habsburg-Austrian army consisting of Serbs, that existed in ca. 1686–1704. During the Great Turkish War (1686–99) Af ...

, Tekelija participated in many battles distinguishing himself in particular during the

Battle of Zenta The Battle of Zenta, also known as the Battle of Senta, was fought on 11 September 1697, near Zenta, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Senta, Serbia), between Ottoman and Holy League armies during the Great Turkish War. The battle was the most decis ...

in 1697 where 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) ...

suffered a stunning defeat. For his merit, he was appointed Captain of the Serbian militia in Arad and

ennobled Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...

by Emperor

Joseph I Joseph I or Josef I may refer to: *Joseph I of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch in 1266–1275 and 1282–1283 *Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (1678–1711) *Joseph I (Chaldean Patriarch) (reigned 1681–1696) *Joseph I of Portugal (1750–1777) ...

Family

Jovan Popović Tekelija was born in Arad or in

Csanád Csanád, also Chanadinus, or Cenad, was the first head ''(comes)'' of Csanád County in the Kingdom of Hungary in the first decades of the 11th century. Csanád defeated and killed Ajtony who had ruled over the region now known as Banat (in Rom ...

Владан Гавриловић, "Породица Текелија", Програм међународног научног скупа "Сеоба Срба у Руско царство половином 18. века" Музеј Војводине, 7 – 8. маја 2003. Нови Сад, Србија и Црна Гора, page 386 as the first known member of the notable Serb family Popović Tekelija.

Military career

At an early age Tekelija joined the Austrian military. After Austrian capture of Belgrade in 1689 he was promoted to the rank of captain with special position as pathfinder of the Austrian army in Voivodina and its neighbouring territories. He fought against Kuruc rebels before being asked to join the fight against the Turks. In 1686 Tekelija fought at the Battle of Buda. Tekelija played a particularly important role in the

held in 1697, one of the most decisive battles of the Ottoman-Habsburg war that had brought the Turks to the gates of Vienna. Before the battle Tekelija held the position of Captain of Senta. On 11 September Tekelija broke through to the war council held in Bečej and informed

Prince Eugene of Savoy Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...

, whose forces were in Szenttamás and Bečej, that the Ottomans were preparing to cross the

Tisa The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa, is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. Once, it was called "the most Hungarian river" because it flowed entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national borders. The Tisza be ...

river and leave

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 Hungary ...

. Prince Eugene then asked Tekelija to lead the imperial army through the swamps and marsh to the rear of the Turks encampment as night was falling. Half of the Ottoman army was on the opposite bank and the surprise was total, 30,000 Ottomans soldiers died, including the Grand Vizier. As a reward for the part he played during the battle, Tekelija was promoted to the rank of Captain of the

in Arad in 1698. Following the decree of the Viennese court promoting him, Tekelija had a castle built, around which the city developed. In 1706 he was ennobled by

Emperor Joseph I , father = Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor , mother = Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg , birth_date = , birth_place = Vienna, Austria , death_date = , death_place = Vienna, Austria , burial_place = Imperial Crypt, Vienna , r ...

. In 1710 Colonels Tekelija and Vulin Potisac sent Captain Bogdan Popović to negotiate with Russia about cooperation between Serbs and Russia in war against the Ottoman Empire. Tekelija died in 1721 or in 1722. He was succeeded Captain of the Serbian Militia by Đurka Šević, the father of

Jovan Šević Jovan Šević or Ivan Šević ( sr-Cyrl, Јован Шевић, russian: Иван Егорович Шевич; died ) was an 18th-century military officer of Serb origin. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Serb militia forces in the ...

Arms

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