The Serbian

hajduks A hajduk ( hu, hajdúk, plural of ) is a type of irregular infantry found in Central and parts of Southeast Europe from the late 16th to mid 19th centuries. They have reputations ranging from bandits to freedom fighters depending on time, p ...

( sr, хајдуци / ''hajduci'') were

brigands Brigandage is the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. It is practiced by a brigand, a person who usually lives in a gang and lives by pillage and robbery.Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989. "Brigand.2" first recorded usa ...

(

bandits Banditry is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving the threat or use of violence. A person who engages in banditry is known as a bandit and primarily commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either as an ...

) and guerrilla freedom fighters (

rebels Rebels may refer to: * Participants in a rebellion * Rebel groups, people who refuse obedience or order * Rebels (American Revolution), patriots who rejected British rule in 1776 Film and television * ''Rebels'' (film) or ''Rebelles'', a 2019 ...

) throughout Ottoman-held Balkans, mainly in Serbia, organized into bands headed by a ''

harambaša Harambaša ( sr-cyr, Харамбаша) was the rank for a senior commander of a ''hajduk'' band (brigand gangs). Etymology It is derived from Turkish word for bandit leader ( tr, haramibaşı; - "Bandit" + - "Head"), and was like some other Ot ...

'' ("bandit leader"), who descended from the mountains and forests and robbed and attacked the Ottomans. They were often aided by foreign powers, such as the Republic of Venice and

Habsburg monarchy 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 ...

, during greater conflicts. The hajduks are seen as part of the

Serbian national identity Serbia is the nation state of the Serbs, who are Serbia's dominant ethnic group. Serbs are also dominant in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the 19th century, the Serbian national identity was manifested, with awareness of ...

. In stories, the hajduks were described as heroes; they had played the role of the Serbian elite during Ottoman rule, they had defended the Serbs against Ottoman oppression, and prepared for the national liberation and contributed to it in the Serbian Revolution. The

Chetniks The Chetniks ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Четници, Četnici, ; sl, Četniki), formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationa ...

also saw themselves as hajduks, freedom fighters. The hajduk movement is known as hajdučija (хајдучија) or hajdukovanje (хајдуковање). Ranks included '' buljubaša'' and ''

'', adopted from the Ottomans. People that helped hajduks were called jataks. Jataks lived in villages and towns and provided food and shelter for hajduks. In return, hajduks would give them part of the loot. =16th century=

Starina Novak Starina Novak ( sr-Cyrl, Старинa Новак; ro, Baba Novac; bg, Баба Новак, meaning "Old Novak") was a Serb ''hajduk'' (brigand and rebel) who distinguished himself in many battles against the Ottoman Empire. He is considered a n ...

(~1530–1601), a military commander in Wallachian service, is said to have been the oldest hajduk. Deli-Marko (fl. 1596–1619), hajduk and military commander in Habsburg service.

18th century

On 26 November 1716, Austrian general Nastić with 400 soldiers and 500 hajduks attacked Trebinje, but did not take it over. A combined Austro-Venetian-Hajduk force of 7,000 stood before the Trebinje walls, defended by 1,000 Ottomans. The Ottomans were busy near Belgrade and with hajduk attacks towards Mostar, and were thus unable to reinforce Trebinje. The conquest of Trebinje and Popovo field were given up to fight in Montenegro. The Venetians took over

Hutovo Hutovo is a village in the municipality of Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossr ...

and Popovo, where they immediately recruited militarily from the population.

Kingdom of Serbia (1718–39)

The Serbs established a Hajduk army that supported the Austrians. The army was divided into 18 companies, in four groups. In this period, the most notable obor-kapetans were

Vuk Isaković Vuk Isaković ( sr-cyr, Вук Исаковић; fl. 1696-1759) was a Serb military commander in Austrian service during the Austrian-Ottoman Wars. He was the inspiration for the main character, Vuk Isakovič (Вук Исакович), in the ''Seo ...

from Crna Bara,

Mlatišuma Staniša Marković ( sr-cyr, Станиша Марковић; 1664–1740), known as Mlatišuma (Млатишума), was a Habsburg Serbian '' obor-kapetan'' of Kragujevac. He had joined the Austrians in the Austro-Turkish War of 1716–18, and ...

from

Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...

and

Kosta Dimitrijević Kosta may refer to: * Kosta, Estonia, a village in Vihula Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia * Kosta, Greece a community in Greece * Kosta, Sweden, a village in Sweden * Coastal Andhra, region in India * Kosta Glasbruk, a glassworks in Sweden ...

from Paraćin. The most notable obor-kapetans were

from Crna Bara, Mlatišuma and

from Paraćin. Apart from the obor-kapetans, other notable commanders were kapetans Keza Radivojević from Grocka and Sima Vitković from Valjevo. In Kragujevac, there were two companies of 500 soldiers each. He conquered Kruševac with his militia, and carried much cattle. Colonel Lentulus ordered that part of the cattle be returned to the population, the second part was sent to Sekendorf, the third held by the colonel to the need of his army.

19th century

Great Eastern Crisis

During the

Great Eastern Crisis The Great Eastern Crisis of 1875–78 began in the Ottoman Empire's territories on the Balkan peninsula in 1875, with the outbreak of several uprisings and wars that resulted in the intervention of international powers, and was ended with the T ...

, set off by a Serb uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1875 in

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...

and

Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geogra ...

(the Herzegovina Uprising), Prince Peter adopted the ''

nom de guerre A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

'' of hajduk

Petar Mrkonjić Petar Mrkonjić (before 1645 – after 1669) was a legendary hajduk from the Imotski region in the Dalmatian Hinterland, in modern-day Croatia, active during the Cretan War (1645–69), Cretan War (1645–1669) between the Republic of Venice and ...

Ragusa Ragusa is the historical name of Dubrovnik. It may also refer to: Places Croatia * the Republic of Ragusa (or Republic of Dubrovnik), the maritime city-state of Ragusa * Cavtat (historically ' in Italian), a town in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Cro ...

, and joined the Bosnian Serb insurgents as a leader of a guerilla unit.

Serbian Revolution

Among Serbian revolutionaries that had been active hajduks prior to the Revolution, were

Stanoje Glavaš Stanoje Stamatović ( sr-cyr, Станоје Стаматовић), known as Stanoje Glavaš (Станоје Главаш; 21 February 1763 – 15 February 1815) was a Serbian hajduk and hero in the First Serbian Uprising. Life Glavaš was born i ...

Hajduk-Veljko Veljko Petrović ( sr-cyr, Вељко Петровић, ; c. 1780 – 1813), known simply as Hajduk Veljko (Хајдук Вељко, ǎjduːk v̞ɛ̌ːʎkɔ, was one of the '' vojvodas'' (military commanders) of the Serbian Revolutionary force ...

, Stojan Čupić,

Lazar Dobrić Lazar Dobrić also known as Laza Harambaša also spelled Harambascha(Serbian: Лазар Добрић или (or) Лаза Харамбаша; Novi Karlovci, Sase c. 1755–1803) was a Serbian hajduk who went by the name of Laza Harambaša and was ...

, and others.

List of notable hajduks

This is a list of notable people, in chronological manner. Hajduks who participated in the Serbian Revolution (1804–1815) are also found in :People of the Serbian Revolution.

Early modern period

Grujica Žeravica Grujica Žeravica ( sr-cyr, Грујица Жеравица; 1665–69) was a Serb ''hajduk'' commander active in the Ottoman territories of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia during the Venetian–Ottoman war (1645–69). The hajduks, Ottoman subj ...

(fl. 1645), hajduk from Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia during Venetian-Ottoman war (1645-1649) *

(~1530–1601), commander in Wallachian service * Sava Temišvarac (fl. 1594–1612), Habsburg service * Deli-Marko Segedinac (fl. 1596–1619), Habsburg service * Petar Rac (fl. 1596), Habsburg service *

Đorđe Rac Đorđe ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе; transliterated Djordje) is a Serbian given name, a Serbian variant, derived from Greek ''Georgios'' (''George'' in English). Other variants include: Đurđe, Đurađ, Đura, Đuro, Georgije. It may refer to: * Đ ...

(fl. 1596), Habsburg service *

Mihailo Rac Mihailo ( sr-cyr, Михаило) or Mihajlo () is a Serbian masculine given name, a variant of the Hebrew name ''Michael''. Common as a given name among Serbs, it is an uncommon surname. It may refer to: * Mihailo Vojislavljević (fl. 1050–d. 1 ...

(fl. 1596), Habsburg service *

Kuzman Rac Kuzman (Bulgarian, Macedonian and sr-cyr, Кузман) is a male given name, the South Slavic variant of the Greek ''Cosmas''. It may refer to: *Kuzman Shapkarev (1834-1909), Bulgarian folklorist *Kuzman Sotirović (1908-1990), Serbian and Yugosl ...

(fl. 1596), Habsburg service *

Nikola Rac Nikola () is a given name which, like Nicholas, is a version of the Greek ''Nikolaos'' (Νικόλαος). It is common as a masculine given name in the South Slavic countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Monteneg ...

(fl. 1596), Habsburg service * Vuk Rac (fl. 1596), Habsburg service * Đorđe Slankamenac (fl. 1596), Habsburg service * Živko Crni * Grdan (fl. 1596–d. 1612) * Teodor of Vršac,

Sava Ban The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally th ...

and

Velja Mironić The Uprising in Banat was a rebellion organized and led by Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox bishop Teodor of Vršac and Sava Temišvarac against the Ottoman Serbia, Ottomans in the Eyalet of Temeşvar. The uprising broke out in 1594, in ...

( 1594), raised the Uprising in Banat * Jovan Rac (fl. 1653) * Bajo Pivljanin (fl. 1669 – died 1685), commander in Venetian service during the Cretan War *

Jovan Monasterlija Jovan Monasterlija ( sr-cyr, Јован Монастерлија; fl. 1683–1706) was a Serbian ''vice-voivode'' (podvojvoda) and Austrian (Holy Roman Empire) imperial officer that led a Serbian Militia against the Ottoman Empire and other enemie ...

(fl. 1689–1706), commander in Austrian service *

Arnold Paole Arnold Paole (''Arnont Paule'' in the original documents; an early German rendition of a Serbian name or nickname, perhaps Арнаут Павле, '' Arnaut Pavle''; died c. 1726) was a Serbian hajduk who was believed to have become a vampire afte ...

(d. 1726), militiaman in Austrian service, noted as alleged vampire * Vuk Isakovič (fl. 1696–1759), commander in Austrian service *

Nikac Tomanović Nikac Tomanović ( sr, Никац Томановић; 1755–56), known in epic poetry as Nikac of Rovine (Никац од Ровина/Nikac od Rovina), was Montenegrin ''harambaša'' in Nikšić and contemporary of Sava Petrović Njegoš (1735 ...

(fl. 1695–1755), commander in Montenegro * Koča Anđelković (1755–1789), commander in Austrian service, led the Koča's frontier rebellion *

Stanko Arambašić Stanko Arambašić ( sr-Cyrl, Станко Арамбашић; Levač in the village of Kolare, Ottoman Empire, today Serbia, 1764 - Smederevo, Ottoman Empire, 21 September 1798) was a Serbian Free Corps commander who liberated parts of Serbia dur ...

(1764–1798), commander of Serb officers in Ottoman service *

(fl. 1790),

Serbian Revolution

* Karađorđe (1768–1817), leader of the First Serbian Uprising and founder of modern Serbia *

(1763–1815), vojvoda in the First Serbian Uprising * Stojan Čupić, vojvoda in the First Serbian Uprising *

Đorđe Ćurčija Đorđe Obradović ( sr-cyr, Ђорђе Обрадовић; d. 1804), known as Đorđe Ćurčija (Ђорђе Ћурчија) or Ćurta (Ћурта), was a commander in the First Serbian Uprising (1804). When he heard of the outbreak against the dah ...

(d. 1804), vojvoda in the First Serbian Uprising *

Hajduk Veljko Veljko Petrović ( sr-cyr, Вељко Петровић, ; c. 1780 – 1813), known simply as Hajduk Veljko (Хајдук Вељко, ǎjduːk v̞ɛ̌ːʎkɔ, was one of the '' vojvodas'' (military commanders) of the Serbian Revolutionary force ...

(c. 1780–1813), vojvoda in the First Serbian Uprising *

Stojan Abraš Stojan Abraš (1780–1813) was a Serbian revolutionary who participant in the First Serbian Uprising as a hajduk, boluk-bashi, bimbashi under the command of Hajduk Veljko Petrović. He is memorialized in many epic ballads in Serbia and Romania (W ...

(1780-1813) participated as one of the leaders in the First Serbian Uprising * Pavle Irić * Jovan Mićić * Petronije Šišo

Rebels in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jovan Šibalija Jovan may refer to: *Jovan (given name), a list of people with this given name *Jovan, Mawal, a village on the western coastal region of Maharashtra, India *Jōvan Musk, a cologne *Deli Jovan, a mountain in eastern Serbia *Róbert Jován (born 1967 ...

(fl. 1804–15), rebel leader in Drobnjaci, participated in the First Serbian Uprising * Šujo Karadžić (fl. 1804–15), rebel leader in Drobnjaci, participated in the First Serbian Uprising *

Joko Kusovac may refer to , a title of a retired Emperor of Japan. Joko may also refer to: Name Indonesia Joko is a masculine name for Indonesian people, especially Javanese people. Outside Indonesia * Joko Beck * Jōkō Ninomiya * Joko Obama * Joko W ...

(d. 1863), priest, serdar and rebel leader * Petar Popović–Pecija (1826–1875), led the Doljani Revolt (1858) and Bosanska Krajina Uprising (1875–78) *

Luka Vukalović Luka may refer to: People * Luka (given name), a South Slavic masculine given name cognate of Luke, and a Japanese given name * Luka (singer), stage name of Brazilian singer and songwriter Luciana Karina Santos de Lima (born 1979) * Luka Keʻelik ...

(1823–1873), led the Herzegovina Uprising (1852–62) * Mićo Ljubibratić (1839–1889), participated in the Herzegovina Uprising (1852–62) *

Pero Tunguz Pero may refer to: * Pero (mythology), several personages in Greek mythology ** Pero (princess), daughter of Neleus * Pero (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname Pero * Pero language, a language of Nigeria * Pero, Lombar ...

(fl. 1875), *

Lazo Škundrić Lazo may refer to: Places *imeni Lazo District, a district in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia *Lazo, Russia, name of several rural localities in Russia *Lazo, a village in Hăsnăşenii Noi Commune, Drochia District, Moldova *Lazo, a village in Alava, Şte ...

(fl. 1875), * Petko Kovačević (fl. 1875), *

Prodan Rupar Prodan Rupar ( sr-cyr, Продан Рупар, 1815–1875) was one of the most prominent leaders of the Herzegovina Uprising (1875–77). Experience from the previous Herzegovina Uprising (1852–62) helped him to successfully lead the later upri ...

(1815–1877), leader in the Herzegovina Uprising (1875–77) *

Draga Mastilović Draga may refer to: People * Draga (surname) * Draga (given name) Geography In Croatia: * Mošćenička Draga, a village and a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County * Draga, Požega-Slavonia County, a village near Velika, Croatia * Dra ...

(d. 1877), rebel leader *

Golub Babić Golub Babić ( sr-cyr, Голуб Бабић; 7 September 1824 – 19 December 1910) was a Bosnian Serb guerrilla chief and one of the most prominent rebel commanders of the 1875–77 Herzegovina Uprising in the Ottoman Empire's Bosnia Vilaye ...

(1824–1910), rebel leader in Western Bosnia. * Stojan Kovačević (1821–1911),

Rebels in Old Serbia and Macedonia

Čakr-paša Mladen Stojanović ( sr-cyr, Младен Стојановић; died 1885), known as Čakr-paša (Чакр-паша), was a Serb ''hajduk'' (brigand and rebel) leader mostly active in the Ottoman territories of the Pčinja region and in the Kuman ...

* Velika Begovica *

Spiro Crne Spiro Crne ( sr-cyr, Спиро Црне; died 22 April 1881) was a rebel leader active in Ottoman Macedonia (region), Macedonia (in the Kosovo Vilayet). Born in a village near Prilep (in modern North Macedonia), he killed an Ottoman tyrant and fle ...

Micko Krstić Micko Krstić-Porečki ( sr-cyr, Мицко Крстић, 1855 – October 29, 1909), known as Vojvoda Micko, was a Serbian rebel and military leader active in the Poreče region. Origin and early life Krstić was born in Latovo, near Makedon ...

Gligor Sokolović Gligor Sokolović ( sr-cyr, Глигор Соколовић; 17 or 5 January 1870 or 1872 – 30 July 1910]) was one of the supreme commanders (''Great Voivode'') of the Serbian Chetnik Organization, Serbian Chetnik Movement, that fought the Ot ...

(1872–1910), in Ottoman Macedonia

Literature

Hajduks in epic poetry

In Serbian epic poetry, the hajduks are cherished as heroes, freedom fighters against the Ottoman rule. There is a whole ''cyclus'' regarding the hajduks and uskoks. Among the most notable hajduks in the epics were

Mali Radojica Mali Radojica ( sr, Мали Радојица, en, Little Radojica) is a Serbian hajduk and Serb epic poem of the same name. The poem follows his life surviving torture by the Turks in an Ottoman prison, later successfully escaping with the hel ...

, Stari Vujadin, Predrag and Nenad,

Novak Novak (in Serbo-Croatian and Slovene; Cyrillic: ), Novák (in Hungarian, Czech and Slovak), Nowak or Novack (in German and Polish), is a surname and masculine given name, derived from the Slavic word for "new" (e.g. pl, nowy, cz, nový, s ...

, etc.

Novels

Hajduks are the theme of many novels, such as

Branislav Nušić Branislav Nušić ( sr-cyr, Бранислав Нушић, ; – 19 January 1938) was a Serbian playwright, satirist, essayist, novelist and founder of modern rhetoric in Serbia. He also worked as a journalist and a civil servant. Life Bra ...

's ''Hajduci'' (1955), Miljanov et al. ''Srpski hajduci'' (1996), etc.

18th century

Kingdom of Serbia (1718–39)

19th century

Great Eastern Crisis

Serbian Revolution

List of notable hajduks

Early modern period

Serbian Revolution

Rebels in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Rebels in Old Serbia and Macedonia

Literature

Hajduks in epic poetry

Novels

See also

References

Further reading