Jovan Popović Tekelija (

Serbian Cyrillic The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet (, ), also known as the Serbian script, (, ), is a standardized variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language. It originated in medieval Serbia and was significantly reformed in the 19th cen ...

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

Serb The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history, and language. They primarily live in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia ...

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

Serbian Militia The Serbian (Rascian) Militia (; , ) was an auxiliary military unit of the Habsburg Monarchy composed primarily of Serbs. It was active between approximately 1686 and 1704 and operated as part of the Habsburg military structure during the Great ...

, 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, took place on 11 September 1697 near Zenta, in the Kingdom of Hungary, then under Ottoman occupation (present-day Serbia). It was a decisive engagement of the Great Turkish War, fought ...

in 1697 where the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

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

ennobled Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. Th ...

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 R ...

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 distinguished Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the Army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty durin ...

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

Tisa The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa (see below) is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. It was once called "the most Hungarian river" because it used to flow entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national bo ...

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 Joseph I (Joseph Jacob Ignaz Johann Anton Eustachius; 26 July 1678 – 17 April 1711) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1705 until his death in 1711. He was the eldest son of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor from his thi ...

. 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, ; died ) was an 18th-century military officer of Serb origin. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Serb militia forces in the Pomorišje region, then in the Military Fro ...

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* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tekelija, Jovan 1660s births 1720s deaths 17th-century Serbian people 18th-century Serbian people Serbian Militia People from the Habsburg monarchy

Family

Military career

Arms

See also

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