Nikac Tomanović (; 1755–56), known in epic poetry as Nikac of Rovine (Никац од Ровина/Nikac od Rovina), was Montenegrin ''

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

Nikšić Nikšić (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Никшић, ), is the second largest city in Montenegro, with a total population of 32,046 (2023 census) located in the west of the country, in the centre of the spacious Nikšić field at the foot of Trebjesa ...

and contemporary of

Sava Petrović Njegoš The Sava, is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reaches Serbia, fee ...

(1735–1782).

Life

Primary sources

The history of Nikac is known by poems collected by

Sima Milutinović Sarajlija Simeon "Sima" Milutinović "Sarajlija" ( sr-cyr, Симеон "Сима" Милутиновић "Сарајлија", ; 3 October 1791 – 30 December 1847) was a Serbian poet, hajduk, translator, historian and adventurer. Literary critic Jova ...

and

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš Petar II Petrović-Njegoš ( sr-cyrl, Петар II Петровић-Његош, ; – ), commonly referred to simply as Njegoš (), was a List of rulers of Montenegro, Prince-Bishop (''vladika'') of Montenegro, poet and philosopher whose ...

, the

Prince-Bishop of Montenegro This article lists monarchs of Montenegro, from the establishment of Duklja to the Kingdom of Montenegro which merged into the Kingdom of Serbia in 1918. Medieval Duklja (Dioclea) Non-hereditary archons * Petar I (845-869) * Pavlimir (Belo) ...

(1830–1851), and subsequently collected epic poems.

Early life

Nikac was born in Rovine, of the

Sanjak of Herzegovina The Sanjak of Herzegovina (; ) was an Ottoman administrative unit established in 1470. The seat was in Foča until 1572 when it was moved to Taşlıca (Pljevlja). The sanjak was initially part of the Eyalet of Rumelia but was administrated int ...

of the

Bosnia Eyalet The Eyalet of Bosnia (; By Gábor Ágoston, Bruce Alan Masters ; ), was an eyalet (administrative division, also known as a ''beylerbeylik'') of the Ottoman Empire, mostly based on the territory of the present-day state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...

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 ...

(now western

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

). He was the son of Vuk Tomanović, of the

Cuce Cuce (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Cyrillic: Цуце, ) is a historical Tribes of Montenegro, tribe (''pleme'') and region in Montenegro, located in the area of the Katunska nahija from Old Montenegro. History The toponym ''Cuce'' is first mentio ...

tribe, a contemporary of

Danilo I, Metropolitan of Cetinje Danilo I Petrović-Njegoš (; 1670 – 11 January 1735) was the Metropolitan of Cetinje between 1697 and 1735, the first ''de facto'' vladika of Montenegro, and the founder of the House of Petrović-Njegoš—which ruled Montenegro from 1697 to 1 ...

(1696–1735). Vuk was not a ''glavar'' (head) in the Montenegrin tribal assembly. The Tomanović hailed from Old Kuči (eastern Montenegro).

Stories

In ca. 1750 Nikac and his 40 companions penetrated through an Ottoman army base of 30,000 men, killed the Osman-Kaiha Pasha, and Nikac succeeded, though wounded, to "cutting his way back" with a few surviving men. It is said that he and his 40 men came to surrender themselves to the pasha, then killed him in his own tent, like

Miloš Obilić Miloš Obilić ( sr-Cyrl, Милош Обилић, ) is a Legend, legendary Serbian knight traditionally said to have served Prince Lazar during the Ottoman Serbia, Ottoman invasion of Serbia in the late 14th century. Although absent from conte ...

had done to the sultan. According to another story a general with 45,000 men invaded Montenegro but was defeated by vladika

Vasilije Petrović Vasilije Petrović ( sr-cyrl, Василије Петровић; 1709 – 10 March 1766) was the metropolitan bishop of Cetinje (Prince-Bishop of Montenegro), ruling with Sava Petrović (prince-bishop), Sava Petrović, his cousin. He was author o ...

and killed by Nikac, who gave the general's sabre to Vladika Sava. He was then sent to

Dobrota Dobrota ( Montenegrin and Serbian: Доброта) is a town in the municipality of Kotor, Montenegro. Although administratively a separate settlement, it is ''de facto'' a part of Kotor as it encompasses most of Kotor's residential area, whi ...

, near

Kotor Kotor (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian language, Italian: ), is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has ...

, to heal his wounds. According to an epic poem, he murdered Odo Beg Mušović. Nikac took a charge of the collected

haraç Haraç (, , , sh-Cyrl-Latn, харач, harač) was a land tax levied on non-Muslim subjects in the Ottoman Empire. ''Haraç'' was developed from an earlier form of land taxation, ''kharaj'' (''harac''), and was, in principle, only payable by ...

(tax) to Hamza Pasha. As Nikac was feared by the Turks, Hamza accepted this. Jašar Babić however, disapproved, and went with his armed band to steal Nikac's livestock. Early at dawn, Nikac and Jašar met and fired their guns at the same time, killing each other. According to another story, Nikac stops the stealing, recovers the sheep, kills thirty Turks, and takes seven or eight prisoners.

Legacy

During his rule,

vladika Vladika or Wladika (, ) is an informal Slavic title and address for bishops in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches, specifically the Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and American Orthodox Churches. In Old Church Slavonic, th ...

of Montenegro wanted to establish a medal for heroism, named after Nikac. However, senators Filip Đurašković and Stevan Vukotić suggested that the medal be named after

instead, as he had killed the

sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...

and Nikac killed a

pasha Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitary, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of ...

. Therefore, the medal established in 1847 as the highest military decoration in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

became known as the

Obilić medal The Obilić Medal () or Medal for Bravery "Miloš Obilić" was a medal established by Petar II Petrović-Njegoš as the highest military decoration in Montenegro, based on the cult of national hero Miloš Obilić. The official name of the medal ...

. Milutin Tomić, Serbian poet, used the pseudonym "Nikac od Rovina".

Epic poetry

*''Haračlija Crnogoraca'' (1833) by

Sima Milutinović Sima Milutinović ( sr-cyr, Сима Милутиновић, 12 July 1899 – 11 December 1981), was a Yugoslav mechanical engineer and a professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, at the University of Belgrade, the most prolific Yugosl ...

*''Nikac od Rovina'', in ''The Serbian Mirror'' (1835) by

*''Ovce Nikca od Rovina'' *''Smrt Nikca od Rovina'' *''Babić Jašar i Nikac od Rovaca''

References

Secondary sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tomanovic, Nikac 18th-century deaths Ottoman period in the history of Montenegro Military personnel from Nikšić Characters in Serbian epic poetry Hajduks Montenegrin soldiers