History of Serbia (1804-1918)

History Of Serbia (1804-1918)

Early modern

Ottoman Serbia	1402–1912
Nenad / Čelnik	1526–1530
Habsburg occupation	1686–1699
Great Serb Migrations	1690 and 1737–1739
Habsburg Serbia	1718–1739
Koča's rebellion	1788–1791

Serbia 1804–1918

Revolution	1804–1815
Principality of Serbia	1817–1882
Serbian Vojvodina	1848–1849
Serbia and Banat	1849–1860
Kingdom of Serbia	1882–1918

Serbia since 1918

Yugoslavia	1918–1992 and 2006
Axis occupation	1941–1944
Socialist Republic	1944–1990
Federal Republic	1990–2006
Republic of Serbia	2006–

Timeline Serbia portal

The history of Modern Serbia began with the fight for liberation from the Ottoman occupation in 1804 (Serbian Revolution). The establishment of modern Serbia was marked by the hard fought autonomy from the Ottoman Empire in the First Serbian Uprising in 1804 and the Second Serbian Uprising in 1815, though Turkish troops continued to garrison the capital, Belgrade until 1867. Those revolutions revived the Serbian pride and gave them hope that their Empire might come into reality again. In 1829 Greece was given complete independence and Serbia was given its autonomy, which made her semi-independent from Turkey.

During the Revolutions of 1848, the Serbs in the Austrian Empire proclaimed Serbian autonomous province known as Serbian Vojvodina. By a decision of the Austrian emperor, in November 1849, this province was transformed into the Austrian crownland known as the Vojvodina of Serbia and Tamiš Banat (Dukedom of Serbia and Tamiš Banat). Against the will of the Serbs, the province was abolished in 1860, but the Serbs from the region gained another opportunity to achieve their political demands in 1918. Today, this region is known as Vojvodina.

Renewed war alongside Russia against the Turks in 1877 brought full independence for Serbia and large territorial gains toward the south-east, including Niš, henceforth Serbia's second largest city (Treaty of Berlin, 1878). Serbian Kingdom was proclaimed in 1882, under King Milan Obrenović IV. Serbia was one of the rare countries at the time that had its own domestic ruling dynasty on the throne (similarly to Italy). However, millions of Serbs still lived outside Serbia, in Austro-Hungarian Empire (Bosnia, Croatia, Vojvodina, Sandžak) and the Ottoman Empire (South Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia).

The new country was, like most of the Balkan lands, overwhelmingly agrarian with little in the way of industry or modern infrastructure. The total population rose from a million in the early 19th century to 2.5 million in 1900, when Belgrade contained 100,000 inhabitants (northern part was held by Austro-Hungary), Niš 24,500 and half a dozen other cities 10-15,000 each.

Internal politics revolved largely around the dynastic rivalry between the Obrenović and Karađorđević families, descendants respectively of Miloš Obrenović, (recognised as hereditary prince in 1829) and Karađorđe (Black George), leader of the 1804 revolt but killed in 1817, allegedly at Miloš's behest. The Obrenovići headed the emerging state in 1817–1842 and 1858–1903, the Karađorđevići in 1842–1858 and after 1903.

After the 1880s the dynastic issue became entwined to some extent with wider diplomatic divisions in Europe, Milan Obrenović aligning his foreign policy with that of neighbouring Austria-Hungary in return for Habsburg support for his elevation to king. The Karadjordjevici inclined more toward Russia, gaining the throne in June 1903 after the bloody May Overthrow organised by a group of Army officers led by then-Captain Dragutin Dimitrijević Apis.

Serbian opposition to Austria-Hungary's October 1908 annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina brought about the Bosnian crisis: German and Austro-Hungarian pressure forced Russia to prevail on Serbia (March 31, 1909) to accept the annexation, but Russia undertook to defend Serbia against any future threat to her independence.

Following Bulgaria's independence (October 1908) from Ottoman overlordship and a successful movement by Greek army officers (August 1909) to steer their government onto a more nationalistic course, Serbia joined with the other two countries and her Serb-populated neighbour Montenegro in invading (October 1912) Ottoman-held Macedonia and reducing Turkey-in-Europe to a small region around Constantinople (now Istanbul).

Bulgaria failed in her subsequent attempt (July 1913) to take from her allies territory which she had originally been promised (see Balkan Wars), and to Habsburg alarm at another near-doubling of Serbia's territory was added Bulgarian resentment at having been denied what she saw as her just share of the territorial gains.

Legend:
Banjaluka - Banja Luka Belgrad - Belgrade Bosnia - Bosnia Cettinge - Cetinje Mostar - Mostar Montenegro - Montenegro Novibazar - Novi Pazar Nish - Niš Prisrend - Prizren Sarajevo - Sarajevo	Save R. - Sava Scutari - Skadar Servia - Serbia Sofia - Sofia Trans - Transylvanian Alps t i c - Adriatic Sea Uskup - Skopje Valjevo- Valjevo Versecz - Vršac Widdin - Vidin Zara - Zadar
To the north and west, Austria-Hungary; yellow to the east Romania; orange to the east, Bulgaria; to the south Ottoman Turkey; in bottom left corner a piece of Italy; large river in upper right is Danube.