Man and the state in Serbia, from the fourteenth to the mid-nineteenth century : a study in centralist and anti-centralist conflict

Abstract

This study traces the struggle between centralist and anticentralist impulses in Serbian history through several historical epochs: the early tribal; the feudal nemanyid and ottoman ; and the era of early merchant capital from the 14th through the mid-19th centuries, and establishes it as an important determinant in Serbia’s history. In the earliest period following the arrival of the Slavs in the Balkans a whole host of local officials were established within the localities from the Byzantine era župani who headed zupans (administrative districts) through
the medieval local officials mentioned in the Code of Dusan from the important knez (prince) to the more popular local officials (primicur, vojnik, čelnik, predstajnik, and starešina). These officials were recognized by the ottoman administration under the feudal Timariot system of land tenure, in addition to the obor-knez when the Austrians occupied Belgrad Pashaluk. The clan and tribal social order which had been disintegrating was revived and reinstitutionalized during the Ottoman period reinforcing local particularism, integrating with a transitional early merchant capital. Under the impact of a growing capitalist agriculture in the Balkans, the feudal Timariot land tenure system began to disintegrate. When dispossessed and landless former Spabija landholders and rampaging Janissaries began seizing land in Serbia and other Balkan areas, enserfing the peasantry, they clashed with deeply rooted, centuries old traditions of self-government in Serbia, igniting the First Revolt (1804-1813). Further conflicts developed within the insurrection between the leader of the First Revolt, Karadjordje, and the regional leaders (vojvode) supported by the Russians and later between his successors, Prince Milos Obrenovic and Prince Alexander Karadjordje into the midnineteenth century, either undermined or supported by Russia, Austria, or other Great Powers.