About the Conflicts Between Serbs and Turks in August 1834 in Belgrade Cover Image

О једном сукобу Срба и Турака у Београду августа 1834.
About the Conflicts Between Serbs and Turks in August 1834 in Belgrade

Author(s): Jovana Šaljić
Subject(s): History
Published by: Istorijski institut, Beograd
Keywords: Belgrade; Conflict between Serbs and Turks; Mehmed Vedzihi-Pasha; Prince Miloš; Belgrade Court; Serbian Papers

Summary/Abstract: During the first ruling period of the Prince Milos from 1815 until 1839, a distinguished feature of Serbia and Belgrade was the diverse ethnic and religous population composition. A major part of population consisted of Serbs and Turks who had different social, economic and above all, political goals. Diplomatic efforts of the Prince Milos and weakening of the Ottoman central power led towards the bigger suppression of the Ottoman administration and the mass migration of the Muslim population from Serbia as well. Imperial decree from the year 1830 had resolved the issue of ceding of Belgrade town, provided that the Turks must move out and sell their property to Serbs. With the support of their government, they began to complicate the moving and even asked for their already sold property to be given back to them. Because of this, a curt Serbian – Turkish political dialog took place. It was decided by the additional Imperial decree from 1833 that Turks would remain in Belgrade town and in the suburb of Belgrade fortress. This kind of unexpected continuation of joint life with “an odious enemy” had to have as a consequence the additional tension of already bad relations between two ethnically, economically and culturally different people. Bigger or smaller mutual conflicts were occurring very often in Belgrade and in other parts of Serbia about which the Prince Milos had been informed in detail whether by the Serbian town administration or by the Turkish representatives. One event of that kind happened in August 1834 when the Serbian policeman wanted to collect taxes from the head of the guard’s horse keeper. A general conflict happened then during which five Serbs had been injured. Serbian and Turkish sides presented Prince Milos with different views of this conflict. In the work was described how this event was presented by the Serbian side that had indicated the violent behaviour of Turks, in two letters registered in the Protocol of the Court in Belgrade as well as the facsimile with transcripts and the translation of the letter of Belgrade vizier, Mehmed Vedzihi-pasha addressed to the Prince Milos in which he had expressed his dissatisfaction while accusing the Serbian side to be responsible for the conflict.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 30
  • Page Range: 67-75
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Serbian