Battle of Ivankovac - great victory for Serbian rebels

BELGRADE - Serbia marks on Monday the 209th anniversary of the famous Battle of Ivankovac, the first full-scale confrontation between Serbian revolutionaries and the regular forces of the Ottoman Empire in which Serbian rebels drew a glorious victory, after the early fights with dahis.

The Battle of Ivankovac between Serb revolutionaries headed by Karadjordje and the official army of the Ottoman Empire took place from August 18 to 20, 1805, during the First Serbian Uprising.

Having established that Serbs are fighting both against the dahis in the Belgrade pashadom and the central government of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish authorities responded to the requests voiced by Serb revolutionaries by appointing Hafiz Pasha of Nis as the commander of Belgrade.

Upon learning that Hafiz Pasha is preparing to take his numerous army to Serbia, Serb rebels organised the first attack and liberated Uzice and Karanovac (today known as Kraljevo) by July 31, thus banishing Turks from all villages and cities of the Belgrade pashadom save for Belgrade, Sabac and Sokol.

To quench the uprising, the Sublime Porte sent Hafiz Pasha with 15,000 soldiers from Nis in late July 1805, to take control of Belgrade pashadom. On their quest to invade the areas on the way to Belgrade, the Turkish soldiers gathered at the Vezirovo Brdo near Cuprija.

Serb revolutionaries were expecting the attack and Karadjordje and 4,000-5,000 rebels organised a line of defence at the Gilj hill near Jagodina to prevent the invasion of Turks on the main route along the left bank of the Great Morava River.

Around 2,000 rebels headed by Milenko Stojkovic and duke Petar Dobrnjac were deployed at the Ivankovac hill near Cuprija to prevent the invasion of...