Battle of Misar in First Serbian Uprising

BELGRADE - The Battle of Misar was one of the most important victories of the Serbian insurgents over Ottoman troops.

The battle - or its crucial part - took place on August 13, 1806 according to the Gregorian calendar.

In an attempt to crush an uprising led by Kardjordje Petrovic, the Ottoman Porte sent troops from Bosnia under the command of Suleiman Pasha Skopljak.

Karadjordje, the leader of the insurgents, engaged the Turks on a high ground at the village of Misar near Sabac once the Serbs were well-entrenched, relying on his well-known strategy.

They successfully resisted the attack of an overwhelming Turkish force. In a decisive move, the Serbian cavalry, led by Pop Luka Lazarevic and Mateja Nenadovic, mounted a successful attack against the Turks from the right flank, which lead to the Turks' defeat.

Having sustained major casualties, the Turkish troops withdrew back to Bosnia.

Karadjordje had a total of 7,000 infantrymen and 2,000 cavalrymen under his command, while the Turkish troops were 40,000 strong.

Serbs thus claimed a glorious victory which fortified the position of the insurgents and dramatically endangered the position of the Turks in the Belgrade pashadom.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the battle, a memorial was erected in the centre of the village of Misar in 1906, while a museum devoted to the battle and the events that preceded it was also established later.

The memorial and the museum were renovated in 2006 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Misar with support from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the city of Sabac. The local village school was also reconstructed on the occasion.