In the spring of 1594, shortly after the beginning of the Austro-Turkish War (1593-1606), local Serbian Christians, in the Eyalet of Temeşvar, started an Uprising against Turkish rule. The local Romanians also participated in this uprising. At first, rebels were successful. They took the city of Vršac and various other towns in Banat and started negotiations with Prince of Transylvania. One of the leaders of the uprising was local Serbian Orthodox Bishop Theodore.