page_title: Vojvoda (Serbia and Yugoslavia)
section_title: Former rank
hierarchical_section_title: Vojvoda (Serbia and Yugoslavia) / Introduction of rank / Former rank
caption_attribution_description: English: Field marshal of Yugoslavian Army 1923-1941
context_page_description: Vojvoda literally "war-leader" from old Serbian was the highest rank in the army of the Kingdom of Serbia and Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1901 until end of Second World War in 1945. It has roots from the medieval term Voivode used during medieval Kingdom, Empire and Principality of Serbia. Vojvoda in medieval and later principality of Serbia had similar meaning as Duke title in other feudal states as it was military and noble title. In modern military terms the rank of Vojvoda is comparable with Field marshal and Generalfeldmarschall but since it can be an honorable title it is not always a military rank of a commissioned military officer.
  It was first created with the passing of the law on the Organization of the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia in 1901 and later confirmed in Kingdom of Yugoslavia laws on the Organization of the Army and Navy from 1923 and 1929 Law from 1901 was passed on the suggestion of Lieutenant colonel Miloš Vasić who was Minister of the Defense at the time. The rank was awarded only during the war for Particular military contributions of top generals.
  In the Balkan Wars and World War I this title was used to designate the highest military rank in Serbian Army.
context_section_description: The change in the structure of the army from 1897 to 1900 year was time when new military ranks where intronduced. The then existing Law on Organization of the Army from 1886 included eight military ranks. Sub-lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain II class, Captain I class and they were lower officer ranks, while major, lieutenant colonel, colonel and general where were higher officer ranks. At this time new ranks where intronduced warrant officer and army general that was honorary rank. In December 1898, King Alexander I has signed a decree and authorized the then minister of defense to submit it for approval to the assembly. The new command is related to the increase in salaries lower-ranking officers and generals grading rank within: Brigade, Divisional and Corps. This command is not passed with the amendments in national assembly, but for a little more than a year in a modified form, this project is finally realized.
  At the XXVI regular session of the National Assembly, following the report of the Military Committee, adopted new amendments to the Law on the organization of the army. Minister Ilija Stojanović during the parliamentary debate, before the adoption of the law emphasized the need for introducing a higher rank than the current staff, the act of army general. According to him, the victim would not be large because the Serbian Army had one, and then in the future two or three. It was clear that the new act is intended active army commander to the King Milan. The opposite opinion was Živan Živanović, who pointed out that the allocation of this act in this case had more political than military significance. This is supported by the aforementioned fact that King Milan, before returning, it is not intended that their military rank, raised by this, but by their desire other military act, which was the title of the Supreme Commander. Therefore, in the summer of 1897 addressed to Stojan Novaković opinion, if anyone other than Karađorđe, was the holder. How Novaković did not know that the founder of the house Obrenović, Prince Miloš was in the Second Serbian uprising, also holds the title of Supreme Leader, King Milan knowing only then that the founder of another dynasty holder of this title, he refused to accept the proposal of this title.
  And without this title, the former king has become the holder of the highest military rank in the state, and not only in relation to all the other generals, but also in relation to his son, the then supreme commander King Alexander I. Decision Assembly, and adopted the draft Law on amendments to the Law on the organization of the army, confirmed King Alexander January 12, 1900. Two days later (January 14), the new act is due to the merit of the two-year work on reforming the Army awarded the King's father. The act was introduced due to the rise of the military rank of King Milan. According to the legislation on the organization of the Army (Article 27), the rank of army general was granted to only by the monarch any general regardless of the time spent in a general's rank. The departure of the King of the Kingdom of Serbia, Milan, gone is the main reason for the existence of this act. General Mihailo Srećković successor as commander of the active army, wasn't promoted to this rank. The new law on the organization of the army from 1901 (Article 7), contrary to earlier, it is not anticipated that the Minister of War in command only performs the tasks laid down in laws and was administrator of army.
caption: Special insignia of a Vojvoda as worn on epaulettes by King Alexander I of Yugoslavia.
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