page_title: History of the Serbian Army
section_title: Revolutionary Army
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Serbian Army / Revolutionary Army
caption_attribution_description: English: Uniform and weapons, which is belongs to Regular soldier of Serbian Uprising Army from 1809/10. Photo taken in:Military museum Belgrade Српски / srpski: Униформа и оружје Српског регулаша из устаничке војске,у употреби 1809/10 године. Фотографисано у Војном музеју у Београду
context_page_description: The history of the Serbian Army dates back to the early 19th century, and includes the following periods:
  Revolutionary Serbian Army
  Armed forces of the Principality of Serbia
  Royal Serbian Army
  Royal Yugoslav Army
  Yugoslav People's Army
  Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro
  Serbian Armed Forces
context_section_description: During the 18th century, Serbs had fought the Turks as auxiliaries to the Austrian army on both sides of the Turkish border, and had been important in defending the 20-year Austro-Hungarian rule over Belgrade and the northern parts of Serbia. The return of Ottoman rule after the Treaty of Swistowa between Austria and Turkey did not mean the end of Serbs serving under arms as the Sultan needed a serb militia to oppose Janissary corps in Serbia. This ended when the Janissaries got the upper hand and took power under a junta of 4 known as the dahis.
  The overthrow of the Dahis was nominally in the name of the Sultan but in fact was the work of an uprising of Serbs led by Karađorđe with only token support from troops sent by the Sultan.  That Belgrade had fallen to Serb forces put them in a strong negotiating position with the Sultan and consequently what the Serbs expected in terms of autonomy was more than the Sultan was able to offer
  The final break with Istanbul came with the Battle of Ivankovac in which the Serbs were victorious.  This was followed by further victories at Misar and Deligrad. Serbian rebel army was small in number but used sconce fortress to battle Turkish number superiority. The rebels not only defeated the Turkish army, but also inadvertently Napoleon himself who equipped and instructed the Turkish army to strike from three sides, and who saw every withdrawal of the Turkish army as the advancement of Russia. Though allies in ideology, Austrians also feared Russian intentions. Russia preferred to see the Balkan peninsula divided and the Serbian uprising as an incentive to the Greek Liberation Movement. Unaware of the rules of top politics, as early as February 1806 Serbs appealed to the Russian Tzar to support their right to the national state in the Balkan provinces where they could rise the army of up to 200,000 men. Though almost illiterate and uneducated in military profession, Serbian leaders recognized the importance of strategic factors, the role of the army and security challenges of those times while making decisions.
  
   
  After their refusal to accept the terms of Russian-Turkish Treaty, the Serbian army suffered defeat in 1813. Russia, which was in expectation of another invasion of Napoleon, signed an agreement in Bucharest, which was rather indefinite for the Serbs.
  It was up to them now to agree with the Turks on tax rates and the sale of weapons. The Turks were to reestablish the former garrisons. The hajduks (outlaws also freedom fighters) were allowed to flee to Russia and Germany, while Russia designated Austria as the protector of Serbia's autonomy, the country whose Chancellor supported the Ottoman Empire. At the national assembly in Kragujevac, where the elders refused this offer, it was stressed that “this land belonged to our forefathers and that we have redeemed it with our blood”. If a Russian has promised the Turks fortifications, he will have to deliver them some other fortifications”.
  The commitment of soldiers and the commanders till the last moment, their bearing in face of a much more numerous enemy, the Turks would remember well. The very thought of this and the possibility of seeing this again made the Turks yield later on. When the new uprising broke out in 1815, they were more ready to yield.
  During the uprisings the Serbian army was of the national character. The leaders of the Serbian army drafted farmers only when a battle was ahead. They provided equipment and weapons themselves. In addition to this mass of fighters drafted on call, during the first Serbian revolutionary statehood there were standing regiments of skilled and armed lads who were paid for their service. They were called becari or lads, and they served as some sort of security for the Duke Kardjordje and other dukes. They protected fortifications and secured borders.
  Prince Miloš following the Second Serbian Uprising disbanded the army but it was not disarmed. Though it was not until King Milan cancelled this Swiss system of armed reserve corps, the peasants of Timok Krajina refused to lay down their arm
caption: Uniform and weapons, which is belongs to Regular soldier of Serbian Uprising Army from 1809/10.
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