Historedia
EuropeEvent

First Serbian uprising begins the Serbian Revolution

When
1804
Where
Central Serbia; Marićević Gully, Orašac
Episodes
2

The First Serbian Uprising began in February 1804 as a rebellion against the Dahije, renegade Ottoman Janissaries who had massacred Serbian chieftains. Surviving leaders assembled at Orašac on Candlemas to decide their course of action, electing Karađorđe as their leader. This event marked the start of the broader Serbian Revolution, transforming an Ottoman province into a rebel territory.

Episodes

  1. January-February 1804 · Central SerbiaSlaughter of the Knezes

    The Dahije executed between 70 and 150 Serbian chieftains, livestock merchants, and Orthodox priests in late January 1804 to thwart a rebellion.

  2. 14-15 February 1804 · Marićević Gully, OrašacOrašac Assembly

    Surviving chieftains assembled at Orašac on Candlemas, 14 February 1804, to decide on a course of action and elect Karađorđe as leader.

Background and detail

Background. The Dahije, renegade Ottoman Janissaries, feared the Sultan might use Serbs against them. After learning of conspiracies in 1803, they monitored Serbs and executed between 70 and 150 knezes, livestock merchants, and Orthodox priests in late January 1804. This event, known as the Slaughter of the Knezes, targeted prominent nobles in Central Serbia, prompting the surviving chieftains to organize a response.

Assembly at Orašac. On Candlemas, 14 February 1804, leading Serbs from the Belgrade and Kragujevac nahiyas secretly met at Marićević Gully in Orašac. The assembly decided to support a general uprising against the Dahije. Karađorđe was unanimously elected to lead the rebellion. This gathering is recognized as the starting point of the First Serbian Uprising and the site of the Orašac Assembly.

Leadership. Đorđe Petrović, known as Karađorđe, was a Serbian revolutionary leader who held the title of Grand Vožd of Serbia from 14 February 1804. He led the struggle against the Ottoman Empire during the First Serbian Uprising.

People involved

  • Karađorđe · Leader of the First Serbian Uprising
  • Dahije · Renegade Ottoman Janissaries

Sources

  1. First Serbian Uprising Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-01
  2. Serbian Revolution Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
  3. Karađorđe Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-16
  4. Orašac (Aranđelovac) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.