MILOSH (1847)

Full name MILOS OBRENOVIC I.
Original name MILOS TEODOROVIC.

Peasant revolutionary who became prince of Serbia (ruled 1815-39 and 1858-60) and who founded the Obrenovic dynasty.

Milosh Teodorovic originally a herdsman worked for his half brother Milan Obrenovic then joined Karageorge who was leading the Serbs in a rebellion against their Ottoman Turkish rulers (1804-13).

In 1805 Milosh was appointed a commander in the rebel forces but after his half brother was killed (1810) possibly by Karageorge he took the surname Obrenovic and assumed an enmity toward Karageorge. When Karageorde fled into Hungary following the collapse of his revolt (1813) he remained in Serbia.

The Turks appointed him knez (prince) of three central Serb districts and he cooperated with them in pacifying the country even helping in the suppression of a new revolt (1814).

But when the Turks began large-scale massacres Milosh gathered his followers at Takovo Serbia and on Palm Sunday (April 1815) began his own revolt quicly winning series of military victories. Because the Turks feared that Russia might intervene on the Serb´s behalf, a peace settlement was soon arranged (December 1815). The Turks recognized milosh as prince of Serbia which was granted a large degree of autonomy but remained a part of the Ottoman Empire. They also allowed the Serbs to retain their weapons and to hold their own national assembly or Skupstina.

Milosh who shortly thereafter allowed Karageorge to be murdered consolidated his position and in November 1817 was named the hereditary prince of Serbia by the Skupstina. Demonstrating diplomat he then conducted prolonged negotiations with the Turks who finally recognized Milos position aas hereditary and granted full autonomy to the Serb principality (Aug. 28, 1830). Three years later Milosh also acquired possesions of the southern Serb lands that the Turks had originally excluded from his jurisdiction (May. 25, 1833).

Despite his diplomatic successes, his achievements in promoting trade, in reorganizing the army and in building schools and roads and his agricultural and land distribution policies favouring peasants with small landholdings, Milosh autocratic methods stimulated strong opposition to his regime.

In 1835 he was compelled to grant a constitution and when Russia and Turkey forced him to repeat it because they regarded it as too liberal the Turkish sultan promulgated another constitution for Serbia in December 1838. In accordance tors with it Milosh appointed a council of 17 senators who inmediately demanded his abdication. Naming his son Milan as his successor (June. 13, 1839) Milosh Obrenovic retired to his estates in Walachia.

Twenty years later the Skupstina called on Milosh returned to the throne to replace Alexander Karageorgevic (ruled 1842-58) whom it deposed in December 1858.

Resuming his autocratic methods Milosh then adopted policies that defied Austria which had gained a great deal of influence over Serbia during the preceding reign: He also demanded that the Turks again recognize his position as hereditary and reduce their military strength inside Serbia.

Before he could accomplish his aims he died.