The Serbian Revolution: 1804-1835

Book excerpt: A bloody conflict with so many similarities to those of the main players in Europe. The Serbian Revolution was fought for freedom, peace, and self-governance. The fate of small European nations was often dictated by larger global geopolitical events. As the actions of the world’s major powers almost without fault swept up small and powerless nations in their wake, ethnicities, sovereignties, and centuries of history were often thoroughly destroyed. Serbia can be in many ways regarded as an iconic example of such a turbulent and tumultuous fate - as the machinations of large Empires decided its fate, destiny, and its independence. But even the smallest of nations can cling fiercely to their identity, to their religion, and above all - to the immortal feeling of hope that is ingrained in every oppressed person. The Serbian Nation is venerable in every regard, its roots stretching far back in time. Its history was often instrumental in the great scale of European developments, and its position was in many ways the key to its importance. Nevertheless, the fate of Serbia was often directly linked to the fate of the great empires of the world, who coveted its strategic geopolitical position and its wealth of resources. Simply put, Serbia was ever at the crossroads of cultures, at the center of the windswept battlefield of the East and the West, of Islam and Christianity. And it is this position that led to much suffering of its folk. As you turn the pages we will take you through the Serbian Revolution and the bravery of those who stood up for their freedom from the oppressive Ottoman Empire.