During XVIII century, Serbs had fought the Turks jointly with the Austrian army on both sides of the Turkish border, and imprinted in their memory lay the 20-year Austro-Hungarian rule over Belgrade and the northern parts of Serbia. Neither had paled the memory of the promise made after the Treaty of Swistowa between Austria and Turkey that the Belgrade pashaluk would be divided into 12 nachia/regional principalities, with one supreme principle as a guarantee of autonomy, all this being the same the Serbs had been used to during the Austrian rule. Numerous demands and complaints made by Serbs of Turkish usurpations and were filed to the Sultan. Fearing new uprisings, Porta ordered reforms and administrative revision in Bosnia; however, it did not succeed in imposing these fermans upon agas and janissary corps in Serbia. Serbs on different occasions made a total of 33 requests, five of which pertaining to relations with spachias (landowners) and obligations on land. The Serbs demanded autonomy just like their fellow patriots made the directed the same requests to the Austrian Emperor at the Temisvar Council in 1790. The Serbs in Temisvar emphasized that a nation without autonomy is no nation.

As for the European powers, they tried to see their own strategic interests and then strike.

THE CORE OF INDEPENDENCE AND STATEHOOD

As the armed struggle progressed at the territories where Serbs lived, they gradually became aware of the core of their statehood. The idea of Serbia would emerge only as a result of uprisings and the transformation of struggle for autonomy within Turkish domains into a struggle for independence. This transformation occurred in 1806 following great Serbia victories: namely the victories over the Turkish army at Ivankovac, Misar and Deligrad as well as the siege of Belgrade gave the uprising an international tone as it then became a front line for the great powers of those times. 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 withdrawing of the Turkish army as the advancement of Russia. Though allies in ideology, Austrians also fear Russian intentions. Russia preferred to see the Balkan peninsula divided and the Serbian uprising as an incentive to 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 readier 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 thy served as some sort of security for the Duke Kardjordje and other dukes. They protected fortifications and secured borders.

Duke Milos 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 refuse to lay down the arms and start an uprising which the standing army would soon suppress.

RUSSIA’S INFLUENCE

19 century was a century marked by upgrading the system of national but also of the standing army in the autonomous Principality and later Kingdom of Serbia. The army kept abreast of times with the then current European experiences, economical powers.

The Serbian effort to organize an adequate standing army will be opposed by Austria and the Ottoman Empire. On the other hand, the already attained autonomy was not certain, and without the armed forces and military organization, the idea of further struggle for independence was inconceivable.

With the Yedren Treaty (1827-1829), Russia gained patronage over the Serbian Army, so and thus had its impact on the Serbian Army. A small army after its won army was organized by Russia, active officers were from Russia, Russian laws and exercises were introduced. In the period 1830-1835 an infantry battalion, equine squadron and a gun battery were formed. The first group of 12 youths was sent to Russia to be educated as officers. The first Law on the Establishment of Garrison Army was adopted in 1838. The army fell under the competencies of the Ministry of Interior Affairs.

By the end of 1847 the standing army of Serbia barely totaled 2.438 officers, professional military members and soldiers. The infantry was augmented by another battalion consisting of four companies.

Austria did not favor Serbia’s growing statehood and its Army’s. In 1860 junior Serbian officers came from the Austro Hungarian Army into Serbian Army. Also other civilians, mostly Slovenians, doctors, engineers, musicians and branch officers, came into Serbian Army. In 1867, Serbia adopted the Law on Accepting foreign Officers.

But it was France that had a predominant influence on the growth of the Serbian Army, while Prussia had less influence following its victory over Napoleon III. As to the military theory it was based on the thoughts of German military writers, who still kept Napoleon’s military thought alive.

MODERNIZATION AFTER THE FRENCH MODEL

It was no longer possible to improvise with infantry and artillery. An idea of a modernized army was promoted by the most distinguished Serbian politicians and soldiers of those times. All these ideas as well as his experience gained in his later education in France and Vienna general Milivoje Blaznavac passed on to Garasanin as well as the idea of opening the Artillery School ( Military Academy). On the other hand, the vested interests of France in Serbian Army because of the Crimea War led to close cooperation on building a gun factory and on staff education. Then created relations would lead to appointing a Frenchman Hippolyte Monden (1861-1865) Minister of the Army Ministry, who was charged with making a complete study on Serbia. However, it should be noted, that the idea of military professional leading the army followed the death of Duke Milos as in his exodus of the Karadjordjevic dynasty he banished the most distinguished modernization promoters, Blaznavac being among them.

NEW MINISTRY
It was Monden who actually established the Army Ministry, and under his competences fell the Ministry of Civil Engineering as bridges, roads, water supply systems and later railway system were a prerequisite in all European countries for mobilization and military operations. Monden’s right hand was Blaznavac. Russian Laws and Regulations were substituted with French or were somewhat tailored to suit Serbian circumstances. Pension funds for officers and NCOs were established, health care service was reorganized, and horse breeding as a prerequisite for raising the army was improved. The Serbian Assembly adopted a Law on National Army. Only the French posit their trust in this army of 100-150.000 soldiers who had reports from Monden as well as experiences in Crimea wars and Garribaldy’s operations. The national army, now equipped with numerous artillery weapons, made visible progress thanks to nation’s zeal.

The Serbian officers’ complaints of the Russian command and of armaments, and of the lack in professionally trained active NCOs and active commanding officers, resulted in an increase in the number of cadets in schools, in establishing a wider peace keeping formation. Following an imposed war on Bulgaria in 1885, King Milan became the military commander in chief and initiated the most important reform which will set foundations for future liberation wars in the period 1912-1918.

In all periods, it was of paramount importance for the strengthening of the Serbian Army for the ruling dynasty and the most prominent political factors to agree. In the periods marked by the domination of political factors over the army and its needs it was sometimes difficult to make even the crucial demands pertaining to army.

A prominent place in the tradition of the Serbian Army the following leaders had: Kardjordje, Duke Milos, Hajduk-Veljko, Tansko Rajic. The units which bore the names of these champions of Serbian people on their flags never disgraced them.