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Early Middle Ages768 CE – 961 CEPeak: 61,328 km² (924 CE)

Principality of Serbia: Map & History

The Principality of Serbia was an autonomous, later sovereign state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the Serbian Revolution.

5.5
768 CEDrag timeline:924 CE961 CE
768 CE
825 CE
875 CE
925 CE
961 CE
Capital: Gornja Crnuća (1815–1818), Kragujevac (1818–1841), Belgrade (1841–1882)Capital at 43.13°N, 20.42°EPeak Extent: 61,328 km²Vector Attribution: Cliopatria (CC BY 4.0)Wikidata: Q1311990 ↗
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Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium

Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry

Wikipedia: Principality of Serbia
Principality of Serbia historical cartography
Principality in southeast Europe between 1815 and 1882

The Principality of Serbia was an autonomous, later sovereign state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the Serbian Revolution. Its creation was negotiated first through an unwritten agreement between Miloš Obrenović, leader of the Second Serbian Uprising, and Ottoman official Marashli Pasha, followed by a series of decrees of the Sublime Porte in 1828–1833. Its de facto independence ensued in 1867, following the evacuation of the remaining Ottoman troops from the Belgrade Fortress and the country; its independence was recognized internationally in 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin. In 1882 the country was elevated to the status of kingdom.

Capital / Seat
Gornja Crnuća (1815–1818), Kragujevac (1818–1841), Belgrade (1841–1882)
Common Languages
Serbian
Historical Religion
Eastern Orthodoxy
Peak Territory
24440
Key Dynasts / Leaders
Miloš Obrenović I, Milan Obrenović IV
Preceded By
Sanjak of Smederevo, Revolutionary Serbia
Succeeded By
Kingdom of Serbia
Content & infobox metadata adapted from Wikipedia (Principality of Serbia)

Modern Countries Once Part of Principality of Serbia

At its mapped extent, Principality of Serbia covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.

Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory

Each opens on the live map inside Principality of Serbia's borders of that time.

Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.

Principality of Serbia in Depth

Political history

Akkerman Convention (October 7, 1826), treaty between the Russian Empire and Ottoman Empire, contained article 5 on Serbia: autonomy, and return of lands removed in 1813, Serbs were also granted freedom of movement through the Ottoman Empire. Rejected by Mahmud II in 1828.

Military

The Armed Forces of the Principality of Serbia was the armed forces of the Principality of Serbia. Founded in 1830, it became a standing army to take part to the First and Second Serbo Turkish Wars of 1876–1878, the first conflict in the nation's modern history, after which the country gained its full independence. It was succeeded by the Royal Serbian Army.

Background and establishment

The Serbian revolutionary leaders, first Karađorđe and then Miloš Obrenović, succeeded in their goal of liberating Serbia from centuries-long Ottoman rule. Ottoman authorities acknowledged the state by the 1830 Hatt-i Sharif, and Miloš Obrenović became the hereditary prince (knjaz) of Serbia. Serbia was de jure an autonomous province of the Ottoman Empire, its autonomy was constrained by the presence of the Ottoman army on its soil and by being forced to pay to Istanbul a yearly tribute of 2.3 million groschen, which represented about 10% of the country's budget.

At first, the principality included only the territory of the former Pashaluk of Belgrade, but in 1831–1833 it expanded to the east, south, and west.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Principality of Serbia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Principality of Serbia: Key Facts

Key facts about Principality of Serbia
CapitalStari Ras
Official languageSerbian
Form of governmentmonarchy
Founded1084
Dissolved1217

Succeeded by

  • Kingdom of Serbia

Facts from Wikidata Q1311990 (CC0).

Principality of Serbia Map Over Time

Dated world maps on which Principality of Serbia appears, with the other states of the time.

Principality of Serbia Timeline

Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion

1 Epochs
Territorial Apex924 CE

Expansion to peak recorded area of 61,328 km² in 924 CE.

Principality of Serbia: Frequently Asked Questions

When did Principality of Serbia exist?

Principality of Serbia is dated to 768 CE – 961 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.

What was the capital of Principality of Serbia?

The capital of Principality of Serbia was Gornja Crnuća (1815–1818), Kragujevac (1818–1841), Belgrade (1841–1882).

How large was Principality of Serbia at its peak?

At its peak in 924 AD Principality of Serbia covered about 61,328 km².