Mateja Nenadovic
Encyclopedia
Prota Mateja Nenadović (1777 – 1854) was a Serbian archpriest
, writer, and a notable leader of the First Serbian Uprising
. He is generally called Prota Mateja, since as a boy of sixteen he was made a priest, and a few years later became archpriest (Прота, prota) of Valjevo
. His father, Aleksa Nenadović, Knez (chief magistrate) of the district of Valjevo, was one of the most popular and respected public men among the Serbs at the beginning of the 19th century. When the four leaders of the Janissaries
of the Sanjak of Smederevo
(the so-called Dahias) thought that the only way to prevent a general rising of the Serbs was to intimidate them by murdering all their principal men
, Aleksa Nenadović was one of the first victims. The policy of the Dahias, instead of preventing, did actually and immediately provoke a general insurrection of the Serbs against the Turks
. Prota Mateja became the deputy-commander of the insurgents of the Valjevo district (1804), but did not hold the post for long, as Karadjordje sent him in 1805 on a secret mission to St. Petersburg, and afterwards employed him almost constantly as Serbia's diplomatic envoy to Russia, Austria, Bucharest
and Constantinople
. After the fall of Karadjordje (1813), the new leader of the Serbs, Miloš Obrenović, sent Prota Mateja as representative of Serbia to the Congress of Vienna
(1814–1815), where he pleaded the Serbian cause indefatigably. During that mission he often saw Lord Castlereagh, and for the first time the Serbian national interests were brought to the knowledge of British statesmen.
Prota Mateja's memoirs (Memoari Prote Mateje Nenadovića) are the most valuable authority for the history of the first and Second Serbian uprising
against the Turks.
He had a brother, Sima
, a voivode. His uncle, Jakov Nenadović
, had an equally important role in Serbia, as the first Interior Minister. Mateja Nenadović had a son, Ljubomir Nenadović, born on 14 September 1826 at Brankovini, near Valjevo. From his earliest years he showed uncommon diligence and perseverance in classical studies, nothwithstanding many difficulties and privations. In 1844 he went to Prague, Berlin and Heidelberg where he studied at their universities. His reputation as a literary scholar, writer and poet secured him a post of professor at a Belgrade lyceum. In 1851 Nenadovic accompanied Petar II Petrović Njegoš on his last voyage in Italy. His Letters from Italy reveal many intimate sides of Njegoš's personality. Nenadović was only 25 years old at the time. When the great Serb poet was dying Nenadović arrived in Cetinje to record whatever he could from the eyewitnesses and to save it for posterity. In later life Nenadović took an active part in politics; he became a secretary at a Serbian Legation in Constantinople; and in 1859 he was in charge of the Press Bureau of the Serbian Foreign Office.
Archpriest
An archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
, writer, and a notable leader of the First Serbian Uprising
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
. He is generally called Prota Mateja, since as a boy of sixteen he was made a priest, and a few years later became archpriest (Прота, prota) of Valjevo
Valjevo
Valjevo is a city and municipality located in western Serbia. It is the center of the Kolubara District, which includes five other smaller municipalities with a total population of almost 180,000 people...
. His father, Aleksa Nenadović, Knez (chief magistrate) of the district of Valjevo, was one of the most popular and respected public men among the Serbs at the beginning of the 19th century. When the four leaders of the Janissaries
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
of the Sanjak of Smederevo
Sanjak of Smederevo
The Sanjak of Smederevo , also known as the Pashaluk of Belgrade , was an Ottoman administrative unit , that existed between the 15th and the outset of the 19th centuries...
(the so-called Dahias) thought that the only way to prevent a general rising of the Serbs was to intimidate them by murdering all their principal men
Slaughter of the knezes
The Slaughter of the Knezes, , was an event which occurred in January 1804, on the central square of Valjevo, Serbia, when the most prominent Serbian nobles, titled knezes , of Belgrade Pashaluk, were executed by the order of the Dahias, the Jannisary junta that ruled Serbia at the time.The Dahis...
, Aleksa Nenadović was one of the first victims. The policy of the Dahias, instead of preventing, did actually and immediately provoke a general insurrection of the Serbs against the Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
. Prota Mateja became the deputy-commander of the insurgents of the Valjevo district (1804), but did not hold the post for long, as Karadjordje sent him in 1805 on a secret mission to St. Petersburg, and afterwards employed him almost constantly as Serbia's diplomatic envoy to Russia, Austria, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. After the fall of Karadjordje (1813), the new leader of the Serbs, Miloš Obrenović, sent Prota Mateja as representative of Serbia to the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
(1814–1815), where he pleaded the Serbian cause indefatigably. During that mission he often saw Lord Castlereagh, and for the first time the Serbian national interests were brought to the knowledge of British statesmen.
Prota Mateja's memoirs (Memoari Prote Mateje Nenadovića) are the most valuable authority for the history of the first and Second Serbian uprising
Second Serbian Uprising
The Second Serbian Uprising was a second phase of the Serbian revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which erupted shortly after the re-annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire, in 1813. The occupation was enforced following the defeat of the First Serbian Uprising , during which Serbia...
against the Turks.
He had a brother, Sima
Sima Nenadović
Sima Nenadović was a Serbian voivode in the Second Serbian Uprising of the Serbian revolution. He was part of the Nenadović family, among which was his brother Prota Mateja, the first Serbian Prime Minister.-Life:...
, a voivode. His uncle, Jakov Nenadović
Jakov Nenadovic
Jakov Nenadović was the first Serbian Interior Minister. He played an important role as voivode in the First Serbian Uprising against the Turks, along with his nephew, Mateja Nenadović...
, had an equally important role in Serbia, as the first Interior Minister. Mateja Nenadović had a son, Ljubomir Nenadović, born on 14 September 1826 at Brankovini, near Valjevo. From his earliest years he showed uncommon diligence and perseverance in classical studies, nothwithstanding many difficulties and privations. In 1844 he went to Prague, Berlin and Heidelberg where he studied at their universities. His reputation as a literary scholar, writer and poet secured him a post of professor at a Belgrade lyceum. In 1851 Nenadovic accompanied Petar II Petrović Njegoš on his last voyage in Italy. His Letters from Italy reveal many intimate sides of Njegoš's personality. Nenadović was only 25 years old at the time. When the great Serb poet was dying Nenadović arrived in Cetinje to record whatever he could from the eyewitnesses and to save it for posterity. In later life Nenadović took an active part in politics; he became a secretary at a Serbian Legation in Constantinople; and in 1859 he was in charge of the Press Bureau of the Serbian Foreign Office.