Arsenije III Čarnojević

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Arsenije III Čarnojević (Serbian Cyrillic: Арсеније III Чарнојевић, 1633, Bajice, Cetinje, Montenegro - 1706, Vienna, Habsburg Monarchy) was the Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs from 1674 to 1691 and Metropolitan of Sentandreja from 1691 to his death in 1706.

[edit] Life

Arsenije was born in Cetinje clan of Old Montenegro. His surname was written by himself as Črnojević, that is Crnojević, the same as the surname of the last dynasty that ruled Montenegro until 1499 but it remains unclear if Arsenije was in any way related to them. The spelling was later corrupted to more Church Slavonic and Russian sounding Čarnojević as he is known to this day.

It is not known when he received his monastic vow but we see him first in the monastery of Pećka Patrijaršija, the seat of the Patriarchy, at the time led by patriarch Maksim, whom Arsenije latter described as his “father and teacher”. In 1665 Arsenije became the abbot of this monastery. In 1669 he was promoted to the rang of a bishop with the title “metropolitan of Hvosno”, which was considered as patriarch’s closest advisor and inheritor to the throne. When in 1674 patriarch Maksim fell sick and withdrew from the position, Arsenije, only 39 years old, took over the position.

His first task was to make canonical visitation of his flock and from 1674 to 1680 we see him traveling from Bosnia across Srem to present-day Central Serbia. In 1682 he embarked on a pilgrimage to Christ's tomb in Jerusalem, of which journey we know from the diary he kept.

Upon his return we know that in 1683 Arsenije III was in Nikolje monastery where he received news of Turkish defeat in front of Vienna. A note survives that shows us that he took the news with pleasure. As the war approached, and Serbs from Dalmatia, Herzegovina and Boka Kotorska already took to arms, Arsenije III continued with his regular duties visiting in 1684 Slavonia, but on the other hand secretly contacted with Venetians and Austrians. The passing Ottoman armies plundered the local populace mercilessly; the worst of them all was the one of notorious Jegen Osman-pasha who for two years (1687-89) robbed the area from Belgrade to Ohrid and from Sofia to Peć, and who managed to rob also the vast treasure of Peć Patriarchy, deposited for centuries back. Jegen Osman-pasha in addition captured Arsenije III demanding the ransom of 10,000 thalers. After this was paid and he was released, Arsenije’s mind was made up. He contacted the Russian emperor asking him to recognize him as the leader of the Serbs, but the Austrians cut these liaisons soon. In front of Turkish threats he escaped to Nikšić and then to his native Cetinje which was already taken by the Venetian forces. There he swore allegiance to the Doge. However, his close ties with the Venetian Republic were scrutinized in Vienna wherefrom he was openly warned that unless he collaborates with the Habsburg forces a new, more obedient patriarch could be elected.

In 1688 Habsburg army took Belgrade and entered territory of present-day Central Serbia. Duke of Baden called Arsenije III to raise arms against the Turks; he accepts it and returns to the liberated Peć. As Serbia is under Habsburg control, Emperor Leopold grants Arsenije nobility and the title of duke. In early November Arsenije III met with Habsburg commander-in-chief, Piccolomini in Prizren; after this talk he sent a note to all Serb bishops to come to him and collaborate only with Habsburg forces.

As the tide turned in 1690 and Turks advanced through Serbia, Arsenije retreated with the Austrian army and 60-70,000 Serbs to the north, in an episode later named The Great Migration of the Serbs. In April Emperor Leopold issues his Letter of Invitation, in which he invites Serbs and other Balkan nations on the run to come to Habsburg Monarchy. In front of this huge decision Arsenije III organizes the ecclesiastical and national gathering in Belgrade (Beogradski sabor) that meets on June 18 and decides to accept Leopold as Serbian king and continue war against the Turks but only on clear conditions that were sent to Vienna. Based on these, and in grave need of soldiers and farmers, on August 21 emperor issued his first Chapter on Privileges in which he recognizes Serbs in Habsburg Empire as a separate political entity (corpus separatum) under Serbian orthodox church. On September 29 Serbs led by Arsenije III started the crossing of Sava and the Danube. Driven by further Turkish advance, they flee upstream the Danube all the way to Buda and Szentendre. This migration increased the number of Serbs in the Pannonian plain and the privilegies that were given to the Serbs by the Habsburg emperor were a legal base for the creation of Serbian Vojvodina in the 19th century.

Soon Arsenije III was upset with news that catholic clergy was forcing the newly arrived Serbs to convert. Upon reporting this to the Emperor he was granted the Diploma of Protection for the Serbs and their religion on December 11, 1690. In next years Arsenije III traveled round Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia with this diploma stopping the forceful conversions, ordering new priests and organizing church. In the same time he was inaugurating new Serb infantry and hussar regiments that were sent to the ongoing war.

As the religious pressures mounted, Serbian leaders met in 1694 in Baja demanding a separate territory where Serbs would settle – Slavonia and Srem were proposed. The Viennese court starts to view Arsenije as a threat and a burden and starts to promote other Serb leaders.

In 1695 Arsenije III formed seven new bishoprics in the territories where they were scarce prior to the migration of 1690. This was protected by another diploma (the last in the line) since it disrupted the decree of the Fourth Lateran council that there shan’t be two bishops with jurisdiction in the same area.

After the Treaty of Karlowitz was concluded, Serb assistance was needed no more and the Habsburg authorities started disregarding the previously given privileged one by one. Upon the advice of the proselyte fanatic cardinal Kolonić, in 1701 the rights of Arsenije III as the Serb patriarch were limited to the newcomers living in the vicinity of Szentendre and he was reduced in rang to the "Metropolitan of Szentendre", a title which was never accepted by Serbs. In conclusion with this Arsenije was also forbidden to leave the town. In 1703 he was prohibited to use the title of patriarch and all orthodox bishops were to recognize the authority of Roman-catholic ones.

However, things changed when in 1703 the rebellion of Hungarians under Francis II Rákóczi erupted. Austrian forces needed Serbs’ assistance once more and privileges were instantaneously confirmed. Arsenije III was sent from Vienna to the Serb areas to explain the situation to the people.

He died in 1706 in Vienna and was buried in Krušedol monastery in Srem.

Preceded by Maksim I	Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs 1674–1691	Succeeded by Kalinik I
Preceded by Post created	Metropolitan of Sentandreja 1691–1706	Succeeded by Isaija Đakovac