Slaughter of the knezes

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The Slaughter of the knezes, (Serbian: Сеча кнезова), was an event which occurred in January 1804, on the central square of Valjevo, Serbia, when the most prominent serbian nobles, titled knezes ("local dukes"), of Belgrade Pashaluk were brutally executed by the order of Ottoman authorities. The list included Aleksa Nenadović and Ilija Birčanin. The event triggered a widespread revolt and eventually evolved into First Serbian uprising aimed at putting an end to the 300 years of Ottoman occupation. The massacre included many more high ranked Serb citizens (dozens of them). According to historical sources of the city of Valjevo, heads of the murdered men (following their decapitation) were put on some sort of a public display in the central square to serve as an example to those who did not agree with the Ottoman politics.

[edit] References

• Prilike u Beogradskom Pašaluku 1790-1804. godine i pocetak Prvog srpskog ustanka (Serbian)
• The slaughter of the knezes: the Serbian Uprisings and the Ottoman Empire, 1804-30 from "The Balkans: The Balkans Nationalism, War and the Great Powers, 1804-1999 " by Misha Glenny