Jovan Monasterlija

Who was Jovan Monasterlija?

Jovan Monasterlija was a Serbian vice-voivode and Austrian imperial officer that led a Serb army against the Ottoman Empire and other enemies of the Austrian Emperor. He was titled "Chief of the Serbian Nation" by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I.

Monasterlija was born to father Petar in Komorn County, where his ancestors had settled in 1606 from Srpski Kovin, possibly originally from Bitola, hence his epithet "Monasterlija". His family was of noble status, his father had been granted noble status in 1655.

Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, led the capture of Belgrade in 1688 from the Ottomans, with the full support of Serbian insurgents under the command of Monasterlija. Between 1689 and 1692, central parts of present-day Serbia were controlled by the Habsburg crown. In 1689 Monasterlija was sent to defend Golubac. On 11 April 1691, he was appointed the military commander of the Serb Army, after Serbs demanded their own leaders while going to battle. His command was of more than 10,000 volunteer Serb soldiers, and was to be under the direct supervision of the Aulic War Council, the soldiers were highly regarded by Leopold.