About the year 1804 the Servians, availing themselves of the revolt of Passwan Oglu, pasha of Widin, rose in arms throughout the country against the Porta. They chose for their leader George Petrowitsch, surnamed Kara, or the ' black,' a countryman who, having taken a part In a former unsuccessful insurrection iu 1787, had fled into the Austrian territories, and served in the Austrian army in the campaign of 1788-9, After the peace In 1791 Kara George had returned to his country and resumed his profession of herdsman end grazier. He was stern and taciturn, but courageous and robust. In January 1806 two numerous Turkish armies, one from Bosnia under Bekir Pasha, and the other Rims in Rumili under Ibrahim, pasha of Scutari, entered Service. Kara George had no more than 10,000 men, but they ware determined, and knew well the country• and the intricacies of its forest& He kept In check both minim, and in the month of August defeated the pasha of Bosnia, and drove him back across the Drina with great loss. lie then turned rapidly against the paella of Scutari, who proposed a truce. But the truce not being ratified by the Porte, George surprised and took Belgrade, except the citadel, which sur rendered in 1807. Service was now free from the Turks. A sort of military government was formed, consisting of tho chief pro prietors of the various districts, each of whom was at the head of a body of cavalry formed of his tenants and friends. These officers assembled once a year, about Christmas, at Belgrade, to deliberate, under the presidency of Kara George, upon the affaire of the country. A senate of twelve members, one elected by each district of Senile, constituted the permanent executive. Mutual jealousies and dissen sions soon broke out between the principal governors and Kara George. The latter, in order to strengthen his power, undertook the Invasion of Bosnia in 1809, whilst Russia was at war with the Porto. He proved unsuccessful, and was obliged to retina Into Servia, protected by a diversion made b' a Russian corps on the side of the Danube. In 1810 he defeated Kunichld Pasha, who had advanced from Nitwit with 30,000 men, and soon after he routed another army from Bosnia, and drove It back across the Drina. He availed himself of these successes to obtain from the diet of 1811 more ample powers, and a sort of ministry, which resided continually near his person. The Porte proposed to acknowledge Kara George as liospodar of Servla, on condition that the Turks should garrison all the fortresses and keep the arsenals and arms. It was easy for moans acquainted with Otto man policy to foresee what would be the result& of such en arrange ment. The negotiation, lasted till 1813, when the news of the success of Napoleon L in Germany freed the Turks from the fear of Russia, and stimulated them to make a last effort spied Service. Two Turkish armies advanced, drove before them some Servian corps, and carried several strongholds. Kara George, losing on a auddeu his firmness, crossed the Danube and took refuge in Austria, and afterwards in Bessarabis. Universal disconragement followed, and the Turks occupied the whole country and entered Belgrade. Servia became again a pashalik. Milosch Obrenowlusch, originally a swineherd, alone kept op the insurrection about Jegodino, in the southern dia trice% but was at last obliged to accept the amnesty offered by the pasha for himself and followers. The Turks however having contrived to get into their hands the leaders of this last Insurreetion,shota number of them, regardless of the amnesty, and empaled thirty-six of them at Belgrade, in front of the pasha's palace iu 1815. Miloach himself effected his escape : he ran to the mouutains, and the insurrection began afresh. Having assembled the Heyduka and the fugitiees and emigrants of tho former insurrection, he attacked the kiaya, or lieutenant of the pasha, who had advanced against him from Belgrade at the head of 10,000 men. The kirtya was defeated with the loss of his artillery and baggage. The pasha came out of
ltel,grade with the rest of his troops, and was likewise defeated, and obliged to retire to Keupri under an escort given him Miloseh. Kurschid, pasha of Bosnia, sent another army under his lieutenant Ali, who was defeated, taken prisoner, and sent hack to his master with prestents. Miksch afterwards went himself to the camp of Kurselald Pasha to undertake negotiations of peace. The only article upon which they could not agree was that Miloach wished the Servians to remain armed, to which the pasha would not consent. When Milani' rose to mount his horse, the pasha's janizaries fell upon him, but Ali, who had been so generously treated by Milosch, interposed, representing that Milosch had come spontaneously and under a aide conduct, which ought not to be broken. Ali's firmness saved 31110sch, who was allowed to depart. The negotiations continued ; Servian deputies were vent to Constantinople, and at last a firman of peace came, appointing another pasha friendly to the Servians. The forte of Belgrade, Zabatz, Ujitza, Semendria, and Sokol were to remain in the hands of the Turks, but the Servians retained the administration of the country, their senate, and they alone taxed themselves. Mean while Kara George was living in Beseambia, where he seema to have entered into the Russian schemes for overthrowing Turkey. He retired to Servia with some coufederates, with a design of raising the standard of insurrection, and was betrayed, it is said at the instigation of Milosch, into the hands of the Turks, who put him to death as he slept in a but Milosch restored with some modification the constitution established by Kara George. He created a provincial administration ; every district or knef has its kneven, or civil officer, and every great division or province has its obar-kneven, all of whom are paid by the treasury. Judicial courts were established in the various districts. A code, based mainly on the French code, was compiled. Tho clergy were made amenable to the same courts as the laity. Belgrade has a small Turkish garrison, and is the residence of' a pasha, who has no direct authority in the affairs of the country. Servia pays a fixed amount of tribute to the Porte, which is yearly delivered by the prince into the hands of the pasha. The natives of Servis are allowed to trade all over the Ottoman empire, when furnished with Servian passports. By an imperial Hatti Sherif, issued in 1830, religious liberty, here ditary succession in the family of Miksch, the formation of a national militia, the right of erecting schools and hospitals, and the adminis tration of publio justice were among the privileges confirmed to, or conferred upon, the Serbs. For several years after this Milosch gave himself up to amassing wealth ; when the senate established by the new constitution determined to examine the public accounts, he suddenly retired to Scullin. Ile soon returned however, and fomented • revolt against the senate. His complicity being discovered, he resigned his post, and withdrew to Bucharest. He was succeeded by Prince Milan, after whose death Prince Michael, the second son of Milosch, became ruler of the Serbs. Michael after a short period of power was deprived of the princely functions, for practicea similar to those of his father: and Alexander, son of Kara George, the present ruler of Servia, was raised to the princely dignity.
The senate of Servia consists of 17 members chosen for life, from the most influential persons in the principality ; they aro irremovable by the prince, on whom they form a constitutional check. Since 1850 no Turk is allowed to hold real property in Servia, or to reside in it, except in one or other of the five fortresses before named. The Serbs are said to be favourable to the views of Russia, to which power they are akin in blood, language, and religion, and to whose intrigues they are mainly indebted for their favourable relations with the Porte.