Jovan Rajić

Jovan Rajić (; September 21, 1726 – December 22, 1801) was a Serbian writer, historian, theologian, and pedagogue, considered one of the greatest Serbian academics of the 18th century.

He was one of the most notable representatives of Serbian Baroque literature along with Zaharije Orfelin, Pavle Julinac, Vasilije III Petrović-Njegoš, Simeon Končarević, Simeon Piščević, and others (although he worked in the first half of 18th century, as Baroque trends in Serbian literature emerged in the late 17th century).

Rajić was the forerunner to modern Serbian historiography, and has been compared to the importance of Nikolay Karamzin to Russian historiography.

Notable works Pesni različnina gospodskih prazniki (Vienna, 1790) Kant o vospominaniju smrti, cantata Boj zmaja s orlovi, (The Battle between Dragon and Eagles) epic poem Istorija raznih slovenskih narodov, najpače Bolgar, Horvatov i Serbov (The History of Various Slavic Peoples, especially of Bulgars, Croats and Serbs), the first systematic work on the history of Croats and Serbs, in four volumes Serbian Catechesis (Katihisis mali) Uroš V (reworked drama by Emanuel Kozačinski, his teacher)