Vujica Vulićević

Vujica Vulićević also known as Vule Vulićević (; 1773–1828) was a Serbian voivode (military commander) in the First Serbian Uprising of the Serbian Revolution, led by Grand Leader Karađorđe against the Ottoman Empire. He held the rank of Obor-knez. He was also the kum (godfather) of Karađorđe, but betrayed him on behalf of Miloš Obrenović, the rival prince.

Life

Personal Vujica was born in the village of Azanja, in Smederevska Palanka, then part of the Sanjak of Smederevo, an Ottoman province covering central Serbia. His eldest brother was voivode Đuša Vulićević, the district holder of Smederevo. His son, Petar, was married to the sister of Ljubica Vukomanović, the wife of Miloš Obrenović.

Revolution He was part of the First Serbian Uprising since the start. Among his subordinates, was Đorđe Zagla.

In December 1806, voivodes Vujica, Mladen Milovanović and Stanoje Glavaš commanded an army of 18,000 soldiers to defend at the Battle of Deligrad. The fight ended in Serbian victory, with Ibrahim Bushati, pasha of Shkodër, signing a 6-week truce.

Together with voivode Čolak-Anta Simeonović, he led Karađorđe's offensive from Nikšić to Montenegro in May 1809.

After the murder of his brother Đuša, Vujica becomes Obor-knez, or holder of the Smederevo district.

He was sent by Miloš with Prota Mateja to negotiate with Marashli Ali Pasha in Ćuprija.

The murder of Karađorđe

In 1812, threatened by Napoleon's French Empire, Russia had to quickly sign a peace treaty with the Ottomans. In 1813, the Ottoman Empire launched a big assault on Serbia taking land all up to the rivers Morava and the river Drina, and Karađorđe, along with other rebel leaders, fled to the Austrian Empire on 21 September 1813. After some time, Karađorđe emigrated to Bessarabia, where he joined the Greek national liberation movement Filiki Eteria, where he became an active member. The Greeks were primarily interested in using the Serbian lands as base of the Greek operations. Miloš Obrenović was fully uncooperative. There also exist stories that Vujica himself killed Karađorđe, when he slept in his cabin, as a guest. Miloš had his head sent to the Sultan.

Later years In 1821, he is appointed diplomat and sent to Constantinople (now Istanbul). In 1827, he returns to Serbia. He was given an Ottoman Kilij for his service.