Čolak-Anta Simeonović
| Vojvoda Čolak-Anta Anta Simeonović Анта Симеоновић |
|
|---|---|
Duke Čolak-Anta
|
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| Nickname(s) | Čolak-Anta |
| Born | 1777 Sredska, Ottoman Empire (now Kosovo) |
| Died | 23 August 1853 Kragujevac, Principality of Serbia (now Serbia) |
| Allegiance |
 Serbian revolutionaries
|
| Service/branch | Army |
| Rank | Vojvoda |
Antonije "Anta" Simeonović, known as Čolak-Anta (Serbian Cyrillic: Чолак-Анта Симеоновић; 1777–1853) was a Serbian commander (vojvoda), one of the most important figures of the First Serbian Uprising. He was a military commander, Duke of the Kruševac province, and later in life, Chief Magistrate. Čolak-Anta fought under Grand Leader Karađorđe, and is the eponymous founder of the notable Čolak-Antić family.
Simeonović was born in Sredska (in modern Prizren municipality, Kosovo), at the time part of the Kosovo Vilayet. His family hailed from Herzegovina.
As a young man he moved to Belgrade where he was a prosperous merchant trading furs and weaponry across the river Sava with neighbouring Habsburg Hungary and Austria. His real name was Anta (from Antonije, en. Anthony), he was first nicknamed Uzun because of his height but became known by the name Čolak-Anta (çolak meaning one-armed in Turkish) when, in 1806, during a fight with an Ottoman commander, he was hit with a sabre and lost the usage of his left arm.
Ottoman Janissaries in the Sanjak of Smederevo (also known as Belgrade Pashaluk), known as the dahi, plundered and terrorized the Serbian population, which culminated in the "Slaughter of the Knezes". The massacre of the Serbian leaders led to a spontaneous revolt. On the eve of the uprising Čolak-Anta smuggled arms and ammunition from Prizren to Belgrade, and then to the town of Topola where he handed them over to Karađorđe, the rebel leader. Čolak-Anta joined the rebellion, repeatedly distinguishing himself in the battles which ensued, becoming one of Karađorđe's top military commanders. By the winter of 1806–1807 the Serbs had gained control of the whole Sanjak, including Belgrade. Ottoman Sultan Selim III offered the rebels autonomy but the Serbs refused and kept fighting for complete independence. The rebels achieved several victories and were able to withstand Ottoman forces despite the fact that the Ottoman Sultan had declared Holy War against them.
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