Banat Uprising

Uprising in Banat
Part of Long Turkish War, Ottoman–Serbian Wars
Map of the uprising.
Date March — 10 July 1594 Location Eyalet of Temeşvar, Ottoman Empire (modern Banat region, Serbia and Romania) Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Serb rebels Austrian aid	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Teodor of Vršac Sava Temišvarac Velja Mironić Đorđe Rac Spahija Vukadin †	Koca Sinan Pasha Mustafa Pasha Ali Çavuş
Strength
5,000	20–30,000
Casualties and losses
1,000+

The Uprising in Banat was a rebellion organized and led by Serbian Orthodox bishop Teodor of Vršac and Sava Temišvarac against the Ottomans in the Eyalet of Temeşvar. The uprising broke out in 1594, in the initial stage of the Long Turkish War, and was fought by local Serbs, numbering some 5,000, who managed to quickly take over several towns in the region before being crushed by the Ottoman army. The relics of Saint Sava were burnt by the Ottomans as a retaliation. Although short-lived, it inspired future rebellions.

The reign of Suleiman I has been described as the most famous period in Ottoman history. At the end of his reign, however, the constant wars had taken its toll, damaging the economy. The faulty economical politics that followed shook the economy and with that, the foundations of Ottoman society; state officials quickly became poor, their pays being worthless akçe, and corruption and briberies were common. Mutiny struck throughout the Ottoman Empire, the rebellion of the capital troops in January 1593 assuring the government to seek out a new war of conquest to get out of the crisis. The population (rayah, sr. raja) in the Sanjak of Çanad suffered in this period, since the 1560s. Impoverished sipahi forced peasants to overwork, and imposed own taxes on them, despite laws. Tax collectors, as well, abused their position, taking higher taxes.Beys and vojvode (Christian chiefs) used the population's houses, tools and animals, and ate free of charge, which was eventually prevented by government order. A result of issues like these led to a massive migration of the population to Transylvania in 1583. Records show the worsening of the population's status, and deteriorating economy (inflation). It could be concluded from Ottoman sources that the main initiators and leaders of the uprising once belonged to the Christian layers in Ottoman military service. After the Ottoman conquest of Gyula in 1566, these began to lose their privileges and became part of the lower class (raja); a part moved to Transylvania and the frontier parts of the empire, a part stayed, while a large number joined hajduk bands.

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