Jovan Monasterlija
| Jovan Monasterlija | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 1660s Komorn, Habsburg Monarchy (modern Slovakia) |
| Died | 1706 Großwardein, Habsburg Monarchy (modern Romania) |
| Allegiance | Holy Roman Empire (Leopold I) |
| Years of service | fl. 1683–1706 |
| Rank | Vice-voivode (podvojvoda) General |
| Unit | Serbian Militia |
| Battles/wars | |
Jovan Monasterlija (Serbian Cyrillic: Јован Монастерлија; fl. 1683–1706) was a Serbian vice-voivode (podvojvoda) and Austrian (Holy Roman Empire) imperial officer that led a Serbian Militia against the Ottoman Empire and other enemies of the Austrian Emperor. He was titled leader of the Serbian nation by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I.
According to some authors, Monasterlija family was of Aromanian origin. Fleeing from Ottoman repression they moved to Srpski Kovin (Ráckeve) in 16th century. They came from Monastir (Bitola), hence his epithet "Monasterlija" (Turkish: Monastirli, of Monastir). To avoid Ottoman repression after the Long Turkish War the family, at that time already serbianized, had settled Komorn County in 1606, together with other Serbs from Kovin.
The Monasterlija (or Manastirlija) family gained nobility status from Emperor Ferdinand III in 1665, when Petar Monasterlija was ennobled. Jovan, the son of Petar, was born in Komorn. To improve his reputation among local Serbs, Jovan married a young woman from Rašković family, a family with highest reputation among Serb immigrants.
Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, led the capture of Belgrade in 1688 from the Ottomans, with the full support of Serbian insurgents under the command of Monasterlija. Between 1689 and 1692, central parts of present-day Serbia were controlled by the Habsburg crown. In 1689 Monasterlija was sent to defend Golubac.
In 1689 Louis William was appointed as chief commander of the Imperial army in its invasion of the territory of present-day Serbia. Before the invasion Louis William recruited Serb rebels all over territory of present-day Serbia, whose infantry units were called hayduks while cavalry units of Serb rebels were called Serb husars. On August 29, 1689 Serbian Militia under the command of Pavle Nestorović Deak as a vanguard unit of the Habsburg army were victorious against a vanguard unit of the Ottoman army during the Battle of Batočina.
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