Stanislav Sočivica

Stanko Sočivica
Engraving of Sočivica (1779)
Born	c. 1715 Simijova, Sanjak of Herzegovina (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Died	after 1777 Habsburg Monarchy
Allegiance	Hajduks (1745–75)  Habsburg Monarchy (fl. 1775–77)
Rank	harambaša
Unit	Pandurs (fl. 1775–77)
Battles/wars

Stanislav "Stanko" Sočivica (c. 1715 – fl. 1777) was a hajduk (brigand) active in the Ottoman territories in western Balkans (sanjaks of Herzegovina, Bosnia and Montenegro). Born in a village close to Bileća, his family owned a farm subject to a harsh Ottoman bey family. After murdering the beys and taking their collected taxes, the family subsequently relocated to Venetian Dalmatia from where Sočivica and his brothers began their brigandage. After decades of brigandage, and the capture of his wive and children, he retired to the Habsburg Monarchy, where he was appointed commander of the Pandurs by Emperor Joseph II himself, in 1775.

Sočivica was born in c. 1715 in the village of Simijova northwest of Bileća in the Sanjak of Herzegovina (Ottoman Empire). Ivan Lovrić (fl. 1756–77) wrote the biography of Sočivica, while his life story was mentioned by Alberto Fortis (1741–1803), based on Sočivica's own narrative. He was of normal stature, had a long face, and blue eyes. His father, Vuk, was a farmer, whose land was owned by an infamous family of rich Turks, the Umetalčić, who were very harsh towards the family: they not only constantly insulted them, but also beat them severely. Stanko, a turbulent and ferocious person, plotted with his three brothers against their masters, but their father who was mild and pacific advised them not to act, for several years. Two of his brothers were named Ilija and Nikola.