Throughout history, armed priests or soldier priests have been recorded. Distinguished from military chaplains, who are non-combatants that provided spiritual guidance to service personnel and associated civilians, these priests took up arms and fought in conflicts as combatants. The term warrior priests or war priests is usually used for armed priests in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, and of historical tribes.
In Greek mythology, the Curetes were identified as armed priests. [1] In Ancient Rome, the Salii were an order of armed priests who carried sacred shields through the city during the March festivals. [2] Livy (59 BC–17 AD) mentions armati sacerdotes (armed priests). [3]
Medieval European canon law said that a priest could not be a soldier, and vice-versa. Priests were allowed on the battlefield as chaplains, and could only defend themselves with clubs. [4]
The Aztecs had a vanguard of warrior priests who carried deity banners and made sacrifices on the battlefield. [5]
In more recent times, the warrior-priest was a common figure in the First Serbian Uprising (1804–13). [6] Several archpriests and priests were commanders in the revolt, [7] while Serbian Orthodox monasteries sent monks to join the Serbian Army. [6]
The Pyrrhic Dance in Crete is said to have been the ritual dance of the Korybantes, deities described as armed priests. [8]
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
Petar I Petrović-Njegoš was the ruler of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro as the Metropolitan (vladika) of Cetinje, and Exarch (legate) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. He was the most popular spiritual and military leader from the Petrović dynasty. During his long rule, Petar strengthened the state by uniting the often quarreling tribes, consolidating his control over Montenegrin lands, introducing the first laws in Montenegro. His rule prepared Montenegro for the subsequent introduction of modern institutions of the state: taxes, schools and larger commercial enterprises. He was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church as Saint Peter of Cetinje.
The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church is the largest eparchy (diocese) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in modern Montenegro. Founded in 1219 by Saint Sava as the Eparchy of Zeta, it has continued to exist, without interruption, up to the present time, and has remained one of the most prominent dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The current Metropolitan bishop is Joanikije II. His official title is "Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral".
Ecclesiastical titles are the formal styles of address used for members of the clergy.
The Lepavina Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Presentation of Mary and located at the village of Sokolovac, near the town of Koprivnica in Croatia.
Gomirje Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery in Croatia. It is the westernmost Serb Orthodox monastery, located in the western part of Croatia near the village of Gomirje, near the town of Ogulin. The monastery is thought to have been founded in 1600. The monastery includes the church of Roždenije saint John the Baptist, built in 1719.
Beloje, was a local Slavic chieftain from the region surrounding Trebinje, who ruled the area with a title of župan, sometime in the first half of the 9th century. Travunia was a polity centered in Trebinje, and at the time subject to the Principality of Serbia. Mentioned in De Administrando Imperio (DAI) of Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII, Beloje was a contemporary of Serbian ruler Vlastimir. It is unknown how he came to the position; it might have been through the primogeniture principles, however, there is no definite answer. Vlastimir married his daughter to Beloje's son Krajina, and "desiring to ennoble his son-in-law", elevated his rank to archon (prince) and made him independent. Travunia was thus elevated from a župa into an archonty (principality), practically independent, while Vlastimir oversaw his son-in-law. T. Živković theorized that Beloje sought to free himself of Serbian rule, and that Vlastimir prevented this through a political marriage between the two families, possibly prior to the Bulgar–Serb War (839–842). Krajina's descendants were entitled the rule of Travunia under Serbian suzerainty.
Petar Popović, known as Pecija (Пеција), was a Serb hajduk (brigand) and rebel leader in two uprisings against the Ottoman Empire in the Bosanska Krajina region, one in 1858, and one in 1875.
Jančić's rebellion, also known as the First Mašići rebellion, was a rebellion led by ethnic Serbs in the Gradiška region against the Ottoman government in the Bosnia Eyalet. It broke out in September 1809 following a string of economical, national and religious deprivations of the rights of Serbs. Jančić's rebellion erupted immediately after the failed Yamaks revolt.
Golub Babić was a Bosnian Serb guerrilla chief and one of the most prominent rebel commanders of the 1875–77 Herzegovina Uprising in the Ottoman Empire's Bosnia Vilayet.
The Gropa were an Albanian noble family which ruled the region between Pogradec, Ohrid and Debar from the 12th until the 14th century. In the 13th century members of the Gropa family were thought to be Catholics, but in the 14th century they reconverted to Orthodoxy because of the political relations with the Archbishopric of Ohrid.
Čelnik was a high court title in the Kingdom of Serbia, Serbian Empire and Serbian Despotate.
Early modern history of Serbia refers to the history of Serbia during the early modern period, from the Ottoman conquest in the second half of 15th century up to the beginning of the Serbian Revolution in 1804. The era includes periods of Ottoman and Habsburg rule in various parts of Serbia. During that time, several Habsburg–Ottoman wars were fought on the territory of Serbia.
Pecija's First Revolt or Doljani Revolt was an uprising in Knešpolje led by Serb hajduk leader Petar Popović–Pecija (1826–1875) against the Ottoman government, that extended over the period of June—December 1858. It was a result of pressure against the local Serb populace, with past atrocities conducted by the Ottomans.
The Eparchy of Marča was an Eastern Christian ecclesiastical entity taking two forms in the 17th century: an Eastern Orthodox eparchy and an Eastern Catholic vicariate. The term was derived from the name of the monastery at Marča near Ivanić-Grad, Habsburg monarchy.
The Deligrad Event was an attempt to elevate the Principality of Serbia to a kingdom during the Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876–1878). When the Great Powers agreed on ten days of ceasefire, Imperial Russian Army general and Commander of the Armed forces of the Principality of Serbia Mikhail Chernyayev, who opposed peace with the Ottomans, went on 4 September to General Kosta Protić and asked him to declare the proclamation of a kingdom to the Army. The Army immediately swore Oath to "King Milan". The Great Powers opposed, and Prince Milan informed Chernyaev that he could not accept the declaration; Chernyaev replied that he was to leave with all Russian military if it was not accepted. Chernyaev assured that the recognition by the Great Powers was unnecessary, that the proclamation of kingdom raises the morale of the army and Serbian people, because "a kingdom means independence". It was compensation for the victims and the main profit of the war, which in his view, should continue after the truce for two months. He claimed that during that time, Russia would provide greater assistance to Serbia than even necessary. Prince Milan, pressured by the Great Powers, stated that he would not accept the proclamation. Chernyaev gave up on his threats, however, in order to save his reputation, the Prince's decision was not informed to the Morava–Timok Army. On 16 September a Serbian offensive began and failed, after which Chernyaev left Serbia and the Great Powers took on the initiative in Constantinople to suspend the war.
The First Balkan Alliance was a system of agreements concluded by the Principality of Serbia in the period of 1866–68 to unite the nations of the Balkans in a common struggle against the Ottoman Empire. The plans for forging this alliance were based on the organization of a major general uprising, as opposed to individual uprisings by the various ethnic groups in Ottoman territory. According to the plans, the Albanians would begin the uprising, followed by Serb and Greek volunteers and finally and simultaneously by the regular armies of Serbia and Greece. According to the plans and agreements, after a successful war against the Ottomans, the Balkan nations would establish a united federation.
Radomir Vešović was a Montenegrin and Yugoslav military officer and politician. Vešović was born in village of Lopate in Montenegrin county of Lijeva Rijeka, in a family whose male members were traditionally military officers. He completed military education in Italy in 1890 as the first member of Vasojevići tribe who received formal military education. In 1911 he was appointed as commander of Vasojević brigade, with rank of brigadier.
Mihailo Petrović was an early member of the Serbian Chetnik Organization and the Society of Saint Sava. He participated in the early Chetnik struggles to liberate Old Serbia from Ottoman, Albanian and Bulgarian treachery (1903–1912), the Balkan Wars (1912–1913) and the Great War (1914–1918).
Luka Lazarević, known as Pop-Luka (Поп-Лука), was a Serbian Orthodox priest and vojvoda (commander) that participated in the First Serbian Uprising (1804–13) of the Serbian Revolution against the Ottoman Empire. Ordained as a priest at a relatively young age, Lazarević was described as a lively, gun-wearing horseman who joined the Serbian rebels in their fight against the renegade Janissaries (Dahije) to avenge his cousin. He quickly showed prowess and by the time the uprising against the Ottomans had begun he was chosen as the commander of a unit in western Serbia. Participating in all notable battles in that region, the Ottoman suppression forced him and other leaders to flee the country. He returned to Serbia in 1832 after many years in Russia, and worked for the Serbian government in his late years.