Sali Aga

Sali Aga Đevrlić, also known as the Rudnik Bull,[1] was a mutesellim (local governor) of the nahiyah (Ottoman administrative district) of Rudnik in what is now Serbia at the beginning of the 19th century. He was a brother of Kučuk Alija, who was a Janissary, a mutesellim and one of four Dahiyas (leaders of rebel Janissaries) who controlled Belgrade Pashaluk from 1802 until the beginning of the First Serbian Uprising.

Sali Aga Đevrljić
Native name
Сали ага Ђеврлић
Nickname(s)"the Rudnik Bull" (Serbian: Руднички Бик)
BornRudnik, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Serbia)
Rank

Biography

Sali Aga was born to the Đevrlić family from Rudnik. Before the First Serbian Uprising he was appointed by the Dahiyas to the position of mutesellim of Rudnik nahiyah and became known for his cruelty towards the local Christian population. He was particularly proud of his nickname, "Rudnik bull", which he received because of orgies with the local Christian population that he organized for him and his men.[2] On Sali Aga's orders Christian brides and young women were brought to his wooden house near Rudnik every Sunday to dance in front of him so he could choose the most beautiful of them.[3] If there was more than one bride he liked he would choose them to stay with him for the night.[4] Sometimes he would keep a bride with him for a longer time.[5] While they danced they sang songs dedicated to him, some of them still preserved in sources.[6]

Sali Aga organized orgies not only in his house but at festivals in villages around Rudnik.[7] He introduced a special 'queens' custom in every nearby village in which he chose three young women and awarded them with titles of queen, king and flag-bearer. They had to serve drink and food to him and his men and to do whatever he demanded from them. The 'flag-bearer' was in charge to hold Sali Aga's flag, the 'king' was to serve rakia which was poured in Sali Aga's mouth by the 'queen' who also fed him.[8][9]

First Serbian Uprising

At the end of February 1804,[10] at the beginning of the First Serbian Uprising, 500 rebels commanded by Arsenije Loma and Petar Trešnjevčanin besieged Rudnik. The district was under the control of Sali Aga, reinforced by Ali Aga Džavić from Užice and Pljako from Karanovac (modern-day Kraljevo) and their 500 Janissaries.[11] The Serbian rebel leader Karađorđe joined the besieging forces on 2 March 1804 and invited local Muslim leaders loyal to the Ottoman Sultan to join negotiations, hoping to divide them from Janissaries loyal to the Dahiyas.[12] A leader of the local Muslims, Tokatlić, responded to Karađorđe's invitation and was given a request that Sali Aga, Džavić and Pljako should either surrender or leave Rudnik. Tokatlić soon came back with Džavić who informed Karađorđe that the three Janissary commanders accepted the request to leave Rudnik. On the following day, 3 March, they requested additional seven days to make their retreat, moved their families into the fortress and sent a messenger to Kučuk Alija requesting his help. According to Kosta S. Protić, a runaway Serb from Rudnik told Karađorđe about Sali Aga's plans. He decided to attack the town and fortress of Rudnik.[13]

When Sali Aga realized that the Serbian rebels would attack Rudnik he decided to attack first but was defeated, leaving 86 dead Janissaries on the battlefield. Without any food in the fortress, Sali Aga had to inform Karađorđe that he would accept the Serbian demand to leave Rudnik together with Džavić, Pljako and the other Janissaries. The Serbian rebels captured Rudnik on 11 March.[14]

References
  1. Király, Béla K.; Rothenberg, Gunther Erich (1982). War and Society in East Central Europe: The first Serbian uprising 1804-1813. Brooklyn College Press. p. 30. ISBN 9780930888152. In this connection one Sali aga, kabadayi of the Rudnik nahija, the so-called Rudnik bull, was particularly cruel and obnoxious
  2. Baranin, Dušan (1957). Karađorđe. Nolit. p. 44.
  3. Đorđević, M. (2 July 2012). "Žene u srpskim ustancima: Orgije Rudničkog bika" [Women in Serbian uprisings: Orgies of Rudnik bull]. Vesti. Retrieved December 22, 2012. Konstantin K. Nenadović piše da je pred konakom u Rudniku Sali-aga imao ozidan čardak sa ozidanom česmom, iz koje je šibala ladna voda. "On je naređiv'o, te su mu svake nedelje dolazile u grad mlade i devojke, te su kolo igrale pred njegovim čardakom, na kom je on sedio, teferičio, i bludničina na nargile i čibuk pušio, kavu srk'o, i za sebe birao lepšu i lepšu Srpkinju, te ju je poštenja lišavo." [He ordered local brides and young women to come to Rudnik every Sunday to dance in front of his wooden house where he sat, .... and chose for him the most beautiful Serbian women and ....
  4. Stevanović, Miladin (2005). Stanoje Glavaš. Knjiga-komerc. p. 38. ISBN 9788677120658. Сали-ага би са свога чардака погледао младу и, ако би му се свидела махнуо руком да је уведу у ко- нак. Млада би преспавала ноћ са Сали-агом, а сутрадан су долазили да је одведу кући. Када је у току истога дана било више млади, Сали ага је практиковао да, ако му се допадну, одабере и више њих.[From his wooden house Sali Aga would observe a bride and if he likes her he would wave his hand to bring her in. She would spend the night with Sali Aga and at morning she would be taken home. If there were more than one bride on the same day Sali Aga had practice to choose more of them.]
  5. Popović, Dušan (1930). O hajducima. Narodna štampanja. p. 78. Sali Aga je katkada mlade i duže zadržavao. [Sometimes Ali Aga would kept brides for longer time.]
  6. Popović, Dušan (1930). O hajducima. Narodna štampanja. p. 80. Сад долази Сали-ага Сали-ага дика наша Проговара Сали-ага: *Сад ми душа бајрам има Кад ми млада коло води.27' ["Here comes Sali Aga, Sali Aga our pride, Sali Aga says: It is Bayram for my soul now, because a bride leads kolo for me." ]
  7. Popović, Dušan (1930). O hajducima. Narodna štampanja. p. 80. Не само да је организовао оргије на дому него је имао смелости да одлази и на народне славе и да чини зулуме ове врсте [He organized orgies not only is his house but also went to local population's festivals dedicated to village's patron saints to do the same]
  8. Ivanić, Dušan (1989). Memoarska proza XVIII i XIX veka. Nolit. p. 131. Сали-ага (брат Кучук Алије), ког су звали Рудничким Би- ком, завео је био по свима околним селима кра- љице (по краља, краљицу и барјактара из сами женскиња) које су га морале дворити и њему све по вољи чинити.
  9. Baranin, Dušan (1957). Karađorđe. Nolit. p. 44. Краљ и краљица су га двориле, а барјактар држала барјак док се веселио на сабору, селу или скупу. Јавно је оргијао са својим момцима. [King and queen would serve food and drink to him while barjaktar hold the flag when he partied on the festival, country party or gathering]
  10. Đorđević, Miroslav (1967). Oslobodilački rat srpskih ustanika, 1804-1806. Vojnoizdavački zavod. p. 94. Карађорђе је са устаничком војском стигао под Рудник првих дана марта и опколио га
  11. Stevanović, Novica. "Dvostruka zamka i pokretna zaseda". Karađorđeva ratna lukavskva. Glas Javnosti. Retrieved December 16, 2012. Arsenije i Petar su, sa pet stotina vojnika, opkolili Rudnik sredinom februara 1804. godine. U međuvremenu, kao pojačanje Sali-agi, u Rudnik su stigli Ali-aga Džavić, iz Užica, i Pljako, iz Karanovca (sada Kraljevo), sa pet stotina janičara.
  12. Stevanović, Novica. "Dvostruka zamka i pokretna zaseda". Karađorđeva ratna lukavskva. Glas Javnosti. Retrieved December 16, 2012. Po dolasku u Rudnik, 19. februara, Karađorđe je odmah pozvao Turke Rudničane na razgovor. Nameravao je da pokuša bez borbe da stvori jaz među Turcima privrženim dahijama (došljaci) i Turcima Rudničanima (starosedeoci), koji su bili odani sultanu.
  13. Stevanović, Novica. "Dvostruka zamka i pokretna zaseda". Karađorđeva ratna lukavskva. Glas Javnosti. Retrieved December 16, 2012. Kako navodi Kosta S. Protić, Karađorđe je ubrzo saznao za Sali-agine namere od izbeglog Srbina iz Rudnika i odlučio da odmah napadne Turke u varoši i tvrđavi.
  14. Hadžić, Jovan (2010) [1862]. Ustanak srbski pod Crnym Đorđem: prve tri godine. Ariadna. p. 26. ISBN 9788691178338. Карађорђе сад потегне бика И тако и учиии Рудник 28 Фебр 1804
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