1835 Constitution of Serbia

Although enacted by the Grand National Assembly, the constitution was suspended after only 55 days under pressure from the Great Feudal Powers (Turkey, Russia and Austria).

The Revolutionary War first began as a local uprising against the usurper of Dahija in 1804 after the assembly at Sretenje in Orašac, where Đorđe Petrović Karađorđe was elected as leader.

The period of mixed Serbian-Turkish administration, which lasted from 1815 to 1830, was marked by the gradual suppression of the Turkish authorities and the concentration of power in the hands of Miloš Obrenović.

In October 1826, the Ottoman Empire pressured by the request of the new Russian emperor was forced to accept the conclusion of the so-called Akerman conventions.

The fifth article of the Convention stipulated that the Porta would immediately enforce the provisions, the eighth item of the Bucharest Peace, concerning the Serbian people.

At the beginning of January 1835, in Kruševac, in the house of Stojan Simić, an agreement was made between the oppositionists by Milosav Zdravković Resavac, Mile Radojković, Đorđe Protić, Milutin Petrović Era (brother of Hajduk Veljko) and Avram Petronijević.

At the meeting, some suggested killing, others to overthrow and expel, however, the view of Mileta Radojković prevailed, according to which the rebellion was named - Mileta's rebellion, to restrict the power of Prince Miloš by the constitution, abolish the kulak, allow the people the right to the use of forest and, most importantly, for disenfranchised merchants, abolishes the monopoly on trade.

The revolutionaries were met by Toma Vučić Perišić, who stood in defence of Prince Miloš but left an army of 150 horsemen to take care of Captain Petar Tucaković, avoiding conflict until he knew the reasons for the rebellion.

In a semi-independent principality, Davidović drafted the supreme legal act of a liberal organisation in a very free-spirited manner, and the Constitution was divided into 14 chapters and 142 articles.

The next day, the constitution was read and published in a solemn manner, with flags and ceremonial music, the prince's cavalry and infantry guards, and the presence of the state top and deputies.

The largest European empires of Russia, Turkey, Austria, Prussia, as well as many smaller countries, did not have Constitutions at the time, nor did they adopt them in due course.