Stevan Petrović was born on 15 February 1807 in Knić near Kragujevac (hence his nickname), during the Serbian Revolution, the region at the time being part of the Sanjak of Smederevo of the Ottoman Empire (today Serbia).

He returned in 1842, as Aleksandar Karađorđević had acceded to the throne on 14 September, after being elected the Prince of Serbia at the National Assembly in Vračar.

[1] The Serbs demanded a national unit consisting of Banat, Bačka, Baranja and part of Srem, known collectively as Vojvodina.

From May 1848 onward, Serbs of Vojvodina directly sought aid from the Serbian Principality, and on 10 May, general Stratimirović, head of the main committee, appealed to Prince Aleksandar for assistance and urged Knićanin to intercede.

After his return to Serbia in 1849, Knićanin was awarded with the title of voivode by Aleksandar Karađorđević, at that time it had only been given to Toma Vučić Perišić.