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Battle of Velika Hoča

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Battle of Velika Hoča
Part of Macedonian Struggle
Date25 May 1905[1]
Location
Velika Hoča, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Kosovo)
42°23′03″N 20°40′36″E / 42.3842°N 20.6767°E / 42.3842; 20.6767
Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Serbian Chetnik Organization Ottoman Empire Albanian mob from Orahovac
Ottoman Empire Ottoman askeri
Commanders and leaders
Lazar Kujundžić †
Savatije Milošević †
Živojin Milovanović †
Strength
7 Large Albanian mob, some Ottoman soldiers
Casualties and losses
All killed[A] 40+
Battle of Velika Hoča is located in Kosovo
Battle of Velika Hoča
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Location of Velika Hoča in Kosovo

The Battle of Velika Hoča (Serbian: Борба у Великој Хочи) between the Serbian Chetnik Organization, a Serbian rebel faction, and Ottoman irregulars from Orahovac, Kosovo, took place on 25 May 1905.

Prelude

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The Battle of Čelopek (16 April 1905), fought between 120 Serbian guerillas and Ottoman officers accompanied by Ottoman Albanian bashi-bozuks, ended in a great victory after the guerillas managed to overtake three peaks; the Ottomans had over 200 dead and wounded, while the guerrillas only had 2 dead.[2] The victory enraged the Ottomans, who began manhunting the rebels.[3] The rebels were forced to retreat across the border, and the bands were subsequently dispersed.[4] The bands intended to cross Ibarski Kolašin, Prizrenska Gora, Šar Mountains and Suva Planina to their respective areas.[4] The journey of Lazar Kujundžić's armed cheta group proved catastrophic.[4]

Battle

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A group of seven fighters, led by vojvoda Lazar Kujundžić, vojvoda Savatije Milošević and sub-lieutenant Živojin Milovanović,[A] arrived at night-time 24–25 May [O.S. 6–7 June] at the village of Velika Hoča near Prizren.[5] This group returned to the field having crossed Kuršumlija, Podujevo, Ibarski Kolašin and Podrinje.[5] The group's leader, teacher Kujundžić, excellently knew the customs and language of the Albanians.[5] Velika Hoča was a Serbian village with only two Albanian tower houses (kule).[5] In order to prevent revenge of the Albanians on the Velika Hoča Serbs, Kujundžić chose to pay tribute to one of the Albanian houses, whose host[B] gave him his word (besa).[5]

As the Chetniks had supper and fell asleep, the Albanian notified the Albanians of nearby Orahovac.[5] A mob of 1,500 Albanians, and some Ottoman soldiers, surrounded the house.[5] The Ottoman yuzbashi (captain) called for the Chetniks to give themselves up, to which the Chetniks answered with a bullet hail, killing the captain and four askeri.[5] The fusillade continued over the day, until dusk, when a group of Albanians broke into the lower floor, which, as in all kule, was the stable for cattle.[5] They shot through the ceiling, managing to kill five of the Chetniks, then set the house on fire.[5] The remaining two jumped out of the house shooting, but were instantly killed.[5] According to documents of the Consulate in Pristina, more than 40 Albanians and Ottoman soldiers died during the fight.[5]

  • Lazar Kujundžić
    Lazar Kujundžić
  • Živojin Milovanović
    Živojin Milovanović

Aftermath and legacy

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The Ottomans brought Jadranka, the mother of Kujundžić, to recognize his body.[6] She replied that her son was a daskal (teacher), and no kaçak (outlaw), and that the body was somebody else.[6] Inspired by this event, count Ivo Vojnović wrote a drama in verse, Lazarevo Vaskrsenje ("Lazar's Resurrection").[6] Serbian major and Chetnik vojvoda Božin Simić cited that Kujundžić's mother's words were: "No, that is not my son. I was unlucky to have not given birth to such a hero." (Ne to nije moj sin. Ja nisam imala sreću da rodim takvog junaka).[6] Serbian major Milosav Jelić, a journalist and Chetnik, published the poem Kujundžića majka ("Kujundžić's Mother") in the collection of Srbijanski venac.[6]

Serbian history books about the Serbian Chetnik Organization call the group heroes.

See also

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Annotations

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  1. ^
    Lazar Kujundžić • Savatije Milošević • Živojin Milovanović • Kosta Karaperić-Konjuški • Tasa Milenković • Staniša Šević • Stanoje Mikić
  2. ^
    The name of the Albanian host differs in sources. According to Krvave borbe, his name was "Husein";[5] according to Pećanac, "kmet Ajruš";[5] according to M. Milenković, "Lanja Ukin"[5] (or Ljama Ukin[7]).

References

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  1. ^ Đurić & Mijović 1993, p. 46.
  2. ^ Ilić 2006, p. 55; Krakov 1990, pp. 216–222; Jovanović 1937, p. 290
  3. ^ Драгиша Васић; Гојко Тешић; Александар Јерков; Вук Крњевић (1990). Dva meseca u jugoslovenskom Sibiru: Utisci iz Rusije ; Putopisi, eseji, kritike, članci. Просвета. ISBN 9788607004904. То је било после победе на Челопеку због коje Турци беху побеснели.
  4. ^ a b c Jovanović 1937, p. 290.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Ilić 2006, p. 59.
  6. ^ a b c d e Ilić 2006, p. 60.
  7. ^ Vladimir Cvetanović (1994). Antologija kosovskometohijskih pripovedača, 1871-1941. Srpska književna zadruga. ISBN 9788637904311. БОРБА У ВЕЛИКОЈ ХОЧИ - Беса?... - понови питање четник учитељ Лазар Кујунџић. - Беса! - прихвати Арнаутин Љама Укин. Он познаде ове необичне људе по руху и оружју да су четници српски, познаде их по чувењу, иако их сад први пут види. - Ми нећемо овде да останемо, ићи ћемо даље; ти само да нас проведеш кроз овај крај - рече други четник Саватије Милошевић. - Хоћу, вала! А има ли вас још? - Нема. Свега је нас седморица. - А куда ћете после? - Далеко. У кичевски крај... Је ли беса? - Беса!... И кренуше четници с овим вођом Арнаутином и уђоше у село Велику Хочу. Арнаутин их одведе у своју кулу на „хлеб и со", и одмах га нестаде. После кратког времена стадоше долазити Арнаути и почеше опкољавати кулу... Издајиие! Такс, ли се беса држи? - Беше одговор с куле, и загрме плотун. ... Било је доста Срба који познадоше да су ово учитељ Лазар Кујунџић и Саватије Милошевип, али нико то не рече. Лазара и Турци познадоше, и брзо ...

Sources

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