The Star. [PUBLISHED DAILY]

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 2738, 5 June 1894, Page 2

The Star. [PUBLISHED DAILY ]

TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1894. SERYIA. » Cablegbams coming from Europe are neoeseatily terse and concise, and many of them when dealing with minor kingf dorus, and especially tbose of the Daaubian provinces, speak of personages whose names, though household worda in their respective ooontries, fall without meaning upon the ears of the average colonial. Of this class was a late one, speaking of an ezpeoced revolution in Servia, got np by the "pretender George vitoh." That our readers may be au fait with matters in ,

connection with Sarvia, the Servia of the past, we will attempt to show the relation* ship between the reigning house and the Pretender, so that they may understand tbe position of affairs at the present. The Servians form a dißtinci branch of tbe Slavonian race, and in common with other tribes of that race first appeared on the borders of tbe Roman Empire about a.d. 527, and settled in their present locality in tbe seventh century, witb the tacit consent of tbe Byzantine Emperors. For some centuries tbey remained quietly settled, and, being a warlike people, assisted tbe inhabitants of Constantinople, when attacked by the Bulgarians and otber eastern tribes, which threatened tbe very existence of the already moribund empire. Though converted through tbe Greeks to Christianity, whilst tbey bad attained to considerable civilization, tbej preserved their warlike proclivities anc aptitude for arms. Towards the twelffci century tbe supremacy of one chief ai king was established, and a succession o warlike and enterprising kings verj greatly extended tbe boundaries of tb< Stirvian power by encroachments on thi Byzantine Empire and conquest o adjacent Slavonian populations, till in thi fourteenth century Stephen Doushan could style himself " Czar of Servia, Kinj of the Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians and Autocrat of various Illyrian province! lying on the Adriatic." Under this kinj a code of laws was established of ai exceptionally pure stamp. Tbe country was victorious in its arms wherever i attacked, tbe city of Belgrade was built and tbe glory of tbe anoient kingdom o Servia shone with a brighter lustre that at any other epoch. Tbe entry of th< Turks into Europe resulted in the extinc tion of this old world kingdom. Thi final battle was fought (1389) betweei Servians, Bosnians, Dalmatians, Bulgar ians and Hungarians under King Lazarai of Servia and a Turkish boat, inferior ii numbers bat oomposed of Asiatic veterans who, though at first kept at bay, eventually witb the firey valour of the Turk no less impetuously led by their roya leaders, gained complete viotory. Kinj Lazarus was captured, and, with othe ohiefst was taken into the tent of the Sultai . Amurantb. One of the latter, Milasol Kabitowitcb, whilst bowing himself aB 1 to do reverence, stabbed the conqueror t< the heart, and Amurantb with dyinj breath ordered tbe immediate execution o King Lazarus. Thus in one act perishei the Sing and four centuries of Sorviai independence. During the following fou hundred years of Tarkish domination o Eastern Europe, Servia, in irksome vaa salage, was almost in a cbronio state o rebellion carried on by desultory partie who after attack would retreat to thi woods. Nevertheless Belgrade and it! surrounding country was the only portior of Servian soil over which the standard o the Orescent was not paramount. Undei early Turkish rule tbe lot of the Serviani was not so intolerable owing to the poliej of tbe former Sultans, but when feeblei monarchs swayed the sceptre of Solyrnar. and Amuranth Servia beoame a prey tc the administrating Pashas, till in-17th ana 18th centuries oppression beoame unbefir able. During the latter half of tbe lasi century the Servians were ripening foi insurrection and independence, but they had no leaders till two in suocessior. appeared, Ozerni George and Milosct Obrenovitsoh. " George Pretovitocb— Ozerni George of the Servians : Kara Geo, o! the Turks, both names signifying blacL George, may perhaps be called tbe Wallace of Servia. . Milosch Obrenoviteoh, whe came after him, may, perhaps, though witb less exaot parallel, stand for its Bruce." Kara George, born 1770, was a Leyduc— patriot bandit— in his youth. On reaching manhood he, however, settled down as grazier and pig dealer. Being molested for past offences he collected his cattle and intended to remove into Austria. He called his father to go with him, and tbe old man, not knowing that his son intended leaving Servia, to himself so dear, consented, till on reaching the Have, the boundary between Servia and Austria, he at length knew his son's intentions, and falling on m*B knees besought the former to rather humble himself in hope of forgiveness than leave the country of his birth. George refused. •• Cross, then, alone," said tbe old man, "I remain." 11 How then!" cried Black George. " Shall I live to see thee tortured to death by tbe Turks ? it is better that I shonld kill tbee myself at once." He then actually shot bis father dead on the spot. At the next village he said to the people, " Go, get tbe old man who is yonder buried for me, and drink also for his soni at the funeral feast." For that purpose he gave them tbe catcle he had with him, and crossed tbe Save into Austria. When Servia was under a different Pasha, George returned, and his countrymen wißhing to take advantage of the embarrassments of the Tarks, owing to a revolt in Bulgaria, and to strike for liberty, asked George to lead them. He feared bis own hot temper, and frankly told them so, saying he must have his own way. This they thought rather a recommendation than otherwise, and be became iheir leader. "In the midst of forces, largely composed of men of heroic physical build, the attributes of great personal strength and valourconspicuously marked out George," the very fact of whose presence in battle frequently struck terror into the Turks. Two Turkish armies were sent against him. He defeated one in August, 1806, and the otber in 1807, when the Servians were free and tbe citadel and city of Belgrade were wrested from Taxklah rule. A species ol military government was established by tbe Voyvodea, or chief proprietors of JEjervia, who assembled once a year at Belgrade under the presidency of Kara George. ! At first averse to Russian alliance, though that waß advocated, by the Voyvodes, be ultimately made s,tioh a treaty m 1810, and with the assistance of the Russians defeated Kursched Pasha, and not long Afterwards routed, another army from Bosnia. He then obtained further personal power, but it was his last period of triumph. Whilst governing he retained his simplicity of habits, and would clear and plough forest land himself, and being invested with a Bussian order he spoiled the insignia whilst fixing a hoop on a cask. The Bussiran alliance proved bis downfall. Trusting in Bttssia to proteot Servia's interest in a treaty witb Turkey, when Russia, feari ng Napoleon's invasions, hastened to seek peace witb that country, be was ohagrined to find tbat very little was said of Servia in tbe Ensso-Tttrkieb alliance, and tbat little of less protective issue lor Servia. George had neglected to keep bia troops efEeotive and ready. The Porte having Its bands free in 1813 sent two formidable Turkish armies, which

finding the Servians unprepared, carried everything before them. Kara George seemed paralysed, and, dreading Tarkish vengeance, without striking a blow crossed the Danube with his treasures into Austria on 3rd October, 1813. His life was to have a tragic ending, bat he is the ancestor of the personage whom the cablegrams call G-eorgevitcb the Pretender. In a subsequent issue we will endeavor to trace the descent of Milan, the King.