He was a great fighter and duke who gave up the leadership of the First Serbian Uprising to his godfather Karađorđe. He caused the Turks great trouble for a long time, but in the end they still “got the better of him.” Legend says that for the redemption of his remains, the Turks demanded so many ducats that they could fill the duke’s severed head to the top with them. Even when displayed at the top of the Stambol Gate, the duke’s head caused fear and terror among the Turks of Belgrade.
Originally from the village of Glibovica, near Sremska Palanka, Stanoje Stamatović, known in history as Stanoje Glavaš, was born on February 10, 1763. As the eldest of three children, he took on the responsibility of avenging his father, Dimitrije, who was beaten to death by the Turks in front of the whole family. Besides being a family man, accomplished and very wealthy, he decided to become a fighter.
Stanoje was known even before the First Serbian Uprising, because he distinguished himself as one of the greatest harambašas (outlaw leaders) in hajdučija (banditry). Having earned great respect and trust among his fellow fighters, they proposed him in Orašac in 1804 as the leader of the national uprising.
However, as Karađorđe’s godfather and very close friend, Stanoje suggested that Karađorđe should bear the title of leader. “Instead, you take Karađorđe as the supreme leader, whom I will be the first to obey, who is better than me and all of us, and I will do what I can, as I have done so far,” Glavaš said at the time.
He believed that he himself would fight better if he had him as the main leader. This was met with the approval of those present, so Stanoje officially gave up the leadership to Karađorđe and became his right-hand man.
After the uprising, Stanoje proved to be a great and fearless fighter. Tradition says that he fought so fiercely and violently that he instilled fear in the Turks. His name alone was a bad omen, they believed that if they said his name aloud, they could attract something bad. Stanoje distinguished himself in the battle of Deligrad and in the siege of Belgrade, and he achieved his greatest success in 1806 when he liberated Prokuplje and Kuršumlija from the Turks.
Among his fighters was the famous Veljko Petrović, later known as Hajduk Veljko, and the close connection would deepen when Veljko married Stanoje’s sister. He was a fearless leader who taught military skills to a large number of hajduks and dukes, who before that had only occasionally entered into open conflict with the Turks. He attracted great attention with his characteristic attitude, and with his fearless fighting he caused great trouble to the Turks, so the conquerors only devised ways to stop him and do the worst.
Many believe that Stanoje Stamatović Glavaš was unfairly neglected. As history is always written by the winners, his name was rarely mentioned and glorified in the records of contemporaries, although his merits were known among the people. Although it is considered that he remained in the shadow of Karađorđe, what is certain is that he played one of the most important roles in raising the uprising in 1804, as well as a great contribution in the war for our people. He remained faithful to the chosen leader Karađorđe until the very end of his life. And that was a rarity, at least as far as the Karađorđevićs were concerned.
As many ducats for Stanoje’s head
The Turks’ wait for the wrong move of the cautious Stanoje lasted a long time. However, the opportunity to capture the most wanted hajduk presented itself during the time of Jovo Mitrović. The day of celebration and newly acquired godfatherhood was interrupted on the same day, and the happy day would turn out to be fatal.
It all happened on February 25, 1815 in the village of Bančina, when a band of Turks attacked Stanoje in the middle of the celebration. In a difficult and unfair fight, they mutilated his body, and took Sanoje’s head to Belgrade, straight into the hands of Skopljak Pasha. They displayed the head as a trophy at the Stambol Gate, at Kalemegdan. How much anger the Turks harbored towards him is also evidenced by the fact that after the brutal execution, they removed his tongue and teeth with the sentence: “This head has barked enough against us, it will not be able to anymore!”
Stanoje’s family tried in every way and at any cost to get hold of the displayed head. How it happened, today there are two traditions about who returned and buried his head.
If you believe the first tradition, Stanoje’s head was returned by his sister Stana. It was said that she, with the help of her acquaintances, managed to steal it and bring it from Belgrade in her bosom.
According to the second, his widow Mara came to Belgrade and asked the pasha for the head, to which he replied: “Stanoje’s head is golden to me. Bring me as many ducats as I can fill the duke’s head to the top with them, and carry it away.” Following this story, the head was paid with Stanoje’s ducats that he had buried in a pot, near a beehive. Only his wife Mara knew about those ducats.
A great host and a believer
Known among his people as a very devout man, it was said that he did not even go into battles on Sundays. He warned anyone he heard cursing, with the explanation that Christians do not curse. As his village did not have a church, he built a log church which was visited by believers from all the surrounding places. He procured a gold cross and a gold bell for it even from Russia. The bell is engraved with the name of the caster and the year 1808, so it is believed that the church was built then.
The Turkish hostility went so far that, when they heard about his church, they decided to destroy it immediately. Sensing the worst, Glavaš hid both the bell and the cross, so when they came to burn it, there was nothing in it. This did not prevent the Turks from carrying out their revenge, so the church was burned to the ground. Legend has it that for many years afterwards, when they were digging up that area, they found a nailed coffin in which the gold bell and cross were preserved.
Stanoje Stamatović Glavaš was considered a great host. He was married twice and left behind numerous descendants. The first wife’s name was Stana, she was Karađorđe’s relative and with her he had two daughters. The second marriage was with Mara, with whom he had three children, two sons and a daughter.
Two memorial plaques for Stanoje Glavaš
Stanoje Stamatović Glavaš was buried several times. The first place where he was buried was in the village of Bančina, where he lost his life. The locals buried his headless body in the shade of an oak tree, where Stanoje liked to rest. Later, after it was brought from Belgrade, his head was buried in the same place.
Later, in 1902, Stanoje’s remains were transferred with state and military honors to the courtyard of the church of St. Archangels Gabriel and Michael, also in the village of Bančina, where they are still located today. Both at the first and the second place where he was buried, memorial plaques were erected.
Our famous poet Đura Jakšić wrote a book that bears his name: “Stanoje Glavaš”.
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Source: 011 Info, Photo: Wikimedia Creative Commons