Renegade Turkish soldiers in Belgrade murder Serbian leaders in 1804, triggering a popular uprising under Karadjordje ("Black George") Petrovic, founder of the Karadjordjevic Dynasty.

Russia supports the Serbs, and the sultan grants them limited autonomy, but internal discord weakens the government of Karadjordje, and the French invasion of Russia in 1812 prevents the tsar from protecting the Serbs.

In 1813 the Turks attack rebel areas.

Karadjordje flees to Hungary, and Turkish, Bosnian, and Albanian troops plunder Serbian villages.

The atrocities spark a second Serbian uprising in 1815 that wins autonomy under Turkish control for some regions.

The corrupt rebel leader Milos Obrenovic (1817-39) has Karadjordje murdered and his head sent to the sultan to signal Serbian loyalty.