THE CONTRIBUTION OF VOIVODE PETKO ILIC NAGORICKI IN THE LIBERATION OF SOUTHERN SERBIA

Abstract

This paper aims to shed light on the biography of one of the most famous voivodes who participated in the Serbian Chetnik campaign in Old Serbia and Macedonia at the very beginning of the 20th century. Bearing in mind the lack of professional and scientific works that would cover the actions of specific figures of the Serbian Chetnik movement in the South, this article should show the contribution of one of the most prominent figures of this movement in the liberation of the region of Southern Serbia. The work will reconstruct the biography of Voivode Petko Ilic, through a comparative analysis of data from various historical sources, which are unfortunately not extensive in this field. The actions of Voivode Petko in the period from the official beginning of the Serbian action in the South in 1903 to the Young Turk Revolution in 1908, and the second period of his activities in the protection of the Serbian population from 1908-1912 will be analyzed in particular. In addition to the dashes from his biography, we will especially refer to his death at the dawn of the liberation of Old Serbia in 1912. Furthermore, the relationship of the Serbian/Yugoslav authorities, the Serbian Church and the people towards the legacy of Voivode Petko, especially in the interwar period, will be analyzed, and in this regard, the issue of the transfer of his remains and his monument in his native village will be dealt with in particular. Afterwards, a review will be given of the attitude of the occupying Bulgarian and post-war Yugoslav and Macedonian communist authorities towards the figure and work of Voivode Petko. Finally, we will review the Serbian literary and poetic legacy dedicated to this famous figure.