Pecija

Petar Popović, known as Pecija (Петар Поповић 'Пеција'; 1826 — 29 August 1875) was a Serbian hajduk; a voivode (military commander) in two major uprisings against the Ottoman Empire.

Early life
Petar Popović was born in the village of Bušević, in Krupa na Uni (modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina), in 1826. His father's name was Petar and his mother was Ilinka. He spent the greater part of his life in Bosanska Kostajnica. He was an autodidact, apart from Serbian he also spoke Turkish. As an opponent to the Ottoman state, Petar, at 22 years of age in 1848, joined the hajduks and actively, for the rest of his life, fought the Ottomans.

Kostajnica Uprising
In autumn 1858, together with harambaša Petar Garača from Strigova, he leads an uprising in Knešpolje, and builds a moat in front of Kostajnica, known as "Pecijin šanac". Common folk join the hajduks, and by chance, a violent battle ensures between the Turks and revolutionaries (Serbian rebels) at the moat. After long and fierce battles, the Ottomans manage to push the rebels over the Una river into Kostajnica, where a large part gives themselves up to the Austrians. Pecija and Garača, with some 300 rebels, didn't capitulate, but went over the bridge back to the Ottomans and pushed them back, forcing the Ottomans to escape into Pastirevo.

Bosanska Krajina Uprising
After the Kostajnica Uprising, the Ottomans captured Pecija twice. In Istanbul he was convicted to death, to be served in his region, as it "was there he had done the most evil". On the way to his birthplace, he escaped, and made it to Kragujevac, where he stayed and was appointed guard at the town foundry. He stayed in Kragujevac until the uprising in Bosanska Krajina (1875), when he immediately joined the revolt and fought in Gašnica on 28 August. Pecija once again proved to be one of the most capable leaders as he forced the Ottomans into flight. However, shortly afterwards, according to folk telling due to treason by Ilija Čolanović, the Ottomans surprised the rebels and after a lengthy and violent fight destroyed the hajduk band, with some fleeing to Prosar, and only some 50 remaining with Pecija to continue the fight on the Sava banks.

Pecija and his rebels managed to seize a boat and cross the river, but without protection, most of the men died from Ottoman gunfire. Only Pecija and two men remained alive, and Pecija, restless and courageous as he was, instead of escaping, went out in the open and shouted "Hey, Turks, just to let you know, you did not kill Pecija, he is still alive, and he will soon avenge you." A bullet struck him in the head and he died instantly, on the night of 29 August 1875. Pecija, together with Kormanoš and the other men were buried in the village of Jablanac, under Jasenovac. A decade after his death, Popović's remains were relocated and properly stored in the Moštanica monastery, at the foot of Kozara near Kozarska Dubica.