Colonel Antonije "Ante" V. Orešković (7 January 1829 – 14 October 1906) was a Serbian colonel and a Serb of Military Frontier origin.
Antonije Orešković was a veteran of many battles, including the Franco-Austrian War, the Serbian-Turkish war and the Serbo-Bulgarian war. In addition to attaining colonel status in the Serbian army, he was also an intelligence officer, a diplomat,Jovanović-Stojimirović, Milan: „Siluete starog Beograda“ (Beograd: Ivan Jovanović-Stojimirović, 1971. pp. 161.) and a military theorist.
Origin and family Orešković was born on 7 January 1829, at the Dvor na UniStanojević, Stanoje L.: „Narodna enciklopedija srpsko-hrvatsko-slovenačka“ Knjiga III (Zagreb: Bibliografski zavod d.d., 1928. pp. 261.) in the Banija region, in a SerbianMacKenzie, David: „Ilija Garasanin: Balkan Bismarck“, Series: East European Monographs № 181 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1985. pp. 63.) border family in the Military Frontier (Military Militärgrenze) of the Austrian Empire. The day of St. Antonije (17 January 1829) was 10 days after his birth, therefore his parents gave him the name Antonije.
Antonije's father Vuk Orešković was a border officer, so his son followed his father with the choice of occupation.Jovanović-Stojimirović, Milan: „Siluete starog Beograda“ (Beograd: Prosveta, 2008. pp. 205.)
The first recorded representative of this family is Đorđe Orešković, who, in 1498 and 1509, is mentioned along with Jovan Serbljin, as a resident in the Serbian village of Potok (on the mountain Kalnik in Croatia), and on that occasion, it is especially emphasized that Orešković family also referred to themselves as Rasciani.Grujić, Radoslav: „Spomenica o srpskom pravoslavnom vladičanstvu pakračkom“ (Beograd: Muzej srpske pravoslavne crkve, 1906. pp. 18.)Milojević, Borivoje Ž.: „Glasnik Srpskog geografskog društva“ (Beograd: Srpsko geografsko društvo, 1948. pp. 157.)
Military career In the Austro-Hungarian War from 1848 to 1849, Orešković was a leading officer in the Austrian army.Stanojević, Stanoje L.: „Narodna enciklopedija srpsko-hrvatsko-slovenačka“ Knjiga III (Zagreb: Bibliografski zavod d.d., 1928. pp. 262.)
From 1858, he established contact (and began cooperation) with Ilija Garašanin to realize his national program (Garašanin's Načertanije from 1844) aimed at the liberation and unification of the divided Serbian lands in the Balkans (Garašanin consciously left out the liberation from the Austrian Empire from "Načertanje" (1804-1867), because he did not want a war on two fronts).Vučković, Vojislav J.: „Nacionalno-revolucionarna akcija Srbije u Vojnoj granici“ (pp. 5-25), Zbornik Matice srpske: Serija društvenih nauka № 9 (Novi Sad: Matica srpska, 1954. pp. 6.)
It was Garašanin who planned for the very capable Orešković to be recruited to work for the Principality of Serbia.Vučković, Vojislav J.: „Nacionalno-revolucionarna akcija Srbije u Vojnoj granici“ (pp. 5-25), Zbornik Matice srpske: Serija društvenih nauka № 9 (Novi Sad: Matica srpska, 1954. pp. 7.)
From 1853 to 1862, he served in the Military Frontier, as an active officer of the Austrian Empire.
While at war with the Austrian army on the Apennine Peninsula, he came into contact with Italian revolutionaries and became acquainted with the conspiratorial work of the Carbonari (Italian secret society), which would affect his entire later life.Jovanović-Stojimirović, Milan: „Siluete starog Beograda“ (Beograd: Prosveta, 2008. pp. 206.)
Orešković also took part in the Franco-Austrian War (Sardinian War). From 1853 to 1862, he served in the Military Frontier (1538–1881), as an active officer of the Austrian Empire. While at war with the Austrian army on the Apennine Peninsula, he came into contact with Italian revolutionaries and became acquainted with the conspiratorial work of the Carbonari (Italian secret society), which would decisively affect his entire later life.
Initiator of the border guards' conspiracy against Austria In July 1859, after returning from the war (which was fought in the north of today's Italy), Antonije was imbued with pan-Slavic ideas and began working on a conspiracy against the Habsburgs, not only seeking supporters among his fellow Serbs, but also among neighboring Croats. He also came into contact with Bosnian beys, working on the idea of Yugoslav military action.Jovanović-Stojimirović, Milan: „Siluete starog Beograda“ (Beograd: Prosveta, 2008. pp. 207.)
After the Austrian authorities suspected him and his friends from the "Second Banija Militärgrenze Zweites Banal Infanterie Regiment, No. 11" in Petrinja, they reassigned them to various places.Jovanović-Stojimirović, Milan: „Siluete starog Beograda“ (Beograd: Ivan Jovanović-Stojimirović, 1971. pp. 160.) Orešković was transferred to Moravia, and he came to Vienna as a captain, where he met philologist Vuk Karadžić, who soon introduced him to Velimir Mihailo Teodorović, and became good friends thereafter.
Military career in the Principality of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbia
The Austrian authorities invited Ante Orešković to Zagreb in 1862, but he refused to go there because he knew that his anti-Habsburg activities among the border guards were already well-known to them.
In April 1862, at the invitation of Mihailo Obrenović, Prince of Serbia, Orešković left the militaryPavlović, Ivan S.: „Vojna granica i srpska vojska“, Glasnik istorijskog društva u Novom Sadu Knjiga IX, Sveska 24 (Novi Sad: Istorijsko društvo u Novom Sadu, 1936. pp. 221.-223)Popović, Vasilj: „Agrarno pitanje u Bosni i turski neredi za vreme reformnog režima Abdul Medžida 1839-1861“ (Beograd: Naučna knjiga, 1949. pp. 223.)Vučković, Vojislav J.: „Politička akcija Srbije u južnoslovenskim pokrajinama Habzburške monarhije 1859-1874“, Zbornik za istoriju, jezik i književnost srpskog naroda Knjiga XXVII (Beograd: Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, 1865. pp. 2.-6) in Austria and joined the Serbian army, where he received the rank of infantry major.Atanasije Nikolić (1803-1882): „Opis radnje po predmetu opšteg sporazumljenja za ustanak i sjedinjenje (1860–1868) “, Beograd 20. aprila 1876. godine. Jedan primerak rukopisa je izgoreo 6. aprila 1941. godine u požaru Narodne biblioteke u Beogradu, a drugi se nalazio u Arhivi Ministarstva inostranih poslova u Beogradu do 1941. godine.
Military duties in Serbia:Stranjaković, Dragoslav: „Politička propaganda Srbije u jugoslovenskim pokrajinama: 1844—1858. godine“ (Beograd: Štamparija Dragoslava Gregorića, 1938. pp. 39.)
From April to June 1862, he made himself available to the Minister of War and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for extraordinary missions (residing outside the Principality of Serbia) From June (during the conflict between Serbs and Turks) to November 1862, he was the commander of the Volunteer Corps From November 1862 to 15 May 1876, he was again at the disposal of the Minister of War and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was promoted to the rank of colonel on 15 May 1876 From 15 May 1876 to 1 July 1876, he was Chief of Staff of the Drina Army and Commissioner in Vidin (Turkish Empire: 1299–1922). From 1 December 1876, to 1 June 1877, he was an infantry officer in the Ministry of Defense From 1 June 1877 to October 1877, he was a deputy commander of the Drina Army and an assistant in the headquarters of the Supreme Command. From October 1877 to November 1877, he was the commander of the Moravian Division From 15 November 1878, he was the commander of the Drina Division From 1880 to 1885, he was the commander of the Danube Divisional Area From 1885 to 1886, he was the commander of the Drina divisional area In the Serbo-Bulgarian war (1885), he was the commander of the Drina Division He retired on April 27, 1888.Vojni arhiv u Beogradu, P-14, K-22, F-1, d 1/1Pavlović, Ivan S.: „Vojna granica i srpska vojska“, Glasnik istorijskog društva u Novom Sadu Knjiga IX, Sveska 24 (Novi Sad: Istorijsko društvo u Novom Sadu, 1936. pp. 6.-8)
As a sworn opponent of Austria, Antonije Orešković openly expressed his disagreements with the Austrophile policy of Milan M. Teodorović Obrenović, King of Serbia, who even in 1883 delivered Garašanin's "Načertanije" to the Viennese court, which particularly angered Orešković, who dedicated almost his entire working life to its realization.
In the conflict between Queen Natalie and her husband, King Milan, "on the issue of divorce" (because of his infidelity), which shook the whole country at the end of the 19th century, Colonel Orešković without hesitation sided with the queen.Ćirković, Simo C. / Vukićević, Danica: „Srpska porodična enciklopedija“, Tom 6 (Beograd: Narodna knjiga, 2006. pp. 106.) After the 1903 May Coup, Queen Natalie bequeathed to him Villa Zlatni Breg, her former summer residence surrounded by vineyards.Ivo Vukčević, "Croatia 3: New Language, New Nationality, and New State" (Bloomington: Xlibris Corporation LLC, 2013. pp. 114) Both of his daughters, Ružica "Ruža" Orešković (1875-1959) and Milica "Mica" Cakić née Orešković (1876-1907), served as Queen Natalie's ladies in waiting, and followed her into an exile.https://www.glaspodrinja.rs/projekat/220/pismo-kraljice-natalije-dvorskoj-dami-mici-oreskovic After inheriting the villa, Antonije's sons, Borivoje and Milan significantly advanced the wine production. In 1909 they installed the hail cannons, among the first in Serbia.
Because of all the above (despite numerous military merits), King Milan Obrenović did not promote him to general, instead he retired him in 1888.
Immediately afterward, the king was forced to abdicate in 1889.
Intelligence-national work
Formally, Orešković was Prince Mihailo Obrenović's man, but de facto, he was the main operative and implementer of military intelligence activitiesMekenzi, Dejvid: „Ilija Garašanin državnik i diplomata“ (Beograd: Prosveta, 1987. pp. 87.) of Ilija Garašanin and Matija Ban, behind whom stood the Serbian prince.
Prince Mihailo brought him to the Serbian capital Belgrade, to prepare Serbia for the liberation wars against the Turkish occupier with his rich military experience.
On the unification of the Serbian ethnic corps into one state, Antonije Orešković in his book "Slavic Cooperative", published in 1872, states the following: