Mehmed Bey Kulenović

Mehmed-beg Kulenović, Gazi Mehmed-beg Kulenović, Mehmed-beg Kulinović, also known as Kulin-kapetan (1776–13 August 1806) was a Bosnian Ottoman soldier born and raised in Bihać and later became the Kapetan of Bosnia Eyalet. He was a very important regional official for the Ottoman forces due to his ties with the aristocracy in Belgrade. He was killed in the First Serbian Uprising.

Early life

Mehmed-beg Kulenović was the son of Hadži-Ibrahim-beg Kulenović of Kulen Vakuf. He soon entered Ottoman service and became one of the most important military frontier authorities in Bosnia Eyalet, he was referred to by his servicemen as the "Master of Ostrovica". He participated in several military campaigns starting with the assistance of Abu Bekir Pasha of Belgrade, he also attempted to subdue with the aim of calming the Serbian revolt against Belgrade Dahia (renegade Janissary). But later defended the populace of Visegrad from Serbian insurgents. He guarded the borders of the Bosnia Eyalet on the Drina and in the summer 1806, he accompanied an Ottoman battalion that was defeated during the Battle of Mišar.

War in the Sanjak of Smederevo

When the First Serbian Uprising broke out in the year 1802, after the assassination of Hadži Mustafa Pasha, turmoil had become evident throughout the Sanjak of Smederevo thousands of Muslim refugees from the Sanjak began to pour into the district of Zvornik. In the year 1805 the Serbian rebels led by Luka Lazarević had begun their assault on Zvornik itself prompting the Ottoman Grand Vizier to mobilize his army in Bosnia Eyalet commanded by Sulejman Paşa and Mehmed-beg Kulenović.

Battle of Mišar

Mehmed-beg Kulenović guarded the borders of the Bosnia Eyalet on the Drina and in the summer 1806, he accompanied an Ottoman battalion led by the Turkish Suleyman Paşa that was on its way to Mišar. For months the Serbian insurgents remained entrenched in different strongholds throughout and nearby Misar Hill and a pitched battle itself seemed impossible for the Serbian rebels.

Mehmed-beg Kulenović and the remaining Ottomans and Bosniaks continued asymmetric efforts against the advancements of the Serbian rebels. Mehmed-beg Kulenović efforts were bold enough to cause Luka Lazarević to request for a cavalry challenge. But Mehmed-beg Kulenović remained with his army and was killed by Serbian rebel musket-fire, while fighting in the woods. Mehmed-beg Kulenović was wounded and then died from wounds, and his body was transferred to Bosnia and buried in the graveyard of the mosque in Janja.

However the battle also meant significant successes for the Bosniak army, Mehmed-beg Kulenović from the Drina particularly after they lifted the six-month blockade of Sabac. Most of the Bosnian army remained in Sabac, even in early September, twice renewed attacks on Mišarski moat, but without success. Throughout the battle Mehmed-beg Kulenović, declared his intentions to halt the Serbian rebels on their way to Bosnia and to halt their war crimes including the expulsion of the Slavic Muslim population from the area east of the Drina (Sanjak of Smederevo).

Although the war ended in defeat kapetan Mehmed-beg Kulenović and his forces kept fighting the Serbian rebels inside the district of Zvornik in their efforts to drive the forces of Karađorđe Petrović out of Bosnia Eyalet.