About: Obor-knez

Obor-knez (Serbian Cyrillic: обор-кнез) was a title borne by elected local native Serbian chiefs (Knyaz) of the nahiyah (district of a group of villages) in the Ottoman Sanjak of Smederevo (also known as the Pashalik of Belgrade). The obor-knez was senior chief and responsible for his district's people and was their spokesman (intermediary) in direct relations with the Pasha, though usually through the sipahi, and was in charge of the transfer of taxes levied on the villages. The vojvoda and obor-knez titles were given to people approved by the Pasha. The title was hereditary, being succeeded by one's son. The obor-knez, as a senior, had several knezes under him, who held sub-districts or one village each.