Jovan Cvijić

Jovan Cvijić
Photograph by Milan Jovanovic (1911)
Born	(1865-09-12)12 September 1865 Loznica, Principality of Serbia
Died	16 January 1927(1927-01-16) (aged 61) Belgrade, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Resting place	Novo groblje, Belgrade
Nationality	Serb
Fields	Geography, geology, folklore
Alma mater	University of Belgrade, University of Vienna
Notable students	Pavle Vujević Petar Jovanović

Jovan Cvijić (Serbian Cyrillic: Јован Цвијић, pronounced [jɔ̌ʋan tsʋǐːjitɕ]; 12 October 1865 – 16 January 1927) was a Serbian geographer and ethnologist, president of the Serbian Royal Academy of Sciences and rector of the University of Belgrade. Cvijić is considered the founder of geography in Serbia. He began his scientific career as a geographer and geologist, and continued his activity as a human geographer and sociologist.

Cvijić was born on October 11 [O.S. September 19] 1865 in Loznica, then part of the Principality of Serbia. His family was part of the Spasojević branch of the Piva tribe (Pivljani) in Old Herzegovina (currently Montenegro). Cvijić's father, Todor, was a merchant; his grandfather, Živko, was head of Loznica and a supporter of the House of Obrenović in Mačva. Živko fought in the 1844 Katana Uprising against the Defenders of the Constitution, and died after torture.

Cvijić's great-grandfather, Cvijo Spasojević, patriarch of the Cvijić family, was a well-known hajduk leader in Old Herzegovina and fought the Ottoman Empire in the First Serbian Uprising. After its failure in 1813 he moved to Loznica, built a house and opened a store.