Smiljanić family

Smiljanić were a Morlach family first mentioned in the 17th century, when the oldest member Petar Smiljanić was a harambaša and capo (head) of the Morlach troops in Venetian service during the Cretan War (1645–69), in Venetian Dalmatia. He was born in Udbina, in the Lika region, then moved with his family to Venetian Dalmatia (Ravni Kotari) in 1647. From the family originated nine serdars, who participated in the Cretan War (1645–69) and Morean War (1684–1699).

Petar Smiljanić was titled as capo (principale), and was instrumental in the takeover of Zemunik, Novigrad, Obrovac, Nadin and Vrana. Petar also led the attack on Gračac in Lika in 1647. He fell in battle near Ribnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1648. He had four sons, who had prominent roles in the Venetian-Ottoman wars, and who also died in the war against Ottomans; Ilija (1654), Filip (1656), Smiljan (1687), and Marko (1693). After the extinction of the male line, the family spread on the female line; the sons of Petar's daughter Anka - Smoljan, Marko and Šimun, took mother's surname and continued the family tradition of warfare against the Ottomans.

In 1653 is mentioned his son, serdar Ilija Smiljanić, as governator principale of the Morlach troops and of all harambašas. The title of serdar is mentioned for the first time in Venetian official documents in 1656, when provveditore Zen instead of killed Filip Smiljanić placed Janko Mitrović for supreme serdar. Ilija was the most prominent member of the family, on the lead of uskoks from Lika and Ravni Kotari. He participated with c. 250-350 Vlachs (Uskoks) from Ravni Kotari in the conflict near Zečevo, on 31 July 1648, where died renowned Vuk Mandušić. With his troops he also defeated Ottomans in battles near Zvonigrad and Bilaj (1649), Korlati (1651), Ostrovica (1652), and Udbina and Livno (1653). He was noted for bravery during the raid in Lika, where died. He was sung in folk songs and those of Andrija Kačić Miošić.

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