▁in ▁the ▁cities , ▁but ▁mainly ▁refuge es ▁that ▁were ▁pe as ants . ▁ ▁The ▁Ser bian ▁Revolution ▁for ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁last ed ▁eleven ▁years , ▁from ▁ 1 8 0 4 ▁until ▁ 1 8 1 5 . ▁The ▁revolution ▁compr ised ▁two ▁separate ▁u pr is ings ▁which ▁gained ▁aut onomy ▁from ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁that ▁eventually ▁evol ved ▁towards ▁full ▁independence ▁( 1 8 3 5 – 1 8 6 7 ). ▁During ▁the ▁First ▁Ser bian ▁U pr ising , ▁led ▁by ▁Duke ▁K ara đ or đ e ▁Pet ro vić , ▁Ser bia ▁was ▁independent ▁for ▁almost ▁a ▁de cade ▁before ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁army ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁re occup y ▁the ▁country . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁this , ▁the ▁Second ▁Ser bian ▁U pr ising ▁began . ▁Led ▁by ▁Mil o š ▁O br en ović , ▁it ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 5 ▁with ▁a ▁comprom ise ▁between ▁Ser bian ▁revolution aries ▁and ▁Ott oman ▁authorities . ▁Like wise , ▁Ser bia ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁nations ▁in ▁the ▁B alk ans ▁to ▁abol ish ▁fe ud al ism . ▁ ▁Modern ▁period ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁Ser bia ▁gained ▁aut onomy ▁and ▁its ▁borders ▁were ▁recognized , ▁with ▁Mil o š ▁O br en ović ▁being ▁recognized ▁as ▁its ▁r uler . ▁Ser bia ▁is ▁the ▁fourth ▁modern - day ▁European ▁country , ▁after ▁France , ▁Austria ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands ,