Prince[1] Toma Vučić Perišić (Serbian Cyrillic: Тома Вучић Перишић; 1787 – 13 July 1859) was a Serbian politician, military leader during the Serbian Revolution, Freemason and one of the most powerful and influential individuals in Serbia of the 19th century.[2] He was Miloš Obrenović's most virulent opponent, and an ally of the Karađorđević Dynasty[3][4][5][6] with Avram Petronijević and Ilija Garašanin and other so-called Constitutionalists (Dimitrije Davidović, Aleksa Simić, Stojan Simić, Milutin Savić).[7] He wanted to bring rule of law and an effective administrative system in the Principality of Serbia, if only foreign interference was not an issue.[8] Eventually, in the political tug-of-war, the constitutionalists period came to an abrupt end with the former absolute ruler reclaiming the throne.[9]
Prince Toma Vučić Perišić | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Jovan Popović, 1841 | |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | |
| In office 1840–1842 | |
| Preceded by | Cvetko Rajović |
| Succeeded by | Ilija Garašanin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1787 Barič, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Serbia) |
| Died | 1859 Belgrade, Principality of Serbia |
| Awards | Order of Glory |
He married twice, first time with Perunika Žabarac and second wife Agnija nicknamed Nula, sister of a Greek revolutionary leader of the Greek War of Independence, Yiannis Pharmakis.[10] With his first wife he had four children, two daughters (Stanka and Anka) and two sons (Stevan and Ilija).[10] According to some sources, Vučić dug out his own eye with a fork during a lunch, because he had an eye pain.[11]
A street in Belgrade is named after him.[12]