Somewhere in the vicinity of Sarajevo, in the place called Vučka Luka, there was once a meadow – a sizeable piece of fertile and plentiful land, where few facilities were build, only one or two weathered barns, a granary and several humble huts. At that time, it was a big property, suitable for farming or raising buildings, from which a vast and enviable yield could be harvested at the most generous time of the year.
Anyway, this piece of land seemed to be special for nothing other but a fierce quarrel between two prominent and wealthy families that emerged due to it. Ahmet Munib Effendi Glođo, a highly appreciated and respected Sarajevan, and Osmanbeg Dženetić, son-in-law of the Sarajevo muteseliim Babić Mustafa Pasha, both had their eyes on this meadow, each wanting to make it their own and conjoin it with the rest of the immense wealth. As it usually happens, the people of Sarajevo divided at once: ones supported Glođo who became near and dear to them due to his benevolence and generosity, and the others gathered around the mutesellim Babić provided wholehearted support to Osmanbeg.
Glođo was not pleased with the use of all kinds of affairs by Osmanbeg, who took advantage of the influence his father-in-law had on the Bosnian vali Vedžihi pasha to do whatever it takes to prevent Glođo from owning the meadow. Since neither of the parties demonstrated the slightest desire to go awry about forcing the spite, the vali got involved in their quarrel and invited them to an audience in the vizier town.
However, rumors had it in Sarajevo that all guilt in this quarrel has been placed on Glođo and his family. The eminent Sarajevo leaders rose and did not allow Glođo to go to vali’s feet. On August 6, 1840, they convened the assembly and more than one thousand people responded.
Vedžihi pasha, who was very dissatisfied with such impudence, signed and handed over an order to the kadi Hafiz Salih Effendi Uzunić to deliver it to the rebelled gents of Sarajevo. The Sarajevans did not even want to know about this piece of paper, thus right upon its arrival every single one of them signed and sent an appeal to Istanbul, asking from the sultan to revoke this vali hated by the people from Bosnia.
Salih Effendi headed to Travnik, baring bad news. He was welcomed by Vedžihi pasha, furious and angry because of the failed business of his messenger, with a ready order to call on the army for duty. The same measures were undertaken in Sarajevo. As a response to vali’s threats, the City was closed and the Visoko and Fojnica nahijas were asked for help
“Oh, people, shall a plain meadow cause us such passion?”, some people called the hotheads to calm down, but it seemed like no one hears them. In the notice delivered to the General Čolić, the vali highlighted that Ahmed Munib Effendi Glođo is behind the rebellion – the unamenable traitor and a mutawalli of the Gazi Husrev-Bey’s waqf in Sarajevo. Right at that time, the experienced Falil pasha Šerifović was to acquire the function of the Sarajevo mutesellim. He previously proved himself worthy while performing the duty of the mutesellim of the kadiluks Gradačac, Derventa and Maglaj. However, the people of Sarajevo found a fault in him as well, demanding that people with a more easy-going lifestyle assume that function. The vali rejected their demands.
Those days, right upon the closing of the Sarajevo bazaar, the rebelled leaders led an army towards Vitez. The population of the neighboring cities joined them. The vali wrote to the General Čolić: “While these traitors asked for dismissal of my troops on one side, on the other side they mined the gate of a fortified city near Sarajevo, took arms and ammunition from the city and distributed them to the unarmed. At the same time, they incited the population of kadiluks Fojnica and Visoko, not far from Sarajevo, to revolt. Hence, 20.000 of them arrived to the flat land near Vitez, half an hour from Travnik, in front of my residence.”
Vedžihi pasha, who has been looking for a way to avoid spilling blood for a long time, decided to resort to force. The cavalry of the regular imperial army and the infantry stepped under his command, dragging heavy cast cannons and other arms in the fight. On August 16 near Vitez in the valley of the Bosna River, the vali’s army went out to meet the rebels. The rebels suffered a heavy defeat. Not wasting time, Vedžihi pasha rapidly headed to Sarajevo to seal the fate of the captured offenders. By his decision, 41 leaders of this rebellion have been sent off to Istanbul, where they were handed over to the local authorities. Some of them were sentenced to exile in Rumeli and other places in Anatolia, while the others were given to the galleons as illegal slaves to deserve forgiveness for their sinful lives. Those who did less evil, and such also existed, were spared the punishment and amnestied, after obtaining the oath that they will never participate in actions against the law and authority again.
The main leader of the rebellion, Ahmed Munib Effendi Glođo, who has not been heard a word from in days, transferred to Dubrovnik with his most loyal associated via clandestine routes and thus avoided certain death. After finally establishing peace and order in Sarajevo, Vedžihi pasha declared the names of main supporters and helpers of Glođo. The long list compiled by vali’s office featured the following names: Rašid Effendi Alikadić, Hajji Salih Effendi Pandža, Osmanbeg Šir Zaim, Hajji Murat Sjeničak, Mula Alemdar Bolakli, and others.
Settling accounts with the leaders of the rebellion, the vali started relentlessly using the bludgeon on all occasions, thus evoking the hatred and contempt of Muslims, Christians, landlords and serfs. In October 1840, when the vali’s reign of terror also concerned the Istanbul Palace, Mehmed Huzrev pasha Samokovlija sat on the regent’s chair in Bosnia. Being taught by the experience of his predecessor, who was resented by everyone and everything in Bosnia due to his nature, Samokovlija acted towards the people fairly and with great caution. His word signaled forgiveness to numerous fugitives, so hundreds of refugees returned to Bosnia.
After seeing off Vedžihi pasha and hearing about the arrival of the new vali, the furtive dissident Ahmed Munib Effendi Glođo also returned to the homeland soon. Only one head is carried on the shoulders, he learned it this time. Right upon his arrival, he fell down before the skirts of vali together with more than two hundred of prominent citizens of Sarajevo. However, as if he had not learned enough, this rebel found himself in another huge problem in several years. This time he was not so lucky. In autumn of 1848, he was expatriated to Crete due to insubordination to the Bosnian vizier. As far as it is known, he lived there for another two years. He left one heir behind.
Glođo’s daughter Zlatka married Ahmed Effendi Svrzo, whose father Ašir Svrzo proposed to Glođo’s widow Ašida. With these marriages, one part of Glođo’s possessions, wealth and other legacy became owned by this family. In the old charters, the old family house in Čurčića mahala, owned by Munib Effendi Glođo until the moment of his death, is also registered under their ownership. Nowadays, this house is known to everyone as the Svrzo’s house.
Who would have said that one meadow which, as it seems, belonged to neither Glođo nor Osmanbeg in the end, could cause so much trouble and sorrow to the suggestible crowd who only got the short end in their intrigues!
Sarajevo Times
