Miša Anastasijević

Life

He was born in Poreč, modern Donji Milanovac, Serbia. His father, Anastas, was a landowner and petty businessman. His mother, Ruža, was a homemaker. His stepmother Milja took care of him after his father's death. Miša and Milja twice crossed the Danube into Austria during the First Serbian Uprising of the Serbian Revolution. At 11 years, he was a teacher in his hometown, because he could read and write.

He was a business partner of Miloš Obrenović I, Prince of Serbia, notably the richest. At the age of thirty he received the military title of Danube Captain and at the same time has acquired significant commercial benefits from Prince Miloš. His company soon gained control over salt exports from Wallachia and Moldavia. At the top of his career, Miša Anastasijević employed circa 10,000 workers and had a fleet of 80 ships. He was the first public benefactor in Serbia and organizer of various balls for the Belgrade bourgeoisie.

Anastasijević was called the “Prince of Danube” or “Danube Rothschild” for his wealth and business skills. Captain Miša Anastasijević married his daughter to a Prince from the ruling Karađorđević family and built the most impressive building in the city (Captain Miša’s Mansion), which was supposed to be the new court, although this plan failed. The building hosted almost every important educational and cultural institutions of the Principality of Serbia - Ministry of Education, the Belgrade Higher School, which became the University of Belgrade, First Belgrade Gymnasium, National Museum, Art Gallery and Library. Occasionally, its gala hall has been used for the meetings of the National Assembly (1864–1875) and Senate (1901–1903). Today, there is the Rectorate of the University of Belgrade.