Obor-knez

Ober-knez (Serbian Cyrillic: обер-кнез) was a title borne by elected local native Serbian chiefs (Knyaz) of the nahiyah (district of a group of villages) in the Sanjak of Smederevo (also known as the Pashalik of Belgrade) within the Ottoman Empire. The ober-knez was the senior chief and responsible for his district's people and was their spokesman (intermediary) in direct relations with the Pasha, though usually through the sipahi (elite cavalry), and was in charge of the transfer of taxes levied on the villages. The vojvoda and ober-knez titles were given to people approved by the Pasha. The title was hereditary, being succeeded by one's son. The ober-knez, as a senior, had several knezes under him, who held sub-districts or one village each.