Draft:Jovan Miletic

Jovan Miletić (Serbian Cyrillic: Јован Милетић; Sarajevo, Ottoman Empire, around 1715 - Vienna, Habsburg Monarchy, 8 September 1790) was a wealthy Serbian merchant[ and philanthropist who is best remembered as the founder the "Jovan Miletić" Elementary School in Trieste. Today, that school building is next door to the Saint Spyridon Serbian Orthodox Church overlooking Canal Grande.

Biography
Jovan Miletić was born around 1715 at Sarajevo, then part of the Ottoman Empire, the son of Josif Miletić, a renowned Trebinje merchant who emigrated from the Ottoman Empire (what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina) to Trieste, then part of the Austrian Empire.

The surname Miletić is widespread among Serbs. Jovan Miletić family claimed descent from the famed Montenegrin branch of Miletić, whose ancestors hail originally from Kotor. Records found date back to 1335 with ties to the Miletići of Prčanj.

Early life
Following the death of both his parents, Jovan Miletić interrupted his education at a Sarajevo Lyceum at the age of 14, and moved to Trieste to live with his maternal uncles, who were tobacco merchants. From there, Jovan went to Vienna to a fur dealer to learn a trade. Miletić proved to be a good travelling trader, and a successful leather goods salesman who visited all the major cities of Europe at the time. Though Jovan frequently travelled through Trieste and attended liturgical services at Saint Spyridon Serbian Orthodox Church, he spent most of his time in Vienna where he died on 8 September 1790. In May 1787, he drew up a will and testament in which he left 24,000 forints to the Scuola nazionale serba (Serbian National School) in Trieste. That generous donation gave the school its name "Jovan Miletić".

The funeral service for Jovan Miletić was held at the Church of St. George in Vienna attended by his kith and kin.