Draft:Nikola Mandrda

Nikola Mandrda (Serbian: Никола Mандрда; Pajkovac, 1780 - Kruševac c. 1860) was one of the most illustrious freedom fighters in both the First and Second Serbian Uprising. The others are Ilija Strelja of the first and Cvetko Popović-Vranovački of the second insurrection, according to historians Milan Đ. Milićević and Mita Rakić.

He was a Serbian haiduk from the vilage of Pajkovac in the muncipality of Varvarin who fought valiantly along side of Karađorđe in the First Serbian Uprising in battles against the Turks in Trešnjevica. He held the title of voivode. He also participated in the Second Serbian Uprising, led by Miloš Obrenović. He always found a way of disobeying Miloš during a truce agreement between two warring parites.

His real surname was Pavlović. According to Mateja Nenadović's "Memoirs," describing him as "a very handsome, big, strong, and famous man". He hated the Turks terribly and killed them wherever he met them. Karađorđe respected him very much. The Pavlović family came from the vicinity of Vranje, their Slava is St. Nicholas.

Nikola Mandrda died in Kruševac at an old age, leaving behind his son Dimitrije, about whom little is known.