The Uprising of Sixteen Villages in the Western Balkan Mountains

The Uprising of Sixteen Villages in the Western Balkan Mountains was one of the revolts against the Ottoman Empire that broke out in north-western Bulgaria during the first half of the nineteenth century. Their principal cause was local Ottoman officials' unwillingness to implement land reform. These uprisings were organised by the Bulgarian population and aimed to win liberation from Ottoman rule.

The Serbian state assisted Bulgarian insurgents in this part of the country in order to bring the rebellious administrative districts under the jurisdiction of autonomous Serbia. Nevertheless, Serbian involvement often brought disappointment and suffering to Bulgarians, as Serbian authorities cooperated with the Ottoman state in suppressing uprisings whenever this served Serbia's interests.

The Uprising of Sixteen Villages in the Western Balkan Mountains began in early 1835.

After determined fighting, agreements were reached on the levels of sipahi and landlord taxes. These agreements ended the unrest in the Niš region from 1833 to 1835.