The Serb Uprising of 1737–1739 broke out following Austria's defeats against the Ottomans, when the Austrian Emperor issued proclamations that the Christians in the Balkans rise against the Ottoman Empire. The Austrian Emperor called on the Serbs, who were ready to revolt, on 15 June 1737, and stressed that they would fight in an alliance with Russia against a common enemy. The Serbs organized themselves under Serbian Patriarch Arsenije IV. The uprising had a wide geographical extent, from Belgrade to eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Šar Mountain. The Albanian Klimenti tribe also joined the uprising. The failed war prompted Serbs, mostly from Herzegovina, Sandžak, Metohija and Montenegro, to flee under the leadership of Arsenije IV from the Ottoman territories into the Habsburg monarchy (as was done in 1689–92).

Serbian Patriarch Arsenije IV discussed with the Austrian government through the bishop of Temeschwar, Nikola Dimitrijević. Arsenije promised that the people would revolt and help the Austrian army with food.^[1]

The tribes in Brda, under the leadership of Radonja Petrović, would ready 500 armed men of Kuči, vojvoda Vuksan Vojvodić of Vasojevići 200, vojvoda Toško of Piperi 200, etc.^[2]

The Serbian Patriarch and Radonja called on Metropolitan Sava Petrović to join the war against the Ottomans, but he was under the influence of the Republic of Venice, and stayed inactive during the war.^[3]

The failed war prompted Serbs, mostly from Herzegovina, Sandžak, Metohija and Montenegro, to flee under the leadership of Arsenije IV from the Ottoman territories into the Habsburg monarchy (as was done in 1689–92).^[11] The Austrian government had encouraged the Serbs to settle Habsburg territories.