One of the major nineteenth century figures of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Husein-beg Gradaščević, captain of the Gradačac captaincy and leader of the Bosnian Autonomy Movement of 1831-32. The destiny of Husein-kapetan (‘Captain Husein’) was determined by his origins and wealth, the standing and reputation of his forebears, and his own abilities and good sense. He succeeded his brother, the distinguished and highly-regarded Murat-kapetan, to the post of captain in Gradačac at the unusually young age of eighteen – still a mere boy, by today’s standards. Thanks to his solid educational grounding (he is known to have been taught to write by the distinguished Mula Mestivca, his brother’s personal scribe), his Muslim upbringing, and the moral qualities that grace the typical Bosnian, and despite his extreme youth, Husein-kapetan quickly showed himself to be a worthy successor to his father and brother.
