The most famous person to come from this region is certainly Petar Todorović Vlahović Dobrnjac (1771–1831), a prominent duke from the First Serbian Uprising.
Early life: He was born in Dobrnjac to his father Teodor (Todor) Vlahović. Before the uprising, he was engaged in brigandage, and later in the lucrative cattle trade, which allowed him to gain a reputation and acquaintances throughout Serbia.
Uprising and heroism: In the First Serbian Uprising, he was initially a buljubaša under the command of duke Milenko Stojković. His military genius was expressed in the battle of Ivankovac (1805), where, on his initiative, the Serbs changed tactics, regrouped and entrenched, thus achieving a historic victory over the imperial Turkish army of Hafiz Pasha. After this battle, the Governing Council proclaimed him a bimbaš and a duke.
Deligrad and emigration: He particularly distinguished himself in 1806 by establishing a Serbian fortress in Deligrad, which he successfully commanded, defending the southern borders of the rebellious Serbia from the onslaught of Ibrahim Pasha. After a political conflict with Karađorđe in 1811, he was expelled from Serbia. He lived in exile in Russia and Wallachia, and died in Iași in 1831.
In honor of the famous duke, in 1940, local resident Božidar Dobrosavljević built a chapel dedicated to Petar Dobrnjec on his estate in Dobrnj, which today represents a significant local monument.
Other notable figures
In addition to Petar, his brother, Prince Stevan Todorović Dobrnjac, also left a significant mark on the history of Dobrnja. Historical sources and folk tradition record that Stevan was an extremely passionate hunter. His famous hunting ground was once located at the sites of "Kozjak" and "Kremenjar" near the village. This paved the way for the long hunting tradition of Dobrnja, which was officially institutionalized around 1900 with the establishment of a local hunting section.
