Maps of Power

Marina

Μαρία

3000 km
2000 mi
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Description

The wording of the greek inscription in the Church of Saint George at Pološko may support the assumption that she accepted the name Maria as a nun. Some authors think that her monk’s name was Marina. Mostly Bulgarian scholars tend to identify her with Marija († 7. 4. 1355) from the epitaph in the Church of Saint Demetrius in Skopje. She lived before 1343/1345 and maybe after it. She appears as βασίλισσα in the greek inscription. She was married to Despot Eltimeres (despotica). It is not clear, whether Ioannes Dragusinos was her son or son-in-law. She was the daughter of the Bulgarian Tsar Smilets. The marriage with Eltimeres took place before 1299. She emigrated to Serbia with her family after the death of her husband probably in 1305. She founded the Church of Saint George at Pološko as the burial place for Ioannes Dragusinos. She commissioned the fresco decoration of the church. Her portrait on the western facade near the entrance of the church is accompanied by a greek inscription (ΔΕΙΣΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΟΥΛΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΜΑΡΙΑΣ ΤΗΣ ... ΤΗΣ ΒΑΣΕΙΛΙΣΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΝΟΜΑΣΘΕΙΣΗΣ ΜΑΡΙΝΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΤΙΤΟΡΙΣΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΝΑΟΥ). She is depicted as a nun wearing the model of the church. The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan donated the Church of Saint George at Pološko with endowment at the request of Marina (Maria) to the Monastery of Hilandar (da jestь tazi crьkvь i s těmizi selami Bogorodice hilan’dar’ske do dьni i do věka u pomenь kraljevstva mi i bratu kraljevstva mi Dragušinu i u večnu pametь, s volomь i sь hotěnijemь kraljevstva mi despotice).

Relations

Actors (3)
Sources (1)