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(Paskačić) Vladko
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Mentioned in the charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan concerning the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača from 1354/1355 and in the inscription accompanying his painted portrait in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača. The portrait of Vlatko was painted probably between 1365 and 1371. He appears as prěvьzljubljenʼny i pravověrnii vlastelinь carstva mi in the charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. The inscription describes him as sevastokratorь vse srьpьske zemlie vladko. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan gave in 1354/1355 permission to his nobleman Vladko (Paskačić) to donate the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača, which Vladko erected on the inherited property of his father Paskačь, together with the appertaining metochion to the Hilandar Monastery (I vьspomenu carstvu mi prěvьzljubljenʼny i pravověrnii vlastelinь carstva mi Vladko ō crьkvy svetago Nikoly jaže jestь sьzdalь na svoōi baštině Pʼsači a sь blagoslovljenijemь carstva mi...i poljubi prěd carstvomʼ mi i priloži svoju baštinu crьkvь svetago Nikoli na Psači prěsvetěi Bogorodici hilandarьskoi sь vsěmь metehōmь). The painted portrait of Vladko is preserved on the southern wall of the narthex in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača. The fresco displays him with his whole family. The representation of Vladko and his father Paskać, who are hoisting the model of the church to the icon of Saint Nicholas, can be described as an act of the joint ktetorship.
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(Povika?) Radoslav’
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Identical with Radoslav Chlapen (Radoslabos Chlapenos)?. The old editor of the charter read the passage in the manuscript, which described his occupation, as Tornik and explained the word as his family name. He appears in the sources from 1355 to 1368. The charter refers to him as κῦρ. He was the Governor of Prizren, 1355?, Governor of Serres and čelnik (κεφαλῆς κῦρ τζελνίκου τοῦ Ῥαδοσθλάβου), 1365-1368. He was a relative and an oikeios of the Serbian Empress Jelena (Helene), presumably her son-in-law (τοῦ οἰκείου τε τῆ κραταιᾶ καὶ ἁγία ἡμῶν κυρία καὶ δεσποίνη καὶ γαμβροῦ ταύτης). According to the hypothesis of Konstantin Jireček Radoslav was the brother of čelnik Miloš and logotet Gjurgь from the Povika family. His name was interpolated in the falsified chrysobull charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan from 1355, which confirmed the Monastery of Saint Petar Koriški as a metochion for the Hilandar Monastery. It can be inferred from context of the charter that he was at that time Governor of Prizren. He was an assessor in the court summoned by Sabas, the Metropolitan of Serres. The court decided the dispute over a plot of land in the village Zetinon (Zintzu) and a Church of Saint George in favor of the Esphigmenu Monastery against the Kastamonitu Monastery. He signed in August 1365 the charter issued on this occasion in Slavonic (Kefalja Radoslav’). He wrote to the Ragusan republic and confirmed that the belongings of the deceased logotet Gjurgь were rightly bequeathed to his second brother Miloš. He issued the respective document „in domo suo in civitate Serrarum“ on the 15th May 1368.
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(Vlatković) Ugl(j)eša
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It is estimated that he was born around 1359. His last appeareance in the source is in 1423. He held the title of kesarь (kesarь Ugleša gospodarь Serblemь i Podunaju i vsěhь zapadnihь stranь). He was the son of Vladko (synь sevastokratōrovь Ugleša) and Vladislava. His son Stěfanь was buried in the Monastery of the Holy Virgin in Ljubostinja. An inscription in the naos of the church, which was made between 1402 and 1405, is commemorating his son Stěfanь (A se leži Stěfanь kesara Ugleše). It is likely that the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. bestowed upon him the title of kesarь. Ugl(j)e)ša was apperently in a subordinate position to Konstantin Dragaš before 1395. After 1395 he became a vasall of the Ottoman sultan. Miloš Blagojević believes that Ugl(j)eša participated in the battle of Ankara in 1402. His role in the battle of Gračanica is described by Konstantin Kostenečki, who wrote the biography of the Despot Stefan Lazarević. He left the Ottomans in the beginning of the battle and defected to the army of Stefan Lazarević. On the side of despot he reconquested the region of Vranje, Inogošt and Preševo, which he inherited from his father (Běše že togda i kesarь Ugleša sь ismaility i tь mnogo služenije sьtvori sь sьlanijemь kь blagočьstivomu izь sihь sьvěty i kovy vьzvěštaje, taže po malě i samь priběgь podь krilě despotu Stefanu i zemlju svoju otьčьskuju Vranju i Inogoštu i Prěševo prějetь i udrьža). He fought in 1410 together with Stefan Lazarević in the battle of Kosmidion, where the Ottoman Prince Musa was defeated. The Byzantines escorted the army of Stefan Lazarević and Ugl(j)eša on their ships back to their homeland via Wallachia. His domains were attacked by the force of Musa in 1412. Musa plundered Vranje and endangered Novo Brdo. He donated in 1423 the Church of Saint Nicholas in Vranja with the village Vranje, all rights, boundaries, watermills, fields and meadows, the church of Saint Nicholas in Lučani with all rights and boundaries and the village Trnovac with all boundaries and rights to the Hilandar Monastery (blagověrni kjesarь Uglješa, imeja želanije i usrьdije i ljubovь kь prěčistyje vladyčice našei Bogomateri iže vь Svetěi Gorě Athona, carskije ōbiteli, domu prěčistyje vladyčice naše Bogorodice velikyje lavri Hiladara, dahь bo i prьvo crьkvu Svetago Nikolu u Vraniju tako i selomь Vranemь sь vsě pravinami sela togo, sь vsemi megjami i vodenicami, i s’ nivami i s livadami, i iněmь sь vsěmь. I crьkvu u Lučanehь Svetago Nikolu sь vsěmi pravinami i megjami sela togo. I selo Trьnovcь, sь vsěmi sinori i megjami i pravinami sela togo). The painted portrait of Ugl(j)eša as a child is preserved on the southern wall of the narthex in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača. He is depicted in the front of his grandparents Paskačь and Ozra.
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Andrěašь
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He died between 1394 and 1399. He was killed in the battle of Rovine on 17th May 1395 according to the Dečanski letopis (Va lěto 6902 razbi mirčje voevoda vlaški pajazita na rovinahь i tu pogibie marko kraljevičь i kōnstantïnь, i andrea, i koimenь, oktōbrïa 10 gь). One of the first preserved epic poems about the brothers Marko and Andrijaš from 1556 relates about the murder of Andrěašь by his brother Markos. He appears as kralevikь in the inscription on the edge of the vault of the Saint Andreas Church by the river Treska. He was the son of the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos and Lena. His siblings were Markos, Dmitьrь, Ivanišь and Olivera. He is attested along with his mother Lena and his brother Marko in the charter of the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos for the Ragusan Republic, which was issued on 5th April 1370 (i po vʼse dni veselešti mi se vь zemʼli kraljevstva mi sь prěvьzljubljenʼnomь kraljestva mi kralicomь kyra Lěnom i sь prěvьzʼljubʼljenʼnimi synovi kraljevstva mi Markomь i Anьdrějašemь). After the death of his father in 1371 he remained at the court of his mother Lena. He minted his own coins with the legend blagověrni andreaš. Grubadin, the kefalija of Porěčie district, send him a message about the disobedience of his garrison force (Gospodinu mi Andrejašu ōd Grubadina tvoegō kefalije...tuži mi se ōt [tvoih?] junakь neposluha). Andrěašь appears in the ktitorial inscription above the south door in the interior of the Church of the so-called Marko’ Monastery (Saint Demetrius Monastery in Sušice near Skopje), which was completed in 1376/1377 (Izvōlenïemь ōtca i voplьšenïem sina i sьšestviemь svetago duha ōbnovi se i popisa si svety i božestavni hramь svetago velikōmučenika Hristova pobědōnosca i myrotočьca Dimitrija sь usrьdïemь i potštanïemь blagověrnago kralja Vlkašina sь blagověrniei kralice Eleny i sь prěvazljublenym eju i prьvorodnimь sinomь blagověrnimь kraljemь Markomь i Andreašemь i Ivanïšemь i Dimïtrom vь lěto ·ѕ·ō·p·e· si že monastirь nače se zdati lěto ·ѕ·ō·n·g· vь dni blagověrnago cara Stefana i hristoljubivago kralja Vlьkašina a sьvrši se vь dьni blagověrnago i hristoljubivago kralja Marka). He together with his mother Lena was the ktitor of the Saint Andreas Monastery by the river Treska. In 1388/1389 he endowed the monastery with villages near the field and beyond the hill: The ktitorial inscription above the entrance on the western wall of the naos gives account about the villages Bukurci and Poviьlno, which were exchanged for the villages Momkovo and Ivanje from the endowment of the Saint Demetrius Monastery near the village Sušica (the so-called Marko’s Monastery) (trudomь i podvigom hristoljubivago raba božija andrěaša sina ftorago blagověrnago kralě Vlьkašina i kralice Eleni monahini Elisaveti i eliko vьzmožno bistь dahomь i priložihomь svetěi crьkьvi sela u poli i u zabrьdi sь metohomь i pravinami jaže pisana sutь izvěstně o vsemь jaže o nihь v vrevi vь hrisovulě. I si dvě selě tamo Bukurci i Povilьno vь zaměnenie crьkьvi sušičkoi z govoromь i dahomь za Momkovo i za Ivane poneže tako priležno bistь ōboimь crьkьvamь imeti tako sija sela bezьsьmušena vь utvrьždenie lěto ·ѕ·ō·č·z· indiktiōn). The list of villages granted to the Saint Andreas Monastery by the river Treska by Andrěašь appears in another inscription on the edge of the vault of the Saint Andreas Church by the river Treska (trudomь i podvigomь raba božia kralevikь andreaša se že priloženie svetě crьkьvi hrisovulě sьvoiomь.....selo Šišoevci i metohь jego sь obě straně rěke i orašie i lovišta. Selo Dučinci s metohomь starimь i lovišta i Kačěpuri s metohomь. Selo Ivane i Lozno s metohomь. Selo Dlьbočica i Uzdolie s metochomь. Selo Lukovica i Krušica s metohomь....Zaselie sa vьsěmi pravinami selь tehь lovišta i planine). He together with his brother Markos marched with the troops of the Ottoman Sultan Murad I against the army of the Serbian Prince Lazaros (Lazar Hrebeljanović) and Bulkos (Vuk Branković) according to the Tronoški rodoslov from the 18th century (Amuratь že ōbrativь voinstvō skoe na deržavu lazarevu, predvodimь markomь i andreemь). He probably left Macedonia with his brother Dmitьrь following the meeting at Serres in winter 1393/1394, because they refused to serve the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I. He and his brother Dmitьrь came in summer 1394 to Dubrovnik. They received on 10th August 1394 374 perper and 6 grossi from the treasury of their father, which was deposited at the place of the nobleman Pavle Barabić (Paulus de Baraba). The last part of the treasury was reserved for their brother King Markos (denarii quondam regis Volchassini....due partes Andree et Dymitrio, filiis et heredibus condam regis Volcasini, mandato prescripti domini rectoris perperos trecentos septuaginta quatuor et grossos sex, tertia parte dictorum yperperorum reservata pro Marcho rege). Dmitьrь and Andreas were pleasently surprised by the large amount of money, that was paid to them by the Ragusan republic. They migrated afterwards in Hungary according to a later charter of the Ragusan republic to the duke Sandal Hranjić from 1423, where they found their livelihood (trovaron pane).
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Blukasinos Demetrios
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The name Demetrios is attested in the memorial book (pomenik), which has been preserved at Protaton in Karyes on Mount Athos (Protaton 340 [113], 1v: Ἔτι δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ μακαρίας μνήμης καὶ ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν ἀειμνήστων δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ Δημητρίου κράλη καὶ Ἰωάννου δεσπότου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναιρεθέντων ὀρθοδόξων χριστιανῶν). He died on 29th June 1371 during the battle against the Ottomans at Černomen/Marica. He held the dignity of Despot from January 1364 to September 1365 according to G. Ostrogorsky (Sь že Vlьkašin spodobi se ōt njego čьsti despotatskago sana, potom že i věnčavajetь jego). He worked as a royal wine-pourer (οἰνοχόος) of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. He held the position of Župan in Prilep, 1350/1351 (pri županě Vlьkašinu...vь dьnь blagověrnago cara našego Stefana i syna mu Uroša i carice Elene...kьga se ōtvrže Berь). He witnessed the apparently falsified charter issued by the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1355 for the inhabitants of the town of Kotor as he held the position of čelnik (e zeonich Vucasin). In January 1366 ugodni vlastelin Novakь Mrasorovikь addressed the request to the Serbian Despot Ioan Uglješa (Ioannes Unklesis) and also the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos to approve his donation of the village Koprivljane to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos. Both of them confirmed the endowment of Novakь Mrasorovikь to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos in a separate chrysobull charter (kralь Vlьkašinь blagōvěrni Srьblemь i Grьkomь). In November 1366 he is mentioned as king in the archives of the Ragusan republic. He is attested in the Ragusan archives with name and the title of king for the first time in April 1367 (domino regi Rassie Volchassino). He was probably a co-ruler of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. between 1365 and 1368/1369. This is proven by the fact that his portrait is next to Stefan Uroš V. on the northern wall of the narthex in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača, they appear together on coins and they both accept embassies from the Ragusan republic. The situation changed in 1368/1369. The ktitorial inscription of Nobakos, apparently identical with Novakь Mrasorovikь, in the Virgin Maryʼs Church in Mali Grad mentions that the decoration of the church was painted during the reign of the highest king Demetrios Blukasinos (Άνηγέρθη ἐκ βάθρου καὶ κόπού καὶ μόχθοῦ ὁ θεϊος κὲ πάνσεπτος ναώς ουτος της υπεραγίας δεσπίνης ἡμων Θεοτόκου καὶ ἀνηστορίθην παρὰ του αὐφθέντου αὐτοῦ πὰνευτυχεστάτου κέσαρος Νοβάκου ἠγουμενέβῶντὸς δὲ Ἰωνὰ μοναχοῦ. Αὐφθεντεύβοντος πανυψηλοτάτου κραλήου τοῦ Βεληκασίνου. Άρχαηερατεύωντος δὲ τῆς ἀγιωτάτης ἀρχιεπησκοπῆς τῆς Πρότης Ἰουστινηανης, ετους ͵ςωοζʹ). It seems, that Demetrios Blukasinos took all the power immediately after the victory over the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V and his coalition at the Kosovo field in 1369. The proof that he ruled without Stefan Uroš V is the charter for the Ragusan republic issued on 5th April 1370, which he signed alone by himself (gospodina zem’li srьbьskoi i Grьkōmь i zapad’nimь stranamь...vь Hrista Bōga blagověrni i hristōljubïvi Vlьkašinь kralь). The Koporinjski and Pećki letopis (chronicle) recorded that the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. was expelled by Demetrios Blukasinos and his brother Ioannes Unklesis before the battle near the river Marica. A fragment of choros from 1365–1371 originally placed in the Saint Demetrius Monastery near the village Sušica (the so-called Marko’s Monastery), now in collection of the museums in Skopje, Sofia, Istanbul a Belgrade, with installed medallions bearing the name Vlьkašinь and the title of a king, confirm the suggestion, that he governed as a sole ruler. The priestmonk Mihailo wrote the Apostol manuscript from 1365–1371 at Lešnica in the region of Polog for the priest Miho in Debreše during the reign of the King Demetrios Blukasinos (Pisase sija kniga mnogogrěšnogo rukoju ieromonaha Mihaila popu Mihě iz Debreše Nikolinu synu…Azь ōbrěmeneni i ōkajanьni pisahь vь dьni Vlьkašina kralja, kьdi drьžaše Grьgurь Pologь, a pisavši beše iz Lešnice, nierei mnih’). His father was Margnaua (Orbini)/ Margna (Luccari), who was a poor nobleman from Livno in Hum. His brother was Ioannes Unklesis (Ioan Uglješa) and his sister Helene. The husband of his sister was Nikolaos Radochnas (Νικόλαος ῾Ραδόχνας, Nikola Radonja). He was married to Lena. They had together four sons (Marko, the King, Andrěašь, Dmitьrь, Ivanišь) and one daughter (Olivera). The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan took his father and the family of Mrnjavcević to the Serbian court. The domains of Demetrios Blukasinos were in the southern Serbia, Kosovo and in the northwestern parts of historical Macedonia with strongholds in Prilep and Skopje. Since 1345/1346/1347 the Saint Demetrius Monastery near the village Sušica (the so-called Marko’s Monastery) was built under the patronage of Demetrios Blukasinos and his sons (Izvōlenïemь ōtca i voplьšenïem sina i sьšestviemь svetago duha ōbnovi se i popisa si svety i božestavni hramь svetago velikōmučenika Hristova pobědōnosca i myrotočьca Dimitrija sь usrьdïemь i potštanïemь blagověrnago kralja Vlkašina sь blagověrniei kralice Eleny i sь prěvazljublenym eju i prьvorodnimь sinomь blagověrnimь kraljemь Markomь i Andreašemь i Ivanïšemь i Dimïtrom vь lěto ·ѕ·ō·p·e· si že monastirь nače se zdati lěto ·ѕ·ō·n·g· vь dni blagověrnago cara Stefana i hristoljubivago kralja Vlьkašina a sьvrši se vь dьni blagověrnago i hristoljubivago kralja Marka). His fresco portrait is above the south gate of the monastery and flanks with the portrait of his son Marko the bust of Saint Demetrius. The Historia della casa Musachia records, that Andrea II Musachi defeated the Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan or Demetrios Blukasinos at the Pelister Mountain. After 1361 Demetrios Blukasinos was very influential on the Serbian court, because the Ragusans often wrote letters to him. He deposited a treasury in Ragusa (denarii quondam regis Volchassini), which was withdrawn by his sons totally not until 1399. In summer 1371 Demetrios Blukasinos marched to Zeta, where he assisted his relative Đurađ Balšić in his war against Nikola Altomanović. Demetrios Blukasinos waited in Skadar for the naval support from the Ragusan republic. Despot John Uglješa informed his brother by letter about the invasion of the Turks to Europe. Demetrios Blukasinos and his brother commanded the Serbian forces, which fought against the Ottoman army commanded by the Beglerbeg Lala Şahin Pasha and Evrenos near the village Černomen on 26th September 1371. His portrait and its accompanying inscription (Vь hrista boga blagověrni kralь Vlьkašin) has been preserved on the southern part of the entrance to the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael at Prilep. The inscription in the chapel of the Panagia Eleousa on the shore of Lake (Great) Prespa, which mentions the three patrons of the church, gives detail about the date of the repainting (1410) and the name of the ruler, who was Demetrios Vlukasinos. The possibility of a later local ruler with the same name cannot be excluded, but a more probable version is that the construction of the church was realised during the rule of Demetrios Vlukasinos (Ανηγέρθει καὶ ἀνιστωρίθει ὁ Θείος καὶ πάνσεπτος ναὸς τὴς Ὑπεραγίας Δεσποίνης ἠμῶν Θεοτόκου καὶ Ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας διὰ σὶνδρομὶς κόπου τε καὶ ἐξόδου τοῦ τιμίὅτατου εν ἰερομονάχοις κῦρου Σάβα καὶ κῦρου Ἰακόβου καὶ Βαρλαὰμ τῶν κτητόρων. Αὐθέντης ὁ Βλουκασίνος. Ἐπἷ ἒτους ϛπιη).
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It it doubtful, that he is the same person as „lo jupan Voichna“, who appears in the charter of Vladislav, the son of the former Serbian King Dragutin, adressed to Ragusan authorities from the 25th October 1323. The confirmed terminus ante quem of his decease is September 1370/August 1371 (Prišьdšu že mi vь hramě prěsvetije Bogorodice Hilan’darě, i viděvь grobь gospodina mi i roditelja svetopočiv’šega kesara). It is possible that he was already death in 1369, because the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis (Jovan Unglješa) approved in this year the donation of the Church of the Saint Archangels Michael and Gabriel above Gabrovo granted by Kaisar Boichnas (Voihna) for the monk and spiritual father Daniil (Kako pride kь carьstvu mi čьstni starьcь duhovьnikь kyrь Daniil…Mihaila i Gabrila više Gabrova, i prinese mi zapisanie gospodina….roditelě mi kesara, i viděhь pročtohь čto jestь zapisalь i….kesarь Voihna, i ini hristoljubivi crьkvi onoizi ljud…..zemle: bystь hotěnije carьstvu mi kudě godě mu se što nahodi……hru….ljud…..vinogradь, perivolja, ili i mlinь, ima hotěnije carьstvo mi kako da je……vь věkomь, i da jestь pace svobodna, nikiimь nepotьknovlenno….). He appears as vlastelinь, surodnikь carьstva mi bratučedь Voih’na in the charter of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan for the Hilandar Monastery from 1348. He is mentioned as kaisar/kesar in 1351 (Voicha chiessar) and 1355 (Voichna chiesar) in two forged documents of the Serbian Emperors for the town Kotor translated into old Italian. Attested as kaisar and kesarь from 1357 to 1371 (Βοΐχνας ὁ Καῖσαρ). He was the governor of the town Drama in 1357 according to the Byzantine historian Ioannes Kantakuzenos (ὁ δὲ τῆς πόλεως, ἧς ἦρχεν, ἀποδημῶν, Δράμα δὲ ἦν). Sima Ćirković suggests that he held unter his control a much bigger region corresponding with the ruling area of his son-in-law, the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis (Jovan Unglješa). In a later charter of Iakobos Kutaches Philanthropenos Tarchaneiotes from 1405 he is erroneously described as κράλης. His daughter was Euphemia (Jefimija/Elena). He was the father-in-law of the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis (Jovan Unglješa). The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan confirmed in 1348 at the intervention of his nobleman and most probably also relative Voih’na the previous donation of the village Potolino in the valley of the river Struma to the Hilandar Monastery (I tu vьspomenu carstvu mi vlastelinь, surodnikь carьstva mi bratučedь Voih’na, ō izvěstneišemь po utvrьždeni sela Potolina, iže bě priložilo i po prěžde carьstvō mi Hilan’daru...I po blagosrьdnomu moljeniju i blagoutrobiju kь v’semь svetimь i božьstvnimь crьkvamь bratučeda mi Voih’ne, darova carьtvō mi vь postrum’skomь prědělě: Seloō Potolinovo sь zasel’ci i periōromь, s megjami i sь dohoci sь v’semi pravinami sela togoō). After the death of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan he was a prominent figure in the circle of the Dušan’s widow Jelena (Helene). He encouraged Mathaios Kantakuzenos at first to invade the territory of Eastern Macedonia. He then betrayted him and joined the army of Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. He defeated Mathaios Kantakuzenos at Philippoi in Macedonia in 1357. Mathaios Kantakuzenos was imprisoned by him. He handed over Mathaios Kantakuzenos in summer 1357 to the Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V Palaiologos for a ransom. The Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis (Jovan Unglješa) confirmed in 1358 an endowment of his mother-in-law, the wife of Boichnas, for the Kutlumus Monastery (ὅπερ ἐπροσίλοσεν ἡ ἁγία μου κυρία ἡ Κεσάρισα πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν μονὴν ἐν τι τοποθεσία τὴ ἐπικεκλημένι ἡ Προυνέα χάριν ψυχηκὴς δωρεὰς αὐτῆς ζευγαρίων τεσσάρον... ἐγὼ Οὔγλεσις μέγας βοεβόδας ἀπὸ τὴς αὐτοῦ ἐλεημοσίνης τοὺ αὐθέντου ἡμῶν τοὺ πανευτυχεστάτου δεσπότου καὶ τοὺ ἀδελφοὺ αὐτοὺ τοὺ [...τ...]ου μου στέργο καὶ βεβεῶ τὰ τιαύτα χωράφια εἰς τὴν Προυνέαν γὴν ζευγαρίων τεσάρον ὅπος νέμωσην οἱ τιαύτοι μοναχοὶ τὴς θείας βασιλεικῆς μονῆς τοὺ Κουτλουμούσι ἀκολείτος). The Metropolitan of Drama in 1359 gave his consent to return the metochia of Theotokos Koriliotissa and Hagioi Anargyroi to the Batopedi Monastery after the involvment of Boichnas and his wife. Boichnas and his wife endowed the Batopedi Monastery with the church of Saint Photeine. Boichnas was buried in the Hilandar Monastery at Mount Athos.
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Bulkos
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He was born around 1345. He died on the 6th October 1397 in the Ottoman prison. His body was transferred by his brother Nikolaos Radochnas (Monk Gerasim) to the Mount Athos. He appears as a gospodinь in the slavic sources and as a dominus in the latin sources. He administered the region of Kastoria and Ōhrid according the Byzantine historians Ducas and Laonikos Chalkokondyles (ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ Βοῦλκον τὸν τοῦ Πράγκου τοῦ Μλαδένεω υἱόν, Καστορίας τε καὶ Ὀχρίδος τῆς ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ ἡγεμόνος; καὶ τὴν ἄλλην τὴν εἶχε δοσμένη τοῦ ἀφεντὸς τοῦ Μπούλκου ὁποὺ ὥριζε τὴν Καστορία καὶ τὴν Ὄχριδα). Laonikos Chalkokondyles calls him wrongly Ἐλεάζαρος and relates about the lands by the Danube as his dwelling place (τὰ μέντοι περὶ τὸν Ἴστρον Βούλκῳ τῷ Ἐλεαζάρῳ τοῦ Πράγκου ἐπέτρεψε). He controlled the larger part of today’s Kosovo. His dominion reached the eastern parts of Raška, the Polimlje in Montenegro and since 1376/1377 Skopje in the east. After the death of Đurađ I Balšić (13th January 1378) he seized the town of Prizren, Peć and the area of Metohija. He minted his own coins and issued charters. He was the son of Prankos Mladenes (ja Grьgurь i bratь mi Vlьkь, synove velikago sevastokratora Bran’ka gospodina že gradu Ohridu). He had two brothers (Nikolaos Radochnas, Grьgurь) and a sister (Theodora). He was married Mara, the daughter of the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, since 1371. They had together three sons (Georgios Bulkos [Đurađ Branković] - ἦν γὰρ Γεώργιος, υἱὸς Βούλκου καὶ γαμβρὸς Λαζάρου, Prankos Bunko [Lazar Branković], Grьgurь [† 1408]). He and his brother Grьgurь gave Nikolaos Radochnas in 1365 the permission to donate the patrimonial church of Saint Archangel with three villages Trstenik, Bežanići, Tušilo and the selište Hudine to the Hilandar Monastery. He added between 1372 and 1396 the villages Banica, Vrьbovьcь, Štučince, Mučivarě near Trьstenik to the endowment of his brother for the Hilandar Monastery (Po sem’ že jaa blagočьsitivi Vlьkь, synь velikago sevastokratora Branьka raspaljaemь božьstvnyim želanïem velikuju věru i ljubovь iměje kь svetěi matery Hrista moego, priložihь domu ei čьstiomu monastiru bišerečen’nye lavry Hilandaru sela priležeštaa Trьsteniku: Banicu, Vrьbovьcь, Štučince, Mučivarě, sь vsěmi megjami i pravinami i sь ōttěsy selь těhь). He was a benefactor of the Kutlumus Monastery on the Mount Athos since 1370. He granted between 1376 and 1377 at the request of the Monk Gerasim, his brother, the Monastery of Saint George-Gorg near Skopje with all possessions to the Hilandar Monastery (Azь, rabь Hristu Vlьkь, vьspominaju vь sьvědenije vsemь, kako pride brat mi Gerasimь poslanijemь monastirьskimь Svetije Gori Athōna, Svetije Bogorodice Hilandarьskije igumnōmь i vsega sьbora hilandarьskoga, i prosiše mi keliju u Skopju, ponježe ne imahu priběžišta ni kelije u Skopiju. I videvь nihь usrьdije i prošenije, i dah monastirь Svetago Geōrьgija s metohōmь i sь seli i sь vsemi pravinami gde se nahodi metohь Svetago Geōrgija ili u gradu ili na dvoru što jestь Svetago Geōrgija, vse priložihь Hilandaru). He is mentioned as a addressee of the embassy sent by the Ragusan republic in 1380 regarding the release of two citizens of Dubrovnik. He confirmed on the 20th January 1387 the privileges and rights of the Ragusan republic concerning the representation of the citizens of town Dubrovnik in the court assembly. He asked in August 1388 the representatives of the Ragusan republic to clear the old debt and to pay the new Tribute of Ston to the Monks in Jerusalem. He participated in the battle of Kosovo along with his father-in-law Lazar and the Bosnian King Tvrtko I. in 1389. The folk epic poetry portrays him in a bad light as a traitor. The fact is that he withdrew his troops from the battlefield. Between 1389 and 1396 he confirmed the privileges of the Ragusan republic. The Ottomans captured in 1391/1392 Skopje. Bulkos was forced by them to become their vassal. He exempted the Hilandar Monastery from paying the tax to the Ottomans on 21th November 1392. The Venetian republic granted him on 9th April 1394 the citizenship. His Čelnik Smilь deposited gold and silver for Bulkos at Dubrovnik in January 1395. He was captured and imprisoned by the Ottomans not long after the battle of Nicopolis. He is portrayed on the western facade of the chapel of Saint George in the Church of the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos at Ōhrid. There is an inscription next to his image (VELIK...GNБ VLБKБ SNБ SEVASTOKRATORA BRANKA). He commisioned a slavic translation of the chronicle of Georgios Monachos (Hamartolos) in 1387 (Pisa se povelěnyjemь gospodina Vlьka).
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Dmitrь (3)
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Person
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Probably identical with the duke Dmitrь. He is attested for the first time as milostnikь (guarantee of the legal procedure) in the charter of the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for the Hilandar Monastery concerning the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael in Lesnovo from 15th August 1381. He is also mentioned in the charter of the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for the Hilandar Monastery from the year 1388 and the confirmation charter of the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for the Church of Ascension in the Štip from 26th March 1388, which has been preserved in the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos. The expression „istini i vьsesrьdьčni surodnikь i brat gospodstva mi vojevoda Dmitrь“ used in both charters was perceived by Matanov as a description of blood relationship between Konstantin Dragaš and Dmitrь. Matanov assumes that Dmitrь was the son of Dejan (Dragaš) and Konstantin was his brother. Dmirь got three villages (Kozjak, Rurak and Krivi Dol) as his inherited property from the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for his loyal service (I sela iže jestь iznašьlь brat gospodstva mi vojevoda Dmitrь, iže mu jestь darovalo gospodstvo mi za jegovo pravověrno porabotanie). Dmitrь bought before 1388 an estate in the town of Štip and erected the Church of Ascension on this place (I město ježe jestь iznašьlь bratь gospodstva mi Dmitrь vojevoda i kupilь u Štipu gradu sь v’sěmi pravinami města togo, ideže i sьzidalь otь osnovania crьkvь Vьznesenia Gospoda Boga i spasa naša Iisusa Hrista). Dmitrь endowed the Church of Ascension in Štip with the three villages and other properties and asked the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš to legalise his donation. The Serbian Despot confirmed his endowment in front of witnesses. Probably in the same year Dmitrь petitioned the Serbian Despot again. He donated the Church of Ascencion in Štip with the possessions and rights to the Hilandar Monastery. Konstantin Dragaš allowed and confirmed the transaction of Dmitrь in a separate charter). Mentioned in the supplicant inscription on the facade above the southern door of the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Kučevište. The inscription can be dated between 1331 and 1334. His parents were Dejanь and Vladislava. His brother was Iō(v)anь. He appears in the supplicant inscription on the facade above the southern door of the church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Kučevište (Primi gdi moleniie rabe svoie Vladislave i čěda eie Iōvana i Dmitra bg da ihь pomene v carstva svoemь).
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Dmitьrь
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Person
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Vladimir Ćorović suggested that Dmitьrь was the patron of the fresco painting of the Saint Nicholas in the lunette of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Prilep (primi gospodi molenie raba svoego dimitra). Gojko Subotić showed that the corresponding inscription was made in 1477/1478. He is mentioned in the sources from 1376/1377 to 1412. He died after 30th June 1407 and before 1410. A certain terminus ante quem is the charter of the Court judge Simon Rozgonyi from 29th July 1412, where the death of Dmitьrь is attested (tempore mortis condam Demetrij filij Vilkuli, Regis tunc similiter Castellani de Wylagusuar). He appears as kraljevikь, dominus, viro magnifico ac spectabili in the sources. He held the position of the castellanus of the town Világos (now Şiria), 1404–1409/1410? and comes comitatus of the Zaránd (now Arad) county, 1404–1407/1408. He was the son of the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos and Lena. His siblings were Markos, Andrěašь, Ivanišь and Olivera. He is attested in the ktitorial inscription above the south door in the interior of the Church of the so-called Marko’ Monastery (Saint Demetrius Monastery in Sušice near Skopje), which was completed in 1376/1377 (Izvōlenïemь ōtca i voplьšenïem sina i sьšestviemь svetago duha ōbnovi se i popisa si svety i božestavni hramь svetago velikōmučenika Hristova pobědōnosca i myrotočьca Dimitrija sь usrьdïemь i potštanïemь blagověrnago kralja Vlkašina sь blagověrniei kralice Eleny i sь prěvazljublenym eju i prьvorodnimь sinomь blagověrnimь kraljemь Markomь i Andreašemь i Ivanïšemь i Dimïtrom vь lěto ·ѕ·ō·p·e· si že monastirь nače se zdati lěto ·ѕ·ō·n·g· vь dni blagověrnago cara Stefana i hristoljubivago kralja Vlьkašina a sьvrši se vь dьni blagověrnago i hristoljubivago kralja Marka). After the death of his father in 1371 he remained at the court of his mother Lena. He probably left Macedonia with his brother Andrěašь following the meeting at Serres in winter 1393/1394, because they refused to serve the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I. He and his brother Andrěašь came in summer 1394 to Dubrovnik. They received on 10th August 1394 374 perper and 6 grossi from the treasury of their father, which was deposited at the place of the nobleman Pavle Barabić (Paulus de Baraba). The last part of the treasury was reserved for their brother King Markos (denarii quondam regis Volchassini....due partes Andree et Dymitrio, filiis et heredibus condam regis Volcasini, mandato prescripti domini rectoris perperos trecentos septuaginta quatuor et grossos sex, tertia parte dictorum yperperorum reservata pro Marcho rege). Dmitьrь and Andrěašь were pleasently surprised by the large amount of money, that was paid to them by the Ragusan republic. They migrated afterwards in Hungary according to a later charter of the Ragusan republic for the duke Sandal Hranjić from 1423. They found their livelihood in Hungary (trovaron pane). Dmitьrь came again to Dubrovnik 1399. He collected the Hungarian tribute on behalf of the Hungarian King Sigismund (De promittendo ex gracia Dymitrio filio condam regis Volchassini, quod portando literam preceptoriam et expeditoriam a domino nostro regi Hungarie in forma consueta tributi quingentorum ducatorum, quos tenemur dicto domino nostro regi, dandi ipsi Dymitrio, dabimus et solvebimus illud eidem pro tempore hactenus preterito, quod debetur dicto domino nostro regi). He also picked up the last part of the treasury of his father on this occasion. Before he received the money, he had to prove that no legitimate heirs of King Marko exist (partem depositi, quod posuit ipse dominus rex Volchassin, que spectabat Marcho eius fratri, probando ipso Dymitras nobis, quod ipse Marchus non dimisit heredes legitimos). In 1400 Dmitьrь stayed in the town of Dubrovnik as an envoy of the Hungarian King Sigismund according to the charter of the Ragusan Republic for the Grand duke Hrvoje Vukčić. Dmitьrь asked the Ragusians to not relaese the Ottoman embassy to the Sultan (ōvьde se naměri Dmitьrь kraljevikь i tьdi se prigōdiše posli Turačski u našemь grafu da minu prěko mora. Doide k namь Dmitьrь mole da ihь ne propustimo, a mi tozi ništorь ne čusmo propustismo ihь, i prigōše slobodno tolikog je i dьnasь i vьzda mogu vsakōi posli slobodno poki). The Ragusan archives record between 20th and 22th December 1402 that Dmitьrь collected the tribute for the Hungarian King Sigismund. In March 1403 the tribute was given to Rafael Gučetić, who acted on behalf of Dmitьrь (Prima pars est de assignando Ser Raphaeli de Gozijs ad duhanam salis nostri communis cum ordine ducatos quingentos, recipienti nomine domini Dimitrii filii condam regis Vocassini pro tributo domini nostri regis Hungarie millesimi trecentesimi nonagesimi de mense marcii, assignato dicto domino Dimitrio per dominum regem, et hoc pro literis expeditoriis et preceptoriis dicti domini Dimitrii scribenti nobis super hoc literas suas). The Hungarian King Sigismund issued on 30th June 1407 a charter, where he appealed on Dmitьrь to give up the acts of violence towards the possession of Sigismundus, who was the son of Ban Ladislaus, the lord of Lučenec (Losonci) at Pankota (now Pâncota).
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Georgios (7)
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Person
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He appears ὁ ὀικεῖος αὐτῇ κύριος Γεώργιος ὁ λογοθέτης in the prostagma charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan for the Saint Anastasia Monastery near Zichna from February 1352. He was the logothetь of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan, 1349–1355. He worked also as a logothetь for the Serbian Empress Jelena (Helena), the wife of Stefan Uroš IV Dušan and the mother of Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. (siju knigu dade Gjurgь logothetь gospožde carice presvetěi bogorodici Gory Sinaiskyje, bog da go prostit). According to the hypothesis of Konstantin Jireček he was the brother of Radoslav’, the Governor of Serres, and čelnik Miloš from the Povika family. In 1361 the Ragusan republic sequestrated the deposited money of Georgios for the purpose of war (Prima pars est, de accipiendo de manibus Milçe de Lebro denarios Jurech Logofeti, et ponere ipsos in manibus comunis pro serviçiis guerre). On 27th February 1367 Georgios sent his will from his residence in Thessalonike to the Ragusan republic. His decision was to sell his property and belongings in Ragusa administrated by Milac Lebrović and Lovro Razumenović. He donated according to the testament the earned sum and also other gifts, including notary’s books, to his relative Živko Dlьžić (prědal dobitьkь i rěznicu moju vašimь Dubrovčanomь, na ime Milcu Dumonikju i Lavretevi Razumenikju, a bě i vsi znate a ōdь vasь ne se utajalo. Da znate vlastele, moja bratija, ere sьmь bilь dlьžьnь ō-davno za mnogo godištь za potrebe, koe ni je iznosilь Živko, sinь Radoslava Dlьžica, vašь Dubrovčaninь, za mnogo mu sьmь drьžnь bilь do denesь, ere ni jestь rodinь krьvьno, a i da znate, vlastele, ere mu prodahь i darovahь vesь moi dobětьkь i riznicu, što mi je u Dubrovnici, no je na Milci Dumoniki i na Lavrete Razumenoviku, i kuke i vinograde, inonikatske knige da e volьnь Živko uprašati i prodati i knigami inonikatskimi i kaželeriskimi, kleti se i dušiti se na moju dušu, kakono ja samь Gjuregь logofetь, i da slobodi, kogo mu se vidi, kano ja samь Gjuregь logofetь. a sezi mu prodahь i darovahь u Sulune na ·kz· dьnь febrara měseca). His brother Radoslav’, the Governor of Serres, wrote to the Ragusan republic and confirmed that the belongings of the deceased logotet Georgios (Gjurgь) were rightly bequeathed to his second brother Miloš. He issued the respective document „in domo suo in civitate Serrarum“ on the 15th May 1368.
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Gropas Andreas
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Mentioned in different documents and relics from 1371 to 1379. According to the ktitor inscription in the Church Mal sveti Kliment in Ōhrid from 1378 he was the μέγαλος ζούπανος of Ōhrid. The Historia della casa Musachia records, that Andreas Gropas was married with Kiranna, the daughter of Andreas II. Musachi (questo Signor Groppa predetto dʼOcrida hehbe per moglie la Signora Chiranna seconda figlia sua). The sepulchral inscription for Ostoja Rajaković from 1379 reports, that he was the father-in-law of Ostoja Rajaković (zetь župana Grōpe). ). His son-in-law was also Balša Balšić (Balsa suo genero). He had his own coins minted since 1371. So far 27 pieces of these coins have been preserved. One of the coins has the legend „po milosti Božiei velikь županь Gropa gospodinь Ohrid.‟ Six coins mention him as župan. His father-in-law and his son-in-law Balša helped him to liberate the city of Kastoria from the control of the king Markos/Marko Kraljević. According to the Historia della casa Musachia he ruled beside Ōhrid also in Debar (Signor Groppa Signor dʼOcrida overo Debria). Nikolaj D. Ovčarov proposed to read some monogramm attempts found in the Church of Sveta Sofija in Ōhrid as signatures of Andreas Gropa. This ascertainment could lead us to the assumption, that Andreas Gropas had his own chancery.
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Gurguras
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Person
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Gregorius Golubich is a central figure in the negotiations between Serbia and Dubrovnik between the years 1362 and 1365, but it is not clear, whether he is the same person as Kaisar Gurguras. Gregorius Golubich strived with his brother Ivan to conclude the peace treaty. Several accounts from the Dubrovnik archive give detail about him and his brother. On the 14th of June 1362 Gregorius and his brother became the citizens of Dubrovnik. Their deposits were under the guarantee of the city of Dubrovnik and obtained the legal position of inviolability in case of the war (Comes Ivan Golubich cum Gregorio fratre suo factus fuit civis Ragusii, et quod possit in omni tempore venire Ragusium, et ibi stare et habitare, et res et bona sua deponere et salvare libere sicut quilibet alius verus ciivis Ragusii. Et si casus ocurreret, quod propter guerram vel propter alium casum prefati comes Ivanus et frater eius Gregorius cum eorum familia, bonis atque rebus aufugerint de Raxia Ragusium, quod libere venire possint et inde recedere cum omnibus bonis suis ad omnem eorum voluntatem sine aliquot impedimento prout quilibet alius civis Ragusii facere possit. Et si aliquot tempore Guerra vel Discordia oriretur inter regnum Raxie et comune Ragusii, quod bona eorum deposita in Ragusio sint salva, et quod impedire non debeat nec intromitti modo aliquo, sed possit libere ipsa facere extrahere et extrahi facere de Ragusio ad omnem ipsorum voluntatem, sicut supra dictum est). In the time between 10th and 15th of July in the year 1362 the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V issued a safe conduct charter for the embassy from Dubrovnik. Grьgurь is mentioned there along with Logothete Dejan as the ambassador of the Serbian ruler (i kako mi ste poručali po logothetě carstva mi po Dejaně i po Grьgurě). On the 6th December 1365 came knez Gregorius Golubich, the deputy of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V, to Dubrovnik in order to collect the Tribute of Ston (Comes Gregorius Golubich, nuncius domini Imperatoris Sclavonie...anni proxime preteriti de mense octobris yperpyros duo mille...Pripchus Murisich et Radoe Posovcich, homines Senchi). Mentioned in the sources between the year 1347 and 1361. He held the title of Kaisar between 1347 and 1361. He received a letter from the pope Clement VI in March 1347. In this document he was asked by the pope to support the intention of the Serbian emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan to join the union with the Latin church (Gregorio Golubie cesari regni Racie). He is mentioned in the chrysobull charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan for the Monastery of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel near Prizren, which was issued after august 1347. He gave a moneylender with the name Dabiživ to the monastery. Dabiživ was obliged to donate yearly 18 foxes to the monastery (I sь milostiju i hotěnijemь carьstva mi priloži kesarь Grьgurь crьkvi carьstva mi Arhhaggelu Dabiživa kamatnika, da daje za godište 18 lisicь). He is attested in the forged document of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan for the town Kotor as a witness (i vsego sobora egō i vlastela i sobora carskago Gergura). He appears as a sponsor in the inventory of the crypt in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Bari. He endowed the church with various church vessels. On the 10th of May of the year 1353 the chapter in Bari released an approval for specific church vessels to be sold. The lamps on the list are probably endowments of Gurguras (...Lampas una magna de argento missa ecclesie per Cesarem Sclavonie...; Lampas una magna et suptilis deaurata cum multo labore missa per quemdam Sclav...librarum duarum et unciarum undecim; Lampas una cum catinellis de argento missa per Cesarem Sclavonie...apostolis...duodecim deauratis et cum licteris videlicet Cesar Gregorius me fecit fieri ponderis librarum sex et unciarum decem). According to the inventory from the 5th Februrary of the year 1361 Gurgaras donated to the church also an incense with his coat of arms, mitre with 1008 pearls, stole and maniple (Tumbulum unum de argento deaurato missum per Cesarem Sclavonie ad campanile cum xmaltis quattuor ad aquilas rubeas cum duobus...et cum duobus allis dragonibus et cum cannellis duplis de argento in quibus cannelis sunt...quinque in medio ponderis librarum quattuor et unciarum novem). Mauro Orbini mentions him as a person, which advised the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V (Li suoi primi consiglieri suorono Gregorio Cesar). The inscription above the entrance door to the Church of the Holy Mother of God Zachlumistisa mentions the circumstances of the endowment in the year 1361. The church was erected at the expense of the kaisar Gurguras. The painted decoration of the monastery was commisioned by Gregory, the Bishop of Devol (Ἀνηγέρθη ἐκ βάθρων ὁ θεῖος καὶ πάνσεπτος ναὸς τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τῆς Ζαχλουμήστισας διʹ ἐξοδου τοῦ πανευτυχεστάτου καίσαρος Γούργουρα καὶ κτήτωρος ἀνιστορίθη δὲ παρὰ τοῦ πανιεροτάτου ἐπισκόπου Δεαβόλαιως καὶ πρωτοθρόνου κύρ Γρηγορίου καὶ κτῆτωρος ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας Στεφάνου τοῦ Οὐροσιοι μηνὶ αὐγούστῳ κεʹ. ͵ϛωξθ ἰνδ. ιδʹ).
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Ivanišь
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He died on 18th September 1385. The third son of the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos and Lena. His siblings were Marko, Andrěašь, Dimitarь and Olivera. He is attested in the ktitorial inscription above the south door in the interior of the Church of the so-called Marko’ Monastery (Saint Demetrius Monastery in Sušice near Skopje), which was probably completed in 1376/1377 (Izvōlenïemь ōtca i voplьšenïem sina i sьšestviemь svetago duha ōbnovi se i popisa si svety i božestavni hramь svetago velikōmučenika Hristova pobědōnosca i myrotočьca Dimitrija sь usrьdïemь i potštanïemь blagověrnago kralja Vlkašina sь blagověrniei kralice Eleny i sь prěvazljublenym eju i prьvorodnimь sinomь blagověrnimь kraljemь Markomь i Andreašemь i Ivanïšemь i Dimïtrom vь lěto ·ѕ·ō·p·e· si že monastirь nače se zdati lěto ·ѕ·ō·n·g· vь dni blagověrnago cara Stefana i hristoljubivago kralja Vlьkašina a sьvrši se vь dьni blagověrnago i hristoljubivago kralja Marka). After 1371 he moved to Zeta, where he stayed at the court of Balša II Balšić (Μπάλσας II). He supported the Zetians, who fought against the Ottoman Vizier Hayraddīn. He fell in the battle of Savra (battle of Vjosa) between the Zetians and Ottomans on 18th September 1385 according to the later historian Mauro Orbini.
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Jelena (3)
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Person
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Mentioned in the colophone (170b) of the festal Menaion, which has been preserved in the Chludov collection of the manuscripts at the State Historical Museum in Moscow under the signature 164. The manuscript was written between the years 1371 and 1394. She was the daughter of Radoslabos Chlapenos and Eirene Prelumpissa. She was married to King Markos. The marriage to Đurađ I Balšić is preserved in the later work of Mauro Orbini. Markos divorced her and then lived with Thodora, who was the daughter or wife of a certain Grьgurь, probably Grьgurь Branković. After the romance with Thodora ended, Markos gave Thodora to Radoslabos Chlapenos and remarried Jelena according to dijak Dobre, who wrote about it in a note in the festal Menaion (Pysa se sija knyga u Porěči, u selě zovom Kalugerecь vь dьni blagověrnago kralja Mar’ka, jegda ōdade Thodoru Grьgurovu ženu Hlapenu, a uze ženu svoju prьvověn’čan’nu Jelenu, Hlapenovu dьštere). Markos divorced her again because of her bad behaviour according to Mauro Orbini. She then resided in town of Kastoria. Đurađ I Balšić, who wanted to seize Kastoria, persuaded Jelena into marriage. After Đurađ I Balšić divorced his first wife, Jelena ceded the town of Kastoria to him and became his wife.
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Kraikos
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Person
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Mentioned in the sources from 1340/1341 to 1381. He was the son of Ioannes Liberos (᾿Ιωάννης Λίβερος, Jovan Oliver) and Maria Liberissa (Μαρία Λιβέρισσα, Ana Marija,). His uncle was Mpogdanos (Μπογδάνος, Bogdan). He was the brother of Damianos (Δαμιανός, Damjan), Vidoslavь, Dabiživь, Rusinь, Oliverь and Danica. According to the stone inscription above the Western Entrance of the Katholikon in the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo from 1340/1341, his father Ioannes Liberos, his mother Maria Liberissa and he sponsored the reconstruction and the painted decoration of the monastery. Ioannes Liberos, Maria Liberissa and Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) endowed the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo with lands in the surrounding area (sьzda se světlyi i čьs(t)nъï.hramь.velikago vojevode vьïšnih silь. Arhistratiga Mihaila. Sьzda se i sьvrьši se. Vь dni Stefan(a) kral(a). Sь trudomь. Ï podanijemь raba B(ož)ija Ïōan(a) veikago voevode Ōlivera. I podružija ego rabu B(o)žiju Annu. Maru i vьzljublennago emu s(y)na Kraika. V(ь) lět(o). ƺ.ō.m.ḟ. se že sela i metohïe. Selo konь crkve Lěsnovo. Sь zaselkomъ Lukovu i u Bakově crkvь S(ve)t(o)ga Nikole sь selomь. Ï na rěcě zaselьkь Globica i selo Dobrьevo i u Drěvěnoi. S(ve)tьï Elisei i zaslьk Peštno i S(ve)ty Prokopije. I katunь Vlah(a) na Stroi i u Štipě S(ve)ty Nikola pop Sïfievь. i. k. kukei). Ioannes Liberos together with his wife and his sons Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) and Damianos (Δαμιανός, Damjan) were the patrons of the parecclesion of the Saint John the Baptist in the Church of Saint Sophia in Ōhrid. The chapel was erected between the years 1347–1350. Ioannes Liberos together with his wife and their son Damianos (Δαμιανός, Damjan) are depicted within the ktitorial composition on the western wall of the chapel. The portrait of Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) is situated on the northern wall of the chapel. Ioannes Liberos, Maria Liberissa, Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) and Damianos (Δαμιανός, Damjan) sponsored a new narthex as a addition to the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo. The painted ktitorial composition with Ioannes Liberos, Maria Liberissa (Μαρία Λιβέρισσα, Ana Marija), Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) and Damianos (Δαμιανός, Damjan) is on the northern wall of the narthex. The fresco inscription above the entrance from the narthex to the naos gives details about the donors and the date 1349, when the narthex was decorated (Ἀνηγέρθη ἐκ βάθρων, καὶ ἀνηστορίθη ὁ θεῖος καὶ πάνσεπτος ναὸς τοῦ ταξιαρχου Μιχ δι’ ἐξόδου τοῦ πανευτυχεστάτου δεσπότου Ιωάννου τοῦ Λύβερί. καὶ τῆς πανευτυχεστάτης βασιλείσης Μαρίας τῆς Λυβερίσης καὶ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῶν, Κραίκου καὶ Δαμιανοῦ. ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλεί Στεφάνου καὶ Ἐλένης, καὶ τοῦ ύιοῦ αὐτῶν κράλη τοῦ Οὐροσι μηνὶ αὐγύστῳ ѕʹ ἔτους ϛωνζ ἰνδ β). According to the charter of the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for the Hilandar Monastery from 15th August 1381 Maria Liberissa expressed short before her death the will that the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo should devolve after her death on the Hilandar Monastery. Her sons Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) and Rusinь confirmed that their mother wanted to donate the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo to the Hilandar Monastery (I kako je i despotica Ōlivera despota na sьmrьti rekla i sь synōma svoima Kraikōmь i Rusinomь da je paki tai crьkvь Hilandaru).
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Markos
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Person
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The fragmentary preserved inscription above the entrance on the south wall of the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Drenovo, which is dated to 1356 or later, refers to a painter Dimitr’, who worked on the decoration of the church Drenovo after the death of the Serbian Emperor Stefan (probably Uroš IV Dušan) at the same time as the dominion was controlled by Nikola (Nikola Stanjevikь?) and Marko (Markos, the King?) (sьzda se hram’ si v’ lě.. ѕ i ō.....i azь Dimitr’ zugraf priloh’ vь hramь sei...lě..z i d i pisah’ pri drž’avě Nikole i Markě po smrьti svetorodnago cara Stefana). The hypothesis about the identity of Marko from the inscription and Markos was refuted by Evgenij P. Naumov. He died on 17th May 1395. He appears in the sources as mladi kralj. He was the co–ruler of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V, 27.9.1371–2. (4.) 12. 1371, since 2. (4). 12. 1371 formal king of the Serbian Empire. He was the son of the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos and Lena. His siblings were Andrěašь, Dmitьrь, Ivanišь and Olivera. He was married to Jelena, the daughter of Radoslabos Chlapenos. He divorced her and lived then with Thodora, who was the daughter of a certain Grьgurь, probably Grьgurь Branković. After the romance with Thodora ended, Markos gave Thodora to Radoslabos Chlapenos and remarried Jelena according to dijak Dobre, who wrote about it in a note in the festal Menaion (Pysa se sija knyga u Porěči, u selě zovom Kalugerecь vь dьni blagověrnago kralja Mar’ka, jegda ōdade Thodoru Grьgurovu ženu Hlapenu, a uze ženu svoju prьvověn’čan’nu Jelenu, Hlapenovu dьštere). Markos divorced her again because of her bad behaviour according to Mauro Orbini. The later Greek chronicler Makarios Melissenos relates that Andronikos IV Palaiologos, the son of the Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V Palaiologos, together with his father-in-law Markos, who ruled over the Bulgarian land, sought help at the court of the Ottoman Sultan (καὶ τοῦ πενθεροῦ αὐτοῦ Μάρκου τοῦ τῆς Βουλγαρίας ἔτι μέρος δεσπόζοντος). In July 1361 he was in Dubrovnik as an emissary. The Ragusans gave him back his silver deposit under the condition that he will not trade with it and with the 25 pounds of silver, which belonged to Lena, his mother (Prima pars est de restituendo Marco ambaxiatori argentum suum cum hac conditione, quod non possit emere mercationes cum ipso nisi de libris XXV argenti uxoris Volcassini). Demetrios Blukasinos intended to marry Markos to the daughter of the Croatian nobleman Gregor Pavlović Šubić. Demetrios Blukasinos contacted therefore the Bosnian King Tvrtko at whose court the woman lived as a protégé. The plan of Demetrios Blukasinos failed because of the opposition of Pope Urban V, who did not allow to marry the catholic princess to schismatic Markos. Pope Urban V expressed his point of view to Tvrtko in a letter from April 1370 (quodque tu eandem puellam tradere nuptui filio mangnifici viri Regis Rascie scismatico absque dictorum parentum voluntate procuras, in anime ipsius puelle periculum, eorundem parentum iniuriam et offensam fidei christiane). Markos is attested along with his mother Lena and his brother Andrěašь in the charter of the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos for the Ragusan Republic, which was issued on 5th April 1370 (i po vʼse dni veselešti mi se vь zemʼli kraljevstva mi sь prěvьzljubljenʼnomь kraljestva mi kralicomь kyra Lěnom i sь prěvьzʼljubʼljenʼnimi synovi kraljevstva mi Markomь i Anьdrějašemь). The Church of Saint Sunday (Sveta Nedela) in Prizren was renovated under the patronage of Markos in 1370/1371. He is attested as a young king in the ktirorial inscription (izvōljenjemь ōtca i vьplьštenijemь sina i blagodětiju svetago duha. sii svety i božьstvny hramь prěčьstïe vladičice naše bogordice. vьhoda ne sьzda se ï popisa. Pōvělěnïemь ï sь ōtkupōmь gospodina mladago krala marka lěto ·ѕ·ō·o·th· indiktiōn th). Ioannes Unklesis mentioned Markos in the charter for the Monastery Lavra on the Holy Mount Athos from April 1371 as his anepsei. Markos and Demetrios Blukasinos planned a campaign against Nikola Altomanović in the spring 1371. They camped near Skutari, on the territory of their ally Đurađ I Balšić, in July 1371 and were ready to attack Onogošt in the land of Altomanović (Li çintili homini et lo comun di Ragusa reçevi una littera, la qual lor mandasti tu Andrea Pastrovich, dando lor a savere, ca Jura cum misser lo re Volchassin et cum Marco suo fio, cum lor hoste son suta Scutari, et va sovra çuppan Nicola o in Anagast). The attack never took place, because the Ottomans threatened Ioannes Unklesis. Demetrios Blukasinos rushed to help his brother. After Ioannes Unklesis and Demetrios Blukasinos were killed at the battle of Marica on 26th September 1371, Markos became the co–ruler of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. When the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V. died on 2th (or 4th) December 1371, Markos became the formal king of the Serbian Empire, but his rule was never accepted by the local Serbian aristocrats. Subsequently, the Serbian local aristocrats took advantage of the militarily weakened position of Markos and gradually seized large parts of his lands. Lazar took very early Priština and Novo Brdo, in 1372 Đurađ I Balšić occupied Prizren, later Kastoria, Bulkos (Vlkь Brankovikь) controlled since 1376/1377 the Skopje area and Konstantinos Dragases with his brother Ioannes expanded also their territory at the expense of Markos. Markos ruled since then over the area of Pelagonia and had his stronghold in Prilep. Markos minted his own coins. Markos renovated also the Church of the Saint Archangels in Prilep around 1372. The main entrance to the church is flanked by the painted portrait of Demetrios Blukasinos and Markos, who is depicted in the white sakkos. The portrait of Markos bears an inscription (Vь hrista boga věrenь kralь Marko). Markos became the vassal of the Ottoman sultan following the meeting at Serres in winter 1393/1394. Markos rebuilt the Saint Demetrius Monastery near the village Sušica (the so-called Marko’s Monastery) between 1376/1377 and 1381 (Izvōlenïemь ōtca i voplьšenïem sina i sьšestviemь svetago duha ōbnovi se i popisa si svety i božestavni hramь svetago velikōmučenika Hristova pobědōnosca i myrotočьca Dimitrija sь usrьdïemь i potštanïemь blagověrnago kralja Vlkašina sь blagověrniei kralice Eleny i sь prěvazljublenym eju i prьvorodnimь sinomь blagověrnimь kraljemь Markomь i Andreašemь i Ivanïšemь i Dimïtrom vь lěto ·ѕ·ō·p·e· si že monastirь nače se zdati lěto ·ѕ·ō·n·g· vь dni blagověrnago cara Stefana i hristoljubivago kralja Vlьkašina a sьvrši se vь dьni blagověrnago i hristoljubivago kralja Marka). The lunette of the south door of the monastery church is decorated with his portrait. Markos is shown holding a horn in his right hand and a scroll with the inscription Azь vь Hrista Boga blagověrьni kralь Markos sьzdahь i popisahь sy božestvni hramь. He together with his brother Markos marched in 1389 with the troops of the Ottoman Sultan Murad I against the army of the Serbian Prince Lazaros (Lazar Hrebeljanović) and Bulkos (Vuk Branković) according to the Tronoški rodoslov from the 18th century (Amuratь že ōbrativь voinstvō skoe na deržavu lazarevu, predvodimь markomь i andreemь). He together with Konstantinos Dragases as Ottoman vassals marched on the side of the Sultan Bayazid I. against the Wallachian army led by Mircea the Elder. He perished in the battle of Rovine on 17th May 1395. Markos is the hero of the Serbian epic poetry.
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Mladenes Prankos
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Died probably before 11th March 1365. The chrysobull charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V from 11th March 1365 refers to him as Sebastokrator (Romanь, synь sěvastokratora Bran’ka). He held the position of a Governor of Ōhrid between 1355 – 1365 (ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ Βοῦλκον τὸν τοῦ Πράγκου τοῦ Μλαδένεω υἱόν, Καστορίας τε καὶ Ὀχρίδος τῆς ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ ἡγεμόνος). His father was Mladen. His sister was Radoslava. He had three sons (Vuk Branković [Bulkos], Radonja [Nikolaos Radochnas], Grgur) and a daughter (Teodora). A psalter, which is now in the collection of the manuscripts in the library of the Romanian Academy of Sciences (Nr. 205), was written in 1346 by a certain Iōanь Bogoslav at the place called Borьčь (Borča) and designed for Branko Mladenović (Prankos Mladenes) (Izvolenijemь božijemь i vьplьštenijemь svetago duha i roždenijemь syna sii psaltirь napisa se pomoštiju božijeju i prěčistyje jego matere vь lěto .ѕōndʹ., jenьdikьto .g., sь potьštanijemь priležnymь i vsesrьdьčnymь jaže u ustavu božьstvьnyhь pisanii, napisa si psaltirь Branьko Mladěnovikь a rukoju mnogogrěšnaago, zavitaago vь sujetii žitiistěmь raba božija Iōana, a zavomь Bogoslava, vь měste rekoměmь Borьčь, vь dьni blagověrьnaago i bogočьtivaago i samodrьžьca vsěhь srьbьskyhь zemlь i pomorьskyhь kralja Stefana i syna mu kralja Uroša, vь to vrěme prěje gospodinь kralь Stěfanь gradь Kosturь, gradь Bělgradь, gradь Kaminu). Two pieces of embroidery, one of which is kept in the Hermitage and the other in the British Museum, belonged to Branko (Prankos Mladenes). The name of the owner and the motif of a lion near the name imply that it was once worn by Branko. His son Radonja/Roman (Nikolaos Radochnas) donated the patrimonial church of Saint Archangel with three villages Trstenik, Bežanići, Tušilo and the selište Hudine, which was granted by the Serbian Emperor to his father Branko, to the Hilandar Monastery. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V confirmed the endowment of Radonja/Roman (Nikolaos Radochnas) on 11th March 1365 in a chrysobull charter (I kako prihodi kь carьstvu mi v’sečьstni starьcь Svetije Gori Athona, Romanь, synь sěvastokratora Bran’ka, i uspomenu carьstvu mi kako se jestь zgovorilь svoimь bratōmь Grьguromь i Vlьkōmь, i kako da prilože ōdь svoje baštine crьkvi svetoi Bogorodici hilandarskoi, i za uspomenutije v’sčьsthenoga star’ca Romana svoōm bratiōmь darova mu carьstvo mi crьkovь baštinu a svetago arьhangela s trьmi seli: s Trьstěnikomь i z Běžaniki i s Tušilōmь i selištemь, što jestь dalo bilo carьstvo mi sěvastokratoru Bran’ku s Hudinami ō česa jestь žitěje u Bugare poběglь, a pod crьkovь svetu Bogorodicu hilandar’sku).
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Nestongos Dukas
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Mentioned in the sources between 1352 and 1360. He was designated as κὺρ. He appears as οἰκεῖος of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan in the confirmation charter for the Monastery of Saint Anastasia near Zichna. The sources refer to him also as δοῦλος of the Serbian Empress Jelena (Helene). He held the office of Logothetes, since 1352; then of Governor of Serres (Nestegus capitaneus Seren.; Nestegus Zephalia Seren.), 1354 and finally of Megas Papias, 1360. His wife was Eudokia Nestongissa. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan confirmed in the year 1352 that the village Ostrina belonged to the Monastery of Saint Anastasia near Zichna. He ordered Georgios Dukas Nestongos (οἰκεῖος ὁ αὐτῆ κὺρ Γεώργιος ὁ λογοθέτης) to look after the inviolability of the rights of the monastery. He (Ὀ λογοθέτης Γεώργιος Δούκας ὁ Νεστόγγος) together with his wife (Σίγνον Ευδοκίας Παλαιολογίνης τῆς Νεστογγόνισας) possessed an orchard near Serres, which was partly a dowry and partly acquired by the couple. They donated it in 1353 to Monastery of Saint John Prodromos near Serres, which owned mills in the vicinity of the orchard, for exchange of life annuity payed to them by the monastery. He together with judge Božidar and Damjan from Kotor was sent by the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan in 1354 to the papal court in Avignon. He participated in the decision of the ecclesiastical court, which was summoned by Iakobos, the Metropolitan of Serres, concerning the metochion Saint Nicholas in Kamenikaia. He signed also the document issued by Iakobos in November 1360 (ὁ δοῦλος τῆς κραταιᾶς καὶ ἁγίας ἡμῶν κυρίας καὶ δεσποίνης Δούκας ὁ Νεστόγγος ὁ μέγας παπίας).
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Nobakos
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Probably identical with Novakь Mrasorovikь. In January 1366 ugodni vlastelin Novakь Mrasorovikь addressed the request to the Serbian Despot Ioan Uglješa (Ioannes Unklesis) and also the Serbian King Vukašin (Demetrios Blukasinos) to approve his donation of the village Koprivljane to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos. Both of them confirmed the endowment of Novakь Mrasorovikь to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos in a separate chrysobull charter. Nobakos is mentioned in the dedicatory inscription found on the western wall of the Virgin Maryʼs Church in Mali Grad from 1368–1369. He appears as πανευτυχέστατος in the dedicatory inscription. He was kaisar. He was married to Kale. He had a son Amirales and a daughter named Maria. He sponsored the renovation and decoration of the Virgin Maryʼs Church in Mali Grad in the year 1368–1369. The dedicatory inscription on the western wall relates about the ktetor Nobakos, who built the church from the ground, which is apparently not true, because Mpoeikos together with Eudokia and her son sponsored already in 1344/1345 the first painted decoration of the church (Άνηγέρθη ἐκ βάθρου καὶ κόπού καὶ μόχθοῦ ὁ θεϊος κὲ πάνσεπτος ναώς ουτος της υπεραγίας δεσπίνης ἡμων Θεοτόκου καὶ ἀνηστορίθην παρὰ του αὐφθέντου αὐτοῦ πὰνευτυχεστάτου κέσαρος Νοβάκου ἠγουμενέβῶντὸς δὲ Ἰωνὰ μοναχοῦ. Αὐφθεντεύβοντος πανυψηλοτάτου κραλήου τοῦ Βεληκασίνου. Άρχαηερατεύωντος δὲ τῆς ἀγιωτάτης ἀρχιεπησκοπῆς τῆς Πρότης Ἰουστινηανης, ετους ͵ςωοζʹ). The family portrait of Nobakos has been preserved on the western external façade. Nobakos is portrayed with a halo.
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Olivera
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Mentioned in the charter from 22 May 1444, which has been preserved in the archives of the island Mljet. She appears as domina in the charter. Her father was Demetrios Blukasinos (Δημήτριος Βλουκασῖνος). Her mother was Lena. She had four brothers (Markos, Andrěašь, Dmitьrь and Ivanišь). She was married to Đurađ I. Balšić (Γεώργιος I.). He left her after the battle at Marica in 1371. Her daughter was Jelisanta. She sponsored the construction of the Church of Saint Maria de Lavrendi near Skadar from her own money and the dowry. The church was decorated by the artists, who were brought by Olivera from the area of the realm of her father (domina Olivera filia regis Volcassini per magistros conductos de regno patris sui et cum denariis suis proprios et de dote sua edificari fecit ecclesiam predictam, et illam dotavit de sua propria dote cum licentia mariti sui, et sibi jus patronatus servavit).
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Rajaković Ostoja
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He was a surodnikь of Markos/Marko Kraljević. The only information about the career of Ostoja Rajaković is known from the sepulchral inscription above the painted portrait composition in the arcosolium of the narthex in the Church of the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos in Ōhrid (Prěstavi se rabь bžii Ōstoja Rajaković po guslomь Ugarčikь. i surodnikь kralja Marka. zetь župana Grōpe. Lěto 1379 msca oktōmbria. i. ind. 3. Vasь že mlju bratija moja ljubimaja pročitajušte prostite raba, jako vy možete byti kako ja. a ja kako vy nikoliže). The hypothesis about his origin in Hercegovina from the family of Ugarčići is higly probable, although even the fact, that he was a Greek, cannot be excluded. With regard to the employed word gusle the presumption of Friedrich Ress is, that Ostoja Rajaković was a gusle player in the circle of Markos/Marko Kraljević. His opinion was not accepted in the literature.
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Rusinь (3)
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Mentioned in the charter of the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for the Hilandar Monastery from 15th August 1381. He was the son of Ioannes Liberos (᾿Ιωάννης Λίβερος, Jovan Oliver) and Maria Liberissa (Μαρία Λιβέρισσα, Ana Marija,). His uncle was Mpogdanos (Μπογδάνος, Bogdan). He was the brother of Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko), Damianos (Δαμιανός, Damjan), Dabiživь, Vidoslavь, Oliverь and Danica. According to the charter of the Serbian Despot Konstantin Dragaš for the Hilandar Monastery from 15th August 1381 Maria Liberissa expressed short before her death the will that the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo should devolve after her death on the Hilandar Monastery. Her sons Kraikos (Κράϊκος, Krajko) and Rusinь confirmed that their mother wanted to donate the Monastery of Saint Archangel Michael and Holy Father Gabriel in Lěsnovo to the Hilandar Monastery (I kako je i despotica Ōlivera despota na sьmrьti rekla i sь synōma svoima Kraikōmь i Rusinomь da je paki tai crьkvь Hilandaru). He is attested in the Lesnovski pomenik along with his family as a ktitor (Poměni, gospodi, blagočьstivyihь ktitorь našihь vь carstvi si: Olivera děspota, i podružie Mariju, i čeda ihь: Dьnicu, Kraika, Damiana, Vidoslava, Dabiživa, Rusina, Olivera).
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Staniša (2)
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Identical with Stajo? Mentioned in the chrysobull charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V for Kyrillos, the Metropolitan of Melnik from May 1356. He appears as vlasteličik carьstva mi in the charter. He together with Vitomirь bought the vineyards of Luv’ro and Turkar(ev). They donated these vineyards to Kyrillos, the Metropolitan of Melnik. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V confirmed the gift of Vitomirь and Staniša in a chrysobull charter for Kyrillos, the Metropolitan of Melnik in May 1356 (I ōšte se carьstvo mi zьgovori z gospoždomь caricomь materiju carьstva mi i pridados’mo selo Smilovo sь vsьmi pravinami i s megjami i sь zasel’ci kako su drьžali vlasteličiki carьstva mi v’se čisto. I ošte mu zapisa carьstvo mi vinograd Turkarevь i Luv’rov što mu su darovali vlasteličiki carьstva mi Vitomirь i Staniša).
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Stanjevikь Nikola
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Identical with the nobleman Nikola, who is mentioned in the inscription above the southern entrance of the Church of the Holy Virgin in Drenovo? He was the petitioner of the charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V concerning the donation of the Church of Saint Stephen in Konče with all its possessions to the Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos from the 9th May 1366. He appears as "mnogovьzljublenni vlastelinь i brat carьstva mi" in the charter. He was the grand duke (veliki vojevoda). He became a land near the village Konče probably after 1346 from the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. He erected the Church of Saint Stephen in the village of Konče (priloži i da mu potpiše carьstvo mi materi Bōžijei hilandarьskōi crьkьvь u Kon’či Svetago Stěfana što si jestь sьzidalь svoimь trudōm i ōtkupumь u svojei baštině zapisanoi, što mu jestь zapisalь i utvrьdilь roditelь carьstva mi, u baštinu do věki, svetopočivьši carь). The marble tomb slab, which was kept in the narthex of the Church of Saint Stephen in Konče, bore an inscription mentioning him as the grand duke and founder of the church († Nikola Stanevikь veliki voevoda ktitor). He donated people, vine stocks, fields and fruit trees (dade gospodinь vojevoda podь svetoga Stefana svetogorcemь: ljudi, lozija, nivija, vokija) to the Church of Saint Stephen in the village of Konče. On 9th May 1366 the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V carried out the desire of the grand duke Nikola Stanjević and donated the Church of Saint Stephen in Konče, several villages in the surrounding of the village Konče and other possessions to the Hilandar Monastery (I tuzi crьkьvь prilaga i potpisuje carьstvo mi materi Božijei halandarskōi, vь pomenь brata carьstva mi vojevode Nikole i vsěmi seli crьkve Svetago Stěfana...i sela ina koja se nahode u meteseh kōnčkihь, mala, golěma kude jestь posadilь vojevoda ōtroke svoje. I sijazi sela više pisanna Svetago Stefana da si ima i drži božьstvnnaja crьkьvi mati Božija Hilandarska s ljudmi, s vinogradi, s planinami, s vodeničijem, sь je livadijemь i prosto rekše sь vsěmi megjami i pravinami i sь vsěmь periōrōm selь tehь). His possessions near the village Konče, Lubnica and Trěskavec are mentioned in the land-inventory of the church of Saint Stephen in the village of Konče, which was created after the church became a possession of the Hilandar Monastery. He owned two so-called stlps (vojevodinь stlьpь podь Vodeni Dolь; i podь Ōhrьčevemi kukami stlьpь vojevodinь koi Ōhrьčь drьži i Luka podь vojevodinu vodenicu i stlьpь koi drži Ōhrьčь i Dragina livade), a field (niva vojevodina na brode Prьševьskomь), a mill (trěbežь ōtroka Novakova konь mlina vojevodina), a watermill (vojevodina vodenica) and a vineyard (niva Dodejeva nadь lozijemь vojevodinemь). He donated an illuminated gospel manuscript (Hilandar Nr. 14) written by the monk Theōktistь to the Hilandar Monastery (Azь rabь Hristovь Stanjevikь velikyi voevoda Nikola priložihь sii světii i božьstvьnii tetravan’gelь prěčistoi Bogorodici hilan’darьskoi i molju jegože izvoli Bogь igumena i vsu bratiju vь domu svetije Bogorodice hilan’darьskyje ili gos’podьstvujušta srьbskoju zem’ljeju sije směreno trudoljubije ne ōtneti ōt domu Bogorodice hilan’darьskyje).
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Thodora
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Mentioned in the colophone (170b) of the festal Menaion, which has been preserved in the Chludov collection of the manuscripts at the State Historical Museum in Moscow under the signature 164. The manuscript was written between the years 1371 and 1394. She was the daughter or wife of a certain Grьgurь, probably Grьgurь Branković. Her husband was Radoslabos Chlapenos. King Markos had an affair with her. After the romance ended, Markos gave Thodora to Radoslabos Chlapenos and remarried Jelena according to dijak Dobre, who wrote about it in a note in the festal Menaion (Pysa se sija knyga u Porěči, u selě zovom Kalugerecь vь dьni blagověrnago kralja Mar’ka, jegda ōdade Thodoru Grьgurovu ženu Hlapenu, a uze ženu svoju prьvověn’čan’nu Jelenu, Hlapenovu dьštere).
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Unklesis Ioannes
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He died on 29th June 1371 during the battle against the Ottomans at Černomen/Marica. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V bestowed on 9th August 1365 the title of Despot upon him. Ioannes Unklesis enlarged the Simonos Petra-Monydrion and made from it the Simonos Petra-Monastery on the Mount Athos out of gratitude for being awarded with the title. He endowed it with many lands. Ioannes Unklesis issued between 9th August 1365 and October 1368 a chrysobull charter regarding his ktitorial activity in the Simonos Petra-Monastery on Mount Athos, which has been preserved only in the transcription of Kyrillos Lukaris, the Patriarch of Constantinople, from 1622/1623. He designates himself as δεσπότης καὶ αὐτοκράτωρ πάσης Σερβίας καὶ Ῥωμανίας in this charter. He signed the charter in favour of the Zographu-Monastery on the Mount Athos in February 1369 as Ἰωάννης ἐν Χριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ πιστὸς δεσπότης καὶ αὐτοκράτωρ, ὁ Οὔγκλεσης. He designated his reign since March 1368 as βασιλεία. He retained this self-designation till 1371. This self-designation appears in the Slavic documents in the form „carstvo“. He was the groom (ἱπποκόμος) of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. Ioannes Unklesis, who held the position of grand duke, confirmed in 1358 an endowment of his mother-in-law, the wife of Boichnas, for the Kutlumus Monastery (ὅπερ ἐπροσίλοσεν ἡ ἁγία μου κυρία ἡ Κεσάρισα πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν μονὴν ἐν τι τοποθεσία τὴ ἐπικεκλημένι ἡ Προυνέα χάριν ψυχηκὴς δωρεὰς αὐτῆς ζευγαρίων τεσσάρον... ἐγὼ Οὔγλεσις μέγας βοεβόδας ἀπὸ τὴς αὐτοῦ ἐλεημοσίνης τοὺ αὐθέντου ἡμῶν τοὺ πανευτυχεστάτου δεσπότου καὶ τοὺ ἀδελφοὺ αὐτοὺ τοὺ [...τ...]ου μου στέργο καὶ βεβεῶ τὰ τιαύτα χωράφια εἰς τὴν Προυνέαν γὴν ζευγαρίων τεσάρον ὅπος νέμωσην οἱ τιαύτοι μοναχοὶ τὴς θείας βασιλεικῆς μονῆς τοὺ Κουτλουμούσι ἀκολείτος). He signed the document as velik vōevoda. His father was Margnaua (Orbini)/ Margna (Luccari), who was a poor nobleman from Livno in Hum. Ioannes Unklesis was the cousin (ἀνεψιός) of Helene, the Serbian Empress. His brother was Demetrios Blukasinos and his sister was Helene. The husband of his sister was Nikolaos Radochnas (Νικόλαος ῾Ραδόχνας, Nikola Radonja). He was married to Euphemia. Ioannes Unklesis was the son-in-law of Boichnas (Voihna). He was the father of Uglješa, who died as a child. The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan took his father and the whole family to the court. The senate of the Ragusan republic (Consilium rogatorum) granted the payment of 50 ducats to Ioannes Unklesis on 22th July 1346 (In consilio rogatorum, in quo interfuerunt 34 consiliarii, captum fuit per omnes, nemine discortante, quod Ugiesse barono huius contrate noviter misso a domino imperatore, pro confirmanda et captanda benivolentia cum ipso ei ut habeat causam bene vivendi cum terra, de avere comunis detur et donetur eidem usque florenos seu ducatos L, prout videbitur d. comiti et suo minori consilio). Ioannes Unklesis governed independently in the are of Serres, Christupolis (Kavala), Philippoi, Drama and Zichnai. He had a good connection to the monks in Mount Athos and acknowledged Sabas, the Protos at the Mount Athos, in 1369 as his spiritual father. The Batopedi Monastery on the Mount Athos obtained at the beginning of the year 1365 from Ioannes Unklesis the Monastery of Theotokos Spelaiotissa in the vicinity of the town Melnik with vineyards and gardens, the village Tzukarades, land near the gate of the Lower Town of Melnik, twelwe subjects within the fortress of Melnik, the village Katunitza, the monydrion Hagios Georgios Aliseres, the village Hagia Kyriake, the village Dempreane, the village Mpusdobos, four mills within the fortress of Melnik, two mills in Katunitza, and other lands in the vicinity of the town Melnik. The Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V Palaiologos issued in September 1365 a chrysobull charter at the request of the Despot Ioannes Unklesis, in which he donated estates in the vicinity of Serres and Kalamaria to the Hilandar Monastery (Ἐπεὶ ὁ περιπόθητος ἀνεψιὸς τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης δεσποίνης Σερβίας καὶ περιποθήτου ἀδελφῆς τῆς βασιλείας μου, εὐτυχέστατος δεσπότης τῆς Σερβίας κῦρ Ἰωάννης ὁ Οὔγκλεσις, ἐζήτησε καὶ παρεκάλεσε τὴν βασιλείαν μου ἵνα γένηται χρυσόβουλλον τοῖς μοναχοῖς τῆς κατὰ τὸ ἅγιον ὄρος τοῦ Ἄθω διακειμένης σεβασμίας μονῆς, τῆς εἰς ὄνομα τιμωμένης τῆς πανυπεράγνου δεσποίνης καὶ θεομήτορος καὶ ἐπικεκλημένης τοῦ Χελανταρίου, καὶ κατέχωσι καὶ εἰς τοεξῆς τὸ περὶ τὰς Σέρρας χωρίον, τὸ καλούμενον τοῦ Ποθολινοῦ, ἔτι τε τὸ ἐν τῇ Καλαμαρίᾳ ἕτερον χωρίον τὸ καλούμενον Λιγνὸν μετὰ τῆς σκάλλας αὐτοῦ). In January 1366 ugodni vlastelin Novakь Mrasorovikь addressed the request to the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis and also to the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos to approve his donation of the village Koprivljane to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos. Both of them confirmed the endowment of Novakь Mrasorovikь to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos in a separate chrysobull charter (Sьdrьžeštu mi sia vsa blagověrьnōmu i Bogomь postavlěnnōmu despotu Iōanu Ugleši despotьstvujuštu; blagōvěrьnyi despotь Iōannь Uglešь). The Despot Ioannes Unklesis sponsored the hospital at the Batopedi Monastery and the Esphigmenu Monastery as well. He erected the monydrion of Saint Nicholas at Karyes. He was the ktitor of the small church of Saint Anargyroi at the Batopedi Monastery, where he is portrayed as a patron. The Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis confirmed the donation of Kaisar Boichnas (Voihna) for the monk and spiritual father Daniil. He approved all privileges concerning the Church of the Saint Archangels Michael and Gabriel above Gabrovo for him (Kako pride kь carьstvu mi čьstni starьcь duhovьnikь kyrь Daniil…Mihaila i Gabrila više Gabrova, i prinese mi zapisanie gospodina….roditelě mi kesara, i viděhь pročtohь čto jestь zapisalь i….kesarь Voihna, i ini hristoljubivi crьkvi onoizi ljud…..zemle: bystь hotěnije carьstvu mi kudě godě mu se što nahodi……hru….ljud…..vinogradь, perivolja, ili i mlinь, ima hotěnije carьstvo mi kako da je……vь věkomь, i da jestь pace svobodna, nikiimь nepotьknovlenno….). Ioannes Unklesis donated in April 1369 the village Neōhorь on the plain of Mavrovo with all boundaries and rights to the Monastery of Kutlumus. The monastery obtained all estates, which were in possession of Theōdorь Ōduevikь. The community of monks on the Mount Athos received also pronoia helders with people, land parcels and fruit trees, which were in some way dependent upon Kalabaris (Kalavar) (selo u poli Mavrovьskom imenem Neōhorь sь vsemi megami i s pravinami sela togai, sь vsemь što e drьžalь Theōdorь Ōduevikь pri carstvě mi, i pri Kalavari proniari što su drьžali ili ljudi ili vokie sь vsem periorom sela). At the instance of the monk Theodosios and his confreres from the Monastery Batopedi Ioannes Unklesis pledged to grant in November 1369 120 hyperpyra per annum, extracted from the revenues of the lake of Porou, to the monastery. The Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis gave between 1369 and 1371 the selište located between the village Akroterion (Akrotirion) and the river Plumiska as a tax-free property to the Monastery of Batopedi with all rights. The selište was a possession of Lanzo (probably Lantzaretos), who lived at the time as Kalabaris or was bonded by a certain contract with Kalabaris (i darova crtvo mi ōbitěli prstie Bce Vatopedu selište megju Akrotiro, i megju Plumsko šte e drьžalь Lanzo pri Kalavari sь vsemi megjami i pravinami sela toga). The Protaton on Mount Athos gathered in December 1370 at the behest of the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis ruled the dispute over the village of Mpresnitza in favour of the Hilandar Monastery. He endowed in 1370/1371 the Hilandar Monastery with the village Akroterion (Akrotirion) and the katun of Vlachs Zarvince. He gave also pastures and hunting grounds in the vicinity of the village Akroterion and the katun of Vlachs Zarvince to the monastery (I priložihь na jezěre, u prěděle rědinьskōmь, selo Akrotirь i s pašišti i sь lovišti i sь v’sěmi megjami i pravinami sela toga. I selo katunь vlahь imenemь Zar’vin’ce sь v’sěmi pašišti i megjami i pravinami sela togo). Ioannes Unklesis donated in or before 1371 a vineyard and a farmland in the place called Koremistes to the monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik (ἕτερον ἀμπέλιον καὶ ζευγηλατεῖον, εὑρισκόμενα περὶ τὸν τόπον τῆς Κορεμίστης, ἅπερ ἔδωκεν ὁ εὐτυχέστατος δεσπότης Σερβίας ὁ Οὔγκλεσης). In January 1371 Sabas, the Protos at the Mount Athos, granted the small monastery of Makrou to Ioannes Unklesis. In April 1371 Ioannes Unklesis donated the fishpond of Saint Theodore in the lake of Porou with all its possessions and rights, including the fishing privileges in the lagoon, to the Batopedi Monastery. Ioannes Unklesis established the contact with Constantinople in 1367/1368 in order to reconcile with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and to overcome the schism. He therefore received Theophanes, the Metropolitan of Nikaia and at the same time emissary of the patriarch of Constantiople, at his residence. He send im March 1368 a letter to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has been preserved in the Register of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Ioannes Unklesis proposed in the letter that the metropolises in the territory of his realm, among them the Metropolises of Drama, Christupolis, Serres and Zichna should respect the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Philotheos Kokkinos, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Ecumenil synod issued a charter in May 1371, where they officialy proclaimed the Union with the eparchies under the control of Ioannes Unklesis. Philotheos Kokkinos describes him as ὁ εὐτυχέστατος δεσπότης Σερβίας, κῦρις Ἰωάννης ὁ Οὔγκλεσης, τοῦ πλέον τοῖς ἡμετέροις μέρεσιν ἐγγίζοντος τόπου κύριος καταστὰς, ἄνθρωπος ὑπάρχων φρόνιμος καὶ καλὸς καὶ τρόπου καὶ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς καὶ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φόβον κεκτημένος, ἠθέλησεν ἐπανασώσασθαι τὰς ἐκκλησίας ταύτας τῇ ἰδίᾳ μετρὶ καὶ κεφαλῇ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν. Demetrios Blukasinos and his brother Ioannes Unklesis commanded the Serbian forces, which fought against the Ottoman army commanded by the Beglerbeg Lala Şahin Pasha and Evrenos near the village Černomen on 26th September 1371. His name is attested in the brebion (memorial book), which has been preserved at Protaton in Karyes on Mount Athos (Protaton 340 [113], 1v: Ἔτι δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ μακαρίας μνήμης καὶ ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν ἀειμνήστων δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ Δημητρίου κράλη καὶ Ἰωάννου δεσπότου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναιρεθέντων ὀρθοδόξων χριστιανῶν).
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Vitomirь (3)
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Identical with Vitomirь 2? Mentioned in the chrysobull charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V for Kyrillos, the Metropolitan of Melnik from May 1356. He appears as vlasteličik carьstva mi in the charter. He together with Staniša bought the vineyards of Luv’ro and Turkar(ev). They donated these vineyards to Kyrillos, the Metropolitan of Melnik. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V confirmed the gift of Vitomirь and Staniša in a chrysobull charter for Kyrillos, the Metropolitan of Melnik in May 1356 (I ōšte se carьstvo mi zьgovori z gospoždomь caricomь materiju carьstva mi i pridados’mo selo Smilovo sь vsьmi pravinami i s megjami i sь zasel’ci kako su drьžali vlasteličiki carьstva mi v’se čisto. I ošte mu zapisa carьstvo mi vinograd Turkarevь i Luv’rov što mu su darovali vlasteličiki carьstva mi Vitomirь i Staniša).
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Vladislava (2)
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Mentioned in the inscription accompanying her painted portrait in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača. The portrait of Vladislava was painted probably between 1365 and 1371. She was married to sevastokratorь Vladko and therefore held the title sevastokratorica. Her sons were Stefanь and Ugleša. The painted portrait of Vladislava is preserved on the southern wall of the narthex in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Psača next to the image of Vladko.
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Žut’kō
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Mentioned in the charter of Ioan Uglješa (Ioannes Unklesis) from January 1366, in which the Serbian Despot confirmed the donation of Novakь Mrasorovikь to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos. He was probably a duke [the reading of Novaković (vojevoda) and Solovjev (voivoda)]. He was the guarantee of the legal accuracy of the charter, which was issued by the Serbian Despot Ioan Uglješa (Ioannes Unklesis) in January 1366.
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