Maps of Power

Rački 1867

Description

Franjo Rački, Prilozi za sbirku srbskih i bosanskih listina, in: Rad Jugoslavenska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti 1 (1867) 124–163.

Relations

Actors (3)
Name Class Begin End Relation Type Description
Blukasinos Demetrios Person 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).
Boichnas Person 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.
Chlapenos Radoslabos Person Identical with Radoslav’ (Povikь?)? It is doubtful, that he is the same person as the župan Hlapen, who governed Konavle and the region of Trebinje. He died before 1385. He was a commandant of the Serbian military troops in Macedonia, 1350. He controlled a large area in Macedonia in the border region, 1357–1362. He was a relative of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. He married Eirene Prelumpissa in 1358 (ὅθεν καὶ γυναῖκα λαμβάνει τὴν τοῦ Πρελούμπου ἐκείνου γαμετήν). He was the father of Helena. According to a manuscript note she was married to Marko Mrnjavčević (vь dьni blagověrnago kralja Mar’ka, jegda ōdade Thodoru Grьgurovu ženu Hlapenu, a uze ženu svoju prьvověn’čan’nu Jelenu, Hlapenovu dьštere). His second daughter was the wife of Nikolaos Baldubinos Pagases [Νικόλαος Βαλδουβῖνος Παγάσης/Nikola Bagaš] (ἀπὸ τοῦ πενθεροῦ μου Ῥαδοσλάβου τοῦ Χλαπένου). The third daughter called Maria Angelina Radosthlaba married Alexios Angelos Philantropenos. Mauro Orbini, a Ragusan chronicler from 16th century, who used older sources, mentions also a son of him called Stefan-Dukas (I maschi si chiamauno Duca & Stefano). He defected in 1350 along with Tolisthlabos from the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan to the Byzantine Emperor Ioannes VI Kantakuzenos (ἧκον δὲ καὶ αὐτόμολοι δύο ἐξ αὐτῶν· ὧν ἅτερος τῶν μάλιστα ἦν ἐπιφανῶν, κατὰ γένος προσήκων Κράλῃ, Χλάπαινος ὠνομασμένος, στρατιάν τε ἔχων ὑφ’ ἑαυτὸν οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον καὶ πολλὴν περιουσίαν· ὁ λοιπὸς δὲ οὐ τῶν πάνυ περιδόξων ἦν, πλὴν κἀκεῖνος ἀρχάς τε πόλεων ἐγκεχειρισμένος καὶ στρατοπέδων ἡγεμονίας, ὄνομα Τολίσθλαβος). After a while he switched sides again and joined most likely the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. He captured Beroia before 1359, probably in 1351 (Οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ Χλάπενος, εἷς ὢν τῶν Σερβικῶν σατραπῶν καὶ τινα φρούρια ἐκ τῶν Ῥωμαï κῶν ὁρίων εἰληφώς, ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τὴν μεγαλόδοξον πόλιν Βέῤῥοιαν, μεγάλως ἐπὶ τοὶς κατορθώμασιν ἐσέμνυνεν). He witnessed the apparently falsified charter issued by the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1355 for the inhabitants of the town of Kotor (Radosav Chlapene). He acted as a protector of the inheritance right of his wife and his stepson Toma Preljubović (Θωμᾶς Πρέλουμπος). Therefore he seized the Thessalian town Damasis in 1359/1360 (Τῇ Βλαχίᾳ δὲ φθάσας μετὰ τῶν στρατευμάτων καὶ φρούριον ἓν πολιορκία εἰληφώς, Δάμασιν καλούμενον, εἰς συμβάσεις μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Συμεὼν χωροῦσι, καὶ τὸ φρούριον τούτῳ παραχωρεῖ). He gave up the town of Damasis to Simeon Uroš (Συμεὼν Παλαιολόγος) on condition of arranging the marriage between Maria Angelina Komnene Palaiologina, the daughter of Simeon, and Toma Preljubović (Θωμᾶς Πρέλουμπος). He founded the Mesonesiotissa Monastery near Kastoria (καὶ ἂν κατὰ διαδοχὴν καὶ κληρονομίαν ἔλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ πενθεροῦ μου Ῥαδοσλάβου τοῦ Χλαπένου σεβασμίαν καὶ ἱερὰν μονὴν, τὴν παρ’ ἐκείνου ἀνεγερθεῖσαν ἐκ βάθρων αὐτῶν τῇ ὑπερευλογημένῃ ἡμῶν δεσποίνῃ καὶ θεομήτορι, τὴν οὕτω πως καλουμένην Μεσονησιώτισσαν). Apparently his ring was found on a medieval necropolis of the Vodoča Monastery near Strumica. It bears an invocation (Izvolite raba Božija Hlapena).