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Boichnas
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Person
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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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Euphemia
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Person
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Died after 1404/1405. She appears as καισαρίσις Σερβίας, βασιλείσης Σερβίας and despotica kyra Eupraxia in the sources. She became a nun after the death of her husband Ioannes Unklesis (26. 9. 1371). She wrote poems. Her father was kaisar Boichnas (Vojihna). She was married to Ioannes Unklesis. Her son was Uglješa. Euphemia composed a lament over the premature death of her son. Between 1368 and 1371 was the lament over Uglješa (Despotović) inscribed under the patronage of Euphemia on the silver revetment, which connected the two icons of Uglješa (Despotović) and made a diptych. Euphemia donated the diptych icon to the Hilandar Monastery for the salvation of the soul of her son. It is suggested that she commisioned in 1371 the double sided icon with the Virgin Kataphyge and the Vision of Ezechiel, the so-called Poganovo icon. After the death of her husband she lived at the court of the Serbian Prince Lazaros (Lazar). When Milica became widow after the Kosovo battle in 1389 both took monastic wows. Euphemia and Milica were initially at Županja Monastery near Kruševac. They lived later at Ljubostinja Monastery. Euphemia accompanied the princess Milica on her diplomatic mission to Bayezid I., who was at Serres. Her epitaphios is preserved in the collection of the Putna Monastery (Μνήσθητοι, κ(ύρι)ε, τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν δούλων σου καισαρίσις Σερβίας ’Εφημίας μοναχῆς σὺν θυγατρὶ βασιλείσης Σερβίας Εὐπραξίας μοναχῆς). She wrote a prayer for Lord Jesus Christ influenced by the work of Saint Symeon the New Theologian. She mentioned also her father kaisar Boichnas (Voihna), who was buried at Hilandar, in the prayer. Her prayer was embroidered on a curtain (katapetasma) made of silk and gold for the altar door. It was decorated with the figure of Christ as a priest flanked by Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Basil and two archangels. Euphemia donated the curtain in 1398/1399 to the Hilandar Monastery. In 1402 Euphemia composed a laud for the Prince Lazaros (Lazar). Her text was embroidered on the shroud for the head of Prince Lazaros (Lazar). The Relic is preserved in the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. The Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarević granted the village Jabučje to Euphemia (Eupraxia). She bequeathed the village Jabučje to the Hilandar Monastery and the Despot Stefan Lazarević confirmed her endowment in the charter from 1404/1405.
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