Dejanović noble family

Despot Dejan and his wife, fresco from the Zemen Monastery.

The family's progenitor was Dejan, a Serbian vojvoda (military commander and lord) in the Kumanovo region, who married Teodora, the sister of Stefan Dušan. Dejan became sevastokrator in 1346.[1] His origin is unknown.[2] Earlier scholars believed that the Dejanović were relatives of Jovan Oliver, although this is no longer accepted (Fine 1994).[3] K. Jirechek suggested that he was vojvoda Dejan Manjak.[2]

On April 16, 1346 (Easter), Stefan Dušan convoked a huge assembly at Skopje, where the autocephalous Serbian Archbishopric was raised to the status of a Patriarchate.[4] The new Patriarch Joanikije II now solemnly crowned Dušan as "Emperor (basileus) and autocrat of Serbs and Romans (Greeks)".[4] Dušan had his son Uroš V crowned King of Serbs and Greeks, giving him nominal rule over the Serbian lands, and although Dušan was governing the whole state, he had special responsibility for the "Roman", i.e. Greek lands.[4] A further increase in the Byzantinization of the Serbian court followed, particularly in court ceremonial and titles.[4] In the years that followed, the Serbian nobility were elevated: Dušan's half-brother Simeon Uroš, brother-in-law Jovan Asen and Jovan Oliver were granted the title of despot. His brother-in-law Dejan and Branko were granted the title of sevastokrator. The military commanders (voivodes) Preljub, Vojihna and Grgur received the title of ćesar.[5][6][7] The raising of the Serbian Patriarchate resulted in the same spirit - bishops became metropolitans.[5]

He is mentioned in 1354.[8] According to Stefan Dušan's charter to the monastery of Arhiljevica (August 1355), sevastokrator Dejan, whom he called his brother ("брат царства ми севастократор Дејан")[9] possessed a large province east of Skopska Crna Gora. It included the old župe (counties) of Žegligovo and Preševo (modern Kumanovo region with Sredorek, Kozjačija and the larger part of Pčinja).[10] Based on the charter, Arhiljevica was situated where the granted villages (metochion) of Podlešane, Izvor and Rućinci (Kumanovska Crna Gora) lay, in the slopes of Jezer.[11] The fact that Dejan built Arhiljevica rather than renovate it is evidence of his economical strength.[12] Dušan also granted a church, metochion, and two villages in the region on his own behalf.[12]

Dejan was one of the prominent figures of Dušan's reign and during the fall of the Serbian Empire after Dušan's death.[12][13] Under Emperor Dušan, despot Jovan Oliver, with his brother Bogdan and sevastokrator Dejan, ruled over all of eastern Macedonia.[14] He is not mentioned much in Dušan's military endeavors, although the reputation of him and his successors suggest that he was involved in most of Dušan's successes.[13] His prominence beyond Serbia is evident from the fact that Pope Innocent VI addressed Dejan in 1355, asking him to support the creation of the union between the Catholic Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church (such letters were sent to the highest nobility and the church[15]).[13]

Dejan received the title of despot sometime after August 1355, either from Emperor Dušan, who died on 20 December 1355, or his heir Uroš V,[16] most likely under the latter.[12][13] As despot under the rule of Uroš V, Dejan was entrusted with the administration of the territory between South Morava, Pčinja, Skopska Crna Gora (hereditary lands) and in the east, the Upper Struma river with Velbuzhd, a province notably larger than during Dušan's life.[13][17][18] As the only despot, Dejan held the highest title in the Empire (this had earlier been Jovan Oliver).[19]

Dejan's daughter Teodora was married to Žarko, the Lord of Lower Zeta ("gospodar donje Zete"), in 1356.[20] Together they had a son, Mrkša (born 1363).

Until the death of knez Vojislav Vojinović in December 1363, the Serbian nobility in the Greek lands showed itself more ambitious, as it held more titles (despots Dejan and Vukašin, sevastokrator Vlatko, kesar Vojihna, etc.) and greater independence (deriving from their more extensive possessions, and therefore, wealth) in relation to the nobility of the old Serbian lands.[21] While Vojislav lived, his influence secured the pre-eminence of the old Serbian nobility,[21] but after his death Vukašin quickly gained a decisive influence on the Emperor. The nobility in the old Serbian lands was not at first alarmed at this, but Vukašin's ambition and his subsequent moves woke up the simmering antagonism between the two groups.[21] It was not only Vukašin's endless ambition that paved the way to the top, as he had plenty of support from other nobles who benefited from him.[21]

Jovan Oliver and Dejan died sometime before 1365, that is when Vukašin was elevated to King as co-ruler to Emperor Uroš V.[22] Mandić believes that Dejan died in 1358, and that Vukašin (who until then was veliki vojvoda) took his place as despot, and that Jovan Uglješa became veliki vojvoda.[23] It is unlikely that Dejan took monastic vows before his death, as his children were still young.[24] His wife Teodora took monastic vows as Evdokija and lived in Strumica and Kyustendil, and she would until her death sign as "Empress", being entitled so as a female member of the dynasty.

After the death of Dejan, his province, besides the župe of Žegligovo and Upper Struma, was appropriated to nobleman Vlatko Paskačić.[21] Vukašin Mrnjavčević, of whom there are no notable mentions until 1365, became more powerful (ultimately the most powerful in Macedonia) after the deaths of Vojislav,[21] Dejan and despot Jovan Oliver (whose status in Macedonia was very high), as Vukašin's rise would have been unlikely during the lifetime of these.[20] Vukašin's younger brother Jovan Uglješa is thought to have participated in the dismemberment of Dejan's province, as he used this chance to take the provinces which bordered on the oblast (province) of Ser (Serres), which he de facto held (Empress Jelena de jure).[21] No one looked to the young sons of Dejan who would later become very important.[21] Dejan's death brought benefit to Vukašin and Uglješa, not so much in territorial expansion (which is not so sure), but because Dejan's disappearance ended any stronger candidate to counter the Mrnjavčević family.[21]

Jovan received the title of despot, like his father before, by Emperor Uroš.[25] Most of Jovan Oliver's lands were later given to the brothers.[3] It is not known why Jovan Oliver's sons did not inherit his lands; Serbian historian V. Ćorović considered turmoil and disorder the case, however not knowing the extent it developed to and what the consequences were.[20] Earlier scholars believed that the Dejanović were relatives of Jovan Oliver, although this is no longer accepted (Fine 1994).[3] The Dejanović brothers ruled a spacious province in eastern Macedonia,[25] in the southern lands of the Empire, and remained loyal to Uroš V.[3]

States that emerged in the fall of the Serbian Empire.

After the Ottoman victory at Maritsa (1371), the Ottomans did not immediately start with real conquests in the Balkans, but, reinforcing their positions, stopped to spread their influence and create grounds for further progress.[26] They did not want to cause a persistent struggle from a Christian alliance until they were fully sure, so in the beginning they were satisfied with the Balkan magnate families recognizing their sovereignty and paying them tribute, in order to increase Ottoman financial resources.[26] In that way they did not take Vukašin's province, but agreed to let his son and heir Marko rule in the Macedonia region, with the seat at Prilep (the foremost fortification of Pelagonia).[26] In the north of Vukašin's province, Marko's younger brother Andrijaš held properties.[26] Vukašin's successors fought with their western and northern Serbian neighbours, who after the death of Vukašin rushed to take over his possessions.[26]

Emperor Uroš V died childless in December 2/4 1371, after much of the Serbian nobility had been destroyed in Maritsa earlier that year. This marked an end to the once powerful Empire. Vukašin's son Marko, who had earlier been crowned Young King was to inherit his father's royal title, and thus became one in the line of successors to the Serbian throne. Meanwhile, the nobles pursued their own interests, sometimes quarreling with each other. Serbia, without an Emperor "became a conglomerate of aristocratic territories",[27] and the Empire was thus divided between the provincial lords: Marko, the Dejanović brothers, Đurađ I Balšić, Vuk Branković, Nikola Altomanović, Lazar Hrebeljanović. The Balšić family took Prizren, and Vuk Branković took Skoplje, from Marko.[26]

In the new redistribution of feudal power, after 1371, the brothers despot Jovan and gospodin Konstantin greatly expanded their province.[28][29] Not only did they recreate their father's province but also at least doubled the territory, on all sides, but chiefly towards the south.[28] The brothers ruled on the left riverside of the Vardar, from Kumanovo to Strumica.[26] In 1373, two years after Maritsa, the first mentions are made on the events in the province of the Dejanović brothers, as well as their mutual relation.[30] In June 1373, on the road from Thessaloniki to Novo Brdo, some Ragusan merchants had an accident in despot Jovan's land ("in terenum despotis Dragassii").[30] Ottoman sources report that in 1373, the Ottoman army compelled Jovan (who they called Saruyar) in the upper Struma, to recognize Ottoman vassalage.[31] As Marko had done, also the Dejanović brothers recognized Ottoman sovereignty.[26] Although vassals, they had their own government.[29] The Ottoman gazi at the time conquered more than the Empire could put under its immediate control.[29] Thus it is not surprising that the brothers had built an internal administration, shared possessions, issued charters, minted coins.[29] In 1376, Konstantin took up a high position in the government, and this shows that the elder brother Jovan relatively early started to share the rule with his younger brother.[32] On June 1, 1377 the brothers wrote a charter to Hilandar, where they confirmed the earlier donations of čelnik Stanislav; the donations included the Church of St. Blasius in Štip and three villages.[33][34] In 1377 and 1380 the family issued charters to the Monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos.[35] Jovan most often signed documents of the two.[25] As the Dejanović brothers were maternally descended from the Nemanjić dynasty as grandsons of King Stefan Uroš III, they worked on expanding their rule and perhaps ultimately rule Serbia.[36] The brothers spoke of "our Empire", and their mother Teodora-Evdokija signed as Empress.[27] Their state symbol was the white double-headed eagle and they minted coins according to the Nemanjić style.[37]

Jovan died in ca. 1378, before 1381.[38] Konstantin continued to rule under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire.

By 1379, Lazar Hrebeljanović, the lord of Pomoravlje, emerged as the first and most powerful among Serbian nobles. In his signatures, he titled himself as the "Autokrator of all the Serbs" (самодрьжць вьсѣмь Србьлѥмь); nevertheless, he was not powerful enough to unite all Serbian lands under his authority. Konstantin, the Balšić, Mrnjavčević, Vuk Branković, and Radoslav Hlapen, ruled in their respective domains without consulting with Lazar.[39]

Konstantin let the Ottoman army cross his province into Kosovo and also gave supporting armed bands, before the Battle of Kosovo (1389).[26]

Konstantin married, but his spouse's name is unknown.[40] Konstantin had a daughter, Jelena, who in 1392 married Byzantine Emperor Manuel II.[40][41] Although Manuel II and Konstantin maintained relations, they were of no political importance.[41] Konstantin was an Ottoman vassal, within nearest reach and always on the look from Edirne and the Sultan, and was unable to change it.[41]

Battle of Rovine, 1395.

Bayezid, having conquered south Bulgaria, saw an opportunity for the conquest of Wallachia when dissatisfied Wallachian noblemen called for Ottoman support against Mircea I of Wallachia, which he accepted.[41] Sigismund supported Mircea and helped him back to the throne, while Bayezid led a great army into Wallachia, composed also out of vassals Stefan Lazarević, Konstantin Dejanović and Marko.[41] A contemporary source, Constantine the Philosopher, wrote that Marko unwillingly joined this fight against fellow Christians, and how he said to Konstantin: "I speak and pray to the Lord that he helps the Christians, even if I would be among the first to die in the battle.".[41] In the Wallachian victory at the Battle of Rovine (17 May 1395), both Marko and Konstantin died.[41] The provinces of Marko and Konstantin became Ottoman.[41]

Constantine XI (statue in Greece).

Konstantin married, but his spouse's name is unknown,[40] and from this marriage Konstantin had a daughter, Jelena, who in 1392 married Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos (r. 1391-1425).[40][41] Manuel II and Jelena had several children, among whom were the last Byzantine Emperors John VIII (r. 1425-1448) and Constantine XI (r. 1449-1453).[45] Constantine XI, the last Byzantine Emperor,[46][47][48] who died defending Constantinople from the Ottomans in 1453, was known by his mother's surname, in Greek, Dragáses (Δραγάσης).[49] Constantine XI was named after his grandfather.[50]

Konstantin Dragaš is attested in Serb epic poetry as "beg Kostadin", as a friend of Prince Marko.

Kyustendil, even in its turkified name, still keeps the memory of its lord, Konstantin.[26] Turkish custendil means "Konstantin's bath/spa".

The Kumanovo region (old Žegligovo) received its geographical location and certain settlement picture in the 14th century, during the rule of the Nemanjić and Dejanović.[51]

There are possible portraits of the family in their monasteries (ktetor frescoes), but it is not affirmed that these represent Dejan's family.