George, Prince of Rascia
Encyclopedia
Đurađ Branković (1377 – 24 December 1456), also known under the patronymic
(Đurađ) Vuković and frequently called George Branković in English-language sources, was a Serbia
n despot
from 1427 to 1456 and a baron
of the Kingdom of Hungary
. He was the first of the House of Branković
to hold the Serbian monarchy.
and his mother was Mara, daughter of Knez Lazar Hrebeljanović
, popularly known as Tsar
Lazar. His wife was a Byzantine
princess, Eirene Kantakouzene
, a granddaughter of Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
.
(near Belgrade) after the Second Battle of Kosovo
.
After he was appointed as a successor for his uncle, Despot Stefan Lazarević
, Branković's rule was marked by new conflicts and the fall of Kosovo and Metohia
to the Ottoman Empire
. Branković allied himself with the Kingdom of Hungary
. In 1439 the Ottomans captured Smederevo
, the Branković's capital. The prince fled to the Kingdom of Hungary where he had large estates, which included Zemun
, Slankamen
, Kupinik
, Mitrovica
, Stari Bečej
, Kulpin, Čurug
, Sveti Petar, Perlek, Peser, Petrovo Selo
, Bečej
, Arač
, Veliki Bečkerek
, Vršac
, etc.
(1444) between Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottomans. Murad II
, who also desired peace, was married to Branković's daughter Mara
. On March 6, 1444, Mara sent an envoy to Branković; their discussion started the peace negotiations with the Ottoman Empire. This peace restored his Serbian rule, but Branković was forced to bribe John Hunyadi
with his vast estates. On 22 August 1444 the prince peacefully took possession the evacuated town of Smederevo.
The peace was broken in the same year by Hunyadi and king Władysław during the Crusade of Varna
, which culminated in the Battle of Varna
. Because of this he estranged from his Hungarian allies. A crusading
army led by Regent John Hunyadi
of Hungary was defeated by Sultan Murad II's forces
at Kosovo Polje
in 1448. This was the last concerted attempt in the Middle Ages
to expel the Ottomans from southeastern Europe. Although Hungary was able to successfully defy the Ottomans despite the defeat at Kosovo Polje during Hunyadi's lifetime, the kingdom fell to the Ottomans in the 16th century. Branković also captured Hunyadi at Smederevo for a short time when he was going home from Kosovo in 1448.
in all of Europe; the French
knight
Bertrand de la Broquierre stated the despot's annual income from the gold and silver mines of Novo Brdo
(near Gnjilane
in Kosovo
) amassed to about 200,000 Venetian
ducats. Among other of the Despot's sources of income, there are his possessions in the Kingdom of Hungary, for which expenses were covered by the Hungarian crown. The annual income from them alone was estimated to 50,000 ducats.
had at least six children :
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
(Đurađ) Vuković and frequently called George Branković in English-language sources, was a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n despot
Despotes
Despot , was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent...
from 1427 to 1456 and a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. He was the first of the House of Branković
House of Brankovic
House of Branković or Brankovići was a noble Serbian medieval dynasty. The family descent via female line through marriage from the Royal House of Nemanjić. The families rise to prominence during the time of disintegration of Serbian Empire under the last ruler of House of Nemanjić...
to hold the Serbian monarchy.
Family
His father was Vuk BrankovićVuk Brankovic, Prince of Kosovo
Vuk Branković was a Serbian medieval nobleman who during the Fall of the Serbian Empire inherited a province in present day south and southwestern Serbia , the northern part of present day Macedonia and northern Montenegro...
and his mother was Mara, daughter of Knez Lazar Hrebeljanović
Lazar of Serbia
Lazar Hrebeljanović , was a medieval nobleman that emerged as the most powerful Serbian ruler after the death of the previous, childless, Emperor Uroš the Weak, which resulted in years of instability in the Serbian realm. As Stefan Lazar, he was Prince of Serbia from 1371 to 1389, ruling what is...
, popularly known as Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Lazar. His wife was a Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
princess, Eirene Kantakouzene
Eirene Kantakouzene
Irene Kantakouzene was the wife of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković. In Serbian folk legends, she is the founder of many fortresses in Serbia.-Family:...
, a granddaughter of Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was the Byzantine emperor from 1347 to 1354.-Early life:Born in Constantinople, John Kantakouzenos was the son of a Michael Kantakouzenos, governor of the Morea. Through his mother Theodora Palaiologina Angelina, he was a descendant of the reigning house of...
.
Reign
During his reign the Serbian capital was moved to SmederevoSmederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
(near Belgrade) after the Second Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo (1448)
The Second Battle of Kosovo was fought at Kosovo Polje between a coalition of the Kingdom of Hungary and Wallachia led by John Hunyadi, against an Ottoman-led coalition under Sultan Murad II.-Background:At 1448, John Hunyadi saw the right moment to lead a campaign against...
.
After he was appointed as a successor for his uncle, Despot Stefan Lazarević
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
, Branković's rule was marked by new conflicts and the fall of Kosovo and Metohia
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Branković allied himself with the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. In 1439 the Ottomans captured Smederevo
Smederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
, the Branković's capital. The prince fled to the Kingdom of Hungary where he had large estates, which included Zemun
Zemun
Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
, Slankamen
Stari Slankamen
Stari Slankamen , also known as Slankamen , is a village located in the Inđija municipality, in the Srem District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, Kupinik
Kupinovo
Kupinovo is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Pećinci municipality, in Srem District, Vojvodina province. In 2002, the population of the village numbered 2,047 people, of whom 1,852 were ethnic Serbs....
, Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605...
, Stari Bečej
Becej
Bečej is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District in Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 25,703, while Bečej municipality has 40,877 inhabitants. It is multiethnic town, with Hungarians and Serbs as largest ethnic groups...
, Kulpin, Čurug
Curug
Čurug is a village in the municipality of Žabalj, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, Sveti Petar, Perlek, Peser, Petrovo Selo
Backo Petrovo Selo
Bačko Petrovo Selo is a village located in the Bečej municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, Bečej
Novi Becej
Novi Bečej , is a town and municipality in Central Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 14,406, while Novi Bečej municipality has 26,881 inhabitants.-Name:Its name means "new Bečej"...
, Arač
Araç
Araç is a town and district of the Kastamonu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. According to the 2010 census, population of the district is 20,002 of which 5,860 live in the town of Araç. The district covers an area of , and the town lies at an elevation of .-External links:*...
, Veliki Bečkerek
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
, Vršac
Vršac
Vršac is a town and municipality located in Serbia. In 2002 the town's total population was 36,623, while Vršac municipality had 54,369 inhabitants. Vršac is located in the Banat region, in the Vojvodina province of Serbia. It is part of the South Banat District.-Name:The name Vršac is of Serbian...
, etc.
Crusade of Varna
Following the conflicts that concluded 1443, Branković had a significant role in facilitating the Peace of SzegedPeace of Szeged
The Treaty of Edirne and the Peace of Szeged were two halves of a peace treaty between Sultan Murad II of the Ottoman Empire and King Vladislaus of the Kingdom of Hungary. Despot Đurađ Branković of the Serbian Despotate also had a large role in the proceedings...
(1444) between Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottomans. Murad II
Murad II
Murad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
, who also desired peace, was married to Branković's daughter Mara
Mara Brankovic
Mara Branković , also known as Mara Hatun, Despina Hatun, or Amerissa, was the daughter of Serbian monarch Đurađ Branković and Eirene Kantakouzene...
. On March 6, 1444, Mara sent an envoy to Branković; their discussion started the peace negotiations with the Ottoman Empire. This peace restored his Serbian rule, but Branković was forced to bribe John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: Ioannes Corvinus or Ioannes de Hunyad, Romanian: Iancu (Ioan) de Hunedoara, Croatian: Janko Hunjadi, Serbian: Сибињанин Јанко / Sibinjanin Janko, Slovak: Ján Huňady) John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: ...
with his vast estates. On 22 August 1444 the prince peacefully took possession the evacuated town of Smederevo.
The peace was broken in the same year by Hunyadi and king Władysław during the Crusade of Varna
Crusade of Varna
The Crusade of Varna was a string of events in 1443–44 between the Kingdom of Hungary, the Serbian Despotate, the Principality of Wallachia and the Ottoman Empire...
, which culminated in the Battle of Varna
Battle of Varna
The Battle of Varna took place on November 10, 1444 near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad II defeated the Polish and Hungarian armies under Władysław III of Poland and János Hunyadi...
. Because of this he estranged from his Hungarian allies. A crusading
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
army led by Regent John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: Ioannes Corvinus or Ioannes de Hunyad, Romanian: Iancu (Ioan) de Hunedoara, Croatian: Janko Hunjadi, Serbian: Сибињанин Јанко / Sibinjanin Janko, Slovak: Ján Huňady) John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: ...
of Hungary was defeated by Sultan Murad II's forces
Battle of Kosovo (1448)
The Second Battle of Kosovo was fought at Kosovo Polje between a coalition of the Kingdom of Hungary and Wallachia led by John Hunyadi, against an Ottoman-led coalition under Sultan Murad II.-Background:At 1448, John Hunyadi saw the right moment to lead a campaign against...
at Kosovo Polje
Kosovo Polje
Kosovo Polje or Fushë Kosova is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo, at 42.63° North, 21.12° East, or approximately eight kilometres south-west of the capital Pristina...
in 1448. This was the last concerted attempt in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
to expel the Ottomans from southeastern Europe. Although Hungary was able to successfully defy the Ottomans despite the defeat at Kosovo Polje during Hunyadi's lifetime, the kingdom fell to the Ottomans in the 16th century. Branković also captured Hunyadi at Smederevo for a short time when he was going home from Kosovo in 1448.
Return and Death
Following Hunyadi's victory over the Mehmet II at the Siege of Belgrade on 14 July 1456, a period of relative peace began in the region. The sultan retreated to Adrianople, and Branković regained possession of Serbia. Before the end of the year, however, the 79-year old Branković died. Serbian independence survived him for only another year, when the Ottoman empire formally annexed his lands following dissension among his widow and three remaining sons. Lazar, the youngest, poisoned his mother and exiled his brothers, and the land returned to the sultan's subjugation.Exchequer
Branković was deemed by contemporaries as the richest monarchMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
in all of Europe; the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
Bertrand de la Broquierre stated the despot's annual income from the gold and silver mines of Novo Brdo
Novo Brdo
Novo Brdo is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of eastern Kosovo. The population of the municipality is estimated at 6,720 people .-History:...
(near Gnjilane
Gnjilane
Gnjilane or Gjilan is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with on 25 January 1963.-Name and history:...
in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
) amassed to about 200,000 Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
ducats. Among other of the Despot's sources of income, there are his possessions in the Kingdom of Hungary, for which expenses were covered by the Hungarian crown. The annual income from them alone was estimated to 50,000 ducats.
Marriage and children
Đurađ and Eirene KantakouzeneEirene Kantakouzene
Irene Kantakouzene was the wife of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković. In Serbian folk legends, she is the founder of many fortresses in Serbia.-Family:...
had at least six children :
- Todor Branković (d. before 1429). Not mentioned in the Masarelli manuscript, probably died early
- Grgur (Gregory) Branković (c. 1415 - October 16/October 17, 1459). Mentioned first in the Masarelli manuscript. Father of Vuk GrgurevićVuk GrgurevicVuk Grgurević Branković , also known as Vuk the Fiery Dragon , was the titular Despot of Serbia from 1471 until his death in 1485...
, also blinded with Stefan in 1441. - Mara BrankovićMara BrankovicMara Branković , also known as Mara Hatun, Despina Hatun, or Amerissa, was the daughter of Serbian monarch Đurađ Branković and Eirene Kantakouzene...
(c. 1416 - September 14, 1487). Mentioned second in the Masarelli manuscript. Married Murad IIMurad IIMurad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
of the Ottoman EmpireOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. - Stefan Branković (c. 1417 - 1476). Mentioned third in the Masarelli manuscript. Blinded with hot irons in 1441. Claimed the throne of Serbia following the death of his younger brother Lazar.
- Catherine Cantacuzena (c. 1418 - 1490). Married Ulrich II of CeljeUlrich II of CeljeUlrich II , also known as Ulrich Cillei, was the last Princely Count of Celje.Ulrich II. was the son of Count Frederick II of Celje and his wife Elizabeth, a scion of the Croatian House of Frankopan. Little is known of his youth...
. Mentioned fourth in the Masarelli manuscript. - Lazar Branković (c. 1421/27 - January 20/June 20, 1458). Mentioned fifth and last in the Masarelli manuscript.
Ancestors
See also
- House of BrankovićHouse of BrankovicHouse of Branković or Brankovići was a noble Serbian medieval dynasty. The family descent via female line through marriage from the Royal House of Nemanjić. The families rise to prominence during the time of disintegration of Serbian Empire under the last ruler of House of Nemanjić...
- Serbian DespotateSerbian DespotateThe Serbian Despotate was a Serbian state, the last to be conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is generally considered the end of the medieval Serbian state, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravian Serbia survived for 70 more years,...
- AračaAračaArača is a medieval Romanesque church ruin about 12 km north of Novi Bečej, Serbia. It is one of the oldest Hungarian-built churches in the Carpathian Basin...
External links
- Order of Despot Đurađ Branković to St. Paul's MonasteryAgiou Pavlou monasteryAgiou Pavlou monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos, located on the easternmost peninsula of Chalkidiki, Greece....
, Mount AthosMount AthosMount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the... - Despot Đurađ's Heritage, Smederevo
- The Esphigmen Charter of Despot Đurađ Branković issued to the monastery of Esphigmen on Mount AthosMount AthosMount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
in 1429