Preljub
Encyclopedia
Gregory Preljub or simply Preljub ' onMouseout='HidePop("29805")' href="/topics/Greek_language">Greek
sources , Grēgorios Prealimbos/Preloumbos; ca. 1312–1355/1356) was a 14th-century Serbian noble and voivode (military commander) who conquered and ruled Thessaly
with the rank of Caesar
in 1348–1356 under Emperor
Stephen IV Dushan
(r. 1331–1355). His son Thomas II Preljubović
was Despot of Epirus in 1366–1384.
during the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347
. According to the chroniclers, Stephen Dushan considered him the best of all his magnates "in valor, courage and experience". In May 1344 he led a Serbian army in the Battle of Stephaniana
against the Turks of the Emirate of Aydin, allies of the Byzantine emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
. The battle was a defeat, but it did not seriously affect the progress of the Serbian conquest. In 1348, reinforced with large numbers of Albanians
, Preljub invaded Thessaly
. Aided by the depopulation brought about by the Black Death
– which among others had killed the local Byzantine
governor, John Angelos
– he wrested most of the region from the Byzantines and the Catalans of the Duchy of Neopatria
by November of the same year. Dushan named him governor of Thessaly, with Trikala
as his seat, and gave him the title of Caesar
as a reward. Several earlier scholars have stated that Preljub also controlled parts of Epirus
, including the city of Ioannina
, but recent research regards this as unlikely, and most likely the result of additions or mistakes in later sources.
In 1350, John VI Kantakouzenos took advantage of Dushan's absence in a campaign against Bosnia
to attempt to recover his lost provinces in Macedonia and Thessaly. He landed at Thessalonica and succeeded in regaining several key fortresses in Macedonia, but his advance towards Thessaly was stopped by Preljub, who with 500 men held the strategically important fortress of Servia against him. Kantakouzenos, whose army was rather small, withdrew, and Dushan was able to recover his lost fortresses with ease.
Preljub died in late 1355 or early 1356, shortly after Dushan himself, in a clash with local Albanian clans. His widow, Irene Asanina, a daughter of Dushan, and their son Thomas
, soon faced an invasion by Nikephoros Orsini
, the former Despot of Epirus. Orsini managed to rally the Greek inhabitants of the province to his side, forcing Irene to return to Serbia. In 1357 she married Radoslav Hlapen
, the governor of much of western Macedonia, including Vodena
and Berrhoea
. In 1366/1367, Thomas became ruler of Epirus
at Ioannina.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
sources , Grēgorios Prealimbos/Preloumbos; ca. 1312–1355/1356) was a 14th-century Serbian noble and voivode (military commander) who conquered and ruled Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
with the rank of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
in 1348–1356 under Emperor
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
Stephen IV Dushan
Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
Stephen Uroš IV Dušan the Mighty , was the King of Serbia and Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks until his death on 20 December 1355. Dušan managed to conquer a large part of Southeast Europe, becoming one of the most powerful monarchs in his time...
(r. 1331–1355). His son Thomas II Preljubović
Thomas II Preljubovic
Thomas II Preljubović or Komnenos Palaiologos , was ruler of Epirus in Ioannina from 1366 to his death on December 23, 1384. He also held the title of Albanian-slayer .-Family:...
was Despot of Epirus in 1366–1384.
Life
Preljub appears in 1344, taking part in the Serbian conquest of MacedoniaMacedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
during the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347
Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347
The Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347 was a conflict between supporters of designated regent John VI Kantakouzenos and guardians acting for John V Palaiologos, Emperor Andronikos III's nine-year-old son, in the persons of the Empress-dowager Anna of Savoy, the Patriarch of Constantinople John XIV...
. According to the chroniclers, Stephen Dushan considered him the best of all his magnates "in valor, courage and experience". In May 1344 he led a Serbian army in the Battle of Stephaniana
Battle of Stephaniana
The Battle of Stephaniana was a small-scale battle between the forces of the Serbian Empire and the Emirate of Aydin, allies of Byzantine emperor John VI Kantakouzenos...
against the Turks of the Emirate of Aydin, allies of the Byzantine 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...
. The battle was a defeat, but it did not seriously affect the progress of the Serbian conquest. In 1348, reinforced with large numbers of Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
, Preljub invaded Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
. Aided by the depopulation brought about by the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
– which among others had killed the local Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
governor, John Angelos
John Angelos (sebastokrator)
John Angelos was a Byzantine aristocrat, general and and governor. He first distinguished himself in the suppression of a revolt in Epirus in 1339–1340, where he was subsequently appointed as governor...
– he wrested most of the region from the Byzantines and the Catalans of the Duchy of Neopatria
Duchy of Neopatria
The Duchy of Neopatria or Neopatras was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade...
by November of the same year. Dushan named him governor of Thessaly, with Trikala
Trikala
Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece. It is the capital of the Trikala peripheral unit, and is located NW of Athens, NW, of Karditsa, E of Ioannina and Metsovo, S of Grevena, SW of Thessaloniki, and W of Larissa...
as his seat, and gave him the title of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
as a reward. Several earlier scholars have stated that Preljub also controlled parts of Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
, including the city of Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
, but recent research regards this as unlikely, and most likely the result of additions or mistakes in later sources.
In 1350, John VI Kantakouzenos took advantage of Dushan's absence in a campaign against Bosnia
Kingdom of Bosnia
The Kingdom of Bosnia or the Bosnian Kingdom was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Balkans, existing between 1377 and 1463.- Establishment :...
to attempt to recover his lost provinces in Macedonia and Thessaly. He landed at Thessalonica and succeeded in regaining several key fortresses in Macedonia, but his advance towards Thessaly was stopped by Preljub, who with 500 men held the strategically important fortress of Servia against him. Kantakouzenos, whose army was rather small, withdrew, and Dushan was able to recover his lost fortresses with ease.
Preljub died in late 1355 or early 1356, shortly after Dushan himself, in a clash with local Albanian clans. His widow, Irene Asanina, a daughter of Dushan, and their son Thomas
Thomas II Preljubovic
Thomas II Preljubović or Komnenos Palaiologos , was ruler of Epirus in Ioannina from 1366 to his death on December 23, 1384. He also held the title of Albanian-slayer .-Family:...
, soon faced an invasion by Nikephoros Orsini
Nikephoros II Orsini
Nikephoros II Orsini - Doukas , was the ruler of Epirus from 1335 to 1338 and from 1356 until his death in 1359.-Life:...
, the former Despot of Epirus. Orsini managed to rally the Greek inhabitants of the province to his side, forcing Irene to return to Serbia. In 1357 she married Radoslav Hlapen
Radoslav Hlapen
Radoslav Hlapen was a Serbian voivode in the service of Emperor Dušan the Mighty . He took part in the operations into the south, Macedonia, and was given a region north of Thessaly to govern in the early 1350s.-Life:Radoslav was born around 1322...
, the governor of much of western Macedonia, including Vodena
Edessa, Greece
Edessa , is a city in northern Greece and the capital of the Pella regional unit, in the Central Macedonia region of Greece. It was also the capital of the defunct province of the same name.-Name:...
and Berrhoea
Veria
Veria is a city built at the foot of Vermion Mountains in Greece. It is a commercial center of Macedonia, the capital of the prefecture of Imathia, the province of Imathia and the seat of a bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church...
. In 1366/1367, Thomas became ruler of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
at Ioannina.