Stefan Štiljanovic
Encyclopedia
Stefan Štiljanović was the last prominent Serbian nobleman of the period of Ottoman subjugation of Serbia, and according to folklore, he was the last Despot of Serbia. He ruled a large territory under the Hungarian crown, due to his famed operations against the Ottoman Empire in the frontiers. Štiljanović is venerated as a Saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church
.
(modern Montenegro
), of which he was clan leader under the Lordship of Zeta. He was elected as Head in the Rezevici monastery, he would be the most celebrated and last one. He fled his hometown to Syrmia
(modern Serbia
) after a feud with the Republic of Venice
. In 1498 he had the town of Morović
built, where he would have his residence. In 1507 he gains the town of Siklós
in Baranya
by Louis II of Hungary.
During the succession war between Ferdinand I
and John Zápolya
, he took the side of Ferdinand. After the crowning of Ferdinand on November 3, 1527, he became administrator of Novigrad
and Orahovica
. He also gained the villages of Miholjac and Glogovnica, estates in the Virovitica
county and the town of Valpovo
, in which he had his residence. He administered significant towns which had earlier been under the rule of Jovan Nenad.
Štiljanović was commander of the Slavonia
n frontiersmen who fought against the Ottoman Empire
. In 1543, he was defeated and captured by the Ottomans, but Murat-beg spared his life because of his famous heroism and let him free. He left Slavonia, and his last years were spent in Siklós where he died, he was buried on the Đuntir hill.
, then the St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade
. Štiljanović was proclaimed Saint by the Serbian Orthodox Church as Saint Despot Stefan Štiljanović, his feast day is on October 17. He is mentioned in a 1545 document of Šišatovac as a Saint.
According to tradition, his widow Jelena (also a Saint) founded the Petkovica monastery
on the Fruška Gora
. A church in Augsburg
, Germany
, is named after him: "Orthodox Parish of Saint Stefan and Saint Helena Stiljanovic".
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
.
Life
Štiljanović was born in PaštrovićiPaštrovici
The Paštrovići is a coastal clan in Montenegro.- History :The people and land of Paštrovići is mentioned for the first time in 1355, when Serbian emperor Dušan Silni sent his nobleman Nikolica Paštrović in diplomatic mission in Dubrovnik...
(modern Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
), of which he was clan leader under the Lordship of Zeta. He was elected as Head in the Rezevici monastery, he would be the most celebrated and last one. He fled his hometown to Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
(modern 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...
) after a feud with the Republic of Venice
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...
. In 1498 he had the town of Morović
Morovic
Morović is a village in northwestern Serbia in the Šid municipality, Srem District, autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village has a population of 2,164 people , mainly of Serbian origin.-History:...
built, where he would have his residence. In 1507 he gains the town of Siklós
Siklós
Siklós is a town in Baranya county, Hungary. It is located around .-Notable people:* George Mikes , Hungarian-born British author most famous for his humorous commentaries on various countries....
in Baranya
Baranya
Baranya may refer to:*Baranya , a geographical region in Hungary and Croatia*Baranya , a county in Hungary*Baranya , a county in the historic Kingdom of Hungary...
by Louis II of Hungary.
During the succession war between Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
and John Zápolya
John Zápolya
John Zápolya was King of Hungary from 1526 to 1540. His rule was disputed by Archduke Ferdinand I, who also claimed the title King of Hungary between 1526 and 1540. He was the voivode of Transylvania before his coronation.- Biography :...
, he took the side of Ferdinand. After the crowning of Ferdinand on November 3, 1527, he became administrator of Novigrad
Novigrad
Novigrad can refer to:*Novigrad, Istria County, Croatia*Novigrad, Zadar County, Croatia*Novigrad na Dobri, Karlovac County, Croatia*Novigrad Podravski, Koprivnica-Križevci County, Croatia...
and Orahovica
Orahovica
Orahovica is a town in Slavonia, Croatia. It is situated on the slopes of the mountain Papuk and positioned on the state road D2 Varaždin-Koprivnica-Našice-Osijek.-Economy:...
. He also gained the villages of Miholjac and Glogovnica, estates in the Virovitica
Virovitica
Virovitica is a Croatian town near the Croatian-Hungarian border. It is situated near the Drava river and belongs to the historic region of Slavonia. Virovitica has a population of 14,663, with 21,327 people in the municipality...
county and the town of Valpovo
Valpovo
Valpovo is a town in Slavonia, Croatia. It is close to the Drava river in the region of Slavonia, northwest of Osijek. The population of Valpovo is 7,396, with a total of 11,570 in the municipality.-Demographics:...
, in which he had his residence. He administered significant towns which had earlier been under the rule of Jovan Nenad.
Štiljanović was commander of the Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
n frontiersmen who fought against 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...
. In 1543, he was defeated and captured by the Ottomans, but Murat-beg spared his life because of his famous heroism and let him free. He left Slavonia, and his last years were spent in Siklós where he died, he was buried on the Đuntir hill.
Sainthood
His mortal remains were later moved to the Šišatovac monasteryŠišatovac monastery
The Šišatovac Monastery is a Serb Orthodox monastery situated on the Fruška Gora mountain in the northern Serbia, in the province of Vojvodina. The foundation of the monastery is ascribed to the refugee monks from the Serbian monastery of Žiča...
, then the St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. Štiljanović was proclaimed Saint by the Serbian Orthodox Church as Saint Despot Stefan Štiljanović, his feast day is on October 17. He is mentioned in a 1545 document of Šišatovac as a Saint.
According to tradition, his widow Jelena (also a Saint) founded the Petkovica monastery
Petkovica monastery
The Petkovica Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located on the Fruška Gora mountain in the northern Serbia, in the province of Vojvodina. According to tradition, it was founded by the widow of Stefan Štiljanović, Despotess Jelena...
on the Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora is a mountain in north Syrmia. Most part of the territory is located within Vojvodina, Serbia, but a smaller part on its western side overlaps the territory of Croatia...
. A church in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, is named after him: "Orthodox Parish of Saint Stefan and Saint Helena Stiljanovic".
See also
- Kuveždin monasteryKuveždin monasteryThe Kuveždin monastery is a Serb Orthodox monastery on the Fruška Gora mountain in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. Traditionally, its foundation is ascribed to Stefan Štiljanović. The first reliable record of its existence are dated in 1566/1569...
, contemporary Serbian Orthodox monastery possibly built by Štiljanović
Sources
- http://www.rastko.rs/rastko-bl/istorija/corovic/istorija/6_1_l.html
- Drago Njegovan, Prisajedinjenje Vojvodine Srbiji, Novi Sad, 2004.
External links
- Seobe Stefana Štiljanovića (in Serbian)
- Photo of his relics