Helen of Anjou
Encyclopedia
Helen of Anjou or Hélène d'Anjou was the queen consort
of the Serbian Kingdom, wife of Stephen Uroš I and mother of kings Dragutin
and Milutin
.
, in which case she may have been the sister of Maria Angelina, wife of Anseau de Chaurs or Cayeux, also known as Anselm de Keu, Captain General
in Albania
for Charles I of Naples. She is also recorded as of French origin, probably of the House of Valois. Charles I of Naples mentioned her as a relative in a letter dated 1273.
Helen married Uroš I around 1245. With Uroš I she had at least four children:
For some time, she was a ruler of Zeta, Travunia
, Plav
and Poibarje
. During that time, Serbia was divided into three parts, and the rulers of the other two parts were Dragutin and Milutin. Helen became a nun
at the Church of St. Nicholas
in Shkodër
, where she died on 8 February 1314.
She founded the first girls' school in medieval Serbia. Helen's palace was in modern Kosovo
, in the town of Brnjaci
, on Mokra Gora mountain (not to be confused with Mokra Gora
village), where the school was located. Other than this palace, she possessed the town of Jelač at Rogozna
mountain. As did other Nemanjićs, she built monasteries. She built the Gradac monastery
, where she was buried, the Church of St. Nicholas in Shkodër where she died, and the Shirgj Monastery
.
Helen of Anjou was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church
. Her feast day is .
|-
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of the Serbian Kingdom, wife of Stephen Uroš I and mother of kings Dragutin
Stefan Dragutin of Serbia
Stephen Dragutin was a 13th and 14th-century Serb monarch, the King of Serbia from 1276 to 1282 and King of Syrmia from 1282 to 1316.He ruled Serbia until his abdication in 1282, when he became ill...
and Milutin
Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia
Stefan Uroš II Milutin was a king of Serbia , and member of the House of Nemanjić.-Early:...
.
Life
Helen was a Catholic and was born in ca 1236. Her origins are not known for certain. She could have descended from a side branch of the Byzantine emperor's family and the Hungarian royal houseÁrpád dynasty
The Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
, in which case she may have been the sister of Maria Angelina, wife of Anseau de Chaurs or Cayeux, also known as Anselm de Keu, Captain General
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
in Albania
Albania in the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages in Albania is that period that starts after the region that is now Albania in the Byzantine Empire, until their incorporation in the Ottoman Empire....
for Charles I of Naples. She is also recorded as of French origin, probably of the House of Valois. Charles I of Naples mentioned her as a relative in a letter dated 1273.
Helen married Uroš I around 1245. With Uroš I she had at least four children:
- DragutinStefan Dragutin of SerbiaStephen Dragutin was a 13th and 14th-century Serb monarch, the King of Serbia from 1276 to 1282 and King of Syrmia from 1282 to 1316.He ruled Serbia until his abdication in 1282, when he became ill...
, Serbian king 1276–1282 - MilutinStefan Uroš II Milutin of SerbiaStefan Uroš II Milutin was a king of Serbia , and member of the House of Nemanjić.-Early:...
, Serbian king 1282–1321 - Stefan
- Brnča, daughter
For some time, she was a ruler of Zeta, Travunia
Travunia
Travunia was a medieval region, administrative unit and principality, which was part of Medieval Serbia , and in its last years, the Bosnian Kingdom . The county became hereditary in a number of noble houses, often kin to the ruling dynasty. The region came under Ottoman rule in 1482...
, Plav
Plav
Plav Plav Plav (Montenegrin, (Albanian: Plav) is a town in north-eastern Montenegro. It has a population of 3,615 (2003 census).Plav is the centre of the municipality (population of 13,805),-Geography:...
and Poibarje
Ibar River
The Ibar is a river that flows through eastern Montenegro and Serbia, with a total length of . The river begins in the Hajla mountain, eastern Montenegro, passes through Kosovo and flows into the West Morava river, Central Serbia, near Kraljevo....
. During that time, Serbia was divided into three parts, and the rulers of the other two parts were Dragutin and Milutin. Helen became a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
at the Church of St. Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
in Shkodër
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
, where she died on 8 February 1314.
She founded the first girls' school in medieval Serbia. Helen's palace was in modern 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...
, in the town of Brnjaci
Brnjaci
Brnjaci is a village in the municipality of Kiseljak, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
, on Mokra Gora mountain (not to be confused with Mokra Gora
Mokra Gora
Mokra Gora , meaning the Wet Mountain in English, is a village in Serbia on the northern slopes of mountain Zlatibor. Emphasis on historical reconstruction has made it into a popular tourist center with unique attractions....
village), where the school was located. Other than this palace, she possessed the town of Jelač at Rogozna
Rogozna
Rogozna is a mountain in southwestern Serbia, near the city of Novi Pazar. Its highest peak Crni vrh has an altitude of 1479 meters above sea level....
mountain. As did other Nemanjićs, she built monasteries. She built the Gradac monastery
Gradac Monastery
Gradac Monastery is a monastery in the Republic of Serbia. It lies on the elevated plateau above the river Gradačka, at the edge of the forested slopes Golija. It is 21 km northwest of Raška and 12.5 km west of Brvenik and Ibar highway...
, where she was buried, the Church of St. Nicholas in Shkodër where she died, and the Shirgj Monastery
Shirgj Monastery
The Shirgj Monastery is an abandoned Benedictine monastery in the village of Shirgj on the Bojana River in northern Albania. The monastery was dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus and was built by Helen of Anjou in 1290, seemingly on top of a pre-6th century basilica.-History:The monastery was...
.
Helen of Anjou was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church
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...
. Her feast day is .
Foundations
- Gradac monasteryGradac MonasteryGradac Monastery is a monastery in the Republic of Serbia. It lies on the elevated plateau above the river Gradačka, at the edge of the forested slopes Golija. It is 21 km northwest of Raška and 12.5 km west of Brvenik and Ibar highway...
- Shirgj MonasteryShirgj MonasteryThe Shirgj Monastery is an abandoned Benedictine monastery in the village of Shirgj on the Bojana River in northern Albania. The monastery was dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus and was built by Helen of Anjou in 1290, seemingly on top of a pre-6th century basilica.-History:The monastery was...
See also
- Rulers of Serbia
- House of NemanjićHouse of NemanjicThe Nemanjić was the most important dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages, and one of the most important in Southeastern Europe. The royal house produced eleven Serbian monarchs between 1166 and 1371. It's progenitor was Stephen Nemanja, who descended from a cadet line of the Vukanović dynasty...
|-