John Uroš
Encyclopedia
Jovan Uroš or John Ouresis Doukas Palaiologos was the ruler of Thessaly from c. 1370 to c. 1373, died 1422/3.
John Uroš was the son of Emperor Simeon Uroš
Palaiologos
by Thomais Orsini. His maternal grandparents were John II Orsini
and Anna Palaiologina Angelina.
Between 1369 and 1372 he succeeded his father as titular emperor of Serbians and Greeks and as ruler of Thessaly
. He may have been associated on the throne by his father as early as 1359/60. After reigning for an uncertain number of years, John Uroš abdicated in favor of his relative, the Caesar
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
, and became a monk.
He joined the monastic community founded by his father at Meteora
, where he is documented under his monastic name Joasaph in 1381. Although he had surrendered political power, John Uroš remained wealthy and influential. In 1384–1385 he helped his sister Maria
govern Epirus
after the murder of her husband Thomas II Preljubović
. He endowed the monasteries at Meteora
and eventually became the head of the local monastic community, rebuilding or establishing further monasteries in the area in 1388 and 1390. In the 1390s he visited Mount Athos
, but was back in Meteora by 1401, and died there in 1422 or 1423.
John Uroš was the last emperor of Serbs and Greeks and the last Serbian ruler of Thessaly. His relative Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
succeeded him and recognized Byzantine
suzerainty
, and the area was lost to Bayezid I
of the Ottoman Empire
by his son Manuel Angelos Philanthropenos
in 1394. John Uroš had a younger brother named Stephen Uroš, who may have held Pharsalos
as his fief. Although he died long after his brother became monk, he did not succeed him as ruler of Thessaly
.
John Uroš was the son of Emperor Simeon Uroš
Simeon Uroš
Simeon Uroš Nemanjić, nicknamed Siniša , also known in Greek as Symeōn Ouresēs Palaiologos , was the Despot of Epirus from 1359 to 1366, and of Thessaly from 1359 until his death in 1370. He governed Epirus and Acarnania under his half-brother Emperor Dušan the Mighty Simeon Uroš Nemanjić,...
Palaiologos
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
by Thomais Orsini. His maternal grandparents were John II Orsini
John II Orsini
John II Orsini, also John Komnenos Doukas or Comnenus Ducas , was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1323 to 1324 and Despot of Epirus from 1323 to 1335....
and Anna Palaiologina Angelina.
Between 1369 and 1372 he succeeded his father as titular emperor of Serbians and Greeks and as ruler of 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....
. He may have been associated on the throne by his father as early as 1359/60. After reigning for an uncertain number of years, John Uroš abdicated in favor of his relative, the Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos was a Byzantine Greek nobleman who ruled Thessaly from 1373 until ca. 1390 with the title of Caesar....
, and became a monk.
He joined the monastic community founded by his father at Meteora
Meteora
The Metéora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in...
, where he is documented under his monastic name Joasaph in 1381. Although he had surrendered political power, John Uroš remained wealthy and influential. In 1384–1385 he helped his sister Maria
Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina
Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina was ruler of Epirus from 1385 to 1386. She took the title of Basilissa of Epirus or Empress/Queen of Epirus....
govern 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...
after the murder of her husband 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:...
. He endowed the monasteries at Meteora
Meteora
The Metéora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in...
and eventually became the head of the local monastic community, rebuilding or establishing further monasteries in the area in 1388 and 1390. In the 1390s he visited Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount 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...
, but was back in Meteora by 1401, and died there in 1422 or 1423.
John Uroš was the last emperor of Serbs and Greeks and the last Serbian ruler of Thessaly. His relative Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos was a Byzantine Greek nobleman who ruled Thessaly from 1373 until ca. 1390 with the title of Caesar....
succeeded him and recognized 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...
suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
, and the area was lost to Bayezid I
Bayezid I
Bayezid I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1389 to 1402. He was the son of Murad I and Valide Sultan Gülçiçek Hatun.-Biography:Bayezid was born in Edirne and spent his youth in Bursa, where he received a high-level education...
of 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...
by his son Manuel Angelos Philanthropenos
Manuel Angelos Philanthropenos
Manuel Angelos Philanthropenos was a Byzantine Greek nobleman who ruled Thessaly from ca. 1390 until it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1393, as a Byzantine vassal with the title of Caesar....
in 1394. John Uroš had a younger brother named Stephen Uroš, who may have held Pharsalos
Farsala
Farsala , known in Antiquity as Φάρσαλος, Pharsalos or Pharsalus, is a city in southern Thessaly, in Greece. Farsala is located in the southern part of Larissa regional unit, and is one of its largest towns. The city is linked with GR-3, the old highway linking Larissa and Lamia and is also...
as his fief. Although he died long after his brother became monk, he did not succeed him as ruler of 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....
.