Mihailo Anđelović
Encyclopedia
Mihailo Anđelović was a 15th century Serbian governor of Serbia
briefly in 1458.
After the Ottoman
conquest of Thessaly in 1394, the ruling Angeloi Philanthropenoi family took refuge in Serbia
. A grandson of either Alexios
or Manuel
, Mihailo Anđelović, served as an official at the court of Đurađ and Lazar Branković.
Mihailo's brother Mahmud
was captured in his infancy by Ottoman soldiers as part of the Devşirme system and was brought to Edirne
, where he was converted to Islam and became a Janissary
(Infantry unit of the Sultan). Mahmud later rose to the highest ranks of the Ottoman Empire
, becoming beylerbey
(governor-general) of Rumelia
(Ottoman Balkans
) in 1451 and Grand Vizier
in 1455. Thus, in the negotiations between Serb despot Lazar Branković and Mehmed II
in 1457, the two sides were represented by the brothers Mihailo and Mahmud Anđelović.
As despot Lazar Branković had no sons, a three-member regency was formed after his death. It included Lazar's brother, the blind Stefan Branković, Lazar's widow Helena Palaiologina
and Mihailo Anđelović, the 'governor of Rascia'. Mihailo hoped to rise as a Despot of Serbia but after having secretly let a company of Ottoman soldiers into Smederevo
, he was imprisoned in March 1458 and Stefan became despot in his own right.
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...
briefly in 1458.
After the Ottoman
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...
conquest of Thessaly in 1394, the ruling Angeloi Philanthropenoi family took refuge in 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...
. A grandson of either Alexios
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos
Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos was a Byzantine Greek nobleman who ruled Thessaly from 1373 until ca. 1390 with the title of Caesar....
or Manuel
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....
, Mihailo Anđelović, served as an official at the court of Đurađ and Lazar Branković.
Mihailo's brother Mahmud
Veli Mahmud Pasha
Mahmud Pasha or Mahmud-paša Anđelović , also known simply as Adni, was a Serbian-born of Byzantine noble descent who became an Ottoman general and statesman, after being abducted as a child by the Sultan. As Veli Mahmud Paşa he was Grand Vizier in 1456–1468 and again in 1472–1474...
was captured in his infancy by Ottoman soldiers as part of the Devşirme system and was brought to Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
, where he was converted to Islam and became a Janissary
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
(Infantry unit of the Sultan). Mahmud later rose to the highest ranks 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...
, becoming beylerbey
Beylerbey
Beylerbey is the Ottoman and Safavid title used for the highest rank in the hierarchy of provincial administrators It is in western terms a Governor-general, with authority...
(governor-general) of Rumelia
Rumelia
Rumelia was an historical region comprising the territories of the Ottoman Empire in Europe...
(Ottoman Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
) in 1451 and Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
in 1455. Thus, in the negotiations between Serb despot Lazar Branković and Mehmed II
Mehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
in 1457, the two sides were represented by the brothers Mihailo and Mahmud Anđelović.
As despot Lazar Branković had no sons, a three-member regency was formed after his death. It included Lazar's brother, the blind Stefan Branković, Lazar's widow Helena Palaiologina
Helena Palaiologina of Morea
Helena Palaiologina was a Byzantine despotess of Serbia as the wife of Despot Lazar Branković, who ruled from 1456 until his death in 1458. Together they had three daughters....
and Mihailo Anđelović, the 'governor of Rascia'. Mihailo hoped to rise as a Despot of Serbia but after having secretly let a company of Ottoman soldiers into 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...
, he was imprisoned in March 1458 and Stefan became despot in his own right.