Milica of Nemanja
Encyclopedia
Princess Milica Hrebeljanović née Nemanjić ( · ca. 1335 – November 11, 1405) also known as Empress (Tsaritsa
) Milica, was a royal consort of Serbia, wife of the Serbia
n Prince Lazar and mother of despot
Stefan Lazarević
. She is the author of "A Mother's Prayer," a famously moving poem of mourning for her husband, and an equally touching work entitled "Who Is This?"
She was the daughter of Vratko Nemanjić (known in Serb epic poetry as Jug Bogdan), who as a great-grandson of Vukan Nemanjić was part of a minor branch of the House of Nemanjić
. She was the 4th cousin once removed of Emperor Dušan
of Serbia.
After the death of her husband at the Battle of Kosovo
in 1389, she founded the Ljubostinja monastery
around 1390 and later took monastic vows at her monastery and became the nun Jevgenija (Јевгенија, later abbess Jefrosina, Јефросина) around 1393.
In 1397 she issued the "A Mother's Prayer" together with her sons at the Dečani monastery. She commissioned the repairing of the bronze horos of Dečani.
In later diplomatic negotiations with Sultan Bayezid I, Jevgenija and Jefimija, the former Vasilissa of Serres, both travelled to the Sultan's court in 1398/99.
In 1403, Jevgenija went to see Sultan Suleiman I at Serres, arguing in favour of her son Stefan in a complicated dispute that had emerged between her two sons and Branković.
She was buried in Ljubostinja, her monastery. She was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church
. Princess Milica was also a writer. She wrote several prayer
s and religious poems. Some historians think that her children Stefan Lazarević
and Jelena Balšić received their literature education from her.
and following daughters:
Tsaritsa
Tsaritsa , formerly spelled czaritsa , is the title of a female autocratic ruler of Bulgaria or Russia, or the title of a tsar's wife....
) Milica, was a royal consort of Serbia, wife of the 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...
n Prince Lazar and mother of despot
Despotes
Despot , was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent...
Stefan Lazarević
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
. She is the author of "A Mother's Prayer," a famously moving poem of mourning for her husband, and an equally touching work entitled "Who Is This?"
She was the daughter of Vratko Nemanjić (known in Serb epic poetry as Jug Bogdan), who as a great-grandson of Vukan Nemanjić was part of a minor branch of the House of Nemanjić
House of Nemanjic
The 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...
. She was the 4th cousin once removed of Emperor Dušan
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...
of Serbia.
After the death of her husband at the Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
in 1389, she founded the Ljubostinja monastery
Ljubostinja
Ljubostinja is a Serbian Orthodox monastery near Trstenik, Serbia. Located in the small mountain valley of the Ljubostinja river. Monastery is dedicated to the Holy Virgin. The monastery was built from the 1388 to 1405...
around 1390 and later took monastic vows at her monastery and became the nun Jevgenija (Јевгенија, later abbess Jefrosina, Јефросина) around 1393.
In 1397 she issued the "A Mother's Prayer" together with her sons at the Dečani monastery. She commissioned the repairing of the bronze horos of Dečani.
In later diplomatic negotiations with Sultan Bayezid I, Jevgenija and Jefimija, the former Vasilissa of Serres, both travelled to the Sultan's court in 1398/99.
In 1403, Jevgenija went to see Sultan Suleiman I at Serres, arguing in favour of her son Stefan in a complicated dispute that had emerged between her two sons and Branković.
She was buried in Ljubostinja, her monastery. She 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...
. Princess Milica was also a writer. She wrote several prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
s and religious poems. Some historians think that her children Stefan Lazarević
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
and Jelena Balšić received their literature education from her.
Family
With Prince Lazar she had following sons:- Dobrovoj, died after birth
- Despot Stefan LazarevićStefan LazarevicStefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
, - Vuk LazarevićVuk LazarevićVuk Lazarević was a Serbian prince and the younger son of Tsar Lazar, he was executed on July 6, 1410.He was born sometime after 1380, his older brother Stefan birth was in 1377. After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, Vuk, his brother, mother and Jefimija began to take part in the control of Serbia...
and following daughters:
- GospodaricaHospodarHospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or "master".The rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars in Slavic writings from the 15th century to 1866. Hospodar was used in addition to the title voivod...
Jelena Lazarević, wife of Serbian Lord Đurađ II Balšić - Gospodarica Mara Lazarević, wife of Serbian Lord Vuk Branković
- Empress Dragana LazarevićDragana of SerbiaDragana was a Bulgarian empress consort, second wife of Ivan Shishman . She was a daughter of the Serbian prince Lazar and Milica Nemanjić. There are almost no historical sources about her. There is a text in the Boril obituary concerning the consorts of Ivan Shishman:Based on that text, the...
, wife of Bulgarian Emperor Ivan ShishmanIvan Shishman of BulgariaIvan Shishman ruled as emperor of Bulgaria in Tarnovo from 1371 to 3 July 1395. The authority of Ivan Shishman was limited to the central parts of the Bulgarian Empire. His indecisive and inconsistent policy did little to prevent the fall of his country under Ottoman rule. In 1393 the Ottoman... - Princess Teodora Lazarević
- Princess Olivera Lazarević 'Despina', the wife of Sultan Bayezid IBayezid IBayezid 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...
.
| Stefan | Vuk |
|---|
Sources
- The geneaology and coats of arms of Serbian dynasties and feudals (Родословне таблице и грбови српских династија и властеле); editors Aleksa Ivić (1928), Dusan Spasić, Aleksandar Plavestra and Dusan Mrdjenović (1987); Bata, Belgrade, p. 20, 75. ISBN 86-7685-007-0 (1928), ISBN 86-7335-050-6 (1987).