Theodora Nemanjić
Encyclopedia
Theodora Nemanjić was the despotess of Kumanovo
as the wife of Despot Dejan (fl.
1355). She was the daughter of King Stephen Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia and her eldest half-brother was Serbian emperor, Stephen Uroš IV Dušan. She was the mother of two sons and one daughter. She later became a nun adopting the new name Eudokia (Евдокија, Evdokija).
. Her maternal grandparents were John Komnenos Palaiologos, Governor of Thessaloniki
and Irene Metochitissa. Theodora had one full brother, Simeon Uroš
and a sister, Jelena; she also had two half-siblings from her father's first marriage to Theodora Smilets of Bulgaria
, Stephen Uroš Dušan and Dusica. When Theodora was a year old, at the insistance of the nobility, Stephen Uroš Dušan had their father deposed and imprisoned in chains. He consequently usurped the Serbian throne as Stephen Uroš IV Dušan. Five years later, Theodora's father was murdered by strangulation. Her mother unsuccessfully attempted to obtain the crown for Simeon; defeated in her efforts, she retired to a convent and died in 1355.
by her brother, Stephen Dušan. Sometime after her marriage a fresco painting of Theodora was executed at the Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery of Visoki Dečani. Together Theodora and Dejan had three children:
Kumanovo
Kumanovo is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and is the seat of Kumanovo Municipality which is the largest municipality in the country. Municipal institutions include a city council, mayor and other administrative bodies.-Name:...
as the wife of Despot Dejan (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1355). She was the daughter of King Stephen Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia and her eldest half-brother was Serbian emperor, Stephen Uroš IV Dušan. She was the mother of two sons and one daughter. She later became a nun adopting the new name Eudokia (Евдокија, Evdokija).
Family
Theodora was born in 1330, the youngest daughter and child of King Stephen Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia by his second wife, Maria PalaiologinaMaria Palaiologina, Queen of Serbia
Maria Palaiologina was the Queen consort of Stephen Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia . She was the daughter of panhypersebastos John Palaiologos, and niece of Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos . Her maternal grandfather was megas logothetēs Theodore Metochites.Her father became the governor of...
. Her maternal grandparents were John Komnenos Palaiologos, Governor of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
and Irene Metochitissa. Theodora had one full brother, 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,...
and a sister, Jelena; she also had two half-siblings from her father's first marriage to Theodora Smilets of Bulgaria
Theodora Smilets of Bulgaria
Theodora Smilets was a Bulgarian princess and queen consort of Serbia, the first wife of king Stefan Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia....
, Stephen Uroš Dušan and Dusica. When Theodora was a year old, at the insistance of the nobility, Stephen Uroš Dušan had their father deposed and imprisoned in chains. He consequently usurped the Serbian throne as Stephen Uroš IV Dušan. Five years later, Theodora's father was murdered by strangulation. Her mother unsuccessfully attempted to obtain the crown for Simeon; defeated in her efforts, she retired to a convent and died in 1355.
Marriage
In 1347, at 17 years of age, Theodora married Despot Dejan. He was granted the title of sebastokratorSebastokrator
Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers whose states bordered the Empire or were within its sphere of influence. The word is a compound of "sebastos" Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used...
by her brother, Stephen Dušan. Sometime after her marriage a fresco painting of Theodora was executed at the Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery of Visoki Dečani. Together Theodora and Dejan had three children:
- ConstantineConstantine DragasConstantine Dragaš Dejanović was a Serbian magnate that ruled the area around Kyustendil from 1378, during the fall of the Serbian Empire, until his death on May 17, 1395 at the battle of Rovine...
(d. 1395), fell at the Battle of RovineBattle of RovineThe Battle of Rovine took place on 17 May 1395 between the Wallachian army led by Voivod Mircea cel Bătrân against the Ottoman invasion led by sultan Bayezid I. The Ottoman army, numbering approximately 40,000 men, faced the much smaller Wallachian army, which was about 10,000 men...
, he had issue with an unnamed woman, married secondly Eudokia of TrebizondEudokia of TrebizondEudokia Megale Komnene , was a Trapezuntine noblewoman, and a member of the powerful Byzantine Komnenos dynasty as a daughter of Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond....
, without issue - JovanJovan DragašJovan Dragaš was a 14th-century Serbian noble that held the title of Despot of Kumanovo, Kocani and Strumica under his uncle Stephen Uroš V of Serbia; he later became an Ottoman vassal after the Battle of Maritsa in 1371....
(d. 1378), fell at the Battle of MaritsaBattle of MaritsaThe Battle of Maritsa, or Battle of Chernomen, took place at the Maritsa River near the village of Chernomen on September 26, 1371 between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Murad I's lieutenant Lala Şâhin Paşa and the...
, - Theodora, married 1. ŽarkoŽarko (nobleman)Žarko was a 14th-century Serbian nobleman who after the death of Serbian Emperor Dušan the Mighty is mentioned as a lord of the coasts of the Zeta region, under the succeeding Emperor Uroš the Weak Žarko (1336—before 1371) was a 14th-century Serbian nobleman who after the death of Serbian Emperor...
, 2. Đurađ I Balšić