Uroš II Prvoslav
Encyclopedia
Uroš II, also known as Primislav was Serbian Grand Prince from ca.
1145 to 1162, with brief interruptions as ruler by Desa, his brother. His rule was characterized by a period of power struggle, not only of the Serbian throne between the brothers, but between the Byzantine Empire
and Hungarian Kingdom
, of which he took advantage. In the 1160s, his branch of Vukanović's are...
under the overlordship of Constantine Bodin, the titular King of Doclea
. Bodin renounced the Byzantine Empire in 1089, when he turned to the Pope, who raised the bishopric of Bar to an Archbishopric. In 1089 or by 1091, the Byzantines invaded Doclea, capturing Bodin. Civil war ensued in Doclea, and Rascia asserted independence. Vukan immediately raids Byzantine territory, first in Kosovo, then northern Macedonia. As the Emperor had affairs in other parts of the Empire (Levounion
, Crusade), Vukan accepts and then breaks the peace treaties signed between the two, back and forth, until 1106 when the final treaty is signed.
In Doclea, Bodin dies before 1101, and his heirs are forced to recognize Byzantine overlordship.
(r. ca. 1112 - 1145). He had two brothers: Desa and Beloš, and a sister: Helena, who married Bela II of Hungary
.
In 1141, Bela II died and was succeeded by his son Geza II
who was still a child. Helena and Beloš (who joined Helena in Hungary after the marriage, and received the title of dux), became the official regents of Hungary until September 1146. In 1145, Beloš receives the title of comes palatinus, the highest court title - meaning he could substitute for the King when necessary. Beloš had close ties with Uroš II, and they were able to count on each other in times of trouble. In 1149, Beloš' Hungarian army aids Uroš II against the Byzantines.
Desa is mentioned in a charter dated 1150 as as "Dessa Dioclie, Terbunie et Zacholmie dux", i.e. the Duke of Duklja
, Travunija and Zahumlje
.
In 1150, Uroš II swore loyalty to the Emperor, and demanded that Desa be put in prison. He recovered his title and lands, and Desa also swore loyalty, and was recognized as ruler of the Dalmatian lands
. The two brothers were to rule the appointed regions as Manuel's vassals. The event is part of what would become a competition between the Byzantine Emperor and Holy Roman Emperor that would soon move into Hungary.
In 1151, Manuel I declares war on Hungary. This was due to the fact that Hungary had aided Serbia in its revolts against Byzantine rule. Byzantine troops are sent into Srem
and across the Danube
. The Byzantines caused great destruction and then withdrew, the operation being strictly punitive, with no occupation of lands. Geza soon signed a peace treaty. Over the next 20 years, there were to be 10 campaigns against Hungary. Manuel I was able to keep the Hungarians under control in the Balkans, at the expense of abandoning the Norman conflict.
In 1153 or 1155, Desa ousts him. The pro-Hungarian faction at the Serbian court was upset with the Byzantine overlordship. In autumn 1154, Manuel I settles the dispute between Uroš II and Desa. The Emperor restored Uroš II in 1155 or 1156, and gave the deposed Desa an appanage of Dendra
near Niš
.
In 1161/1162, Uroš II is replaced by Beloš, who rules briefly, before returning to his office in Hungary and Croatia.
had presumably tried to oust either Uroš II or Desa, or acquire an appanage of his own, then fled after failing in his attempt.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1145 to 1162, with brief interruptions as ruler by Desa, his brother. His rule was characterized by a period of power struggle, not only of the Serbian throne between the brothers, but between the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and Hungarian Kingdom
Kingdom of Hungary in the Middle Ages
The Kingdom of Hungary was formed from the previous Principality of Hungarywith the coronation of Stephen I in AD 1000. This was a result of the conversion of Géza of Hungary to the Western Church in the 970s....
, of which he took advantage. In the 1160s, his branch of Vukanović's are...
Background
Grand Prince Vukan (r. 1083-1112) initially ruled RasciaRascia
Rascia was a medieval region that served as the principal province of the Serbian realm. It was an administrative division under the direct rule of the monarch and sometimes as an appanage. The term has been used to refer to various Serbian states throughout the Middle Ages...
under the overlordship of Constantine Bodin, the titular King of Doclea
Doclea
Doclea can refer to:* Duklja , ancient Illyrian and Roman city* Duklja, medieval Slavic principality...
. Bodin renounced the Byzantine Empire in 1089, when he turned to the Pope, who raised the bishopric of Bar to an Archbishopric. In 1089 or by 1091, the Byzantines invaded Doclea, capturing Bodin. Civil war ensued in Doclea, and Rascia asserted independence. Vukan immediately raids Byzantine territory, first in Kosovo, then northern Macedonia. As the Emperor had affairs in other parts of the Empire (Levounion
Battle of Levounion
The Battle of Levounion was the first decisive Byzantine victory of the Komnenian restoration. On April 29, 1091, an invading force of Pechenegs was heavily defeated by the combined forces of the Byzantine Empire under Alexios I Komnenos and his Cuman allies....
, Crusade), Vukan accepts and then breaks the peace treaties signed between the two, back and forth, until 1106 when the final treaty is signed.
In Doclea, Bodin dies before 1101, and his heirs are forced to recognize Byzantine overlordship.
Life
Uroš II was the son of Uroš I, Grand Prince of SerbiaUroš I of Rascia
Uroš I Vukanović was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from ca 1112 to 1145.-Origin:Uroš I was the son of Marko, the brother of Grand Prince Vukan, who had swore an oath of loyalty to Constantine Bodin, the Grand Prince of Duklja, becoming his vassals...
(r. ca. 1112 - 1145). He had two brothers: Desa and Beloš, and a sister: Helena, who married Bela II of Hungary
Béla II of Hungary
Béla II the Blind , King of Hungary and Croatia . Still as a child, Béla was blinded by his uncle, King Coloman who wanted to ensure the succession of his own son, the future King Stephen II...
.
In 1141, Bela II died and was succeeded by his son Geza II
Géza II of Hungary
Géza II , , King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Dalmatia and Rama . He ascended the throne as a child and during his minority the kingdom was governed by his mother and uncle...
who was still a child. Helena and Beloš (who joined Helena in Hungary after the marriage, and received the title of dux), became the official regents of Hungary until September 1146. In 1145, Beloš receives the title of comes palatinus, the highest court title - meaning he could substitute for the King when necessary. Beloš had close ties with Uroš II, and they were able to count on each other in times of trouble. In 1149, Beloš' Hungarian army aids Uroš II against the Byzantines.
Desa is mentioned in a charter dated 1150 as as "Dessa Dioclie, Terbunie et Zacholmie dux", i.e. the Duke of Duklja
Duklja
Doclea or Duklja was a medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro, from Kotor on the west to the river Bojana on the east and to the sources of Zeta and Morača rivers on the north....
, Travunija and Zahumlje
Zahumlje
Zachlumia or Zahumlje was a medieval principality located in modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia...
.
In 1150, Uroš II swore loyalty to the Emperor, and demanded that Desa be put in prison. He recovered his title and lands, and Desa also swore loyalty, and was recognized as ruler of the Dalmatian lands
Pomorje
Pomorje or Primorje is a term used in historical contexts to describe one of the two geographical divisions that constituted Serbia in the Middle Ages...
. The two brothers were to rule the appointed regions as Manuel's vassals. The event is part of what would become a competition between the Byzantine Emperor and Holy Roman Emperor that would soon move into Hungary.
In 1151, Manuel I declares war on Hungary. This was due to the fact that Hungary had aided Serbia in its revolts against Byzantine rule. Byzantine troops are sent into Srem
Srem
Śrem is a town on the Warta river in central Poland. It has been situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; from 1975 to 1998 it was part of the Poznań Voivodeship...
and across the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. The Byzantines caused great destruction and then withdrew, the operation being strictly punitive, with no occupation of lands. Geza soon signed a peace treaty. Over the next 20 years, there were to be 10 campaigns against Hungary. Manuel I was able to keep the Hungarians under control in the Balkans, at the expense of abandoning the Norman conflict.
In 1153 or 1155, Desa ousts him. The pro-Hungarian faction at the Serbian court was upset with the Byzantine overlordship. In autumn 1154, Manuel I settles the dispute between Uroš II and Desa. The Emperor restored Uroš II in 1155 or 1156, and gave the deposed Desa an appanage of Dendra
Dendra
Dendra is a prehistoric archaeological site situated outside the village with the same name belonging to the municipality of Midea in the Argolid, Greece....
near Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
.
In 1161/1162, Uroš II is replaced by Beloš, who rules briefly, before returning to his office in Hungary and Croatia.
Aftermath
ZavidaZavida
Zavida or Beli Uroš was a 12th-century Serbian royal member who briefly ruled as Župan of Zahumlje and later held the title "Lord of Ribnica"....
had presumably tried to oust either Uroš II or Desa, or acquire an appanage of his own, then fled after failing in his attempt.
Ancestry
Sources
- Joannes Cinnamus, Deeds of John and Manuel Comnenus, Columbia University Press, 1976, ISBN 0231040806, 9780231040808 Google book
- Paul Stephenson, Byzantium's Balkan frontier: a political study of the Northern Balkans, 900-1204 http://books.google.com/?id=eaq90_BOvqIC
- Ćorović, VladimirVladimir CorovicVladimir Ćorović was a 20th-century Serbian historian, member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts . He is best known for his many acclaimed works on the history of Serbs and Yugoslavia.-Early:...
, Istorija srpskog naroda, Book I, (In Serbian) Electric Book, Rastko Electronic Book, Antikvarneknjige (Cyrillic)- Drugi Period, IV: Pokrštavanje Južnih Slovena
- The Serbs, ISBN 0631204717, 9780631204718. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004, Google Books.
- Tibor Živković, Portreti srpskih vladara (IX—XII), Beograd, 2006 (ISBN 86-17-13754-1), p. 11