Princess Milica of Serbia
| Milica of Serbia | |
|---|---|
 Fresco from the Ljubostinja monastery (1402–1405) | |
| Born | 1335 |
| Died | November 11, 1405 |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Lazar of Serbia |
| Issue | Stefan Lazarević |
| House | Nemanjić dynasty |
| Father | Vratko Nemanjić |
| Religion | Serbian Orthodox |
Princess Milica Hrebeljanović née Nemanjić (Serbian: Милица Немањић Хребељановић · ca. 1335 – November 11, 1405) also known as Empress (Tsaritsa) Milica, was a royal consort of Serbia by marriage to Prince Lazar, and regent of Serbia during the minority of her son, despot Stefan Lazarević from 1389 to 1393.
She later became a Serbian Orthodox nun under the name Jevgenija. She is the author of "A Mother's Prayer" (Serbian: Молитва матере) and a famous poem of mourning for her husband, My Widowhood's Bridegroom (Serbian: Удовству мојему женик).
Biography
Early life
She was the daughter of Prince Vratko Nemanjić (known in Serb epic poetry as Jug Bogdan), who as a great-grandson of Vukan Nemanjić, Grand Prince of Serbia (ruled 1202-1204)), was part of the collateral, elder branch of the Nemanjić dynasty. Her husband was Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović. She was the fourth cousin once removed of Emperor Dušan of Serbia.
Regency
After the death of her husband at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, Milica ruled Serbia until 1393 when her son, Stefan Lazarević Hrebeljanović, came of age to take the throne.[1]
Nun
She founded the Ljubostinja monastery around 1390 and later took monastic vows at her monastery and became the nun Eugenia (Јевгенија, later abbess Euphrosine, Јефросина) around 1393.[2]
In later diplomatic negotiations with Sultan Bayezid I, Eugenia and Euphemia, the former Vasilissa of Serres, both travelled to the Sultan's court in 1398/99.[3]
In 1403, Eugenia went to the Sultan at Serres, arguing in favour of her son Stefan Lazarević in a complicated dispute that had emerged between her two sons and Branković.[2]
Writer
Princess Milica was also a writer. She wrote several prayers and religious poems. In 1397 she issued the "A Mother's Prayer" together with her sons at the Dečani monastery.[4] She commissioned the repairing of the bronze horos of Dečani.[2]
Death and burial
She was buried in Ljubostinja, her monastery. She was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Family
With Prince Lazar she had the following sons:
- Dobrovoj, died after birth
- Despot Stefan,
- Vuk Lazarević
and following daughters:
- Jelena Lazarević, whose husband was Đurađ II Balšić and of Grand Duke of Hum Sandalj Hranić Kosača
- Mara Branković, whose husband was Vuk Branković
- Dragana, whose husband was Emperor Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria
- Teodora
- Olivera 'Despina', whose husband was Bayezid I.
Legacy
Street names
Several streets throughout Central Serbia are named after the Princess. In the once thriving industrial city of Trstenik, Serbia, the main street that runs directly through city center is named Kneginje Milice. Trstenik, Serbia, is the closest major city to her burial site at Ljubostinja Monastery.
There is a Kneginje Milice street also located in Lazarevac, in borough Lukavica. The street is about 250 m long. Near that street is Kolubarski trg and Zivojina Zujovica street.
See also
- Lazarević dynasty
- Jefimija
- Saint Angelina of Serbia
- Olivera Despina
- Jelena Balšić
- Helen of Anjou
- Simonida
- Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina
- Mara Branković
- Katarina Branković
References
- ^ Vujić, Joakim (2006), "The transformation of symbolic geography: Characteristics of the Serbian people", in Trencsényi, Balázs; Kopeček, Michal (eds.), Late enlightenment emergence of the modern 'national idea, Budapest New York: Central European University Press, p. 115, ISBN 9789637326523.
- ^ a b c Gavrilović, Zaga (2006), "Women in Serbian politics, diplomacy and art at the beginning of Ottoman rule", in Jeffreys, Elizabeth M. (ed.), Byzantine style, religion, and civilization: in honour of Sir Steven Runciman, New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 75–78, ISBN 9780521834452.
- ^ Ćirković, Sima M.; Korać, Vojislav; Babić, Gordana (1986). Studenica Monastery. Belgrade: Jugoslovenska Revija. p. 144. OCLC 17159580.
- ^ Popovich, Ljubica D. (1994). "Portraits of Knjeginja Milica". Serbian Studies. North American Society for Serbian Studies. 8 (1–2): 94–95. Archived from the original on 2017-11-23. Retrieved 2015-05-29. Pdf.
Sources
- Stevanović, Miladin (2005). Kneginja Milica Hrebeljanović. Knjiga-komerc. ISBN 9788677120795.
- Vasiljević, Marija (2016). "Генеалогије између историје и идеологије: пример порекла кнегиње Милице" (PDF). Историјски часопис. Belgrade: Istorijski institut. 65: 79–100. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
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- 1405 deaths
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