Stefan Uroš III Стефан Урош III | |
|---|---|
 Ktetor composition of Stefan Uroš III in theVisoki Dečani Monastery | |
| Stefan Uroš III theKtetor | |
| Born | c. 1276 |
| Died | 11 November 1331(1331-11-11) (aged 55) |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
| King of all Serbian and Maritime lands | |
| Reign | 1322–1331 |
| Coronation | 6 January 1322 |
| Predecessor | Stefan Konstantin |
| Successor | Stefan Dušan |
| Died | Castle of Zvečan,Kingdom of Serbia |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| Dynasty | Nemanjić |
| Father | Stefan Milutin |
| Mother | Jelena |
| Religion | Serbian Orthodox Christian |
| Signature |  |
Stefan Uroš III[a] (c. 1276 – 11 November 1331), wasKing of Serbia from 6 January 1322 to 8 September 1331. Dečanski was the son of KingStefan Milutin (d. 1321). He defeated two other contenders to the Serbian throne. Stefan is known asDečanski after the greatmonastery of Visoki Dečani he built.[1][2][3][4]
Stefan Uroš III was the son of KingStefan Uroš II Milutin and his first wife Jelena, a Serbian noblewoman. He was born before his father took the throne in 1282. While still a youth, he was sent (c. 1293-1294) by his father as a hostage with his entourage toNogai Khan of theGolden Horde, to maintain the peace between theSerbs andTatars. He stayed at Nogai's court untilc. 1297.[5][6] By 1309, King Milutin appointed his son Stefan (future Dečanski) as governor ofZeta, where he remained until 1314.[7][8][9]
In 1314, Dečanski quarreled with his father, who sent him toConstantinople to be blinded. Dečanski was never totally blinded and was likely not blinded at all.[10][11] In Constantinople, Dečanski was at the court ofAndronikos II Palaiologos, indicating good relations between the states.[12] Dečanski wrote a letter toDanilo, who wasBishop of Hum, asking him to intervene with his father.[13] Danilo wrote to Serbian ArchbishopNikodim, who spoke with Milutin and persuaded him to recall his son. In 1320, Dečanski was permitted to return to Serbia and was given theappanage ofBudimlje,[13][14] while his half-brotherStefan Konstantin, heldZeta.[15]
Milutin became ill and died on 29 October 1321, leaving no formal instruction regarding his inheritance.[13] Konstantin was crowned King in Zeta, but civil war broke out immediately as both Dečanski and his cousin,Stefan Vladislav II, claimed the throne.[16] Dečanski revealed that his eyesight was still intact, claiming a miracle, and the populace rallied behind him believing the restoration of his sight to be a sign from God.[15] On 6 January 1322, the archbishop of Serbia, Nicodemus,crowned Dečanski King and his son,Stefan Dušan, the young king.[15] Dečanski later granted Zeta to Dušan as a fief, indicating his intention for Dušan to be his heir.[17] According to one account, Dečanski offered to split the realm with Konstantin, who refused.[18] Dečanski then invaded Zeta, and Konstantin was defeated and killed.[17][19]
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In the meantime, Vladislav II had been released from prison upon Milutin's death and recovered the throne ofSyrmia, which his father had established in northern Serbia. Vladislav also claimed the throne of Serbia upon Milutin's death and mobilized local support fromRudnik, a former possession of Vladislav's father.[17] Also supported by Hungarians, Bulgarians, and Bosnians, Vladislav consolidated control over Syrmia and prepared for battle with Dečanski.[17]
In 1323, war broke out between Dečanski and Vladislav. In autumn, Vladislav still held Rudnik, but by the end of 1323, the market of Rudnik was held by officials of Dečanski, and Vladislav seems to have fled further north.[17] Some of Vladislav's supporters from Rudnik, led byRagusan merchant Menčet, took refuge in the nearby Ostrovica fortress, where they resisted Dečanski's troops.[17] Dečanski sent envoys to Dubrovnik (Ragusa), to protest the support of Vladislav.[17] Dubrovnik rejected Dečanski's complaint, claiming Ostrovica was held by Serbs.[17] Dečanski was not satisfied, and in 1324 he rounded up all the Ragusan merchants he could find, confiscated their property, and held them captive.[17] By year's end, Rudnik was restored to Dečanski, who released the merchants and returned their property.[17] Vladislav was defeated in battle in late 1324, and fled to Hungary,[20][16][21] that was holdingBelgrade since 1319.[22][23] Tensions between Dubrovnik and Serbia continued: in August 1325Vojvoda Vojin plundered Dubrovnik, resulting in a brief trade ban.[17] On 25 March 1326 Dečanski reaffirmed privileges previously granted to Ragusa by Milutin.[17]
Tensions began again, later in 1326, when Dubrovnik andStephen II, Ban of Bosnia took actions against theBranivojevići.[17] As a result, by the end of the same year, Serbia lost the region ofHum toBosnia.[24]
Dečanski generally maintained an alliance with Andronikos II, aside from occasional disruptions.[25] He avoided taking a position in theByzantine civil war between Andronikos II andAndronikos III Palaiologos. Nevertheless, as Andronikos III gained control, he developed an alliance with TsarMichael Asen III of Bulgaria.[26] Michael Asen III divorced Dečanski's sister Anna and married the Byzantine princess Theodora Palaiologina instead. The allies intended to join forces for a major invasion of Serbia in 1330. In the most significant event of Dečanski's reign, he defeated and killed Michael Asen III in theBattle of Velbazhd (1330). Prince Stefan Dušan also contributed to the victory.[27][28][29]
Hearing of Michael's defeat, Andronikos III retreated. Dečanski's subsequent conquests pushed the Serbian border south intoByzantine Macedonia. Some of his courtiers, however, were discontented with his policies and conspired to dethrone him in favour of Stefan Dušan. In 1331, Dušan came fromSkadar to Nerodimlje to overthrow Dečanski, who fled toPetrič.[30] On 21 August 1331 Dušan captured Petrič after a siege and imprisoned his father inZvečan Fortress, where he died on 11 November 1331.[31]
With his first wife, whose name is not known, Dečanski had no issue.[32]
By his second wife,Theodora of Bulgaria,[32] Stefan Dečanski had:
By his third wife,Maria Palaiologina,[32] daughter ofJohn Palaiologos, Dečanski had:
Dečanski is seen as a noble character inepic poetry, and theSerbian Orthodox Church had him canonized. His feast day is 11 November (old style), thus being 24 November (new style).[33] His remains are venerated at the church of theVisoki Dečani monastery, which he built, in the region ofMetohija.[34][35]
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Media related toStefan Dečanski at Wikimedia CommonsStefan Dečanski Born: 1285 Died: 11 November 1331 | ||
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| Preceded by | Governor of Zeta 1309–1314 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | King of Serbia 1322–1331 | Succeeded by |
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