Stefan Uroš II Milutin Стефан Урош II Милутин | |
|---|---|
 King Milutin, founder's portrait (fresco) in King's Church of theStudenica Monastery, painted during his lifetime, around 1314 | |
| Milutin theKtetor | |
| Born | 1253 |
| Died | 29 October 1321(1321-10-29) (aged 68) |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 30 October |
| King of all Serbian and Maritime lands | |
| Reign | 1282–1321 |
| Coronation | 1282 |
| Predecessor | Stefan Dragutin |
| Successor | Stefan Dečanski |
| Born | Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić |
| Burial | St. Nedelya Cathedral inSofia (relocated in 1460) |
| Spouse | Jelena Helena Doukaina Angelina Elizabeth of Hungary Anna Terter of Bulgaria Simonis Palaiologina |
| Issue | Stefan Konstantin Stefan Uroš III Dečanski |
| House | Nemanjić dynasty |
| Father | Stefan Uroš I |
| Mother | Saint Helen of Serbia |
| Religion | Serbian Orthodox |
| Signature |  |
Stefan Uroš II Milutin (Serbian Cyrillic:Стефан Урош II Милутин,romanized: Stefan Uroš II Milutin;c. 1253 – 29 October 1321), known posthumously as "theHoly King" (Свети краљ), was theKing ofSerbia between 1282–1321, a member of theNemanjić dynasty. He was one of the most powerful rulers ofSerbia in the Middle Ages and one of the most prominent European monarchs of his time. Milutin is credited with strongly resisting the efforts ofByzantine EmperorMichael VIII Palaiologos to imposeRoman Catholicism on the Balkans after theUnion of Lyons in 1274. During his reign, Serbian economic power grew rapidly, mostly due to the development of mining. He foundedNovo Brdo, which became an internationally importantsilver mining site. As most of the Nemanjić monarchs, he was proclaimed asaint by theSerbian Orthodox Church with afeast day on October 30.[1][2]
He was the youngest son of KingStefan Uroš I and his wife, QueenHelen,[3] who was a distant cousin of Sicilian KingCharles I of Anjou, but herself not a scion of theCapetan House of Anjou.[4][5][6][7][8]
Unexpectedly Milutin became king of Serbia after the abdication of his brotherStefan Dragutin in 1282.[9] He was around 29 at the time. Immediately upon his accession he invaded Byzantine lands and conquered the northern parts of Macedonia including the city ofSkoplje, which became his capital. Byzantine EmperorMichael VIII Palaiologos began preparations for war but died before their completion. The next year Milutin advanced with his brother deep into Byzantine territory all the way toKavala.[10]
In 1284, Milutin also gained control of northern Albania and the city ofDyrrachion (Durrës). For the next 15 years there were no changes in the war. Peace was concluded in 1299 when Milutin kept the conquered lands as the dowry ofSimonis, daughter of EmperorAndronikos II Palaiologos who became his fourth wife.[11] In the Nerodimlježupa Milutin had three courts, in Nerodimlje (protected byPetrič),Svrčin and Pauni.[12]
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At the end of the 13th centuryBulgarian feudal lordsDarman and Kudelin were jointly ruling theregion of Braničevo (in modern Serbia) as independent or semi-independent lords. They regularly attacked Stefan Dragutin's Syrmian Kingdom, in Mačva, an area previously under the sovereignty of Elizabeth of Hungary. The Hungarian queen had sent troops to claim Braničevo in 1282–1284, but her forces had been repelled and her vassal lands plundered in retaliation.[13]
Another campaign, this time organized by both Dragutin and Elizabeth, failed to conquer Darman and Kudelin's domains in 1285 and suffered another counter-raid by the brothers. It was not until 1291 when a joint force of Dragutin and the Serbian King Stefan Milutin managed to defeat the brothers and, for the first time ever, the region came under the rule of a Serb, as it was annexed by Dragutin. Responding to Dragutin's annexation of Braničevo the Bulgarian prince namedShishman that came to rule the semi-independentprincipality of Vidin around 1280, began to attack the Serbian domains to his west.[13]
Shishman was a vassal ofNogai Khan,Khan of theGolden Horde and sought to expand his territories to the west, invading Serbia coming as far asHvosno, but failed to captureZdrelo (nearPeć) and was then pursued back toVidin by Serbian troops. Milutin devastated Vidin and the rest of Shishman's dominion, forcing Shishman to take refuge on the other side of theDanube. The two however became allies after Milutin married SerbianžupanDragoš to the daughter of Shishman, later Milutin would give his daughterAna-Neda to Shishman's sonMichael, who would become the Tsar of Bulgaria in 1323.
Milutin and Nogai Khan would soon come into conflict because of the war with the Tsardom of Vidin. Nogai launched a campaign against Serbia but Milutin offered peace sending his sonStefan Dečanski to Nogai's court. Stefan stayed with his entourage there until 1296 or Nogai Khan's death in 1299.[14]
Disputes began between Milutin and his brother Stefan Dragutin after a peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire was signed in 1299. Dragutin in the meantime held lands from Braničevo in the east to the Bosna river in the west. His capital wasBelgrade.[15] War broke out between the brothers and lasted, with sporadic cease-fires, until Dragutin's death in 1316. By 1309, Milutin appointed his son, future kingStefan Dečanski, as governor ofZeta.[16] This meant thatStefan Dečanski was to be heir to the throne in Serbia and not Dragutin's sonStefan Vladislav II.[17][18] In order to gain an edge in his feud with Dragutin, Milutin sought support from thePapal States, even offering to convert himself and the Serbs collectively to Roman Catholicism.[19][20]
He capturedDurrës in 1296.[21] TheBattle of Gallipoli (1312) was fought by Serbian troops sent by Stefan Milutin to aid Byzantine Emperor Andronikos in the defense of his lands against the Turks. After numerous attempts in subduing the Turks, the rapidly crumbling Byzantine Empire was forced to enlist the help of Serbia.[22] The Turks were looting and pillaging the countryside and the two armies converged at the Gallipolipeninsula where the Turks were decisively defeated. Out of gratitude to Serbia, the town ofKucovo was donated.
UponStefan Dragutin's death in 1316, Milutin conquered most of his lands includingBelgrade. That was not acceptable for kingCharles I of Hungary, who started to seek allies against Serbia, including those among Albanian nobles, who were also receiving support from PopeJohn XXII. Milutin started to persecute Catholics which led to the crusade started by Pope John XXII.[23][24][25]
In 1318, there was an open revolt of Albanian nobles against the rule of Stefan Milutin, which is sometimes credited to be incited by PrincePhilip I of Taranto andPope John XXII in order to weaken Stefan Milutin's rule. Milutin suppressed the rebels without much difficulty.[23] In 1319,Charles I of Hungary regained control over Belgrade and the region ofMačva while Milutin held control in Braničevo. In the year 1314 Milutin's son Stefan Dečanski rebelled against his father, but was captured and sent to exile inConstantinople. For the rest of Milutin's reign his youngest son Stefan Constantine was considered as heir to the throne, but in the spring of 1321 Stefan Dečanski returned to Serbia and was pardoned by his father.[26]
Serbia's economic power grew rapidly in the 14th century, and Milutin's power was based on new mines, mostly in Kosovo territory. During his regin,Novo Brdo was the richest silver mine in the Balkans, while another important mines wereTrepča andJanjevo. He produced imitations ofVenetian coins, which contained seven-eighths of silver compared to their coins. They were banned by the Republic of Venice, but Milutin used them to wage civil war against Dragutin. Later, Novo Brdo became an internationally importantsilver mining site and significant strategic position, while in the 15th century, Serbia and Bosnia combined produced over 20% of European silver.[27][28]
Time of his reign was marked hostility toCatholicism, particularly in coastal regions, inhabited by religiously mixed population, that included Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians.[23][24]
Stefan Uroš II Milutin was married five times.
By his first wife, Jelena, a Serbian noblewoman, he had one son:
By his second wife,Helena, daughter ofsebastokratōrJohn I Doukas of Thessaly, he possibly had:
By his third wife,Elizabeth, daughter of KingStephen V of Hungary andElizabeth the Cuman, he had:
By his fourth wife,Anna, the daughter ofGeorge Terter I of Bulgaria and Maria of Bulgaria, he probably had no children.
By his fifth wifeSimonis, the daughter of EmperorAndronikos II Palaiologos andIrene of Montferrat, he had no children.
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At the end of Milutin's life Serbia was second in strength inSoutheast Europe after Hungary. During his reign many court ceremonials were taken over from the Byzantine court and Byzantine culture overflowed into Serbia. After his death a short civil war followed, after which the Serbian throne was ascended by his eldest son,Stefan Dečanski. Around 1460, the remains of the king were carried to Bulgaria from theHilandar monastery and were stored in various churches and monasteries until being transferred toSt Nedelya Church after it became a bishop's residence in the 18th century. With some interruptions, the remains have been preserved in the church ever since and the church acquired another name, Holy King ("Свети Крал", "Sveti Kral"), in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Stefan Milutin is mentioned in theDante Alighieri's narrative poemDivine Comedy with the characteristics of counterfeiters due to the copying of Venetian money.[32][27]
He is included inThe 100 most prominent Serbs list.
King Stefan Milutin founded a hospital inConstantinopole, which later became amedical school.[33] He also erected many churches and monasteries in Serbian lands.[34][35][36] As aktetor, he was praised in works ofDanilo II,Serbian Archbishop (1324–1337) and other medieval sources.[37][38]
Stefan Milutin Born: 1253 Died: 29 October 1321 | ||
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| Preceded by | King of Serbia 1282–1321 | Succeeded by |
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