Saint Đorđe Branković Ђорђе Бранковић
Stone-icon on the outer wall of theKrušedol monastery
Titular Despot of Serbia
TitularDespot of Serbia
Reign	1486–1497
Predecessor	Vuk Branković
Successor	Jovan Branković
Born	1461 (1461) Shkodër,Albania
Died	18 January 1516(1516-01-18) (aged 54–55) Kingdom of Hungary
Burial	Krušedol monastery
Spouse	Isabella delBalzo
House	Branković
Father	Stefan Branković
Mother	Angjelina Arianiti
Religion	Serbian Orthodox Christian

Đorđe Branković (Serbian Cyrillic:Ђорђе Бранковић;anglicized as George; also known asSaint Maksim; 1461–1516) was the last male member of theBranković dynasty, and titularDespot of Serbia from 1486 to 1497. The title was granted to him by Hungarian kingMatthias Corvinus. From 1493, he shared the title with his brotherJovan. In 1497, Đorđe relinquished all titles and possessions to his brother, and decided to take monastic vows, adopting the nameMaksim (Serbian Cyrillic:Максим). He built theKrušedol monastery, and served as diplomatic envoy for princeRadu IV the Great ofWallachia (1507). In 1513, he becameMetropolitan of Belgrade. After his death (1516), he was venerated as saint, and canonized by theSerbian Orthodox Church.^[1][2][3]

Đorđe was the son ofStefan Branković, exiled Despot of Serbia (1458–1459), and theAlbanian PrincessAngjelina Arianiti, daughter ofGjergj Arianiti.^[4][5][6] He was born in 1461, while his parents were residing in the region ofShkoder. The family later moved to northernItaly and acquired CastleBelgrado in the region ofFriuli. His father, Despot Stefan, died in 1476, and young Đorđe became his principal heir. In 1479, emperorFriedrich III granted them CastleWeitensfeld inCarinthia, and Đorđe moved there with the rest of family.^[7]

Đorđe′s first cousinVuk Branković, titular Despot of Serbia, died on April 16, 1485, without direct heirs. His title and vast estates in the Kingdom of Hungary were left vacant, prompting Hungarian kingMatthias Corvinus to find a suitable heir. He opted for the only remaining male members of Branković family (Đorđe and his brother Jovan), inviting them to come to Hungary.^[8][9]

In 1486, Đorđe arrived in Hungary and received the title ofDespot of Serbia from King Matthias, who granted him cities ofKupinik, Slankamen, and Berkasovo inSyrmia, as well as other towns which fell under these cities.

In 1487, Đorđe was married to Isabelladel Balzo (d. 1498), the daughter of Angilberto del Balzo, Duke ofNardò in theKingdom of Naples and his wife, Maria ConquistaOrsini, Countess of Castro & Ugento, Duchess of Taurisano. Isabella was a cousin ofQueen Beatrice, wife of King Matthias of Hungary.

From 1493 forwards, Đorđe ruled jointly with his brother Jovan, who was also granted the titleDespot of Serbia, as it was customary in the Kingdom of Hungary that various senior posts should be held jointly by two incumbents. In 1494, the two brothers fought againstLawrence of Ilok, who had possessions in Syrmia andSlavonia. In December 1494, the brothers conqueredMitrovica, which they entrusted to their nobles.

In 1497, despot Đorđe decided to relinquish all of his titles and possessions to his brother. He took monastic vows, adopting the nameMaksim (Serbian Cyrillic:Максим). He built theKrušedol monastery in the region ofSyrmia.^[10]

His brother, despot Jovan, died in 1502 without a male heir, and KingVladislaus II of Hungary arranged a new marriage for Jovan′s widowJelena Jakšić, who remarried to a fellowSerbian nobleman,Ivaniš Berislavić in 1504. Berislavić was granted the title of Serbian Despot, as well as control over the possessions of Jelena.^[9]

Soon after that, Maksim left Hungary and went to thePrincipality of Wallachia, where he was welcomed by PrinceRadu IV the Great (1495-1508), who entrusted Maksim with important diplomatic missions. In 1507, Maxim successfully mediated peace between Prince Radu of Walachia and PrinceBogdan III (1504-1517) ofMoldavia.^[11]

At the time of his stay in Wallachia, theMetropolitanate of Wallachia was undergoing the process of continuous institutional development. Maksim′s name was enlisted in adiptych of local Hierarchs, and some historians suggested that he became bishop in one of Wallachian eparchies, or even Metropolitan of Wallachia, but other researchers have pointed out that there is no direct confirmation for such assumption.^[12]

Upon his return to Hungary, he served asMetropolitan of Belgrade (from 1513). After his death in 1516, he was venerated as saint, and canonized by theSerbian Orthodox Church.^[13]

He is mentioned, together with all of his family, in the "Dell'Imperadori Constantinopolitani", orMassarelli manuscript, found in the papers ofAngelo Massarelli (1510–1566).^[14]

Members of theBranković dynasty were known for their devotion toEastern Orthodox Christianity,^[15][16] and Đorđe Branković (metropolitan Maksim) also represented that family tradition. He died on 18 January 1516, and early indications of sainthood aperared by 1523, in the time whenBelgrade was already in Ottoman hands (since 1521). By that time, the Ottoman expansion has reached theKrušedol Monastery, where he was buried there. During those troubled times, his cult was founded in order to serve as a morale booster for the Serbs, who fought, together with the Hungarians and other Christians, against the invading Ottomans. At the same time, in the same place, and with the same idea, cults of all his family members were founded: his father's, Stefan Branković (d 1476), his mother's, Angjelina (at the same time as Maksim), and his brother's, Jovan (d. 1502). During the 16th century, monks of Krušedol monastery celebrated those members of the Branković dynasty, andhagiographies were written of Angelina and Maksim.^[17]

The family members were buried at theKrušedol monastery and laid together in coffins at the altar. During theAustro-Turkish War (1716-1718), a Turkish army invadedSyrmia in 1716, capturedKrušedol and burned theholy relics, shortly after theBattle of Petrovaradin. Only some minor parts of the relics were preserved.^[18]

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  Personal coat of arms
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  Saints Maksim, Angelina, Jovan and Stefan Branković, by Andreja Raičević (c. 1645)
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  Krušedol monastery was founded by Đorđe Branković
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  Staro Hopovo monastery was founded by Đorđe Branković

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• 15th-century Serbian monarchs
• 15th-century Serbian royalty
• 16th-century Serbian royalty
• 15th-century Hungarian nobility
• 16th-century Christian monks
• Branković dynasty
• Arianiti family
• Despots of Serbia
• 1461 births
• 1516 deaths
• Metropolitans of Belgrade
• Medieval Serbian Orthodox clergy
• Eastern Orthodox royal saints from Serbia
• Members of the Romanian Orthodox Church

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