Vratko Nemanjić Jug Bogdan | |
|---|---|
 Elder Jug Bogdan (1881 painting) | |
| Buried | Davidovica monastery |
| Family | Nemanjić |
| Issue |
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| Father | Vratislav Nemanjić |
Vratko Nemanjić (Serbian Cyrillic:Вратко Немањић; fl. 1325–1355) was a Serbian nobleman, father ofPrince Lazar's spousePrincess Milica of Serbia.Serbian epic poetry identifies him withJug Bogdan (Југ Богдан, "South Bogdan") orLjutica Bogdan (Љутица Богдан, "Irate Bogdan"), a mythical hero in theBattle of Kosovo.
Member of the rulingNemanjić dynasty, he was born in the beginning of the 14th century as the son of Vratislav Nemanjic, who held the title ofGrand Župan, grandson ofDmitar Nemanjić, a son ofVukan Nemanjić. He was a noble and age-mate of Serb EmperorStefan Dušan. In 1342, Vratko and Oliver, as allies ofJohn VI Kantakouzenos in theByzantine civil war of 1341–1347, led the Serbian army to attackSerres. The attack failed disastrously, as dysentery (caused by the excessive consumption ofmust) befell the attackers, and 1,500 men died of it.[1]
Vratko Nemanjić is identified as the father of at leastŽupan Nikola—whose inscription from his 1379 burial confirms this—and Milica, the wife of Prince Lazar.[2] He must have been about 80 years old at the time of theBattle of Kosovo.[citation needed]
According to the Serbian epic poem "The girl Margit and the voevod Rajko", Jug Bogdan resided inHisar, at that time part of theSerbian Empire.
A folk tradition holds that the surrounding region ofBogdanovac was named after him. The 14-meter-tall (46 ft) water tower of theProkuplje Fortress is popularly called "Bogdan's Tower".[3]
Another tradition holds that Jug Bogdan owned vineyards in the village ofBogdanje (nearTrstenik), and that the village was named after him.[4]
In the Serbian epic poems, Jug Bogdan is the father of theJugovići (nineJugović brothers). One of his daughters Anđelija is married toBanović Strahinja, but was kidnapped by Ottoman vassal Vlah Alija.
Strahinja asks Jug Bogdan if he and his brothers-in-law (the Jugovići) could help him rescue her, but Jug Bogdan refused, since Anđelija had slept with the Turk, and brought great shame to the family.
He was killed together with his nine sons by the eightpasha (the seven before him had been killed) of the Ottoman Empire during theBattle of Kosovo. Where he is said to have fallen is now a monument with a large white cross standing and the inscription:
"Honor to the ancestors who taught us how to create a great fatherland. We will guard it and agree that it is more difficult to guard than to acquire.[5]
Critical historians have suggestedBogdan, a Macedonian magnate, brother ofDejan andJovan Oliver, as the likely historical model of this hero. Bogdan is mentioned byJohn VI Kantakouzenos, whileLaonikos Chalkokondyles has more details about him.[6]
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