ZAVID, obrati panju na ime [son of URO I Grand upan of Serbia] & his wife [Anna

Diogene]. Zavids supposed parentage, and the fact that he was the father of the four
children shown below, is deduced from a combination of information. Miroslav names his
father as Zavid in a gospel which he wrote[76]. Other sources consistently name
Tihomir, Stracimir, Miroslav and Nemanja as brothers, although it is not specified that
they all shared the same father and mother. According to a charter written in 1198 by
Nemanja, his great-grandfather and grandfather had "ruled the land". (Stephanus
Nemanja, Serbi magnus upanus visited Mount Athos, charter dated 2 Nov 1198[77],
Serbian text not consulted). This statement is also found in the biographies of Nemanja
written by his sons. The deduction is that Nemanja's father, Zavid, was another son of
Uro I Grand upan of Serbia (Chapter 2.C). Emperor Manuel I's choice of Tihomir as
new ruler of Serbia in [1166] also makes more sense if he was closely related to the
former dynasty rather than an outsider, as such a choice is more likely to have been
acceptable to Serbia's leaders. Zavid presumably rebelled in some way against his
[presumed] father or oldest brother, as Zavid's son Nemanja was born while his
father was exiled in Zeta[78].
Zavid & his wife had four children:
1.
TIHOMIR (-drowned Sitnica River [1168/71]). Miroslav, Tihomir, Stracimir and
Nemanja are consistently described as four brothers, although only Miroslav is named as
son of Zavid in one of his own gospels[79]. He was installed as TIHOMIR Grand upan of
Serbia in [1166], presumably by Emperor Manuel I[80]. Although he took the title Grand
upan, Serbian territory was divided between him and his three brothers, Tihomir taking
control over Desniza. He imprisoned his brother Nemanja, who escaped,
mobilised an army and expelled Tihomir and his other two brothers, possibly
with help from Byzantium, in [1167/68][81]. Tihomir fled to Constantinople,
returned with Byzantine troops to challenge Nemanja but was defeated and
killed at Pantino, near Zvean on the Sitnica River[82]. m ---. The name of
Tihomir's wife is not known. Tihomir & his wife had one child: STEFAN PRVOSLAV .
2.
STRACIMIR (-after 25 Dec 1189). He was installed as upan in northern Serbia,
on the west Morava River near aak, in [1166]. He was expelled, along with his
two brothers, by their third brother Nemanja in [1167/68][85]. He made peace
with his brother Nemanja after their brother Tihomir was killed, and was restored as
upan in the territories he had previously held[86].
3.
MIROSLAV (-[1198]). Miroslav names his father as Zavid in a gospel which he
wrote[88]. He was installed as upan in part of Serbia in [1166]. He was expelled, along
with his two brothers, by their third brother Nemanja in [1167/68][89]. He made peace
with his brother Nemanja after their brother Tihomir was killed, and was installed as
Grand Knez of Hum (formerly Zahumlje, now Hercegovina), with his capital at Ston,
which may have been the area over which he was upan from [1166][90].
4.
STEFAN NEMANJA (near Podgorica [1113] -Mount Athos 13 Feb 1199, bur 1207
Studenica Monastery). Miroslav, Tihomir, Stracimir and Nemanja are consistently
described as four brothers, although only Miroslav is named as son of Zavid in one of his
own gospels[92]. He succeeded in [1167/68] as STEFAN NEMANJA Grand upan of
Serbia.
Stefan Nemanja & his wife had five children:
1.
VUKAN (-[1209]). The life of St Sava by Domentijan names "le prince Volkan,
frre de lautocrate Etienne" when recording that he rebelled after the death of their
father[113]. He was appointed Grand Knez of Zeta (Duklja) by his father by 1190, as an
appanage of Serbia. He was passed over in the succession to Serbia, on his

father's abdication in 1196, in favour of his younger brother although the

reason for this has not yet been ascertained. From this time, Vukan called himself
King of Duklja and Dalmatia, asserting himself as an independent ruler, which was
recognised by the Pope and by Hungary. He accepted Papal supremacy and became a
Catholic[114]. He attacked Serbia in 1202, deposed his brother, and succeeded
as VUKAN Grand upan of Serbia, at the same time recognising Hungarian
suzerainty. He was expelled by his brother in [1204/05], and returned to Zeta,
although tensions with Serbia continued. He abdicated in [1208] in Zeta in favour
of his son[115].
2.
STEFAN (-24 Sep 1227, bur Studencia). He succeeded in 1196 on the
abdication of his father as STEFAN Grand upan of Serbia. The rivalry with his older
brother culminated in the latter attacking Serbia in 1202 and deposing Stefan
who fled to either Bulgaria or Bosnia. He was restored in [1204/05], although the
circumstances are not clear[127].
The civil war between Nemanja's other sons Stefan and Vukan was tearing
apart the Serb lands. It is over Simeon's deceased body that the two brothers made
peace and returned to their demesnes.
U celokupnom kontekstu nije uopte udno da se Rastku smuio ivot na dvoru i
da je pobegao na Svetu Goru. Dobro je poznato da je on mirio brau.
3.
RASTKO (1174-Trnovo 12 Jan 1235, bur 1237 Mileevo Monastery). He was
installed by his father as Grand Knez of Hum after 17 Jun 1190, probably only ruling in
part of the territory as his uncle Miroslav still held the region of the Lim River with Bijelo
Polje[118]. He ran away to Mount Athos in 1192 to become a monk as SAVA, founding
the Serbian monastery of Hilandar[119]. He became abbot of Studenica monastery,
but left Serbia in 1217 in protest at his brother's coronation by the papal legate,
returning to Mount Athos[120]. He left Mount Athos for Nikaia in 1219, agreeing to
recognise the Nikaian patriarch's title of 'Ecumenical Patriarch'[121] in return for
autonomous status for the Serbian church, and was appointed first Archbishop of the
newly independent Serbian church[122]. He abdicated in [1233/34], upset by the
dissensions between his nephews, went on pilgrimage to Palestine and died on
his way home in 1235 while on a visit to the Bulgarian court[123]. Soon after his death
he was canonised as St SAVA.
4.

EFIMIJA (-[1216/25]).

5.
daughter . The primary source which confirms her parentage and marriage has
not yet been identified.
Grand upan Stefan & his first wife had three children:
1.
STEFAN RADOSLAV ([1191/1201]-after 1235). The life of St Sava by Domentijan
names "Radoslav" as oldest son of "lautocrate Etienne" when recording that he
succeeded his father[142]. In [1216], his father appears to have installed him in part of
Hum, after intervening after the expulsion of Knez Andrej by his [supposed] brother
Petar, and in Zeta[143]. He succeeded on the abdication of his father in [1224/27] as
RADOSLAV "Krapalo" King of Serbia, crowned at ia by his uncle Archbishop Sava.
Unpopular due to the influence asserted by his wife, rebellion broke out against
him in Autumn 1233. King Radoslav was forced to flee Serbia in [late
1233/early 1234], taking refuge in Dubrovnik from where he issued a charter
giving himself the Byzantine name Dukas: Stephanus Radoslav, Serbi rex promised
privileges to the merchants of Ragusa by charter dated 4 Feb 1234 at Ragusa[145]. He
eventually returned to Serbia and became a monk as JOVAN[146]. The life of St Sava by

Domentijan records that "le roi Radoslav, pour expier quelques fautes, prit la
tonsure monastique" and was succeeded by his brother[147]. However, as
discussed below, if Radoslavs supposed son, Dragoslav Jovan, was still alive in 1315 he
would probably have been in his eighties if born from his fathers known marriage, which
suggests the possibility of an otherwise unrecorded second marriage. The titles
attributed to Dragoslav Jovan and his descendants suggest that it is unlikely that he was
illegitimate.]
2.

KOMINIA.

3.

daughter (before [1201/02]-).

Grand upan Stefan & his [second/third] wife had three children:
4.
PREDISLAV (-1270 or after). He became a monk as Sava. Appointed Bishop of
Hum by his brother. Appointed Archbishop of Serbia in 1263, until 1270.
5.
STEFAN VLADISLAV (-11 Nov after 1267 [1269]). The life of St Sava by
Domentijan records that "son frre Vladislav" succeeded as king on the abdication of "le
roi Radoslav" and was crowned by his uncle Archbishop Sava[159]. He succeeded as
VLADISLAV King of Serbia after his brother was deposed in late 1233. Vladislav
was deposed in 1243 in favour of his younger [half-]brother Stefan Uro, maybe
because of close ties with Bulgaria through his marriage, although he remained on good
relations with his successor and was still referred to as king in some official
documents[161]. Stefan Vladislav & his wife had three children:
a)
STEFAN. The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been
identified.
b)
DESA. The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been
identified. 1281/85.
c)
daughter . Her parentage is confirmed by the charter dated to [1240/72] under
which Georgius comes, regis Vladislavi gener made peace with Ragusa[163].
Grand upan Stefan & his third wife had one child:
6.
STEFAN URO (-1 May 1280, bur Sopoani). Stephanus Uro, Serbi rex
confirmed the privileges granted by fratre Stephano to Ragusa by charter dated to
[1240/72][165]. He succeeded in 1243 as STEFAN URO I "Veliki/the Great" or
"Arapavi/the Holy" King of Serbia.
King Stefan Uro I & his wife had four children:
1.
STEFAN DRAGUTIN (-12 Mar 1316, bur Ras). The primary source which
confirms his parentage has not yet been identified. He was appointed associate-king
[Mladi Kralj] of Serbia by his father in 1271. He rebelled against his father, whom
he defeated with Hungarian support near Gacko, and succeeded in 1276 as
STEFAN DRAGUTIN King of Serbia. He fell from his horse and broke his leg in 1282,
and possibly for health reasons abdicated in favour of his younger brother at a council
convoked at Deevo. In exchange, he was granted a large appanage in northern and
western Serbia including the mining town of Rudnik[178]. Rivalry with his younger
brother intensified towards the end of the century, and by 1300 Dragutin was
preparing to attack. War lasted until 1312 or 1314. In the meantime, Dragutin
was also pulled into the Hungarian civil war following the death of Andrs III King of

Hungary in 1301, in order to protect his Hungarian territories. He proposed his son as a
rival candidate for the Hungarian throne.
Stefan Dragutin & his wife had three children:
a)

JELISAVETA (-1331).

b)
VLADISLAV (-in Hungary after 1326). The primary source which confirms his
parentage has not yet been identified. Under the terms of his father's abdication, it is
possible that Vladislav was accepted as next in line for the Serbian throne after his uncle
King Stefan Uro II Milutin. He claimed the throne of Hungary after the death of Andrs
III King of Hungary, in right of his mother. He inherited both his father's Serbian and
Hungarian appanages on the latter's death in 1316, but King Milutin imprisoned him
in [1316/17], confiscated his Serbian lands and conquered his Hungarian
territories[187]. On the death of his uncle King Milutin in 1321, he escaped
from prison and claimed the throne. He established himself as king in his
former appanage around Rudnik, but fled north after his cousin King Stefan
Uro III Deanski invaded in 1323. He eventually went to Hungary where he
died[188].
c)
UROSI (-before 1316). The primary source which confirms his parentage has
not yet been identified. He became a monk as STEFAN[190].
2.
STEFAN URO MILUTIN ([1253]-Castle Nerodimlja, Amselfeld 29 Oct 1321,
bur Sardika [Sofija]). He succeeded in 1282 on the abdication of his brother as
STEFAN URO II MILUTIN King of Serbia.
son of STEFAN URO I "Veliki/the Great" or "Arapavi/the Holy" King of Serbia & his wife
Jelena --- ([1253]-Castle Nerodimlja, Amselfeld 29 Oct 1321, bur Sardika [Sofija]). He
took up residence at his mother's court at Shkodra after the accession of his
brother in 1276[195]. Ban of Hum until 1282. He succeeded in 1282 on the
abdication of his brother as STEFAN URO II MILUTIN King of Serbia and Lord
of Primorje. Serbia attacked Macedonia in 1282, conquering Skopje (which became
King Milutin's main residence) either then or during the 1290s, and Durazzo in
1296[196]. In retaliation for the invasion of Serbia by iman, Lord of Vidin in Bulgaria,
King Milutin conquered Vidin in 1292 and forced iman to seek refuge with his Tatar
overlords. Peace was restored, but to appease the Tatars King Milutin sent his son as
a hostage[197]. He made peace with Emperor Andronikos II in 1299, agreeing the
Serbian/Byzantine border through Macedonia, and marrying the emperor's daughter as
his fourth wife, her dowry being deemed to be the Byzantine territory which King Milutin
had conquered over the previous years[198]. War with his brother broke out in
1300, lasting until 1312 or 1314. Milutin funded the war by increasing
production from his mines, minting large quantities of silver coins, although
Venice complained about their doubtful silver content. He also built numerous
churches in Serbia during his reign, in return for which he received firm ecclesiastical
support in his government[199]. Stephanus Uro, Serbi rexabnepos sancti Symeonis
et filius magni regis Uro built templum in honorem sanctorum et justorum Joachim et
Ann by charter dated 1314[200]. He imprisoned his nephew Vladislav in
[1316/17], confiscated his Serbian lands and conquered his Hungarian
territories. Hungary quickly retaliated and re-established Mava as a Banate under a
Hungarian appointee[201]. King Stefan Uro II Milutin died after falling from his bed,
without nominating his successor which triggered immediate civil war between his
sons and his nephew[202].
3.
BRNA [Brnjaa]. The primary source which confirms her parentage and
marriage has not yet been identified. He was in prison in Hungary 1269[193].

4.
STEFAN (-before 1264). The primary source which confirms his parentage has
not yet been identified.]
Stefan Uro II Milutin & his second wife had two children:
1.
STEFAN KONSTANTIN ([1283/94]-killed in battle in Zeta 1323). The primary
source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified. Knez of Zahumlje
1303/06. His father granted him the appanage of Zeta some time after 1314[211]. He
was proclaimed king in Zeta on his father's death in 1321[212], and refused to
submit to his half-brother but the latter invaded Zeta and defeated Stefan
Konstantin in battle[213].
2.
child . The primary source which confirms his/her parentage has not yet been
identified. 1286/1292.
Stefan Uro II Milutin had & his third wife had one child:
3.
NEDA ([1295/98]-after 1346). Her first betrothal was part of the treaty
agreed between her father and Charles Comte de Valois aimed at ensuring the
latter's support in Milutin's war with his brother[214]. She was imprisoned by her
husband after her repudiation[216]. She was restored as regent for her son in
[Aug/Sep] 1330, on the insistence of her brother Stefan Uro III Deanski King of Serbia,
but fled to Serbia after her son was deposed in 1331.

King Stefan Uro II Milutin had one illegitimate son by Mistress (Zanimljiv
podatak koji nisam znao):
4.
STEFAN URO ([1276]-murdered 3 Nov 1336, bur Visoki Deani monastery).
He succeeded in 1322 as STEFAN URO III "Deanski" King of Serbia. Illegitimate
son of STEFAN URO II MILUTIN King of Serbia & his mistress. His father sent him as
a hostage to the Tatars in [1293], as a gesture of appeasement to forestall an attack
on Serbia, and he remained there until 1299[217]. His father gave him Zeta as an
appanage on his return[218]. He revolted against his father in 1314, was
defeated, captured, maybe blinded, and exiled with his family to
Constantinople, although they were allowed to return in 1320[219] when he was
given the appanage of Budimlje [Ivangrad][220]. He claimed the throne on his father's
death in 1321, asserting that he had miraculously regained his sight[221], and was
crowned 6 Jan 1322 by the Archbishop of Serbia as STEFAN URO III "Deanski" King of
Serbia. In 1323, he defeated and killed his half-brother Konstantin, retaking
Zeta, and forced his cousin Vladislav to flee, retaking his Serbian lands. In
[1326], he supported his father-in-law's secession in Thessaloniki, which signalled a
revival of Serbian interest in Byzantine politics[222]. He failed to intervene in 1328 when
Emperor Andronikos III successfully rebelled against his grandfather[223]. He attacked
western Macedonia in 1328, and defeated Tsar Mihail III iman of Bulgaria at Velbud in
1330 after his Byzantine allies failed to arrive for the battle[224]. A large segment of the
Serbian nobility was dissatisfied with his failure to wage war on Byzantium as a result of
this. After quarrelling with his son Duan, he sent an army into Zeta to capture
him but Duan fled. Duan caught up with his father at Petri where on 21 Aug
1331, he was deposed, imprisoned in chains, and later murdered[225]. A
document records the death of Stephanus Uro III, Serbi rex dated 3 Nov 1336[226].
He founded Deani monastery.

Stefan Uro III had & his first wife had two children:
1.

STEFAN DUAN ([1308]-20 Dec 1355).

2.

DUICA (-Constantinople before 1318).

Stefan Uro III & his second wife had three children:
3.

JELENA [Lelika] (-after 1355).

4.
SYMEON URO ([1324/26]-[1369/72]). Ioannes Kantakuzenos names "Simon,
Cralio fraterAcarnani dominus" recording that he rebelled against his brother, in
a passage dated to 1355[250]. He was awarded the title Despot by his halfbrother
5.

TEODORA (1330-after 1381).

STEFAN DUAN ([1308]-20 Dec 1355). He was crowned "Young King" [Mladi Kralj] at
the time of his father's coronation Jan 1322[230], and was granted Zeta as an appanage
after his father defeated his half-brother Konstantin. He deposed his father at
Petri 21 Aug 1331, succeeding as STEFAN DUAN King of Serbia, crowned Sep
1331. He made peace with Tsar Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria [1331/32], sealed by his
marriage to the Tsar's sister[232]. King Stefan Duan attacked Byzantine Macedonia in
1332, recapturing Ohrid, Prilep and Strumica, gains which were recognised under the
terms of the peace agreed in 1334[233]. After the death of Emperor Andronikos III in
1341, he profited from the civil war between Ioannes Kantakuzenos and the party of the
Dowager Empress Anna to take control over remaining parts of Macedonia, except
Thessaloniki, finally capturing Serrhes 25 Sep 1345 after a long siege. Profiting from this
newfound power, he declared himself Tsar of Serbia and Greece[234], crowned 16 Apr
1346 at Skopje by the newly elevated Patriarch of Serbia and in the presence of
representatives from the monastery of Mount Athos (of whom he was a major patron).
He crowned his son as king to rule in the old Serbian part of his empire, while taking
direct control of his new Greek acquisitions. He conquered Albania and Epirus, as well as
Thessaly, by the end of his reign without being challenged in a major battle, effectively
taking from Byzantium half of its remaining territory. Citizen of the Republic of Venice in
1350, he unsuccessfully sought Venetian maritime help to carry out his ultimate goal, the
conquest of Constantinople. He promulgated the code of Duan, firstly at an imperial
diet convened at Skopje in May 1349 confirmed in a more extensive version at Serres in
1354, which formed the legal base for the new Serbian Empire. He died of a stroke. He
became the hero of later epic poetry which glorified his life.

Sa carom Duanom bih zavrio priu o Nemanjiima. Naravno i dalje kroz srednji vek se
protee slina pria svae i ratovi, ali za mene su pre svega interesantni Nemanjii, koji
se esto predstavljaju kao osnivai Spske drave. Zanimljivo je i njihovo prezime, nita
nije sluajno. Iako je u to vreme njihova drava bila jaka i bogata, mislim da je srpska
drava osuena na nemanje. Dakle ako je otac srpske drave Nemanja, a njegov otac
Zavid ta moemo drugo da oekujemo u toj dravi nego upravo to to imamo: zavist i
nemanje.
I rest my case*.
*Opet sam ti ukrao foru. alim se jako mi se dopada tvoj stil pisnja i zato bih voleo da
ovo napiemo zajedno, naravno ukoliko i ti to eli i ima vremena.