Duchy of Saint Sava
1448–1482
Flag of Saint Sava
Flag
Coat of arms of Saint Sava
Coat of arms
War in Zeta (1441–1444). Duchy of Stephen Vukcic Kosaca annexed Upper Zeta. Conquered the city of Bar, with the fortress (now Old Bar) in Lower Zeta.
War in Zeta (1441–1444). Duchy of Stephen Vukcic Kosaca annexed Upper Zeta. Conquered the city of Bar, with the fortress (now Old Bar) in Lower Zeta.
CapitalBlagaj
Largest cityHerceg-Novi
GovernmentFeudal state
Historical eraLate Medieval
• Established
1448
• Disestablished
1482
Succeeded by
Sanjak of Herzegovina
Today part of

Duchy of Saint Sava[1][2][3][4][5][6] (Serbo-Croatian: Vojvodstvo Svetog Save, Војводство Светог Саве) was a late medieval polity in southeastern Europe, that existed from 1448 up to 1482, when it was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire. It was ruled by the Kosača noble family, who held the title "Duke of Saint Sava" (Serbo-Croatian: Herceg od Svetog Save, Херцег од Светог Саве). Their domains included southern parts of modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, extending to southern parts of modern-day coastal Croatia, northwestern Montenegro and southwestern Serbia. Its founder, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača (duke since 1448), titled himself Herceg of Saint Sava,[7][8][9][10][11] a title which would later give rise to the new name to the region: Herzegovina, and will be also used by the Ottomans as Hersek Sancağı (Sanjak of the Herzeg), designating the Sanjak of Herzegovina.[12]

In various sources, and historiographical traditions, the name of the duchy is recorded or used in several forms, varying mostly in the way the name of Saint Sava is spelled in different languages: Latin: Ducatus Sancti Sabbae,[13][14] Italian: Ducato di San Sabba,[15] German: Herzogtum des hl. Sava.[16] In English historiography, forms such as the "Duchy of Saint Sava" or "Duchy of St. Sava" were used since the 19th century.[17]

History

Until the 14th century, most regions of the later Duchy of Saint Sava were part of medieval Serbia,[18][19] and then part of the medieval Bosnia,[20] that reached its high under Stephen Tvrtko I (d. 1391), king of Serbs, Bosnia and Maritime.[21] At its greatest extent, under Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, and later his son Vladislav, the Kosača noble family ruled the territories that included significant part of modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, and extended to parts of modern-day coastal Croatia, northwestern Montenegro and southeastern part of modern Serbia. Stjepan titled himself "Herceg of Saint Sava", after the first Serbian Archbishop, Saint Sava. The title is of German origin, Herzog ("Duke"), and it was used as an equivalent to the South Slavic title Vojvoda.[22][23] Stjepan's title of Duke (Herceg) would later give the name to the present-day region of Herzegovina, as the Ottomans used the term "Hersek Sancağı" (Sanjak of the Herzeg) for the newly formed Sanjak of Herzegovina.

On 15 February 1444, Stephen signed a treaty with Alfonso V, King of Aragon and Naples, becoming his vassal in exchange for the king's help against Stjepan's enemies, namely King Stephen Thomas of Bosnia, Duke Ivaniš Pavlović and the Republic of Venice. In the same treaty Stjepan promised to pay regular tribute to Alfonso instead of his tribute to the Ottoman sultan, which he had done up until then. In a document sent to Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III on 20 January 1448, Stephen Vukčić Kosača styled himself "Vojvoda (duke, herzog) of Saint Sava", "Lord of Hum and the Coast", and "Grand Duke", and forced the Bosnian king to recognize him as such. The title "Duke of Saint Sava" had considerable public relations value, because Sava's relics, which were located in Mileševa, were considered miracle-working by people of all Christian faiths in the region.[7] This significantly improved relations between Stjepan and the Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković, as they formed an alliance the same year and conquered Višegrad and Srebrnica from the Bosnian crown.

In 1451, Stjepan attacked Dubrovnik, and laid siege to the city. He had earlier been made a Ragusan nobleman and, consequently, the Ragusan government now proclaimed him a traitor. A reward of 15,000 ducats, a palace in Dubrovnik worth 2,000 ducats, and an annual income of 300 ducats was offered to anyone who would kill him, along with the promise of hereditary Ragusan nobility which also helped hold this promise to whoever did the deed. Stjepan was so scared by the threat that he finally raised the siege.[24]

Stjepan Vukčić died in 1466, and was succeeded by his eldest son Vladislav Hercegović. In 1482 he was overpowered by Ottoman forces led by Stjepan Vukčić's youngest son, Hersekli Ahmed Pasha, who converted to Islam prior to that. In the Ottoman Empire, Herzegovina was organized as a part (sanjak) within the province (pashaluk) of Bosnia. Stjepan founded the Serbian Orthodox Zagrađe Monastery near his realm's seat in Soko, modern-day northwestern Montenegro, and the Savina Monastery, near Herceg Novi in the Bay of Kotor. Their successors kept the title "Duke of Saint Sava" and used it until the extinction of Kosača family.[25][26][27]

Rulers

See also

References

Sources

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