Danilo II ( sr-cyr, Данило II) was the
Archbishop of Serbs 1324 to 1337, under the rule of Kings
Stephen Uroš III (1321–1331) and
Dušan the Mighty
Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Душан) is a Slavic given name primarily used in countries of Yugoslavia; and among Slovaks and Czechs. The name is derived from the Slavic noun ''duša'' "soul".
Occurrence
In Serbia, it was the 29th most popular nam ...
(1331–1355, crowned Emperor in 1345). As a Serbian monk, he was also a
chronicler
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
, active in court and Church politics, holding the office during the zenith of the
Nemanjić dynasty
The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal, and later imperial house produced twelve Serbian monarchs, who rul ...
-era; he wrote many biographies which are considered part of the most notable
medieval Serbian literature
Medieval Serbian literature or Old Serbian literature ( sr, Стара српска књижевност) refers to the literature written in medieval forms of Serbian language, up to the end of the 15th century, with its traditions extending in ...
. He was proclaimed
Saint Danilo II (Свети Данило II) of the
Serbian Orthodox Church, and is celebrated on the same day as Saint
Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius of Antioch (; Greek: Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας, ''Ignátios Antiokheías''; died c. 108/140 AD), also known as Ignatius Theophorus (, ''Ignátios ho Theophóros'', lit. "the God-bearing"), was an early Christian writer ...
on .
Life and work
![1330s fresco of Archbishop Danilo II with Prophet Daniel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/1330s_fresco_of_Archbishop_Danilo_II_with_Prophet_Daniel.jpg)
Born around 1270, his given name is not recorded, only that he belonged to a
Serbian noble family. He was endowed with a fine intellect and a noble disposition; he had received an excellent education at the hands of the most learned men in
Medieval Serbia
Serbia in the Middle Ages refers to the medieval period in the history of Serbia. The period begins in the 6th century with the Slavic migrations to Southeastern Europe, and lasts until the Ottoman conquest of Serbian lands in the second half ...
and in
Byzantium. Danilo wrote biographies of Serbian medieval kings and archbishops, including the biography of Jelena, the wife of King
Stephen Uroš I of Serbia (1243–1276). His monumental work is referred to in the poetry of Serbian folklore as ''knjige starostavne'' (the ancient books) and ''knjige carostavne'' (the royal books). As a result of his work, many historical details concerning both the rulers of medieval Serbia and the members of the Nemanjić dynasty have been preserved.
Legacy
![Monument of Serbian patriarch Danilo II](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Monument_of_Serbian_patriarch_Danilo_II.jpg)
He is included in
The 100 most prominent Serbs
''The 100 most prominent Serbs'' ( sr-Cyrl, 100 најзнаменитијих Срба) is a book containing the biographies of the hundred most important Serbs compiled by a committee of academicians at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. ...
.
See also
*
Jefimija
Jefimija ( sr-Cyrl, Јефимија, ; 1349–1405), secular name Jelena Mrnjavčević (Serbian Cyrillic: Јелена Мрњавчевић, or ), daughter of Vojihna and widow of Jovan Uglješa Mrnjavčević, is considered the first female Serb ...
*
Princess Milica of Serbia
Princess Milica Hrebeljanović née Nemanjić ( sr, Милица Немањић Хребељановић · ca. 1335 – November 11, 1405) also known as Empress (''Tsaritsa'') Milica, was a royal consort of Serbia by marriage to Prince Lazar, ...
*
Stefan Lazarević
*
Teodosije Teodosije ( sr-cyr, Теодосије) is a Serbian
Serbian may refer to:
* someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe
* someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people
* Serbian language
* Serbia ...
*
Domentijan
Domentijan ( sr-cyr, Доментијан; c. 1210-after 1264), also known as Domentijan the Hilandarian (Доментијан Хиландарац), was a major figure in medieval Serbian literature and philosophy.Mateja Matejić and Dragan Mili ...
*
Stefan Dušan
Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан, ), known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr, / ; circa 1308 – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Tsar (or Emperor) and autocrat of the Serbs, Gre ...
*
Teodosije the Hilandarian
Teodosije the Hilandarian or Theodosije of Hilandar ( sr, Теодосије Хиландарац/Teodosije Hilandarac; 1246–1328) was a Serbian Orthodox clergyman and one of the most important Serbian writers in the Middle Ages; the Serbian Acad ...
(1246-1328), one of the most important Serbian writers in the Middle Ages
*
Miroslav Gospel
*
Gabriel the Hilandarian
*
Danilo's anonymous pupil
Danilo's pupil (14th century) was a talented monk who wrote the biography of Danilo II between 1337 and 1340. He is credited with compiling the biographies written by Danilo II in a collection, and he added his biography of Stefan Uroš III and t ...
References
* Translated and adapted from Serbian: https://www.rastko.rs/kosovo/pecarsija/ljudi/vl_sava-danilo_II_l.html
Sources
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Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Danilo II
Serbian saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Christians from Serbia
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing
14th-century Christian saints
14th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops
14th-century Serbian people
Archbishops of Serbs
Burials at the Patriarchate of Peć (monastery)