Uroš II ( sr-cyr, Урош II), also known as Primislav (Примислав) or Prvoslav (Првослав), was Serbian Grand Prince from 1145 to 1162, with brief interruptions as ruler by Desa, his brother. His rule was characterized by a period of power struggle, not only of the Serbian throne between the brothers but between the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

and

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...

, of which he took advantage. He had two brothers Desa and

Beloš Beloš ( sr-cyr, Белош; hu, Belos or ''Belus''; el, Βελούσης fl. 1141–1163), was a Serbian prince and Hungarian palatine who served as the regent of Hungary from 1141 until 1146, alongside his sister Helena, mother of the infan ...

, and a sister

Helena of Serbia, Queen of Hungary Helena of Serbia ( sr, Јелена/Jelena, hu, Ilona; b. after 1109 – after 1146) was Queen consort of Hungary, Queen of Hungary as the wife of Béla II of Hungary, King Béla II. After her husband's death, she governed Hungary as regent ...

. Furthermore, Uroš II also had to contend with the Second Norman invasion of the Balkans (1147-1149).

Background

Grand Prince Vukan I (r. 1083–1112) initially ruled Rascia under the overlordship of

Constantine Bodin Constantine Bodin ( Bulgarian and sr, italic=no, Константин Бодин, ''Konstantin Bodin''; 1072–1101) was a medieval king and the ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from 1081 to 1101, succee ...

, the titular King of Doclea. Bodin renounced the Byzantine Empire in 1089, when he turned to the Pope, who raised the bishopric of Bar to an Archbishopric. In 1089 or by 1091, the Byzantines invaded Doclea, capturing Bodin. Civil war ensued in Doclea, and Rascia asserted independence. Vukan immediately raids Byzantine territory, first in Kosovo, then northern Macedonia. As the Emperor had affairs in other parts of the Empire ( Levounion, Crusade), Vukan accepts and then breaks the peace treaties signed between the two, back and forth, until 1106 when the final treaty is signed. In Doclea, Bodin dies before 1101, and his heirs are forced to recognize Byzantine overlordship.

Life

Uroš II was the son of

Uroš I, Grand Prince of Serbia Uroš I ( sr-cyr, Урош I, gr, Ούρεσις) was the Grand Prince ('' Veliki Župan'') of the Grand Principality of Serbia from about 1112 to 1145. Biography Origin Uroš I was the son of Marko, who was a son of Petrislav Vojislavljević ...

(r. ca. 1112–1145) and Anna Diogenissa, granddaughter of Byzantine Emperor

Romanos IV Diogenes Romanos IV Diogenes (Greek: Ρωμανός Διογένης), Latinized as Romanus IV Diogenes, was a member of the Byzantine military aristocracy who, after his marriage to the widowed empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa, was crowned Byzantine Em ...

. He had two brothers: Desa and

, and a sister: Helena, who married

Béla II of Hungary Béla the Blind ( hu, Vak Béla; hr, Bela Slijepi; sk, Belo Slepý; 1109 – 13 February 1141) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1131 to 1141. He was blinded along with his rebellious father Álmos on the order of Álmos's brother, ...

. In 1141, Béla II died and was succeeded by his son

Géza II Géza is a Hungarian given name and may refer to any of the following: * Benjamin Géza Affleck * Géza, Grand Prince of the Hungarians * Géza I of Hungary, King of Hungary * Géza II of Hungary, King of Hungary * Géza, son of Géza II of Hungar ...

who was still a child.Fine, ''Early'', p. 236 Helena and Beloš (who joined Helena in Hungary after the marriage, and received the title of ''dux''), became the official regents of Hungary until September 1146. In 1145, Beloš receives the title of '' comes palatinus'', the highest court title - meaning he could substitute for the King when necessary. Beloš had close ties with Uroš II, and they were able to count on each other in times of trouble. In 1149, Beloš' Hungarian army aids Uroš II against the Byzantines. Desa is mentioned in a charter dated 1150 as "Dessa Dioclie, Terbunie et Zacholmie dux", i.e. the ''Duke of

Duklja Duklja ( sh-Cyrl, Дукља; el, Διόκλεια, Diokleia; la, Dioclea) was a medieval South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana Riv ...

Travunija Travunia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Travunija, Травунија; el, Τερβουνία, Tervounía; grc, Τερβουνία, Terbounía; la, Tribunia) was a South Slavic medieval principality that was part of Medieval Serbia (850–13 ...

and

Zahumlje Zachlumia or Zachumlia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Zahumlje, Захумље, ), also Hum, was a medieval principality located in the modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia (today parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia ...

''. In 1150, Uroš II swore loyalty to the Emperor, and demanded that Desa be put in prison.Stephenson, p. 245 He recovered his title and lands, and Desa also swore loyalty, and was recognized as ruler of the '' Dalmatian lands''. The two brothers were to rule the appointed regions as Manuel's vassals. The event is part of what would become a competition between the Byzantine Emperor and Holy Roman Emperor that would soon move into Hungary. In 1151, Manuel I declares war on Hungary.Fine, ''Early'', p. 238 This was due to the fact that Hungary had aided Serbia in its revolts against Byzantine rule.Cinnamus, p. 90 Byzantine troops are sent into

Srem Syrmia ( sh, Srem/Срем or sh, Srijem/Сријем, label=none) is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia and Croatia. Most of the region is flat, with the ex ...

and across the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...

. The Byzantines caused great destruction and then withdrew, the operation being strictly punitive, with no occupation of lands. Géza soon signed a peace treaty. Over the next 20 years, there were to be 10 campaigns against Hungary. Manuel I was able to keep the Hungarians under control in the Balkans, at the expense of abandoning the Norman conflict. In 1153 or 1155, Desa ousts him. The pro-Hungarian faction at the Serbian court was upset with the Byzantine overlordship. In autumn 1154, Manuel I settles the dispute between Uroš II and Desa. The Emperor restored Uroš II in 1155 or 1156, and gave the deposed Desa an appanage of Dendra near

Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...

.Fine, ''Late'', p. 3 In 1161/1162, Uroš II is replaced by

, who rules briefly, before returning to his office in Hungary and Croatia.Fine, ''Early'', p. 239

Aftermath

Zavida Zavida (Serbian Cyrillic: Завида) or Beli Uroš (Бели Урош, "White Uroš") was a 12th-century Serbian royal who briefly ruled as ''Župan of Zachumlia'' and later held the title ''Lord of Ribnica''. He was a close kinsman, or even a ...

had presumably tried to oust either Uroš II or Desa, or acquire an appanage of his own, then fled after failing in his attempt.

Ancestry

Notes

), but he has also been called ''Primislav'' (Примислав) or ''Prvoslav'' (Првослав). There is a possibility that Primislav is a fourth brother, although most scholars agree that the name was used as an alternative.Fine, ''Early'', p. 239

References

Sources

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