The House of Mrnjavčević ( sr-Cyrl, Мрњавчевић, Mrnjavčevići / Мрњавчевићи, ) was a

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Serbian noble house during the

Serbian Empire The Serbian Empire ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српско царство, Srpsko carstvo, separator=" / ", ) was a medieval Serbian state that emerged from the Kingdom of Serbia. It was established in 1346 by Dušan the Mighty, who significantly expande ...

, its fall, and the subsequent years when it held a region of present-day Macedonia region. The house ruled a province from its base at

Prilep Prilep ( ) is the List of cities in North Macedonia, fourth-largest city in North Macedonia. According to 2021 census, it had a population of 63,308. Name The name of Prilep appeared first as ''Πρίλαπος'' in Greek (''Prilapos'') in 1 ...

(in modern

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

) from 1366 to 1395.

Vukašin Mrnjavčević Vukašin () is an old Slavic name of Serbian origin. It is composed from two words: Vuk (wolf) and sin ( son), so it means sin vuka (son of wolf). In some places in Croatia and Bosnia it can be found as a surname. The name Vukašin can be foun ...

was a military commander in the army of Emperor

Dušan the Mighty Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Душан) is a Slavic given name primarily used in the former Yugoslavia and the former Czechoslovakia. The name is derived from the Slavic noun ''duša'' "soul". Occurrence In Serbia, it was the 29th most popular name fo ...

( 1331-1355) and co-ruler of Serbia as king, with Emperor Uroš the Weak ( 1355-1371). After Uroš' death, the Serbian Empire crumbled, as the nobility could not agree on its rightful successor. Vukašin's son, Marko Kraljević, ruled his hereditary lands as titular ''King of Serbs and Greeks''.

History

Origin

The family's progenitor, after whom historiography names it, was Mrnjava, a financial chancellor (''

kaznac Kaznac ( sr-cyr, казнац) was a court title of the state employee in medieval Bosnia and Serbia who was in charge for the treasury in the territory under his jurisdiction — ''kaznačina'' (казначина). The name of the title is derive ...

'', chamberlain) who served King

Stefan Uroš I Stefan Uroš I ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош I; 1223 – 1 May 1277), known as Uroš the Great () was the King of Serbia from 1243 to 1276, succeeding his brother Stefan Vladislav. He was one of the most important rulers in Serbian history ...

and his wife,

Queen Helen of Anjou Saint Helen of Serbia (; – 8 February 1314) was the queen consort of the Kingdom of Serbia (medieval), Serbian Kingdom, as the spouse of King Stefan Uroš I, who ruled from 1243 to 1276. Their sons were later Serbian kings Stefan Dragutin (12 ...

at the court at

Trebinje Trebinje ( sr-Cyrl, Требиње, ) is a city and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated on the banks of the Trebišnjica river in the region of East Her ...

(in

Travunia Travunia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Travunija, Травунија; ; ; ) was a South Slavic medieval principality that was part of Medieval Serbia (850–1371), and later the Medieval Bosnia (1373–1482). The principality became hereditar ...

). Ragusan historian Mavro Orbin (1563–1610) wrote that the family hailed from Hum, and that the poor Mrnjava and his three sons, who later lived in Blagaj, quickly rose to prominence under King

Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...

. Possibly, the family had left Hum, which had been part of the Serbian Kingdom, after the Bosnian conquest of Hum (1326), and settled in

Livno Livno ( Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: ''Ливно'', ) is a town and the administrative center of the Township of Livno and Canton 10 of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the river Bis ...

(where Vukašin was said to be born). The family most likely supported Dušan's Bosnian campaign (1350), in which he saw to reconquer Hum.

Reign of Stefan Dušan

Reign of Uroš IV

Family tree

* Mrnjava ( 1280–89), a treasurer of Queen Helen of Anjou **

Vukašin Vukašin () is an old Slavic name of Serbian origin. It is composed from two words: Vuk (wolf) and sin ( son), so it means sin vuka (son of wolf). In some places in Croatia and Bosnia it can be found as a surname. The name Vukašin can be foun ...

(1320–1371), ''King'' and ''Lord of the Serbian and Greek Lands, and of the Western Provinces'' (1366–71) *** Marko (1335–1395), ''Young King'', titular ''King of Serbs'' (1371–95) *** Andrijaš (fl. 1371–95) *** Ivaniš *** Dmitar ( 1365–d. 1410) ***Olivera, married Đurađ I Balšić ***Milica, married Stracimir Balšić, Lord of Zeta ** Jovan Uglješa (1320s–1371), ''despot'', ruler of

Serres Serres ( ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki. Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northern Greece. The c ...

(1356–71), married Jelena Nemanjić ***Tvrtko (d. circa 1366) ***Uglješa (d. circa 1371) *** Eupraxia, a nun **Jelena, married to Nikola Radonja Branković http://w.genealogy.euweb.cz/balkan/balkan6.html#V

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mrnjavcevic Serbian Empire 14th century in Serbia Medieval Macedonia People from Prilep Serbian royal families