
The Vojinović family (
Serbian Cyrillic
The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet (, ), also known as the Serbian script, (, ), is a standardized variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language. It originated in medieval Serbia and was significantly reformed in the 19th cen ...
: Војиновић, Vojinovići / Војиновићи) was a
medieval Serbia
The medieval period in the history of Serbia began in the 6th century with the Slavic migrations to Southeastern Europe, and lasted until the Ottoman Serbia, Ottoman conquest of Serbian lands in the second half of the 15th century. The period i ...
n
noble family
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the rea ...
that played an important role in 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 ...
during the 14th century. Following the death of Emperor
Dušan (King 1331–1346, emperor 1346–1355), in the period of the
Fall of the Serbian Empire, its representatives,
Grand Duke Vojislav Vojinović (c. 1355–1363) and later his
cousin
A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle.
More generally, in the kinship system used in the English-speaking world, ...
Nikola Altomanović Vojinović (1366–1373), were among the strongest regional lords in medieval Serbia.
History
The family's ancestor, whose name is unknown, had four sons, two of whom are known: Hrvatin and
Vojin. Vojvoda Vojin is considered the founder of the noble lineage; during the reign of
Stefan Dečanski
Stefan Uroš III, , known as Stefan of Dečani ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Дечански, Stefan Dečanski, ( – 11 November 1331), was King of Serbia from 6 January 1322 to 8 September 1331. Dečanski was the son of King Stefan Milutin (). He ...
, he controlled areas around
Gacko. Their holdings expanded over the years, and his heirs, Vojislav and Nikola, controlled a territory stretching from the borders of the
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, was an maritime republics, aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (''Ragusa'' in Italian and Latin; ''Raguxa'' in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost ...
, the
Bay of Kotor, and
Zvečan Fortress to
Rudnik. The power of the last representative of the Vojinović family was broken by a joint coalition consisting of Prince
Lazar (1371–1389) and
Ban Tvrtko (
Ban 1353–1377,
King
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
1377–1391). This coalition was supported by
King of Hungary
The King of Hungary () was the Monarchy, ruling head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 (or 1001) to 1918. The style of title "Apostolic King of Hungary" (''Magyarország apostoli királya'') was endorsed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 ...
Louis I (1342–1382), who sent the
Ban of
Mačva Nikola Gorjanski Elder with 1000
lancers during the
summer and
autumn of 1373. The lands of the Vojinović family were divided. Nikola was captured and blinded in
Užice Fortress. He subsequently received a small estate where he died after 1398, the last year he is mentioned in historical sources. During the 14th century, the Vojinović family was connected with other Serbian noble families, such as the
Branivojevići and the
Mladenovići.
Legacy
The influence of the Vojinović family is reflected in
Serbian folk tradition. They appear in
epic folk poetry, specifically in the Pre-Kosovan Cycle (''
Miloš Vojinović''), and are credited with building medieval structures in
Vučitrn, such as the
Old Bridge (''Vojinovića most'') and
fort (''Vojinovića Kula'').
According to folklore, the family originated from Vučitrn in Kosovo, where the Vojinović Bridge and Vojinović Tower are located.
Vojinović family members
# Unknown
## Unknown
## Unknown
## Hrvatin (late 13th century–March 6, 1349), ''
veliki čelnik'', controlled the area around
Rudine and beyond. In 1325, he plundered Dubrovnik with his brother Vojin. He had his own group of retainers, one of whom stole a horse in 1330. He is identified with
Dimitrije buried at the Church of St. Nicholas in
Banja.
##
Vojin (1322–1347),
Vojvoda for
Stefan Dečanski
Stefan Uroš III, , known as Stefan of Dečani ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Дечански, Stefan Dečanski, ( – 11 November 1331), was King of Serbia from 6 January 1322 to 8 September 1331. Dečanski was the son of King Stefan Milutin (). He ...
and
Emperor Dušan.
###
Miloš Vojinović, in service to
Emperor Dušan, participated in the sale of
Ston and
Pelješac to the
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...
. He died after December 1332.
###
Altoman Vojinović (1347–1359), married to Ratoslava Mladenović (sister of the subsequent
Sebastokrator Branko Mladenović, father of
Vuk Branković (1371–1391)).
####
Nikola Altomanović Vojinović (born 1348, died after 1398, ruled 1366–1373),
Grand Župan. After his father's death in 1359, he was displaced by his uncle Vojislav. Following Vojislav's death in 1363, he regained his lands.
###
Vojislav Vojinović (c. 1355–1363), grand duke, married to Goislava.
#### Dobrivoj, after his father's death in 1363, while still a child, was displaced by his cousin Nikola.
#### Stefan, after his father's death in 1363, while still a child, was displaced by his cousin Nikola.
###
Vojislava Vojinović, married to Brajko Branivojević. After his death in 1326, the young King Dušan intervened to secure her release from prison in
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...
.
See also
*
List of Serbian monarchs
*
Vojnović noble family
References
Sources
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vojinovic, House Of
Vojinović noble family
14th century in Serbia
Serbian noble families