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Olivera / Despina
Ottoman consort
Tenure1391-1403
Born1373 or 1376 [1]
Kruševac, Serbia
Diedafter 1444
SpouseBayezid I, Ottoman Sultan
Royal familyLazarević
FatherLazar Hrebeljanović of Serbia
MotherMilica Nemanjić
ReligionSerbian Orthodox

Olivera Lazarević (Serbian Cyrillic: Оливера Лазаревић[a]; 1376 - died after 1444), known as Despina (Деспина), was a Serbian princess, the youngest daughter of Serbian Prince Lazar and Princess consort Milica Nemanjić. With the devastating Battle of Kosovo between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire in 1389, and the subsequent raids on Serbia by Hungary and the Ottomans, her regent mother sent her off to be married to Sultan Bayezid I (r. 1389—1402) and join his harem in order to secure peace between the two sides. According to contemporary sources, Olivera was extraordinary beautiful and had great influence on Bayezid, and she managed to become the foremost of the wives in the harem, where she stayed until Bayezid's death. She is known in historiography for using her influence on the Sultan for the cause of her family and the Serbian people.

Life edit

Family and early life edit

 
Prince Lazar and Princess Milica, fresco from Ljubostinja (1405).

She was born Olivera, or possibly Despina,[a] as the youngest daughter of Prince Lazar and Princess Milica of Serbia.[1] The year of her birth is undetermined, although most geneaologists of the Lazarević dynasty put it in 1373 or 1376.[1] Her mother was a descendant of Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, and was the 4th cousin once removed of Emperor Dušan of Serbia. Olivera had four older sisters: Mara (mother of Serbian despot Đurađ Branković), Dragana, Teodora and Jelena (mother of the last ruler of Zeta, Balša III) and two brothers, Serbian despot Stefan Lazarević and Vuk.[1][2]

In the period prior to the Battle of Kosovo, the life of the royal children took place in the glow of some type of political and cultural renaissance; they had the opportunity to meet many intellectual people, artists and craftsmen, and to learn about the beauty of their work.[1] The world of entertainment was also easily accessible; they were able to see traveling actors, preachers, musicians and magicians, and were able to observe a number of knightly games, alike tournaments in the West, at their father's palace or town squares.[1]

Their education was fundamental; they taught strict courtly etiquette, literature, math and singing. In addition to their mother tongue, they were fluent in Latin and Greek. They also studied Christian theology and philosophy. Even the daughters, at least in part, needed to be familiar to law and secrets of diplomacy.[1]

The daughters were very well-behaved, ambitious, smart, educated, energetic and self-conscious women, real princesses like their mother; a confirmation of this is the education set forward by Jelena, whose letters are considered extraordinary of Serbian medieval epistemology. Proof are also the royal careers of Jelena, Mara and Olivera.[1]

Battle of Kosovo, raids into Serbia, and armistice edit

Ottoman Sultan Murad's massive army, estimated at between 27000 to 30000 men, advanced across the territory of Konstantin Dragaš and arrived at the Kosovo Field near Priština in the territory of Vuk Branković in June 1389. The Ottoman army was met by the forces commanded by Prince Lazar, estimated at between 12000 to 20000 men, which consisted of the prince's own troops, Vuk Branković's troops, and a contingent under the leadership of Vlatko Vuković sent by Bosnian King Tvrtko.[3][4] The Battle of Kosovo, the most famous battle in Serbia's medieval history,[5] was fought on 15 June 1389. In the fierce fighting and mutual heavy losses, both Prince Lazar and Sultan Murad lost their lives.[3][4] Information about the course and the outcome of the Battle of Kosovo is incomplete in historical sources. It can be concluded that, tactically, the battle was a draw. However, the mutual heavy losses were devastating only for the Serbs, who had brought almost all of their fighting strength.[3][4] Although Serbia under Lazar was an economically prosperous and militarily well organized state, it could not compare to the Ottoman Empire with respect to the size of territory, population, and economic power.[3]

Not long after the battle, the Serbian nobility were divided on whether to sign an armistice with the Ottomans or to continue the resistance.[6] As Lazar's eldest son Stefan Lazarević was still a minor, Milica was appointed regent, with the support of the few surviving Serbian noblemen.[6] The regency of Milica was opposed by her brother-in-law Vuk Branković, who refused her predominance in the family union.[6]

Milica planned to temporarily resort to Dubrovnik, with her children Stefan, Vuk and Olivera.[6] Hungarian King Sigismund, hearing of this and wanting to make use of her absence, raided northern Serbia.[6] While Hungarian troops plundered in Šumadija, the Ottoman troops plundered in the south (Beyazid had occupied several towns).[6] Princess Milica changed her mind and stayed in Serbia,[6] concluding peace by accepting Ottoman suzerainty in the summer of 1390.[4] The decision was made by Milica in consent of the nobility, government officials, the Patriarch and the bishops of the Serbian Church.[6] The vassalage included an annual tax and military assistance.[6][2] As to secure the fulfillment of these obligations, Milica sent her youngest and only unmarried daughter Olivera to the harem of Sultan Bayezid.[6] Constantine of Kostenets said that the decision was made for the protection of the Serbian people.[7] Vladimir Ćorović concluded that Milica had to agree on this.[7]

Olivera's departure edit

According to Stojan Novaković, the date of Olivera's departure was connected to the canonization of Prince Lazar and the transfer of his relics from the Church of the Ascension in Priština, the capital of Vuk Branković's domain, to the Ravanica Monastery, which the prince had built and intended as his burial place.[8][6] This took place on 28 June 1391, thus Novaković puts her departure to the harem in the spring that year.[6] Before the peace, the Ottomans did not allow the transfer of relics, and this was one of the conditions for the Serbs to accept peace.[6]

Olivera was escorted by her brothers, Princes Stefan and Vuk.[7] This was the brothers' first vassal trip to their new overlord.[7] The harem was located in the then Ottoman European capital Edirne, on the Maritsa river, around 250 km east of Kruševac.[7] Also Vuk Branković became an Ottoman vassal in 1392; now all the Serbian lands were under Ottoman suzerainty, except Zahumlje under King Tvrtko.[4]

Sultan's wife edit

Olivera became one of the Sultan's four lawful wives (according to Sharia) and remained at the harem for the next 12 years.[7] The harem held some hundred women, of which majority were slaves, hostages and bought women.[9] According to sources, Olivera was extraordinary beautiful and had great influence on Beyazid, and she managed to become the foremost of the wives in the harem, and to gain and hold his love.[10][11][12] Ottoman sources view the Sultan's alcoholism as her sin.[9] She had came to know the harem's system of functioning, and skillfully avoided intrigue in the strict hierarchy.[9] As the Sultan's favorite, she used her influence to help her family and country, which showed a remarkable diplomatic wisdom.[9] Historian Stojan Novaković sees Olivera's impact in the Lazarević family's primacy among the elite of the Serbian nobility, especially over the rebellious Branković family.[9] As a kadun, one of the wives, she was not obliged to convert into Islam; she remained Christian throughout her life.[9]

With the death of Vuk Branković in 1398, his family's lands were given to Stefan Lazarević.[9] In the same period, the Ottomans sent heavy military into Bosnia, in which Stefan Lazarević also participated in.[13] Due to unprecedently harsh winter, the troops met disaster, and because of this Stefan, with the help of Hungary, tried to use it to free himself from Ottoman vassalage.[13] Serbian nobles who wished independence from Stefan's rule prepared a plot and sent signals about Stefan's responsibility for the alleged failure in Bosnia and his ties with the Hungarians.[13] This threatened to seriously undermine the Serbian state, and although the failure of the Bosnian mission could not be securely be connected with Stefan, his pro-Hungarian policies would be reminiscent of treason.[13] Stefan found the conspirator and quickly disposed him.[13] To fix the damage, Queen Milica (who had become a nun as Jevgenija) and her relative, nun Jefimija, traveled to Sultan Bayezid.[13] Historian Vladimir Ćorović claims this as the first Serbian diplomatic mission led by women.[13] According to historical sources, the two nuns went to Bayezid with the official request to let them transfer the relics of Saint Parascheva from Trnovo to Vidin, as the relics' magical powers would help the Serbian land and people, and Stefan's reply to the charges of treason were only lightly mentioned by them.[13] Historians say that Bayezid did not believe the nuns' claim that Stefan was innocent, and he doubted that their trip was connected with the relics.[13] Despot Stefan's visit followed.[13] Chroniclers believe that Olivera's "whispering in his brother's favor" played a key role in saving her brother from the Sultan's wrath.[13] Bayezid not only forgave Stefan, but became more benevolent, almost fatherly in his attitude against him.[13]

 
Bayezid I, held captive by Emir Timur and his armies.

In the Battle of Ankara, on 20 July 1402, in which Emir Timur devastated the Ottomans, Bayezid and Olivera were captured, and then held in prison. According to Ottoman tradition, Beyazid committed suicide on 8 March 1403 in the prison due to the shame that had been put on Olivera.[14] Olivera was released from captivity in 1403, thanks to the mission sent by her brother, now Despot, Stefan Lazarević to Timur.[15]

Life after Bayezid edit

She spent the rest of her life in her brother's court in Belgrade or in the court of her sister Jelena in Novi. Olivera died after 1444.

A foundation is named after her.

Reliquary cover of Stefan the First-Crowned edit

The reliquary cover of Stefan the First-Crowned at the Studenica monastery was gifted by Olivera. The cover is ornamented with Turkish texts.[16][17][18]

Annotations edit

  1. ^
    Name: Constantine of Kostenets who lived at the court of Despot Stefan and knew very well the events in it, said that Olivera was the youngest daughter of Lazar.[19] Ragusan sources call her "domina Despina"[19] - Empress Despina (sr. царица Деспина, tr. Despina hatun).[20] In the testament of her sister Jelena, as well as a letter from Stefan Kosača dating to 1443, she is called Despina.[19] Konstantin Mihailović also names her as such.[19] A latin translation of the Branković chronicle names her Despina.[20] In older Serbian geneaologies and chronicles she is mostly either known as "Olivera" or "Despina",[19] though sometimes also as Olivera Despina.[20] According to Vojislav Korać her name was Mileva,[21] which is the name found in Serbian epic poetry,[22] and used by 17th-century Josif of Tronoša[19]. All of her names are enumerated by historian and priest Ilarion Ruvarac (1832-1905).[19] Despina, which was an honorific title meaning "lady" in Greek, was used in Serbia in the Middle Ages as a given name, and not a title.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Matović 1
  2. ^ a b Veselinović/Ljušić 2001, pp. 76-77
  3. ^ a b c d Mihaljčić 2001, pp. 116–32
  4. ^ a b c d e Fine 1994, pp. 409–14
  5. ^ Fine 1994, p. 408
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Matović 2
  7. ^ a b c d e f Matović 3
  8. ^ Mihaljčić 2001, pp. 155–58
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Matović, 4
  10. ^ Stojan Novaković, Srbi i Turci 14. i 15. veka, Beograd 1893
  11. ^ Vladimir Ćorović, Istorija Jugoslavije, Beograd 1933
  12. ^ Matović, 3-4
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Matovic 5
  14. ^ Istorija srpskog naroda II, Srpska književna zadruga, Beograd 1982, str. 48, nap. 4
  15. ^ Istorija srpskog naroda II, Srpska književna zadruga, Beograd 1982, str. 65
  16. ^

    It was presented to the monastery by Olivera Despina, daughter of Prince Lazar of Serbia and Bayazid's wife. A glass case contains the wooden reliquary of King Stefan the First-Crowned, adorned with bone and mother-of-pearl inlay, made by ...
  17. ^

    This was a gift from Bajazit's wife, the Sultana Olivera Despina, daughter of the Serbian Prince Lazar. Beneath a glass bell, the remains of King Stefan Prvovencani are preserved in a wooden coffin encrusted with mother-of-pearl and bone ...
  18. ^

    Noteworthy exhibits now include: the 14th-century epitaphion of Antony of Heraclea, embroidered with gold and silver threads; the covering for the reliquary of the sainted Stefan the First-Crowned - gifi from Olivera Despina, Prince Lazar's ...
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Muzej primenjene umetnosti 1955, p. 58:

    Филозоф kojh je живео на двору деспота Стефана и добро познавао прилике на н>ему, каже да je Оливера натмлаг^а кНи Лазарева.57) Дубровачки извори je назива}у »domina Despina«.58) У теста- менту н>ене сестре ^лене, ...
  20. ^ a b c Novak 1955, p. 91: "... У нашим старим родословима и летописима ова иста особа се зове каткад и Оливера Деспина, а понеки пут и само Оливера: Оииксрд Дсспинд [жс оврбчснд] цдр8 Кдрит8 (тако!) [свакако м. БдгазнтВ]-29 У цетињском летопису опет пише овако: Окјнк жс его Отсфлнк ск влдгсчкстнкок« ..."
  21. ^ Korać 1968, p. 137:

    Olivera's real name was Mileva, a fact which shows that tradition has been right in associating the cloth with this Serbian ...
  22. ^ Jiriček 2008, p. 344:

    Pforte kommen, und seine Schwester Olivera (die Mileva der Volksepik) in des Siegers Harem opfern.

Sources edit

  • Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994), The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, University of Michigan Press, ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5
  • Giljen, Nikola; Šaranović, Olivera; Jovićević Jov, Sonja (2009), Princeza Olivera, zaboravljena srpska Kneginja, Belgrade: Princess Olivera Foundation, ISBN 978-86-912875-2-8
  • Mihaljčić, Rade (2001) [1984], Лазар Хребељановић: историја, култ, предање (in Serbian), Belgrade: Srpska školska knjiga; Knowledge, ISBN 86-83565-01-7 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |separator= ignored (help)
  • Muzej primenjene umetnosti (1955), Zbornik, Volumes 1-5, Belgrade, Serbia: Muzej primenjene umetnosti
  • Novak, Viktor (1955), Revue historique, Volumes 5-7, Srpska akademija nauka. Istorijski institut
  • Veselinović, A.; Ljušić, R. (2001), Srpske dinastije, Novi Sad — Beograd: Platoneum

Further reading edit

  • Giljen, Nikola; Šaranović, Olivera; Jovićević Jov, Sonja (2009), Princeza Olivera, zaboravljena srpska Kneginja, Belgrade: Princess Olivera Foundation, ISBN 978-86-912875-2-8

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Olivera Lazarević | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Despina | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Serbian princess, Ottoman consort | DATE OF BIRTH = 1373 or 1376 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Serbia | DATE OF DEATH = after 1444 | PLACE OF DEATH = }}

[[Category:1372 births]] [[Category:1444 deaths]] [[Category:14th-century Ottoman people]] [[Category:15th-century Ottoman people]] [[Category:14th-century Serbian royalty]] [[Category:15th-century Serbian royalty]] [[Category:Wives of Ottoman Sultans]] [[Category:Serbian princesses]] [[Category:Lazarević dynasty]] [[Category:Women of medieval Serbia]] [[Category:Ottoman Christians]] [[Category:Ottoman people of Serbian descent]] [[Category:People of the Serbian Despotate]] [[Category:People from Kruševac]] [[bg:Оливера Лазаревич]] [[de:Olivera Lazarević]] [[sr:Оливера Лазаревић]] [[tr:Olivera Despina Hatun]]

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