Serbian Despots: Map & History
The Serbian Despotate was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century.
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The Serbian Despotate was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is mistakenly considered the end of medieval Serbia, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravian Serbia, lasted for another 70 years, experiencing a cultural, economic, and political renaissance, especially during the reign of Despot Stefan Lazarević. After the death of Despot Đurađ Branković in 1456, the Despotate continued to exist for another three years before it finally fell under Ottoman rule in 1459.
Modern Countries Once Part of Serbian Despots
At its mapped extent, Serbian Despots covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Montenegro1375–1421 CE · nearly all
- North Macedonia1375–1394 CE · a large part
- Albania1375–1421 CE · a small part
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Serbian Despots's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Serbian Despots in Depth
History
After Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović was killed in the Battle of Kosovo on June 28, 1389, his young son Stefan Lazarević succeeded him. Stefan's mother, Princess Milica, ruled as his regent until he reached adulthood. A wise and diplomatic woman, she managed to allay the Ottoman threat by marrying her daughter, Olivera, to Sultan Bayezid I.
After the Battle of Kosovo, in 1390 or 1391, Serbia became a vassal Ottoman state, and Stefan Lazarević was obligated to support the Ottoman Empire in battle. He did so in the 1395 Battle of Rovine against the Wallachian prince Mircea I and the 1396 Battle of Nicopolis against the Hungarian king Sigismund. Sultan Bayezid awarded Stefan with the majority of Vuk Branković's lands, as Branković sided with the Hungarian king at Nicopolis.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Serbian Despotate (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Serbian Despots: Key Facts
| Capital | Belgrade |
|---|---|
| Official language | Serbian |
| Religion | Serbian Orthodox Church |
| Form of government | despotism |
| Currency | Serbian perper |
| Founded | 1402 |
| Dissolved | 1537 |
Succeeded by
- Principality of Serbia
Facts from Wikidata Q878319 (CC0).
Serbian Despots Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Serbian Despots appears, with the other states of the time.
Serbian Despots Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 29,468 km² in 1384 CE.
Serbian Despots: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Serbian Despots exist?
Serbian Despots is dated to 1375 CE – 1421 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Serbian Despots?
The capital of Serbian Despots was Belgrade, Smederevo.
How large was Serbian Despots at its peak?
At its peak in 1384 AD Serbian Despots covered about 29,468 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi