- Lazar Branković
Infobox Person
name = Lazar II Branković
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nationality =Serbia n
title = Despot
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predecessor =Đurađ Branković
successor =Stefan Branković
religion =
spouse =
children =
parents =Đurađ Branković Eirene Kantakouzene
relatives =Lazar II Branković (c. 1421 -
20 February 1458 ) was aSerbia n despot, prince of Rascia from 1456 to 1458. He was the third son ofĐurađ Branković and his wifeJerina Kantacusina . He was succeeded by his elder brother, despot Stefan III Brankovic.Family
Lazar and his relations are named in "Dell'Imperadori Constantinopolitani", a manuscript held in the
Vatican Library . The document is also known as the "Massarelli manuscript" because it was found in the papers ofAngelo Massarelli (1510 - 1566). [ [http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.genealogy.medieval/2008-03/msg00384.html Tony Hoskins, "Anglocentric medieval genealogy"] ] Masarelli is better known as the general secretary of theCouncil of Trent , who recorded the daily occurings of the council. [ [http://asv.vatican.va/en/arch/council.htm "The Archives: the past & the present", section "The Council of Trent"] ]The Massarelli manuscript names him as a son of
Đurađ Branković andEirene Kantakouzene . "The Byzantine Lady: Ten Portraits 1250-1500" (1994) by D. M. Nicol questioned his maternity, suggesting Đurađ had a prior marriage to a daughter ofJohn IV of Trebizond . However his theory presented no sources and failed to take into account that John IV was born between 1395 and 1417. He would be unlikely to be a grandparent by the 1410s. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]On
11 September ,1429 , Durad made a donation toEsphigmenou Monastery atMount Athos . The charter for the document names his wife Irene and five children. The Masarelli manuscript also names the same five children of Đurađ and Eirene. Other genealogies mention a sixth child, Todor Branković. He could be a child who died young and thus not listed with his siblings. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]The oldest sibling listed in the Massarelli document was
Grgur Branković . The 1429 document mentions him with the title of Despot. According to "The Late Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest" (1994) by J. V. A. Fine, Grgur was appointed governor of territories of southernSerbia associated to theHouse of Branković . He was reportedly appointed byMurad II of theOttoman Empire in 1439. In April 1441, Grgur was accused of plotting against Murad and his governorship terminated. He was imprisoned inAmasya and blinded on8 May ,1441 . [J. V. A. Fine, "The Late Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest" (1994), page 531] According to "Monumenta Serbica Spectantia Historiam Serbiae, Bosniae, Ragusii" (1858) byFranc Miklošič , Grgur and his brothers co-signed a charter by which Durad confirmed the privileges of theRepublic of Ragusa . The charted was dated to17 September ,1445 . [ Franc Miklošič, "Monumenta Serbica Spectantia Historiam Serbiae, Bosniae, Ragusii" (1858), CCCL, page 433] According to the "Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten" (1978) by Detlev Schwennicke, Grgur retired to a monastery under the monastic name "German". [ Detlev Schwennicke, "Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten" (1878), vol. 3, page 180] According to Fine, Grgur resurfaced in 1458, claiming the succession of the vacant throne of Rascia for himself or his son. [J. V. A. Fine, "The Late Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest" (1994), page 574] The Massarelli manuscript mentioned Grgur as unwed. Later genealogies name his wife as "Jelisaveta".Vuk Grgurević , a son of Grgur, was later a titular Serbian despot (1471-1485). He was possibly an illegitimate. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]The Massarelli manuscript next names an older sister of Lazar,
Mara Branković . She was one of the wives of Murad II. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#Maradied1487 Profile of Mara in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ] Then are listedStefan Branković and "Cantacuzina", a sister with the Latinized version of their mother's last name. Later genealogies give her name as Katarina. She marriedUlrich II of Celje . Lazar is listed fifth and last, the youngest child of the marriage [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]Reign
Both Grgur and Stefan, his older brothers, were blinded by orders of
Murad II in 1441. Lazar apparently became the heir to their father as the only son not to be handicapped. Đurađ died on24 December ,1456 . Lazar succeeded him as planned. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]According to Fine, his brief reign mostly included family quarrels with his mother and siblings. In 1457, Lazar gave an oath of subservience to
Mehmed II , son and successor of Murad II. Fine considers this to be an attempt to prevent an Ottoman invasion. His only other decision of consequence was to appoint Mihailo Anđelović, a member of theAngelos family, as his chief official. Mihailo would briefly serve as head of a regency council following the death of his lord. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]Lazar died on
20 January ,1458 .George Sphrantzes recorded the date but not the cause. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#DjuradjVukovicdied1456 Profile of Đurađ and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ]Marriage and children
In 1446, Lazar married Helena Palaiologina. She was a daughter of
Thomas Palaiologos , Ruler of Morea, and Catherine Zaccaria of thePrincipality of Achaea . [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTIUM%2012611453.htm#HelenePdied1473 Profile of Helena in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ] Her maternal grandparents wereCenturione II Zaccaria and Creusa Tocco. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTIUM%2012611453.htm#ThomasPdied1465 Profile of Thomas in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ] They would have have three daughters [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SERBIA.htm#LazarBrankovicdied1458 Profile of Lazar and his children in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] ] :*Jelena Branković. Changed her name to Maria uppon her marriage to
Stjepan Tomašević , later King of Bosnia.
*Milica Branković. MarriedLeonardo III Tocco , Ruler of Epirus.
*Jerina Branković. Married John Kastrioti. He was a son ofSkanderbeg and Andronike Arianiti.ee also
*
List of Serbian monarchs References
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