Vukašin Mrnjavčević

Vukašin Mrnjavčević (Serbian Cyrillic: Вукашин Мрњавчевић,Serbian Latin:Vukašin Mrnjavčević ) (around 1320-1371) was a Serbian medieval ruler in modern-day central and northwestern Macedonia, who ruled from 1365 to 1371.

He is mentioned in 1350 as župan of Prilep, and later was given title despot by Serbian tsar Stefan Uroš V. Since 1365 he was king under Uroš.

He ruled over an area which included Prizren, Skopje and Prilep, and had good relations with his brother, Despot Jovan Uglješa who ruled an area around Ser. Later he became strong enough to disobey Uroš.

In 1371, he established a coalition with his brother against the Ottomans. The Serbian-Bulgarian army of the coalition numbering ca. 70,000 men met the Ottoman army led by "beylerbey" of Rumeli Lala Şâhin Paşa at Battle of Maritsa on September 26, 1371 where superior Ottoman tactics won over outnumbering coalition army. Vukašin's forces are routed and himself killed during the battle.

Progeny

With his wife Jevrosima, Vukašin had sons Marko, Andrijaš, Dimitru and Ivaniš, and daughter Olivera who was married for George Balsha.

In popular culture

Brian Aldiss - published an alternative-history fantasy story "The Day Of The Doomed King" about King Vukašin

See also

*House of Mrnjavčević

ource

* "Opća enciklopedija", Zagreb 1982