In the medieval Serbian states, the privileged class consisted of nobility and clergy, distinguished from commoners, part of the feudal society. The Serbian nobility ("srpska vlastela", "srpsko vlastelinstvo" or "srpsko plemstvo") were roughly grouped into magnates ("velikaši" or "velmože"), the upper stratum, and the lesser nobility ("vlasteličići"). Serbia followed the government model established by the Byzantine Empire.
The nobility possessed hereditary allodial estates, which were worked by dependent "sebri", the equivalent of Byzantine "paroikoi"; peasants owing labour services, formally bound by decree. The nobility was obliged to serve the monarch in war.
Hierarchy.
The nobility ("vlastela, vlastelinstvo" or "plemstvo") of Serbia in the Middle Ages is roughly divided into magnates ("velikaši" or "velmože"), nobility and petty noblemen ("vlasteličići"). Sometimes, the division is made between "vlastela" (including "great" and "small" ones) and "vlasteličići", the petty nobility. The lower-half social class, commoners, were the "sebri" (себри).
History.
Early Medieval Serbian principalities.
The Serbs at that time were organized into "župe" (sing. "župa"), a confederation of village communities (roughly the equivalent of a county), headed by a local "župan" (a magistrate or governor); the governorship was hereditary, and the "župan" reported to the Serbian prince, whom they were obliged to aid in war.
According to Fine Jr.: Bosnia, Zahumlje and Rascia were never incorporated into an integrated state with Duklja (1043–1101); each principality had its own nobility and institutions, simply requiring a member of the royal family to rule as Prince or Duke. After Constantine Bodin died, the principalities seceded from Duklja, and Vukan became the most powerful Serb ruler, as "Grand Prince". Subordinate to the ruler were local counts who seem to have been more or less autonomous in the internal affairs of their counties, but who swore loyalty and were obliged to support in war. It seems that the counts were hereditary holders of their counties, holding their land before Duklja annexed Rascia.
Serbian Kingdom.
The hierarchy of the Serbian court titles was the following: "stavilac", "čelnik", "kaznac", "tepčija" and "vojvoda", the supreme title.
In the Dečani chrysobulls, King Stefan Dečanski (r. 1321–1331) mentioned that the court dignitaries present at the Dečani assembly were the "kaznac", "tepčija", "vojvoda", "sluga" and "stavilac".
Serbian Empire.
On April 16, 1346 (Easter), Stephen Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia convoked a huge assembly at Skopje, attended by the Serbian Archbishop Joanikije II, the Archbishop of Ochrid Nikolaj I, the Bulgarian Patriarch Simeon and various religious leaders of Mount Athos. The assembly and clerics agreed on, and then ceremonially performed the raising of the autocephalous Serbian Archbishopric to the status of Serbian Patriarchate. The Archbishop from now on is titled Serbian Patriarch, although some documents called him "Patriarch of Serbs and Greeks", with the seat at the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć. The first Serbian Patriarch Joanikije II now solemnly crowned Dušan as "Emperor and autocrat of Serbs and Romans" (Greek ). Dušan had his son crowned "King of Serbs and Greeks", giving him nominal rule over the "Serbian lands", and although Dušan was governing the whole state, he had special responsibility for the "Roman", i.e. "Greek lands".
A further increase in the Byzantinization of the Serbian court followed, particularly in court ceremonial and titles. As Emperor, Dušan could grant titles only possible as an Emperor. In the years that followed, Dušan's half-brother Symeon Uroš and brother-in-law Jovan Asen became "despotes". Jovan Oliver already had the despot title, granted to him by Andronikos III. His brother-in-law Dejan Dragaš and Branko is granted the title of "sebastocrator". The military commanders ("voivodes") Preljub and Vojihna receive the title of "caesar". The raising of the Serbian Patriarch resulted in the same spirit, bishoprics became metropolitans, as for example the Metropolitanate of Skopje.
Fall of the Serbian Empire.
Emperor Uroš V died childless in December 2/4 1371, after much of the Serbian nobility had been destroyed in Maritsa earlier that year. This marked an end to the once powerful Empire. Vukašin's son Marko, who had earlier been crowned "Young King" was to inherit his father's royal title, and thus became one in the line of successors to the Serbian throne. Meanwhile, the nobles pursued their own interests, sometimes quarreling with each other. Serbia, without an Emperor "became a conglomerate of aristocratic territories", and the Empire was thus divided between the provincial lords: Marko, the Dejanović brothers, Đurađ I Balšić, Vuk Branković, Nikola Altomanović, Lazar Hrebeljanović and other lesser ones.
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