The House of Nemanjić (Немањић, pl. Немањићи; Serbian Latin: Nemanjić, pl. Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced twelve Serbian monarchs, who ruled between 1166 and 1371. Its progenitor was Stefan Nemanja, scion of a cadet branch of the Vukanović dynasty (1101–1166). After Nemanja, all monarchs used Stefan as a personal name, or a ruler's name, a tradition adopted for the royal pretensions. The monarchs began as Grand Princes, and with the crowning of Stefan Nemanjić in 1217, the realm was promoted to a Kingdom, and the Serbian Orthodox Church was established in 1219. In 1346, Stefan Dušan was crowned Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks, and the Archbishopric of Serbia was elevated to a Patriarchate. The dynasty's rule in Serbia ended in 1371, with the death of childless Stefan Uroš V (r. 1355–1371). This led to the fall of the Serbian Empire. Provincial lords took control of their provinces. The last remaining members of the House of Nemanjić were John Uroš, ruler of Thessaly, titular emperor of the Serbians and Greeks, who died c. 1422-23, and his younger brother, Stefan Uroš, ruler of Pharsalos. Nemanjić descent survived only through maternal lines in several Serbian houses.

Background

In the 8th century, the Vlastimirović Dynasty established the Serbian Principality. The state disintegrated after the death of the last known Vlastimirid ruler Časlav of Serbia around 940/960s and the Byzantines annexed the region and held it for a century, until 1040 when the Serbs under the Vojislavljević Dynasty revolted in Duklja (Pomorje). In the 1090s, the Vukanović Dynasty established the Serbian Grand Principality, and since the mid-12th century Stari Ras became undisputably under Serbian control, becoming centre of defence and residency for the Serbian Principality. In 1166, Stefan Nemanja took the throne, marking the beginning of Serbia, henceforth under the rule of the Nemanjići (Vukanović branch).

Serbia under the Nemanjić dynasty

Serbia reached its height of power during the Nemanjić dynasty. The Serbian Kingdom was proclaimed in 1217, leading to the establishment of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1219. In the same year Saint Sava published the first constitution in Serbia: St. Sava's Nomocanon.Tsar Stefan Dušan proclaimed the Serbian Empire in 1346. During Dušan's rule, Serbia reached its territorial, political, and economical peak, proclaiming itself as the successor of the Byzantine Empire, and was the most powerful Balkan state of that time. Dušan enacted an extensive constitution, known as Dušan's Code, opened new trade routes, strengthened the state's economy, but its society's integration was unfinished and not unified enough until Ottoman invasion. Serbian medieval political identity has been profoundly shaped by the rule of this dynasty and its accomplishments, that were supported and cultivated by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Stefan Dušan attempted to organize a Crusade with the Pope against the threatening Turks, but he died suddenly in December 1355. He was succeeded by his son Uroš, called the Weak, a term that might also apply to the state of the empire, which slowly slid into a feudal fragmentation. This was a period marked by the rise of a new threat: the Ottoman Turk sultanate, which spread from Asia to Europe conquering Byzantium and then the other states in the Balkans.

Members

Monarchs

The Nemanjić dynasty ruled the Serb lands between ca. 1166 up to 1371.

Monasteries built

The Nemanjic family helped Eastern Orthodoxy to spread around the Balkans. They were known for being the builders of a lot of Orthodox monasteries. Religion was one of the main reasons they were one of the most important dynasties in Serbia. Because of them Serbia is very rich in historical monuments and churches. The well known monasteries they built include: monastery of Žiča, Studenica Monastery, Gračanica Monastery, Ljubostinja, Banjska Monastery, Mileševa Monastery, Hilandar, Đurđevi stupovi, Sopoćani, Visoki Dečani, Gradac Monastery, Morača (monastery), Gorioč Monastery, Monastery of the Holy Archangels, Matejče Monastery, Our Lady of Ljeviš, Papraća Monastery, Tronoša Monastery, Rača monastery, Arilje monastery, Bešenovo Monastery, Davidovica monastery and many more.

Other members

Family tree

In popular culture

Sources