Palman

Palman Bracht (Latin Palmanus Teutonicus Capitanus gentis armigens, * 1290 in Styria; † after 1355 ) was the leader of a mercenary army in Serbia of the 14th century, which consisted of Germans, at least in its initial stage. In the Serbian tradition of this mercenary army as Palmans Ritter ( serb. Palmanovi vítezí ) is known.

Life

Palman Bracht was born at the end of the 13th century in Styria. He was born with a condition called hare lip or cleft lip, a split in the upper lip. He spent his early years in the castle of his father, at age 13, he became a courtier. At 16, he was squire in the service of Henry III. In which he remained until 1310, when his father died. Palman took over his father's legacy and entered the service of the Habsburgs. Under the Habsburgs, he was knighted. At age 27, he settled in Venice his crooked lip operate due to the unrequited love of a countess. Since he could not win so that the love of the Countess, he spent his next years as an adventurer and numerous tournaments throughout the Holy Roman Empire, in which he lost a finger. As for these " love proofs " his love has still not been reciprocated by the said Countess, Palman decided to move to the Holy Land. Traveling through Serbia, he met with his companions the Serbian Tsar Stefan Dušan and went to 1331 in his services as leader of a German mercenary troops (reportedly up to 300 men ), as " Kapetan the Alemannic Guard". In some sources this Alemannic Guard is also known as the bodyguard Dusan.

In Serbia, he worked with alsgleich in the Battle of Porodimlje between Stefan Dušan, at the time still co-regent and heir to the throne, and his father Stefan Decanski; after this battle Stefan Dušan was crowned the Serbian king. His troops were also involved in the suppression of a revolt of local nobleman in the Zeta and in northern Albania. 1336 Dušan was planning to separate from his wife Jelena, sister of the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Alexander, since the marriage remained childless with her. In view, a marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of Frederick the Fair, asked. Palman was sent for the Habsburgs as a matchmaker because of its German language and his former services. The commercials Palmans were fruitless, since Elizabeth died young. In alliance with the Byzantine regent John Cantacuzenus Dušan conquered large parts of Byzantium, the troops Palmans was stationed in Veria in Thrace. Veria was taken in the same year of Cantacuzenus with a List. Palmans people were granted, while Serb soldiers were kept as hostages safe conduct. To Palman 1354 was sent to the aid of Stefan Dusan's sister Jelena, who ruled as widowed Šubić Bribirski in northern Dalmatia and was threatened by Hungary. Stefan Dušan died in 1355, and from Palman and his troops since there is no trace. It is believed that Palman either remained at the court Jelena and died there or returned to his home in Styria.

Trivia

An event was in memory of the Serbs over the centuries alive. In the 1350ern Stefan Dušan led negotiations with the Pope about a union of the churches of the Orthodox Church in Serbia with the Roman Catholic Church. The purpose of the Church Union should on the one hand bring support in future conflicts with the Turks - Dušan saw the Turkish danger ahead and wanted to be appointed by the Pope for " Captain of Christianity in the struggle against the infidels " - on the other hand, he promised to protect against attacks Catholic rulers such as the of Hungary. When Hungary 1355 but began a campaign against Serbia, Dušan saw no real political gains in a church union and then forbade all Catholics in his court attendance at the church fair. At this time, the papal legate Peter Thomas at the court Dusan. Palman and his men ignored the ban and took part in the fair. Left to talk Palman replied that Stefan Dušan could indeed have their bodies but not their souls. This bold attitude Dušan impressed so much that he was finally granted Palman and its people.