Constantine Dragaš

Konstantin Dejan Dragaš or Constantine Dragaš Dejanović, even Konstantin Dejan Dragash, Bulgarian Константин Деян Драгаш, Serbian Константин Дејан Драгаш, Greek: Kωvσταντίνος Δραγάσης / Konstantínos Dragases, († May 17, 1395 ) was a Serbian prince regional ( despot ) of the Despotate of Welbaschd (now Kyustendil ) from 1355 until his death at the Battle of Rovine.

Life

Constantine Dragaš was the son of the Serbian Dejan Sebastocrator and the Bulgarian Boljarentochter Theodora ( Eudocia ), a sister of the Serbian Tsar Stefan Dušan. His maternal grandparents were of Serbian king Stefan Decanski and Theodora, daughter of the Bulgarian Tsar Smilets.

Together with his brother John Dragaš ( Jovan Dragaš ), who died about 1378/1379, Constantine ruled mainly large parts of today's Macedonia between the river valleys of the Vardar and Struma ( Strymon ). Constantine's titles vary according to different sources. He may have taken the title of despot ( despotes ), well he achieved as a result of his in law parental relationship with the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Furthermore, through this relationship with the imperial family before his death in 1395, the confirmation of his reign claims to the region around the river Struma and the today's town of Pernik by Konstantin Opel.

The brothers Dragaš entertained the monasteries of Mount Athos, including Hilandar, Panteleimon and Vatopedi. The monastery Poganovo is a foundation of Constantine and housed the Poganowo icon, a gift to his daughter Helena Dragaš.

After the Battle of Maritsa in 1371 they were vassals of the Ottoman Empire, but have close relations with their Christian neighbors hold. At the behest of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, he took along with his neighbors and allies, the Serbian king Marko of Prilep Kraljević, the campaign against the Wallachian voivode Mircea cel Bătrân part and was killed in 1395 at the Battle of Rovine. The Ottomans named its capital Welbaschd his honor in Kyustendil ( Kyustendil Bulgarian, German: "Land of Constantine " ) around. The city Dragaš is named after him.

Family

Constantine Dragaš was married twice. The name of his first wife is unknown. His second wife was Evdokia Megaskomnene, daughter of Emperor Alexios III .. With his first wife, Constantine had at least one daughter and possibly a son who rebelled in 1430 against the Ottomans.

Serbian folk poetry

Constantine Dragaš emerged as a hero in the epic poetry as a friend of Marko Kraljević on.