Vuk Grgurević


Vuk Grgurević Branković was a Serbian nobleman who was the titular Despot of Serbia from 1471 until his death in 1485. He inherited the title of despot, by King Matthias Corvinus, and ruled most of present-day Vojvodina, under the overlordship of the Kingdom of Hungary. He is known in Serbian epic poetry for his valour and heroism, and is called Vuk the Fiery Dragon, Vuk the Dragon-Despot, or simply the Dragon; he commanded the Hungarian army in several of its battles against the Ottomans. He is considered the founder of Grgeteg monastery.

Life

Vuk was the son of Grgur Branković, and a grandson of despot Đurađ Branković and Eirene Kantakouzene. His father Grgur was blinded by the Ottomans in 1441.
With the fall of Serbian Despotate in 1459, at first, Vuk Grgurević was an Ottoman vassal, but in 1465, he acceded into the service of Matthias Corvinus and became commander of Serb military squads in Syrmia.
Vuk acquired a great reputation for bravery, and gained the nickname "Zmaj Ognjeni", which translates to "Fiery Dragon". His name "Vuk" means "wolf" in Serbian so his nickname, "Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk", actually means "Fiery Dragon Wolf". He is a hero in many Serbian epic songs.
He fought for the Hungarians against Czechs, Poles, Austrians and Turks. In 1471 he gained a title of the despot of Serbia, and also gained large possessions in present-day Vojvodina, which formerly belonged to despot Đurađ Branković. Among his possessions were Slankamen, Kupinovo, Zrenjanin, Berkasovo, Irig, Vršac, etc.
His most famous military forays were those in 1476, when he seized Srebrenica and fought near Šabac and Smederevo, and in 1480, when he attacked Sarajevo. In 1479, along with Dmitar Jakšić, he led Serbian light cavalry squadrons in Battle of Breadfield, near Zsibót. At the decisive moment in battle Hungarian and Serbian hussars charged the Ottoman centre and broke their ranks, which decided the outcome of the battle. In 1481, he fought against Turks in Serbia, and brought from there about 50,000 people, who were settled in Banat, mostly around Timișoara.
Vuk worked together with alias Dojčin Petar, which demonstrates in some of his letters. An inheritance was suspected centuries later. Imperial censorship caused every copy of the 1808 issue of the Almanach de Gotha to be seized and destroyed. In fact the censorship office found the word "genealogy" to be an insult.since the Bonapartes could not produce one and the tendentious word was suppressed.
was founded by Vuk Grgurević

Possessions

His territory was called "Little Rascia".

Titles

Vuk was married to Barbara Frankopan.

Legacy

According to tradition, Vuk Grgurević founded the Grgeteg monastery in 1471.