Despot Stefan Tower
Encyclopedia
The Despot Stefan Tower is a structure in Belgrade
, Serbia
, built ca.1405, a couple of years after the city became the capital of Serbian Despotate
under Despot Stefan. Despot Stefan Lazarević
was a son of Lazar of Serbia
, last Serbia
n ruler, who died in the Battle of Kosovo
on June 28, 1389 in the crucial battle that brought the Serbian Empire
to collapse and enabled the Ottoman Turks
to penetrate further into the Balkans
.
However, most of present-day Central Serbia
remained independent under his son Stefan for another fifty years, which allowed the northern Serbian cities, such as Smederevo
, Belgrade
or Kragujevac
to further develop. Belgrade
was proclaimed the capital of the Serbian Despotate
in 1404 and it remained the capital city ever since. While most of the Balkans
was conquered and suffered terribly under the Turkish
yoke, Despot Stefan's Belgrade and Serbia
became one of the most prominent city-states in medieval Europe
. The population reached 50,000 as public buildings, royal courts, churches and fortifying walls were built. The city became a mecca for Balkan Christians and was the cultural and spiritual capital of this part of Europe. Belgrade was fortified with two great walls (surrounding Upper and Lower City), which contained most of its population as well as the magnificent palace of Despot, which was later destroyed. After the Despot's death, the Serbian Despotate was destroyed by the Turks and its last city, Smederevo
, succumbed. Belgrade was taken by Royal Hungary
after the Siege of Belgrade and served as its southern capital until 1521, when a month-long siege ended in capitulation and surrender to Turkey, which meant a decline in the city's importance for the next three centuries.
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, built ca.1405, a couple of years after the city became the capital of Serbian Despotate
Serbian Despotate
The Serbian Despotate was a Serbian state, the last to be conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is generally considered the end of the medieval Serbian state, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravian Serbia survived for 70 more years,...
under Despot Stefan. Despot Stefan Lazarević
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
was a son of Lazar of Serbia
Lazar of Serbia
Lazar Hrebeljanović , was a medieval nobleman that emerged as the most powerful Serbian ruler after the death of the previous, childless, Emperor Uroš the Weak, which resulted in years of instability in the Serbian realm. As Stefan Lazar, he was Prince of Serbia from 1371 to 1389, ruling what is...
, last Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n ruler, who died in the Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
on June 28, 1389 in the crucial battle that brought the Serbian Empire
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
to collapse and enabled the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
to penetrate further into the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
However, most of present-day Central Serbia
Central Serbia
Central Serbia , also referred to as Serbia proper , was the region of Serbia from 1945 to 2009. It included central parts of Serbia outside of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina. The region of Central Serbia was not an administrative division of Serbia as such; it was under the...
remained independent under his son Stefan for another fifty years, which allowed the northern Serbian cities, such as Smederevo
Smederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
or Kragujevac
Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
to further develop. Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
was proclaimed the capital of the Serbian Despotate
Serbian Despotate
The Serbian Despotate was a Serbian state, the last to be conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is generally considered the end of the medieval Serbian state, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravian Serbia survived for 70 more years,...
in 1404 and it remained the capital city ever since. While most of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
was conquered and suffered terribly under the Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
yoke, Despot Stefan's Belgrade and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
became one of the most prominent city-states in medieval Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The population reached 50,000 as public buildings, royal courts, churches and fortifying walls were built. The city became a mecca for Balkan Christians and was the cultural and spiritual capital of this part of Europe. Belgrade was fortified with two great walls (surrounding Upper and Lower City), which contained most of its population as well as the magnificent palace of Despot, which was later destroyed. After the Despot's death, the Serbian Despotate was destroyed by the Turks and its last city, Smederevo
Smederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
, succumbed. Belgrade was taken by Royal Hungary
Royal Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary between 1538 and 1867 was part of the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy, while outside the Holy Roman Empire.After Battle of Mohács, the country was ruled by two crowned kings . They divided the kingdom in 1538...
after the Siege of Belgrade and served as its southern capital until 1521, when a month-long siege ended in capitulation and surrender to Turkey, which meant a decline in the city's importance for the next three centuries.