Duchy of Saint Sava

The Duchy of Saint Sava (Vojvodstvo Svetog Save) was a late medieval polity in southeastern Europe, that existed from 1448 up to 1482, when it was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire. It was founded and controlled by the Kosača noble family, whose rulers held the title Duke of Saint Sava (Herceg od Svetog Save). Their domains included southern parts of modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, extending to southern parts of modern-day coastal Croatia, northwestern Montenegro and southwestern Serbia. Its founder, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača (duke since 1448), titled himself Herceg of Saint Sava, a title which would later give rise to the new name to the region: Herzegovina, and will be also used by the Ottomans as Hersek Sancağı (Sanjak of the Herzeg), designating the Sanjak of Herzegovina.

In various sources, and historiographical traditions, the name of the duchy is recorded or used in several forms, varying mostly in the way the name of Saint Sava is spelled in different languages: Ducatus Sancti Sabbae, Ducato di Santo Sabba, Herzogtum des hl. Sava. In English historiography, forms such as the "Duchy of Saint Sava" or "Dukedom of Saint Sava" were used already since the 1700s and further on.

History


Until the 14th century, most regions of the later Duchy of Saint Sava were part of medieval Serbia, and then became part of the medieval Bosnia. By the beginning of the 15th century, the Kosača noble family gained prominence and power in those southeastern parts of the Kingdom of Bosnia. Since 1435, the family was headed by Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, a mighty feudal lord whose relations with Bosnian kings became turbulent, due to his high ambitions. On 15 February 1444, Stjepan signed a treaty with Alfonso V of Aragon, who was also the King of Naples, becoming his vassal in exchange for the king's help against Stjepan's main enemies, namely King Stephen Thomas of Bosnia, and the Republic of Venice.

In order to emphasize his feudal rank among other lords and consolidate his feudal domain, Stjepan decided to take a new title. Since the autumn of 1448, he started to style himself as "Herceg" (from German title Herzog or Duke), that was also used as an equivalent to the South Slavic title Vojvoda. Initialy, he was mentioned in one document as "Herceg of Hum and Primorje" (1448), but from the beginning of 1449 and further on, he styled himself as "Herceg of Saint Sava" (Dux Sancti Sabae), Saint Sava (†1236), after the first Serbian Archbishop. The title "Duke of Saint Sava" had considerable symbolic value, because Saint Sava's relics, which were located in monastery Mileševa within Stjepan's domains, were considered miracle-working by people of all Christian faiths in the region.

Duke Stjepan thus gained a higher position in feudal hierarchy, striving to gain more independence from the Bosnian king. Stjepan's domain covered various regions, from the river Lim in the east, to beyond the river Neretva in the west, and upper Drina in the north, encompassing several historical territories (zemlja and župa), such as: Hum, Primorje, Travunija, Onogošt, Drina, Polimlje and others. At its greatest territorial extent (c. 1465), under Duke Stjepan, the Duchy included southern parts of modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, and extended to parts of modern-day coastal Croatia, northwestern Montenegro and southeastern part of modern Serbia.

Stjepan also improved his relations with the Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković, and already in 1448-1449 they formed an alliance, and conquered Višegrad and Srebrenica from the Bosnian crown. In 1450, upon the conclusion of the peace treaty between the Venetian Republic and the Kingdom of Naples, Duke Stjepan was listed among the concluding parties on the side of King Alfonso of Naples, while King of Bosnia was listed among allies of Venice.

In 1451, Stjepan attacked the Republic of Ragusa in order to gain the region of Konavle, and laid siege to the city of Dubrovnik. He had earlier been made a Ragusan nobleman and, consequently, the Ragusan government now proclaimed him a traitor. A reward of 15,000 ducats, a palace in Dubrovnik worth 2,000 ducats, and an annual income of 300 ducats was offered to anyone who would kill him, along with the promise of hereditary Ragusan nobility which also helped hold this promise to whoever did the deed. An offer was also made to the Ottomans, by Duke's enemies, to buy out Stjepan's domain for 50,000 ducats, and additional problems occurred within ducal family, since his eldest son Vladislav attempted to establish himself in the western parts of ducal domains, in the region of Hum. Stjepan and Vladislav were reconsiled in 1453, and the peace with Dubrovnik was concluded in 1454.

In the same year (1454), Duke Stjepan renewed his alliance with King Alfonso of Naples, who issued a charter (June 1st) confirming all of Stjepan's ducal domains and mutual obligations. In the royal charter, Stjepan was addressed as: "illustris Stephani ducis Sancte Save Domini terre Hulminis maritimarum partium ac comiti Drine et magni vayvode Regni Boccine".

Religious situation in Stjepan's domains was complex, since his subjects belonged to three Christian denominations (Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and the Bosnian Church). Prominent members of his court were metropolitan David of Mileševa (of the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć), and gost Radin (of the Bosnian Church). Ethnic composition of Stjepan's wast domains was also complex, encompassing local South Slavic populations, and also romance Vlachs.

In 1463, the Ottomans conquered the Bosnian Kingdom, thus endangering all of the neigbouring regions, including the Duchy of Saint Sava. In 1465, Ottomans conquered most of the eastern part of Stjepan's domains, organizing the captured territories as the Vilayet of the Herceg (Vilâyet-i Hersek) within the Sanjak of Bosnia, and later (c. 1470) reorganizing the same region as a separate Sanjak of Herzegovina.

Stjepan Vukčić died in 1466, and was succeeded by his sons Vladislav Hercegović and Vlatko Hercegović. The elder brother ruled in western regions, while the younger governed over the remaining southeastern parts, centered in Herceg-Novi. By 1467, much of the Duchy was occupied by the Ottoman governor of the Sanjak of Bosnia, Isa Bey Ishaković. As a result, Vladislav left for Hungary and received an estate in Slavonia. In 1470, Vlatko concluded a treaty with the Ottoman sultan, thus securing the existence of his domain, which was gradually reduced to the region of Novi.

During the following years, Duke Vlatko tried to secure his remaining ducal domains by balancing between Venetians and Ottomans, while his youngest brother Stjepan converted to Islam (c. 1474) and consequently achieved a prominent career in Ottoman service, becoming known as Ahmed Pasha Hersekzade.

Fall of the Duchy
Since the end of the Ottoman-Venetian war (1463-1479), duke Vlatko was left without further support from his main ally, the Venetian Republic. As a result of Ottoman expansion during the previous years, territory of the formerly wast Duchy of Saint Sava was gradually reduced to its southeastern regions around Novi. In attempt to gain support against Ottomans, duke Vlatko tried to strengthen his ties with the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Naples, thus provoking new sultan Bayezid II (1481-1512). In autumn 1481, Ottoman forces invaded the Duchy and besieged Novi, that was defended by duke Vlatko, aided by allied forces sent by Hungarian king. Outnumbered by invading forces, defenders resisted until December/Jannuary (1481/1482) when Novi fell into Ottoman hands. Thus, the last remnant of the Duchy of Saint Sava was finally conquered, and incorporated into the Sanjak of Herzegovina. In order to demonstrate clemency, sultan granted some inland possessions to duke Vlatko, who lived under Ottoman rule for several years, but later moved under Venetian protection and settled in the island of Rab.

Legacy


Title of the Duke (Herceg) of Saint Sava would later give the name to the historical region of Herzegovina (Hercegovina = Land of the Herceg), as the Ottomans used the term "Hersek Sancağı" (Sanjak of the Herzeg) for the newly formed Sanjak of Herzegovina.

In spite of the fall (1482), traditions related to the Duchy of Saint Sava continued to play significant role in regional geopolitics, particularly in later Venetian and Habsburg plans to reconquer the territory from the Ottomans, thus resulting in frequent mentions of the former Duchy in 16th-18th century sources, as well in early cartography. Both exiled dukes, Vladislav and Vlatko, and their descendants who lived in Hungary and Venice, kept the title "Duke of Saint Sava" and used it until the extinction of the Kosača family in the 17th century.

Rulers

 * Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, 1435–1466
 * Vladislav Hercegović and Vlatko Hercegović, 1466–1482
 * Balša Hercegović (in title)