Деспот Лазар Бранковић
Despot Lazar Branković

Summary/Abstract: Despot Lazar Branković was a son of despot Đurađ Branković and despoina Jerina (Irina), born Cantacuzenus. He was in exile with his parents in 1439–1444, in Hungary, Italy, Ragusa, Zeta. He married Helen, the daughter of Thomas Paleologus, despot of Morea in 1446. At that occasion he was crowned with the crown of despots, because his older brothers, Grgur and Stephen, had been blinded. Thus he became the heir to the Serbian throne and his father’s co-ruler. When despot Đurađ died, on December 24th, 1456, he became a Serbian ruler. In the extremely diffi cult political conditions, he maneuvered between Turkey and Hungary. He entered a hard dispute with his mother, who was supporting the blind Grgur in his attempts to seize the power. He was poisoned by the nobility, which blamed him for alleged matricide.

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