Нови изворови сведения за княжеството на Константин Драгаш
New Primary Sources about the Principality of Constantine Dragas

Summary/Abstract: The principality of the brothers John and Constantine Dragaš (Dejanovići) was established on the territory of Dušan’s Serbia, in the region of East and Northeast Macedonia. The article is based on three documents: acts of bishops of Melnik, two of which unpublished, from the archives of the monastery of Vatopedi. The three documents refer to a specific property argument between two monasteries in Melnik: the monastery of Saint Mother of God Speliotisa and the monastery of Saint Mother of God Katafigion, but apart from this they are also related to the history of the principality. The first act is dated in October 1377 and reflects a new stage in the history of the Dragašes’ principality, connected with a change of power. The document reveals the fact that after the summer of 1377 the younger brother Constantine took power. The act sanctioned the inclusion of Melnik within the borders of the principality. The second act is dated in July 1379. It contains interesting information about the administration under the reign of the Dejanovići. The author of the act calls the real property “state”, and the signatures at the end of the document belong to the so called “archons of the local state”, who name themselves “servants” of Constantine. The third act is issued in 1386. It reveals several specific facts, related to the church history of Melnik. It becomes clear that the Patriarchate of Constantinople intervened in the property argument because Melnik was part of its diocese. The property argument between the two monasteries in Melnik was solved through the mediation of the Oecomenical Patriarch and in front of his representative. The act lists the names of the bishops who were at the head of the bishopric of Melnik for a period of about ten years. The act marks the end of Spiridon’s service as bishop in Melnik and is part of his preparation to become the patriarch of Pech.

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