Dušanov ulazak u Carstvo
The Entering of Stefan Dušan into the Empire

Summary/Abstract: At the moment when, in October 1341, a new Civil War broke out in the Byzantium after the death of Andronicus III, the traditional views of the imperial power and the Empire underwent considerable changes. The powers of the co-rulers had been on the rise since 1272, and during the Civil War of 1321–1328 the Byzantine Empire was in effect divided, that is, two Basileis were ruling “imperially” over their respective territories within the formally unified Empire, under the scope of relations of Superior basileus — co-basileus. Therefore, the Empire could multiply in the sense of rulers’ authorities, and be divided in the sense of territoriality. The imperial power and the Empire became subject to family relations and family law. In view of the family connections between the Byzantine Emperors and the monarchs of the neighboring countries and nations, the right to succession was being used as an argument in some disputes between the rulers. The Byzantine law, that is, the Byzantine political views, allowed for the possibility of the so-called “joint rule” (h oikeia arch) by a Byzantine basileus autokrator and some other, foreign member of the dynasty ruling over certain region of the Byzantine Empire — a foreign ruler would be allowed to rule on condition that the Byzantine basileus be recognized as the supreme master. This scenario is known from one recorded dispute between the Byzantine basileus Andronicus III and the Bulgarian tsar Michael Assen III dating from 1328, when the Bulgarian Emperor did not accept the Byzantine rule, however. All these circumstances are of special importance since they directly precede the King Stefan Du{an’s involvement in the Civil War, that is, his later entering into the Empire.

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