Акта о исплати дела Светодмитарског дохотка деспотици Јелени. Дубровник, 1463, мај 11 - Дубровник, 1463, новембар 11
Documents on Payment of a Part of the "Saint Demetrius Tribute" to Despotess (Despina) Jelena

Summary/Abstract: It is not know in detail if the so-called Serbian tribute (tribute given on St. Demetrius Day) was paid regularly during the rule of King Stefan Tomašević. In the Charter of Privileges dated November 23, 1461, the King emphasized that the tribute should be paid annually. Although these funds were mainly used to regulate his and debts of his predecessors, a part of a tribute was paid to him directly. At one point Tomašević bought asola, an expensive piece of jewelry, borrowing the money from his mother-in-law despotess (despina) Jelena Paleolog Branković of Serbia. The document analyzed in this paper is a testimony of payment of a part of St. Demetrius tribute to Jelena. King Stefan transferred the right to collect the money on her in order to return the loan. It is also the last known document which mentions Serbian tribute. The document is an example of two-part receipt, made from two different acts: a more formal charter – Dubrovnik’s guarantee that the sum will be paid (I) and the receipt – confirmation that the money was collected (II). Along with other historical facts, the document also reveals the relation between Ragusan perpera and Venetian ducat at that moment and the specific intitulation of Jelena (господин госпођа деспотица – lord lady despotess). Also, these two acts represent a good example of the Ragusan legal practice in the case of the handover of tribute. Usually, as the confirmation of the transaction, a receipt (expeditoria) was issued, which could be composed of one or two parts.

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