Стефан Немањић и његов брат Сава у списима Димитрија Хоматина
Stefan Nemanjić and his Brother Sava in the Acts of Demetrios Chomatenos

Author(s): Vlada Stanković
Subject(s): Cultural history, 13th to 14th Centuries
Published by: Vizantološki institut SANU
Summary/Abstract: Almost simultaneously with becoming the archbishop of Ohrid (Bulgaria) in 1216/1217, as a protege of Theodore Angelos, Demetrios Chomatenos embarked on settling the political relations of the State of Epirus with the neighboring rulers, among whom the archzhupan, and from 1217 king of Serbia, Stephen, was on of the most prominent personalities. Chomatenos' acts bear witness to the intensive communication between the State of Epirus, some of which went through the Archbishopric of Ohrid, and Serbia, conveying some unique information about family ties between the two neighboring regions. Of particular importance are the quality and the fashion of Chomatenos' communication with Stephan Nemanjić and his younger brother Sava, that confirm their complete inclusion in to the Byzantine world of the first decades of the thirteenth century, revealing, at the same time, the strong political role of the archbishop of Ohrid. According to the analysis of Chomatenos' acts, it seems conceivable that Theodore Angelos attempted to pursue a more neutral policy toward Serbia and its ruler in the first years of his rule, until the final agreement with Stephan Nemanjić and the marriage of his daughter Anna with Stephan's heir in 1219/1220. The turnabout in policy toward an alliance with Stephan Nemanjić was not looked upon favorably by all bishops of Chomatenos' diocese (act 3), and Chomatenos might have personally shared the views of some opponents of Theodore Angelos' new policy, since his authority was challenged and strongly undermined with the recognition of the Serbian autocephalous church that Sava obtained from Nicaea in 1218/1219.

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