Vukac Hranic

Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca, master of the upper Podrinje, Dabar and Herzegovina. A brave fighter and a member of the noble Kosaca family, the Serbian ruling family in the second half of the 14th and most of the 15th century. Brother of the Grand Duke of Serbia, Sandalj Hranic Kosaca. Father of the Duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca and Serbian Princess Teodora Vukcic Kosaca.

Year of birth: 1372

Place of birth: Kosace

Father’s name: Serbian Duke Hrana Vukovic Kosaca

Mother’s name: Teodora

Wife: Katarina

Descendants: Duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca, Serbian Princess Teodora Vukcic Kosaca

Religious affiliation: Orthodox Christian

Year of death: 1432

Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca was born in 1372 in Kosaca as the second son of the Serbian duke Hrana Vukovic Kosaca. The prince grew up with his father and uncle, great dukes and brave warriors. He learned the skills of warfare, negotiation from them and was raised as the first reserve for the throne after his older brother, the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca.

The religious affiliation of the Serbian prince Vukc Hranic Kosaca was unequivocally the Orthodox Christian faith. In support of this are the facts that during his life, the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca, helped his brother in the erection of many monuments, temples and many founding works. For himself, he prepared a family temple-tomb in the church of St. Stefan on Scepan Polje.

The first mention of the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca appears in August 1398, along with his brother, the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca. They were then mentioned in the Venetian charter as nobility.

In 1403, it is stated as the year in which the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca married his wife Katarina from Apulija. He had two children from that marriage. The eldest son and future ruler of the Duke of St. Sava, Stefan Vukcic Kosaca, and Princess Teodora Vukcic Kosaca. The origin of his wife is related to today’s Naples. Confirmation of that is the departure of the Serbian duke Vukac Hranic Kosaca to Naples in 1411. The mention of his wife Katarina as a widow in 1433, after the death of the Serbian prince Vukc Hranic Kosaca, was also recorded.

His life was marked by the service with his older brother, the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca. The prince was more strongly engaged in resolving the conflicts after the Dubrovnik-Bosnian war. He is mentioned here as one of the judges in the arbitration that should resolve the issue of war damages and reparations. Before that war, he had a military role in the army of his brother, the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca. All three brothers Sandalj, Vukac and Vuk were primarily soldiers of the Principality of Herzegovina and faithful protectors of the Kosaca family.

Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca was also very active in the negotiations around the village of Lisac, where a great dispute arose. He figured as a person trusted by his brother and the surrounding countries.

Kingdom of Bosnia, Kingdom of Hungary, Venetian Republic…

The preparation of his son, the Duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca, for the future ruler, began with the inclusion of the prince in the negotiation process. The prince was constantly staying with his brother, while their brother, the Serbian prince Vuk Hranic, could not be described as Kosaca because he was in charge of taking care of the northern territories. Serbian Prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca played a very important role at the assembly organized between Dubrovnik and Bosnia. It all happened in 1405. He was also part of a jury working to resolve war reparations. That session was held in Trebinje, Konavle and Popovo. Because of all that engagement, Dubrovnik awarded the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca and his brother the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca with the privilege of asylum. The asylum covered all benefits such as food, accommodation and other expenses for up to 12 family members.

In 1406, he was a member of the commission that sent a request to King Ladislav of Naples to recognize the borders of the Principality of Herzegovina because the entire territory was threatened by the Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg.

This happened in the process of King Sigismund of Luxembourg’s attack on the Kingdom of Bosnia and the Principality of Herzegovina.

As in every noble family, there were differences between the brothers in Kosaca. This is exactly what happened when in 1407, the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca wrote to Dubrovnik on his own initiative that there was a dispute between him and his brother and that they should take his side. The people of Dubrovnik skillfully avoided that, not wanting to deepen the gap between the brothers. All this took place in February 1407. Yet brotherly love and affection did not come into question. They continued to cooperate. Another example of the divergence of the brothers in the Kosaca family, we find between the Duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca and the Serbian prince Ivan Vukovic Kosaca. Serbian Prince Ivan Vukovic Kosaca (my direct ancestor) was older and had the right to inherit the throne, but due to problems with the marriage of his father, Serbian Prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca, but also the intriguing abilities of Serbian Prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca, he was not allowed to do so. The right to inherit The throne was held by a male member of the Kosaca family from a legally concluded marriage as prescribed by the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Kosaca family strictly adhered to these rules and thus ruled for 133 years from small territories around the town of Kosaca to the whole of Herzegovina. The hierarchy of rule that Kosaca held was: the ruler of the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca, the second in the line of Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca, the third in line Serbian prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca (my direct ancestor) and the fourth in the line of the duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca. That is how the Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca mentioned them in his wills and legacies. The deposits he left were given names as heirs. Such wills were created in October 1413 and in January 1419. His wife Jelena Lazarevic was also included in both wills. Serbian Prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca and Serbian Prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca were also included in all major agreements. That happened around the sale of their part to Konavle.

In 1419, with the accompanying documentation, they swore on the legality of the sale of Konavle to the people of Dubrovnik. Serbian duke Sandalj Hranic Kosaca, Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca, Serbian prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca and Duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca. After concluding the contract of sale, the Serbian prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca and the duke of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca also received the Dubrovnik nobility, which already had the first two mentioned members.

Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca had two children. Herceg of St. Sava Stefan Vukcic Kosaca and Serbian Princess Teodora Vukcic Kosaca. Herceg, as the predicted ruler, immediately took important military positions. He took a large part in the league that was formed around the Konavle war. His sister was the first historical female member of the Kosaca family to be mentioned. She married Radoslav Pavlovic in 1421, who was a rival and enemy of the Kosaca family. After the wedding, there was a period of calming of tensions between the Kosaca and Pavlović families. By marrying Radoslav, Teodora enters the historical scene as the mother of Pavlović’s three children: Ivanis, Petra and Nikola. He took over the support and leadership of the Pavlović family after Radoslav’s death. After that event, the Pavlović family lost power and became increasingly weak as feudal lords. Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca played a significant role in the process of reconciliation around the Konavle war. As a conciliator and father-in-law of the rival side, he managed to reduce tensions.

In 1424, the youngest member of the brothers, the Serbian prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca, died and the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca took care of his estates. His estates stretched around the town of Jelec in the municipality of Foca. These were small estates and they were very fragmented. Taking care of the children of his youngest brother, the prince of Serbia, Vuk Hranic Kosaca, and protecting them, he again showed the fraternal devotion of the Kosaca family. Serbian prince Vuk Hranic Kosaca is survived by two sons, Serbian prince Ivan Vukovic Kosaca (my direct ancestor) and Serbian prince Sladoje Vukovic Kosaca.

In June 1432, the Serbian prince Vukac Hranic Kosaca died. It will be noted that he was a faithful soldier and protector of the Kosaca family. A brave soldier of the Principality of Herzegovina and the father of the great ruler of the Duke of St. Sava, Stefan Vukcic Kosaca.

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