The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

and nominated George Brankovic’s little son Serbian despot. From that time the importance and number of Serbians in Hungary steadily increased, so much so that the military power and obligations of the Serbian despots were ereater than those of any other vassal of the Hungarian crown. Whereas the great State magnates (officiales bandieriati, viz. the Duke of Transylvania, the Ban of Croatia, etc.) were in the case of war obliged to contribute one bandierium, 7.e. 400 horsemen, the Serbian despot had to send 1000 horsemen. His bandierium was equal to that of the King himself (bandierium regale).’

The importance of the Serbian element in Hungary was specially noticeable after the battle of Mohacz, when after the defeat and death of King Laush II complete anarchy prevailed in the kingdom. Two candidates for the Hungarian throne, John Zapolya, Duke of Transylvania, and the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, brother of the Emperor Charles V, were contending for the crown. For a while the Serbians hesitated to take part in that conflict, as some of their nobles and leaders thought that they ought to use this opportunity to create an independent Serbian State north of the Danube and the Save. But the Turkish menace, ever present and increasing, together with the promises of the

1 The third decree of King Vladislav (Corpus Juris Hungarici, 492, 606).

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