Kosača noble family

"Kosače" redirects here. For the village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, see Kosače (Goražde).

The House of Kosača (Serbian Cyrillic: Косача, pl. Kosače / Косаче), somewhere Kosačić (Serbian Cyrillic: Косачић, pl. Kosačići / Косачићи), was a Bosnian^[6][7][8] medieval noble family which ruled over parts of modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia between the 14th century and the 15th century. The land they controlled was known as Humska zemlja (Hum, for short),^[9][10][11] roughly corresponding to modern region of Herzegovina, which itself was derived from the title "Herzog", which Stjepan Vukčić Kosača adopted in 1448., with latin title "Dux Sancti Sabbae". Besides Hum, they ruled parts of Dalmatia and Rascia. They were vassals to several states, including the Kingdom of Bosnia and Ottoman Empire. Historians think the Kosača family is part of the Kőszegi family (House of Herceg), but there is a lack of evidence for this claim.

The religious confession of the Kosača family is uncertain. They were in contact with the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Church of Bosnia, the Roman Catholic Church and Islam. During the fall of the Bosnian Kingdom, the "Kosače" split into three branches: Venetian, Dalmatian and Ottoman. From then onward, these branches became accepting of the Roman Catholic faith, in the first two cases, and of Islam in the third.

Kosača Косача Kosačić Косачић
Noble house
shield, charge bendy Gules and Argent, helmet, torse and red and white mantling; in crest demi Lion rampant Gules charged with four lilies holding in the paws a Banner of arms Gules flowing to the dexter charged with two cross
Country	Kingdom of Bosnia
Place of origin	Eastern Bosnia near Rudine Upper Drina
Founded	first half of the 14th century
Founder	Vuk Kosača
Final ruler	Vlatko Hercegović
Titles	knyaz vojvoda herceg bey special titles Grand Duke of Bosnia (Veliki Vojvoda Bosanski)[1] Herzog (Duke) of Hum and the Coast[1] Herzog of Saint Sava Grand Vizier Grand Admiral
Estate(s)	Gornje Podrinje or Gornja Drina (Upper Drina) (area around the upper course of the Drina river) Humska zemlja (1326–1482) (roughly modern Herzegovina) Primorje (the Coast) (Adriatic coast roughly between Omiš and Herceg Novi)
Dissolution	end of the 16th c.
Cadet branches	Vuković Hranić Vukčić Hercegović Hersekzade Isabegović[2][3][4][5] Isabegzade

History

Flag of Kosača family

The family name Kosača was probably taken after the village of Kosače near Goražde, in the Upper Drina region of eastern Bosnia, where the Kosača family were originally estate owners.^[12][13]

The founder, Vuk^[13] was a prominent military commander under Emperor Dušan the Mighty of Serbia (r. 1331–1359) who took part in the conquests of southern Balkans. He was given lands around Upper Drina, province of Rudine.^[14][15]

Vlatko Vuković, the son of Vuk, brought the family to prominence after taking part in battles against the Ottomans.^[13] He commanded the victorious Bosnian army at the Battle of Bileća (1388).^[13] At the Battle of Kosovo (1389) Bosnian King Tvrtko I sent him to command with his troops. Bosnian contingent under Vlatko was positioned at the left flank from the Serbian army led by Prince Lazar of Serbia. The battle was at first reported as a victory, also by Vlatko himself, however it has been concluded as inconclusive, with a long-term Ottoman victory.^[16]

In 1448, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača styled himself "By the Grace of God Herceg of Hum and Duke of Primorje, Bosnian Grand Duke, Knyaz of Drina and the rest", adding "Herceg of Hum and the Coast" to the style, and in 1450 he styled himself "By the Grace of God Stjepan Herceg of Saint Sava, Lord of Hum and Bosnian Grand Duke, Knyaz of Drina and the rest", adding "Herceg of Saint Sava".^[9][1] This title had considerable public relations value, because Sava's relics were consider miracle-working by people of all Christian faiths. The Kosačas themselves, however, were one of the few non-Orthodox noble families in Hum.^[1] His lands were known as Herzog's lands or later Herzegovina.^[1][17]

King Stjepan Tomaš of Bosnia married Katarina Kosača, daughter of Stjepan Vukčić, in a Catholic ceremony in May 1446 ensuring, at least for a short while, he had the support of the most powerful nobleman in the kingdom and a staunch supporter of the Bosnian Church, Stjepan Vukčić.^[18]

Members

Coat of Arms of the "Vuković", from the Fojnica Armorial (18th century).

Sandalj's proto-heraldic escutcheon from marriage to Katarina Vuković Hrvatinić.^[19]

• Vuk Kosača, military commander (voivode)

• Vlatko Vuković, Grand Duke of Bosnia, died 1392
• Hrana Vuković

• Sandalj Hranić, Grand Duke of Bosnia, ca 1392–1435
• Vuk Hranić, knyaz in the Bosnian court

• Ivan Vuković, prince

• Adam Vuković

• Vukac Hranić, knyaz in the Bosnian court

• Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, Grand Duke of Bosnia 1435–1466, also Herzog of Saint Sava, 1450–1466

• Vladislav Hercegović, Grand Duke of Bosnia, ca. 1450–1463

• Balša Hercegović (fl. 1455)
• Petar

• Vlatko Hercegović, Herzog of Saint Sava, 1466–1482
• Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha, (Turkish: Hersekli Ahmed-Pasa; Serbo-Croatian: Ahmed-paša Hercegović), born Stjepan Hercegović, Ottoman Grand Vizier, married to Hundi Hatun, the daughter of Sultan Bayezid II
• Mara Hercegović
• Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić, Queen consort of Bosnia - wife of Stjepan Tomaš, King of Bosnia

• Sigismund (Šimun) Kotromanić, later converted to Islam and changed his name to Isak-beg Kraljević (Turkish: Ishak-bey Kraloglu)
• Katarina Kotromanić, later she converted to Islam and changed her name to Tahiri-hanuma, buried in Skopje in "turbe" (mausoleum)

Religious legacy

Orthodox

The Eastern Orthodox church building attributed as endowment of Stjepan Vukčić is the Church of Saint George in Sopotnica near Goražde, which is believed to be finished during 1452.^[20] In the valley of Šćepan Polje, below the Soko fort ruins, also foundation remains of the small church of Saint Stephen have been found but the results of archaeological research have never been published, however, it is believed to be endowment of Sandalj Hranić.^[21]

Catholic

Catholics from the region often visit Katarina Kosača's tomb in the Roman church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.^[22] Her tombstone features a life-size portrait and the coat of arms of the Kotromanići and Kosača at each side. The inscription, originally written in Bosnian Cyrillic (Inscription, external link) but in 1590 replaced with a Latin one, which reads:^[18]

Catharinae Reginae Bosnensi

Stephani ducis santi sabbae sorori

et genere Helene et domo principis

Stephani natae Thomae regis Bosane

vsori Qvanrum vixit annorum LIIII

et obdormivit Romae anno Domini

MCCCCLXXVIII dei XXV oteobris

monumentum ipsus scriptis positiv.

Islam

"Turbe" mausoleum in Skopje was destroyed in the 1963 Skopje earthquake. The mausoleum in memory of Princess Katherine Kotromanić, referred in Turkish sources as the "Tahiri-hanuma", was built by Isa beg Ishaković, a member of the Kosaca Ottoman branch. It was significant as being an example of very rare occurrence that a mausoleum is dedicated to a female person. After the quake, the mausoleum of the princess was reconstructed in 2014 by the Ministry of Culture of Macedonia with financial contributions from the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[23] A tradition of the locals has been maintained to this day by the visiting and burning of candles.

References

1. Fine 1994, p. 578
2. Emecen, Ferıdun (2000), Ishak bey - Osmanlı uç beyi (in Turkish), Istanbul: TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, p. 524, Hıristiyan bir aileye mensup olup Bosnalı aristokrat ailelerden Kosac ve Pavlovicler'le akrabalığından söz edilir
3. Gökbilgin, Tayyib (1952), Edirne Ve Pasha Livasi (in Turkish), Edirne: İstanbul Üniversitesı Edebiyat Fakültesi Yayinlarindan No.508, p. 333, Ishak beyın, Isa bezden başka, Mehmed Bey ve Hüsvın Bey adında ıkı oğlu daha olduğu ve babasının da Koç Bey ısmınde bırı bulunduğu, Fatıh devrıne aıt ıkı vesıkadan anlaşılmaktadır (krş. Alı Emırı tasnıfıö Fatıh, n. 23,26). Başlıkları şöyledır
4. Emecen, Ferıdun (2000), Ishak bey - Osmanlı uç beyi (in Turkish), Istanbul: TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, pp. 524–525, "Kosac" ile "Koç" lakabının benzerliği böyle bir irtıbatın bulunabileceği ihtımalini ortaya koyarsa da burada adı geçen şahsın uç beyi İshak'la ilgisi şüphelidir
5. Truhelka, Ćiro (1911), Tursko-slovjenski spomenici dubrovačke arhive (in Bosnian), Sarajevo: Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja BiH XXIII., p. 446, Mehmedbega Isabegovića, novog sandžaka krajišnika, karakteriše dragoman Skenderbeg u spomenutom pismu ovako: „a tai sadašni sandžak Esebegovik krotak je človek, kako no za Sinanbega. Na nega da se nešto vele ne tratíte i ne spenžate, nego što mu je zákon od pregašneh vrjemeni. S nim je lasno. Takoj da znáte." I to malo riječi je u doba, kada bakšiš u turskoj carevini postaje glavnim državničkim načelom, najbolja pohvala državniku. Ovaj sandžak bio je sin glasovitog Isabega Isabegovića, kóji je pod imenom Mehmed-Čelebije bio gospodar Pavloviča zemlje (1466.—1468.)
6. Esad Kurtović (2009). Veliki vojvoda bosanski Sandalj Hranić Kosača (PDF) (in Bosnian) (Book 4 of Historijske monografije ed.). Sarajevo: Institut za istoriju. p. 20. ISBN 978-9958-649-01-1. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
7. State Archives of Dubrovnik, 12.04.1437. Diversa Notariae, XXI, 132 (in Latin), Dubrovnik, 1437, ... Nobiles et egregii viri ser Ivan Vochovich et ser Giurag Radivoy Stipchovich ambo Bosinenses et attinentes condam voivode Sandagl ex quatuor domibus attinentium eiusdem voivode...
8. State Archives of Dubrovnik, 20.04.1437. Diversa Notariae, XXI, 132 (in Latin), Dubrovnik, 1437, ... Nobiles viri Vlatchus Obradovich, Radossauus Stiepchovch, Radiç Stiepchovich, Sladoe Vochovich et Stipan Dragisich omnes Bosinenses attinentes condam voiuode Sandagl ex quatuor domibus attinentum eisdem voivode...
9. Vego, Marko (1982). "Chapter: Humska zemlja". Postanak srednjovjekovne bosanske države (in Serbo-Croatian). Svjetlost. p. 48. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
10. Ćirković, Sima M. (1964). Herceg Stefan Vukčić-Kosača i njegovo doba (in Serbian). Naučno delo. pp. 336–337. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
11. Anđelić, Pavao (1982). "Chapter: Humska zemlja". Studije o teritorijalnopolitičkoj organizaciji srednjovjekovne Bosne (in Serbo-Croatian). "Svjetlost," OOUR Izdavačka djelatnost. pp. 239–240. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
12. Šanjek, Franjo (2005). Fenomen "krstjani" u srednjovjekovnoj Bosni i Humu: sbornik radova. Institut za istoriju u Sarajevu. p. 266. ISBN 978-9958-9642-5-1.
13. Др. Жељко Фајфрић, Београд, 7. децембар 2000, Котроманићи: "Како су Санковићи сишли са политичке сцене тако се почела издизати породица Косача. Њихово исходиште јесте негде око Фоче где се налазило село Косач, по коме су, могуће је, добили име. Родоначелник ове породице јесте Вук Косача, али породица захваљује свој успон његовом сину Влатку Вуковићу. Он је био од самог почетка један од најповерљивијих људи краља Твртка I. Ишао је у многе преговоре као његов представник, победио Турке код Билеће 1388. године, водио босанску војску на Косову 1389. године, и још доста тога што га је уздигло у односу на остале. Напад на Санковиће била му је и последња акција будући да је већ следеће године (1392.) умро. Наследио га је Сандаљ Хранић, син његовог брата Храње Вуковића. Осим земаља и утицаја, наследио је Сандаљ од стрица Влатка и титулу војводе. У то прво време Сандаљ Хранић нема одлучујући утицај у Босни, будући да су испред њега Павле Раденовић и Хрвоје Вукчић, али његово је време долазило."
14. Tomović, p. 2
15. Arheološko društvo Jugoslavije 1968, p. 96
16. Fine 1994, p. 409–411
17. The first written document to mention "Herzegovina" is letter from Duke Isa-bey Ishakovic Hranic dated 01/02/1455 recommending to his subordinates his friend out from Dubrovnik merchant Franko to take him wherever he goes, to Pavlovic country, to Moravica or to Herzegovina It is written in "Bosancica" Source: State Archives of Dubrovnik, Historical letter out of Isa bey Ishakovic from 01.02.1455.
18. Miller, William (1921). Essays on the Latin Orient. CUP Archive. pp. 508–509. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
19. Amer Sulejmanagić (23 July 2015). "Grbovi Vukčića Hrvatinića". Povijesni prilozi / Historical Contributions (in Croatian). 34 (48). Hrvatski institut za povijest / Croatian Institute of History: 33–68. ISSN 0351-9767. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
20. Ćirković, Sima M. (1964). Herceg Stefan Vukčić-Kosača i njegovo doba (in Serbian). Beograd: Naučno delo. p. 215. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
21. Kurtović, Esad (2009). Veliki vojvoda bosanski Sandalj Hranić Kosača (in Bosnian). Sarajevo: Institut za istoriju. p. 333. ISBN 978-9958-649-01-1. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
22. Thynne, Roger (1924). The churches of Rome. K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & co., ltd. p. 154. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
23. "Реконструиран споменикот на културата Турбето на Крал Кзи" (in Macedonian). Министерство за кулура на РМ. 25 December 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2016.

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• Bojović, Boško I. (1998). Raguse (Dubrovnik) et L'Empire Ottoman (1430-1520): Les actes imperiaux ottomans en vieux-serbe de Murad II a Selim Ier. Paris: Association Pierre Belon.
• Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5.
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• Tomović, Gordana. Oblasni gospodari u 14. veku (PDF) (in Serbo-Croatian). p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-26.
• Serbian Patriarchy (1965). Serbian Orthodox Church: its past and present.
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• Дио Сандаљевог депозита за побочну грану племена Косача, У: Српска проза данас : Косаче оснивачи Херцеговине / Ћоровићеви сусрети прозних писаца у Билећи, Научни скуп историчара у Гацку ; [приређивач Радослав Братић]. - Билећа : Просвјета ; Гацко : Просвјета ; Београд : Фонд "Светозар и Владимир Ћоровић", 2002, 261-268.
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• Учешће Косача у ослобађању Јајца од Турака 1463. године, У: Српска проза данас : Косаче оснивачи Херцеговине / Ћоровићеви сусрети прозних писаца у Билећи, Научни скуп историчара у Гацку / [приређивач Радослав Братић]. - Билећа: Просвјета; Гацко: Просвјета; Београд: Фонд "Светозар и Владимир Ћоровић", 2002, 464-475.

• Prof. Dr. Feridun Emecen, TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, Turkish academic encyclopedia for Islamic studies, p. 524,525
• Prof. Tayyib Gökbilgin, Edirne ve Paşa Livası, Istanbul 1952. p. 333-334
• Dr. Ćiro Truhelka, Tursko-slovjenski spomenici dubrovačke arhive, Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja BiH XXIII. 1911. Sarajevo p. 437-484