Veliki vojvoda

Veliki vojvoda (Serbian Cyrillic: велики војвода; from veliki = great and vojvoda = duke) was a Serbian military and noble title in use during the Middle Ages and the Modern period. It is often translated into "grand duke".

Veliki Vojvoda

Middle Ages

Veliki vojvoda was a title used in Serbia in the Middle Ages and the Kingdom of Bosnia.

Serbia

It signified superiority over the other vojvodas.^[1] The title-holder commanded the army on occasions when the monarch did not attend in military campaigns, usually with lesser important military operations inside the country, or when a detachment was sent to aid allies.^[1] Another term used for the title was "standard-bearer" (stegonoša, Latin: vexillarius).^[2]

• Novak Grebostrek^[3] (fl. 1312), served Stefan Milutin
• Hrelja^[1] (fl. 1320s–31), served Stefan Dečanski
• Gradislav Borilović^[1][2] (fl. 1333), served Stefan Dušan
• Jovan Oliver^[3] (fl. 1341–55), served Stefan Dušan
• Nikola Stanjević^[4] (fl. 1355–66), served Stefan Dušan and/or Stefan Uroš V
• Uglješa Mrnjavčević^[5] (fl. 1358), served Stefan Uroš V
• Radoslav Mihaljević^[6] (fl. 1426–d. 1436), served Stefan Lazarević
• Mihailo Anđelović^[7] (fl. 1456–58), served Lazar Branković

There are also mentions of the title-holders in Serbian epic poetry regarding the Battle of Kosovo, such as Dimitrije.^[8]

Bosnia

Main article: Grand Duke of Bosnia

Modern period

Montenegro

The title was adopted in the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro. Mirko Petrović-Njegoš bore the title, as "Grand Duke of Grahovo".

See also

• velikaš (magnate)
• veliki čelnik
• veliki župan
• veliki kaznac