Duchy of Saint Sava

Duchy of Saint Sava
1448–1482
Flag of Saint Sava
Flag
Coat of arms of Saint Sava
Coat of arms
Feudal domains of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, in the years preceding his acquisition of the ducal title
Feudal domains of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, in the years preceding his acquisition of the ducal title
CapitalBlagaj
Largest cityHerceg-Novi
GovernmentFeudal state
Historical eraLate Medieval
• Established
1448
• Disestablished
1482
Succeeded by
Sanjak of Herzegovina
Today part of

The Duchy of Saint Sava[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] (Serbo-Croatian: Vojvodstvo Svetog Save, Војводство Светог Саве)[a] was a late medieval polity in southeastern Europe, that existed from 1448 up to 1482, when it was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire. It was founded and controlled by the Kosača noble family, whose rulers held the title Duke of Saint Sava (Serbo-Croatian: Herceg od Svetog Save, Херцег од Светог Саве).[12] Their domains included southern parts of modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, extending to southern parts of modern-day coastal Croatia, northwestern Montenegro and southwestern Serbia. Its founder, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača (duke since 1448), titled himself Herceg of Saint Sava,[13][14][15][16][17] a title which would later give rise to the new name to the region: Herzegovina, and will be also used by the Ottomans as Hersek Sancağı (Sanjak of the Herzeg), designating the Sanjak of Herzegovina.[18]

In various sources, and historiographical traditions, the name of the duchy is recorded or used in several forms, varying mostly in the way the name of Saint Sava is spelled in different languages: Latin: Ducatus Sancti Sabbae,[19][20][21][22][23] Italian: Ducato di Santo Sabba,[24] German: Herzogtum des hl. Sava.[25] In English historiography, forms such as the "Duchy of Saint Sava" or "Dukedom of Saint Sava" were used already since the 1700s and further on.[26][27]

  1. ^ Miller 1923, p. 574: "Duchy of St Sava"
  2. ^ Seton-Watson 1931, p. 337: "Hercegovina, originally known as the Duchy of St. Sava"
  3. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, t. 15 (1953), p. 756. "Stephen Vukčić established the duchy of St. Sava"
  4. ^ Pitcher 1972, p. 71: "the south-west gradually became independent as the Duchy of St. Sava or Herzegovina"
  5. ^ Zlatar 1992a, p. 374, 414: "Duchy of St. Sava (Ducato di Santo Saba in Italian), which became known as Hercegovina"
  6. ^ Nicol 1997, p. XV: "Duchy of St Sava in Bosnia"
  7. ^ Kozličić, Bratanić & Uglešić 2011, p. 35: "Herzegovina's real name was Duchy of St. Sava (Ducatus Sancti Sabbae)"
  8. ^ Edwards 1971, p. 123: "In 1482 the Turks captured Hercegnovi and the Dukedom of St Sava ceased to exist"
  9. ^ Djukanović 2023, p. 39, 386.
  10. ^ Osborne 1967, p. 195: "Dukedom ('Hercegovina') of St Sava"
  11. ^ Vemić & Lović 2014, p. 683.
  12. ^ Zlatar 1995, p. 9.
  13. ^ Fine 1994, p. 578.
  14. ^ Bataković 1996, p. 21.
  15. ^ Ćirković 2004, p. 106-108.
  16. ^ Bataković 2005, p. 82.
  17. ^ Behmen 2009, p. 208.
  18. ^ Šabanović 1959, p. 44–46.
  19. ^ Fresne 1746, p. 126.
  20. ^ Vego 1957, p. 45.
  21. ^ Dőry 1976, p. 427.
  22. ^ Zirdum 1977, p. 196.
  23. ^ Vego 1982, p. 54.
  24. ^ Orbini 1601, p. 380–382: "Et al suo stato altresì diede vn'altro nuouo nome, chiamandolo Ducato di Santo Sabba"
  25. ^ Vogel, Walther (1925): Dan neue Europa und seine historisch-geografischen Grudlagen. Paderborn: Salzwasser Verlag, p. 336.
  26. ^ Echard 1700, p. 104: "Herzegovina, or the Dukedom of St. Saba"
  27. ^ Evans 1876, p. LI, 217, 300, 302.


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