Bright, saturated with intrigues, full of dangers and adventures Life was not always the lot of exclusively noble men of the Middle Ages. It also happened to women to cry out these "acute sensations" from the whisper of the bloody history of the time.
Such life fell to the share of the Serbian Princess Oliver, on the father of Nintelnaya Lazarevich, by the origin of despine (from the South Slavic despot - the title of Serbian ruler), on the situation in the Ottoman Sultanate Hatun. And not just a wife, but a favorite and not just a sultan, and Bayazida I lightning, glorified by his victories and an unsuccessful character. However, about everything in order ...
Life to marriage
Oliver was the youngest of the five daughters of the Serbian Prince Lazaror, four were married to noble people from Christian nobility, but the Oliver did not have time. The prince of Lazari came time to fight for the independence of the native land and the father of Oliver, collecting the army went to defend the depreciation. The enemy was strong and numerous, the hordes of Ottomans under the leadership of Sultan Murad I were advancing to the Balkans.
On the famous Kosovo field killed both leaders of the warring parties. Serbs have a legend that the Turkish's chopped head las4 was put in the casket and taken away, since they have them, and if they manage to return it and connect with the relics of the Holy Prince Lazar, the former power of Serbia will be restored again. The question of the existence of the power of Serbia is quite controversial, as well as about the opposed head, but there is a legend.
Osmans were retracted from the battlefield, the Serbs won formally, but the victory was given a very expensive price. Most of the nobility remained lying killed on the field, the heir to the throne, the heir to Lazarus, 12-year-old, on other sources in general, 10-year-old, son Stefan. On the face was the crisis of power and the steering wheel of the country's management had to be taken in the hands of Mother Stephen and Oliver, the wife of the deceased prince, - Milice. As it often happened and still happens to the Slavs, women at a critical moment can do the impossible. Remembering the classics of Nekrasov "The horse will stop the horse, in the burning hut will be included ...".
Here, the sworn "Friend" of Serbs, Bayazid I, who became a Sultan instead of the Serbian hero, who was killed by the Serbian hero, Murada I. Over the Serbian people hung the threat of enslavement. However, the result of the negotiations was the adoption of vassal dependence of Stefan and as a pledge of this, political marriage with his sister Olivera Sultan Bayazida I.
Marry not attack, if only married not the abyss
At the time of their wedding, Bayazida was already about 35, sophisticated in women, a sulder Sultan had already had three, and, according to some information, four wives and N-o Number of concubines. On the young, beautiful and graceful Slavic princess was responsible for the future of her people and countries. Only her female charm and a subtle mind could be the Terrible and unpredictable Sultan for mercy. Their marriage will last uneasy 12 years.
It must be said that the girl learned the principle of female wisdom, voiced a lot later Marlene Dietrich:
"Every man is more interested in a woman who is interested in them than a woman who has beautiful legs."In speed, she will be your beloved wife Bayazid, he will be attentive to her. Serbs will be in sparing conditions, with the preservation of all internal orders and their faith. Even Oliver herself, according to the testimony of Serbian authors, will remain a Christian.
When Stephen suspended in collusion with the King of Hungary by Sigismund, Despina Hatun (so the Olive will be called after marriage) will take suspicion. But the king of Bulgaria for suspicion will pay life and Bulgaria will be completely captured and enslaved.
Mother Oliver and Stephen, making sure that her duty before children and the birthplace will go to the monastery. Already being a monk, with the name of Eugene, she will come to the couch Bayazid, will be taken with dignity and decide important issues of the church the transfer of saints in Belgrade from the personal permission of Sultan. This is evidenced by the historian Vladimir Charovich.
Prince Stefan will pay tribute and participate in Bayazid's military campaigns. However, most of the authority as a prince will retain. In addition, it will be able to keep Hungary until time, which will qualify for the land of Serbia.
Historian and theologian Nicolas Gleen gives a worthy estimate of the benefit from marriage of beautiful Oliver with Bayazid, as the most optimal option at that time, contributing to the actual survival of the Serbian people in difficult times.
It remains only to guess how it was not easy to be the Oliver itself. Her husband was torn by passions, besides the coherence, he was addicted to alcohol. On this basis, drunk vakhanalia sat on this soil, then fell into the repentance of the paid and in a mystical prayerful state for a long time retired in the master of a personal mosque in Bursa.
Leaving, from the misunderstanding of his condition, fell into anger, in which he controlled himself little. It was in this attack of rage that Tamerlane was written, on his more than a polite proposal for the military union. The result did not make himself wait, Tamerlan arrived with the army for "disassembly according to the concepts".
Final blinded by passions Bayazid was released on the last, deadly fight with a strong enemy. At the same time, he insisted that Oliver would go hiking with him. With them were the two of their birth in married daughter. In that fatal day, the battle under Ankara's army of Bayazid was defeated and they were all captured to the Iron Timur.
Shame of captivity and widowed despine-hutun
About the captivity of Bayazid is told differently. They argue that Tamerlan was cruel and merciless to Sultan. Without forgetting an offensive letter, he drove bayazid everywhere in a cage, fed with disbules and used as a foot stand, sitting on the horse. It got a poor Oliver, she was forced to serve Tamerlan and his guests and much more.
Without sustaining such bullying over his wife, Bayazid killed himself, breaking his head about the cell rods. This is written by the Byzantine chronicler Laonik Halkokondil, and later, - Mavro orbini, in the work of the story of Slavs. Suicide version supports Lutfi Pasha and Ashikpashazade. Even if the legend with the suicide "Fake", its presentation once again emphasizes that the huge emotional attachment that Sultan Putal for Despine Hatun.
According to other sources, in particular the Persian historian Sharafaddin Yazdi in Zafar-Non, with Bayazid costly costy. They found his son who participated in the battle and captured, gave Father. Love and wife Oliver is near. In any case, Sultan captivity did not make less than a year later.
Daughters Olivers were married: the eldest, Pasha Mulek-Hatun for Shemsuddin Mohammed, the son of Jelleddina Islam, a military leader from Tamerlana's troops, younger, Oruz-Khatun, for the grandson of Tamerlana Abu Bako-Mirza. At the same time they were 12 and 11 years old, very children. Despina Hatun, after the death of Bayazid, will again take the name of Olivera and Tamerlan will release her to Brother Stefan. It is not known whether she seen her daughters after that or broke up with them forever.
Invertible woman in service to his people
Returning home, she becomes a faithful brother's assistant, "Prince Stephana. In the Sultanate begin the tribulations and struggle for power between the sons of Bayazid. She knew them perfectly and gave the wise advice to her brother, which allowed him to lead a subtle policy and to preserve the Serbian people from a civil war flame, unleashed by their brothers for power.
After the death of his brother and taking Belgrade by the Hungarians, she will move to the nephew Georgy Brankovich, in Schaderevo, where the Serbs were forced to transfer the capital. There she will finish her life, at the age of about 70 years, in about 1444, the place of her burial is unknown.
Oliver will be held all his life path of an unlucky, majestic and delightful woman. That is, with a large, capital letter. Even where the proud and invincible Sultan will die of regretful of the lost power and humiliation of captivity, it will remain a solid and decent admiration, despite all the deprivation.
Serbs still exist because the blood of such people flows such, in the truth of the great nation's nation carriers, like this princess Oliver - Despina Hatun.
Literature and sources:
- Yu.A. Petrosyan "Ottoman Empire"
- Lord Kinross "Flowering and decay of the Ottoman Empire"
- Mavro Abyon "History of Slavs"