On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen

This essay discusses two lost medieval Serbian staurothekai known only from written sources. One, belonging to the Serbian King Stefan Uroš I, was described as a sumptuous item in the Hungarian spoils of war following their victory over the Serbian army in Mačva in 1268. The other staurothe...

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Main Author: Popović Danica
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute for Balkan Studies SASA 2019-01-01
Series:Balcanica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-7653/2019/0350-76531950039P.pdf
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author Popović Danica
author_facet Popović Danica
author_sort Popović Danica
collection DOAJ
description This essay discusses two lost medieval Serbian staurothekai known only from written sources. One, belonging to the Serbian King Stefan Uroš I, was described as a sumptuous item in the Hungarian spoils of war following their victory over the Serbian army in Mačva in 1268. The other staurotheke, with an extensive inscription, was Queen Helen’s gift to the monastery of Sopoćani, a foundation of her husband Uroš I. Based on the available facts, it has been assumed that this reliquary came into the possession of a Serbian ruler of the House of Branković in the fifteenth century, eventually ending up in the Habsburg geistliche Schatzkammer and playing an important role in the Pietas austriaca programme. It is known from the surviving descriptions that the staurothekai had the shape of a two armed cross, and were made of gold and lavishly adorned with precious stones. Apart from their substantial material worth, documented with precision, both staurothekai had a distinct sacral meaning and ideological function. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 177003: Medieval heritage of the Balkans: institutions and culture]
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spelling doaj.art-1f0895f33d384af5b63cad04fdcbed2a2022-12-22T01:18:47ZengInstitute for Balkan Studies SASABalcanica0350-76532406-08012019-01-01201950395510.2298/BALC1950039P0350-76531950039POn two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen HelenPopović Danica0Institute for Balkan Studies, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, BelgradeThis essay discusses two lost medieval Serbian staurothekai known only from written sources. One, belonging to the Serbian King Stefan Uroš I, was described as a sumptuous item in the Hungarian spoils of war following their victory over the Serbian army in Mačva in 1268. The other staurotheke, with an extensive inscription, was Queen Helen’s gift to the monastery of Sopoćani, a foundation of her husband Uroš I. Based on the available facts, it has been assumed that this reliquary came into the possession of a Serbian ruler of the House of Branković in the fifteenth century, eventually ending up in the Habsburg geistliche Schatzkammer and playing an important role in the Pietas austriaca programme. It is known from the surviving descriptions that the staurothekai had the shape of a two armed cross, and were made of gold and lavishly adorned with precious stones. Apart from their substantial material worth, documented with precision, both staurothekai had a distinct sacral meaning and ideological function. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 177003: Medieval heritage of the Balkans: institutions and culture]http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-7653/2019/0350-76531950039P.pdfthe cult of the true crossstaurothekaiserbian king stefan uroš iqueenhelenconsort of king uroš ihungarian king bela ivthe habsburgspietas austriaca
spellingShingle Popović Danica
On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen
Balcanica
the cult of the true cross
staurothekai
serbian king stefan uroš i
queenhelen
consort of king uroš i
hungarian king bela iv
the habsburgs
pietas austriaca
title On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen
title_full On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen
title_fullStr On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen
title_full_unstemmed On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen
title_short On two lost medieval Serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of King Stefan Uroš I and Queen Helen
title_sort on two lost medieval serbian reliquaries the staurothekai of king stefan uros i and queen helen
topic the cult of the true cross
staurothekai
serbian king stefan uroš i
queenhelen
consort of king uroš i
hungarian king bela iv
the habsburgs
pietas austriaca
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-7653/2019/0350-76531950039P.pdf
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