George, Prince of Rascia

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Stefan George of Rascia, Đurađ Branković (Serbian: Ђурађ Бранковић, Hungarian: Brankovics György) (1377 - 1456), also known under patronymic Đurađ Vuković, was a Serbian monarch (Greek: despot) who ruled from 1427-56. During his reign the Serbian capital was moved to Smederevo (near today Belgrade) after the Second Battle of Kosovo.

His father was Vuk Brankovic and mother Mara, daughter of Lazar of Serbia.

George Brankovic Coat of Arms

After he was appointed as a successor for his uncle, Despot Stefan Lazarević, Branković's rule was marked by new conflicts and the fall of Kosovo and Metohia to the Ottoman Empire. Branković allied himself with the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1439 the Ottomans captured Smederevo, the capital of Branković. The prince fled to Hungary where he had large estates.

Branković had a significant role of concluding the peace of Szeged (1444) between Hungary and the Ottomans. This peace restored his Serbian rule, but he had to bribe John Hunyadi with his vast Hungarian estates. On 22 August 1444 the prince peacefully took possession the evacuated town of Smederevo.

The peace was broken in the same year by Hunyadi and king Władysław during the so called Varna Crusade which culminated in the Battle of Varna. Because of this he estranged from his Hungarian allies. A crusading army led by Regent John Hunyadi of Hungary was defeated by Sultan Murad II's forces at Kosovo Polje in 1448. The defeat was caused in part by Branković's betrayal of Hunyadi; Branković intercepted the Albanian reinforcements of Skanderbeg and delayed them when they were en route to the battle. This was the last concerted attempt in the Middle Ages to expel the Ottomans from southeastern Europe. Although Hungary was able to successfully defy the Ottomans despite the defeat at Kosovo Polje during Hunyadi's lifetime, the kingdom fell to the Ottomans in the 16th century. Branković also captured Hunyadi at Smederevo for a short time when he was going home from Kosovo in 1448.

His wife was a Byzantine princess, Eirene Kantakouzene, a granddaughter of an Emperor.

Branković was deemed by contemporaries as the richest monarch in all of Europe; the French knight Bertrand de la Broquierre stated the despot's annual income from the gold and silver mines of Novo Brdo (near Gnjilane in Kosovo) amassed to about 200,000 Venetian ducats.

Djuradj was the first of the House of Branković to hold the Serbian monarchy.