| Helen of Anjou Јелена Анжујска |
|
|---|---|
| Hélène d'Anjou and her son king Milutin, a fresco from Gračanica monastery | |
|
|
|
| Tenure | around 1245 – 1276 |
| Spouse | Stephen Uroš I |
| Issue | |
| Stephen Dragutin Stephen Milutin |
|
| House | Capetian House of Anjou House of Nemanjić |
| Born | about 1236 |
| Died | 8 February 1314 Shkodër |
| Burial | Gradac monastery |
| Religion | Roman Catholic, then Serbian Orthodox |
Helen of Anjou or Hélène d'Anjou (Serbian: Јелена Анжујска / Jelena Anžujska, pronounced [jɛ̌lɛna ǎnʒuːjskaː]; ca. 1236[1] – 8 February 1314) was the queen consort of the Serbian Kingdom, wife of Stephen Uroš I and mother of kings Dragutin and Milutin.
Contents |
Helen was a Catholic and was born in ca 1236. Her origins are not known for certain. She could have descended from a side branch of the Byzantine emperor's family and the Hungarian royal house, in which case she may have been the sister of Maria Angelina, wife of Anseau de Chaurs or Cayeux, also known as Anselm de Keu, Captain General in Albania for Charles I of Naples. She is also recorded as of French origin, probably of the House of Valois.[2] Charles I of Naples mentioned her as a relative in a letter dated 1273.[1]
Helen married Uroš I around 1245.[3] With Uroš I she had at least four children:
For some time, she was a ruler of Zeta, Travunia, Plav and Poibarje. During that time, Serbia was divided into three parts, and the rulers of the other two parts were Dragutin and Milutin. Helen became a nun at the Church of St. Nicholas in Shkodër, where she died on 8 February 1314.[1]
She founded the first girls' school in medieval Serbia. Helen's palace was in modern Kosovo, in the town of Brnjaci, on Mokra Gora mountain (not to be confused with Mokra Gora village), where the school was located. Other than this palace, she possessed the town of Jelač at Rogozna mountain. As did other Nemanjićs, she built monasteries. She built the Gradac monastery, where she was buried, the Church of St. Nicholas in Shkodër where she died,[1] and the Shirgj Monastery.[4]
Helen of Anjou was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Her feast day is 12 November [O.S. 30 October].[5]
| Royal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Beloslava of Bulgaria |
Queen consort of Serbia 1245–1276 |
Succeeded by Catherine of Hungary |
| Preceded by Beloslava |
Queen of Zeta, Travunia, Plav and Poibarje 1276–? |
Succeeded by Stefan Konstantin as Prince of Zeta |
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||