Palman

Vitez Palman or Palman Braht (Serbian: Палман Брахт, Latin: Palmanus, Teutonicus,^[1] Palman the German) born ~1290, death 1363+) was a 14th century German noble (dominus,^[2] capitanus gentis armigers) and mercenary commander (Alemannic Guard) in the Army of Dušan the Mighty (1331–1355).^[3][4]

Biography

He was born in the late 13th century in Steiermark (present Austria), as a Roman Catholic, with the facial condition of Harelip (cheiloschisis, palatoschisis). His father was a noble and at 13 he was a noble of the court. At 16 he was a squire (armiger) at the service of Heinrich III of Istria until 1310 when he took control of all the family ownings when his father died. He worked in the House of Habsburg until his move to Venice at the age of 27, where he fell in love with a countess who was not ready for marriage, and because of his adventurous manner he fought in knightly tournaments in the Roman Empire where he also lost a finger, when coming home the countess had not yet answered and he decided to leave for the Holy land. Upon crossing Serbia, he met with Stefan Dušan, son of Serb ruler Stefan Dečanski, member of the House of Nemanjić. In 1331 he became a commander in the Serbian Army of Stefan Dušan.^[3]

After the Battle of Nerodimlje, he was crowned by Dušan. He suppressed revolts in Zeta and Serb realms of Northern Albania. In 1355 his unit was sent by the Serb emperor Stefan Dušan to garrison the town of Klis (in the realm of Jelena, his sister) due to Croatian vassals to Hungary were advancing to Klis and Skradin.

After the death of Dušan in 1355, he worked for Teodora. In 1363 he was a beneficiary of a will in Dubrovnik.^[3]

According to Serb epic poetry, he had a brother named Kijaran (Chiarane), and nephew Đorđe (Georg).^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} http://books.google.com/books?id=vcwJAQAAIAAJ&q=Palmanus
2. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=sToMAAAAIAAJ
3. ^ ^{a b c} The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century-John Van Antwerp Fine
4. ^ http://books.google.com/?ei=7FjXTO7lHpe8jAfGk7DRCQ