page_title: Stefan Lazarević
section_title: Order of the Dragon
hierarchical_section_title: Stefan Lazarević / Later years / Order of the Dragon
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Abgebildete Person: Kaiser Sigismund I. Sohn des Karl IV. von Luxemburg
context_page_description: Stefan Lazarević, also known as Stefan the Tall, was the ruler of Serbia as prince and despot. The son of Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, he was regarded as one of the finest knights and military leaders at that time. After the death of his father at Kosovo, he became ruler of Moravian Serbia and ruled with his mother Milica, until he reached adulthood in 1393. Stefan led troops in several battles as an Ottoman vassal, until asserting independence after receiving the title of despot from the Byzantines in 1402.
  Becoming an Hungarian ally in 1403–04, he received large possessions, including the important Belgrade and Golubac Fortress. He also held the superior rank in the chivalric Order of the Dragon. During his reign there was a long conflict with his nephew Đurađ Branković, which ended in 1412. Stefan also inherited Zeta, and waged war against Venice. Since he was childless, he designated his nephew Đurađ as heir in 1426, a year before his death.
  On the domestic front, he broke the resistance of the Serbian nobles, and used the periods of peace to strengthen Serbia politically, economically, culturally and militarily.
context_section_description: Changed conditions in Southeast Europe in the early fifteenth century, led to a convergence of Despot Stefan and the Hungarian king Sigismund. Stefan needed a strong ally who could help him get rid of Ottoman domination, but also stay on the throne of Serbia, due to an open conflict with Branković, who enjoyed the support of Suleiman. On the other hand, Hungary was in a deep internal crisis, and, until 1403, Sigismund was unable to return to the country and regain control, although the resistance of his opponent failed to break even after his return. It was therefore necessary for him to rely on a secure southern border, which had previously been constantly exposed to the combined Serbian-Ottoman attacks, while simultaneously trying to provide a strong base for the fight against the Ottomans and eventually spread to the south.
  The negotiations were most likely initiated by King Sigismund, and he sent to Stefan missioners among whom was his close associate of Florentine origin, Philippe de Skolaris. The objective of this delegation had been successful, and led to the conclusion of an agreement between the two rulers in late 1403 or early 1404. Under its provisions, Stefan accepted vassal relations to Sigismund, and received from him Mačva and Belgrade, which were the reason for the Serbo-Hungarian conflict during nearly the entire fourteenth century. This agreement was to be the foundation of the future Order of the Knights of the Dragon. With these new lands, including the Golubac Fortress, Stefan had strengthened his northern border, now delineated by the Sava and Danube rivers.
caption: Sigismund of Hungary - Antonio Pissanelo 1433
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