Vojihna Vojihna or Vojin of Drama ( ; ca 1298 – 1360 ) , was a Serbian nobleman that rose through the ranks and became one of the most acclaimed military commanders ( " voivode " ) and dukes of Stephen Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia during the Serbian Kingdom and Empire ( 1331 – 71 ) , he was titled " Caesar " ( , sr . ћесар / кесар ) , hence , he is mostly known as Caesar Vojihna ( кесар Војихна ) . He held the region of Drama . Origin . He was probably born around 1298 . In a Chilandar charter of Uroš IV Dušan , Vojihna is mentioned as " nobleman and associate of my Empire , cousin Vojihna " . This has been interpreted in several ways ; Cirkovic understand this as the two are relatives , but the degree of kinship can ' t be determined . According to Vojicic , he is the son of Urošica , however this would mean that they are second cousins , thus Purkovic connects the kinship through Stephen Constantine , making the two cousins . It is thought that he is the same as the " Župan Vojihna " , who is mentioned in 1323 , as an ally of Stephen Vladislav II , during the war of the throne against Stephen Uroš III following the death of Stephen Milutin . With emphasis on Vladislav II being the son of Dragutin , and Dušan calling Vojihna his cousin , this might be an evidence on Vojihna being the son of Urošica , the brother of Vladislav II . Life . In 1341 , Andronikos III Palaiologos died , which sparked a civil war in the Byzantine Empire . In 1342 Dušan became an ally of John VI Kantakouzenos , but only a year after , switched to the side of John V Palaiologos . Kantakouzenos found new allies in the Emirate of Aydin . In 1344 , Dušan sent a small army led by " Voivode " Preljub to intecept the Aydin Turks . The Serbs were defeated in battle at Stephaniana , however it did not halt the Serbian conquest . Stephen Uroš IV Dušan , called " Dušan the Mighty " was proclaimed Emperor at Serres in 1345 . In this southeasternmost part of his Empire , Dušan appointed Voihna as governor of Drama , not far from Serres , before November 1345 . When Dušan was crowned " Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks " at Skopje on 16 April 1346 , he also crowned his son Uroš V as King . Among his royal members and nobility he appointed Simeon Uroš , Jovan Asen , Jovan Oliver as Despot s , and Dejan Dragaš , Branko Mladenović as Sebastokrator s , and Grgur Golubić , Preljub and Voihna ( before 1348 ) as Caesars . He was second in rank to " Caesar " Grgur . In the end of 1347 or early 1348 , he followed Dušan to Mount Athos . He donated the village of Potolino in the lower Struma province to the Chilandar in 1348 . Immediately after Dušan ' s death ( 20 December 1355 ) , his wife Empress Helena was found in Serres . She started to exert her imperial control on the region . This surely was against the goals of Vojihna , which would later on trigger armed conflicts . How the Empress ended up in Serres and started to rule it is unknown , it exists sources saying she was in the region staying away from the harsh winter in the north , just when her husband died . As she was energetic and smart ( although not so talented ) , she might have foreseen the crumbling of the Empire , and sought to rule this region . If this version is correct , Vojihna and his son - in - law Uglješa Mrnjavčević ( the son of Vukašin Mrnjavčević ) were obliged to work for her as they had done to Dušan , although as the future will tell ; with less enthusiasm and fidelity . It is not known how much power Vojihna had in the Serres province , although he most likely had the ambitions of putting it under his control . Matthew Kantakouzenos led another civil war against John V Palaiologos , and when Vojihna heard that Matthew was coming with his Turkish troops ( the Emirate of Aydin ) he immediately consulted the court . As allies of John V ( a relative Uroš ) , Uroš assembled an army for his mother that was led by Vojihna . Among the forces were also Serbs from the vicinity of Serres . In fall of 1356 he captured Matthew Kantakouzenos , the rival Byzantine Emperor and son of the former Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos ( 1347 – 54 ) . Vojihna planned to release Matthew for a ransom , but soon realized that Emperor John V Palaiologos was willing to offer a far greater sum . Matthew renounced his territory and imperial title in December 1357 and John V continued to rule as sole Emperor . In 1358 , his wife is recorded as making a donation to the Koutloumousiou monastery . In 1359 , Helena abdicated and took monastic vows , under the name Elisabeth . He died in ca 1360 , and his lands were inherited by his son - in - law Uglješa . He was buried in Hilandar , alongside his son who died prematurely .