Grand Duke of Bosnia ( sh, veliki vojvoda rusaga bosanskog, la, Bosne supremus voivoda / Sicut supremus voivoda regni Bosniae), was a court title in the Kingdom of Bosnia, bestowed by the monarch to highest military commanders, usually reserved for most influential and most capable among highest Bosnian nobility. To interpret it as an office post rather than a court rank could be more accurate, although it was not hereditary it served both purposes and was retained for life by a noblemen who gained it.

History

Unlike usage in Western Europe or Central Europe, as well as in various Slavic lands from Central to North-East Europe, where analogy between grand duke and grand prince was significant, with both titles corresponding to sovereign lower than king but higher than duke, in Bosnia the title of grand duke corresponded more to the Byzantine military title '' megas doux''. Generally, Slavic word ''knez'' is often referred to ruler, sometimes analogous to king, thus ''veliki knez'' was more like high king than grand duke. In that sense, although like in rest of South Slavic neighboring states and among its nobility, in Bosnia also existed the title ''knez'' or ''veliki knez'', nominally analogous to prince and grand prince, it was in fact ranked as medium to major feudal landlord, with corresponding influence in the Bosnian Stanak (also ''Great Bosnian Rusag'' ( bs, "veliki bosanski rusag"), ''Whole of Bosnia'' ( bs, "sva Bosna")), which was institute of assembly of all Bosnian nobility, regardless of rank and status. However, in neighboring countries title duke, in Slavic ''vojvoda'', also had military signification, but in that sense "grand duke" was specifically, even exclusively, Bosnian title. Accordingly, the title ''Grand Duke of Bosnia'' was explicitly given by Bosnian ruler, whether ban, king or queen, to their highest-ranking military commander. As such, it was an actually more like an office rather than a court rank, although it was also a grade in the court order of precedence, and was often held by one individual at the time, rarely two.

Title-holders

* Hrana Vuković (?-1380) * Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić (1380–1416) *

Vlatko Vuković }; died ) was a 14th-century Bosnian nobleman, Duke of Hum, Grand Duke of Bosnia ( sh, Veliki vojvoda bosanski) and one of the best military commanders of King Tvrtko I, for whom he governed Hum (part of modern-day Herzegovina), which was part of ...

(1380–1392) * Petar Pavlović (until death in March 1420) * Radislav Pavlović (from 1420, first recorded 1427) * Sandalj Hranić (1392–1435) * Stjepan Vukčić Kosača (1435–1466) * Vladislav Hercegović (first recorded 1469–1482)

References

{{reflist Kingdom of Bosnia Noble titles Titles of national or ethnic leadership Court titles of medieval Bosnia Military ranks of medieval Bosnia

History

Title-holders

See also

Further reading

References