Stavilac ( sr-cyr, ставилац, literally meaning "placer") was a court title in

Medieval Bosnia This is the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Middle Ages, between the ancient and Roman period and the Ottoman period. Early Middle Ages The western Balkans had been reconquered from "barbarians" by Byzantine Emperor Justinian (r. 5 ...

and

Medieval Serbia Serbia in the Middle Ages refers to the medieval period in the history of Serbia. The period begins in the 6th century with the Slavic migrations to Southeastern Europe, and lasts until the Ottoman conquest of Serbian lands in the second hal ...

in the Middle Ages. It was similar to the Byzantine court offices of ''

domestikos ''Domestikos'' (; el, δομέστικος, from the la, domesticus, , of the household), in English sometimes heDomestic, was a civil, ecclesiastic and military office in the late Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. Military usage The ''do ...

'' and

cup-bearer A cup-bearer was historically an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty was to pour and serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues (such as poisoning), a person must have been regarded as ...

(''

pinkernes ''Pinkernes'' ( grc, πιγκέρνης, pinkernēs), sometimes also ''epinkernes'' (, ''epinkernēs''), was a high Byzantine court position. The term derives from the Greek verb (''epikeránnymi'', "to mix ine), and was used to denote the cup- ...

'', known in Serbian as ''peharnik''). It had a role in the ceremony at the royal table, though the holder could be entrusted with jobs that had nothing to do with court ritual. According to studies of Rade Mihaljčić, the ''holder'' was in charge of acquiring, preparing and serving food at the royal table. It was a confidant duty, given to the highest and most notable nobility, in which the ruler relied on in all occasions.

History of usage

Its oldest mention is from the Serbian court of King

Stefan Milutin Stefan Uroš II Milutin ( sr-cyr, Стефан Урош II Милутин, Stefan Uroš II Milutin; 1253 – 29 October 1321), known as Stefan Milutin ( sr-cyr, Стефан Милутин, Stefan Milutin), was the King of Serbia between 1282&nd ...

(r. 1282–1321), when

Đuraš Vrančić Đuraš Vrančić ( sr-cyr, Ђураш Вранчић) was a Serbian nobleman who served King Stefan Milutin (r. 1282–1321) with the court title of ''stavilac''. He is the oldest known ''stavilac''. The title of ''stavilac'' ranked as the last ...

had the title. The title of ''stavilac'' ranked as the last in the hierarchy of the Serbian court, behind '' čelnik'', '' kaznac'', ''

tepčija Tepčija ( sr-cyr, тепчија) was a court title of Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia in the Middle Ages. The functions and position in the court is unclear. It was first mentioned in Croatia in the second half of the 11th century, and later in Serbia ...

'' and '' vojvoda'', the supreme title. It was, nevertheless, quite prestigious as it enabled its holder to be very close to the ruler. In the Dečani chrysobulls, King

Stefan Dečanski Stefan Uroš III ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош III, ), known as Stefan Dečanski ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Дечански, ; 1276 – 11 November 1331), was the King of Serbia from 6 January 1322 to 8 September 1331. Dečanski was the son o ...

(r. 1321–1331) mentioned that the court dignitaries present at the Dečani assembly were the ''kaznac'', ''tepčija'', ''vojvoda'', ''sluga'' and ''stavilac''. There is not much information on the title-holders at the court of King Stefan Dečanski; there is however much information on those at the court of King and Emperor

Stefan Dušan Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан, ), known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr, / ; circa 1308 – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Tsar (or Emperor) and autocrat of the Serbs, Gre ...

(r. 1331–1355). In Bosnia, this court title appears for the first time with a coronation of the first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I Kotromanić. As soon as he ascended to a Bosnian throne as a king in 1377, Tvrtko reorganized his court reflecting some of the Serbian court-office titles, ceremonials and traditions.

List of Bosnian ''stavilac''

*Tvrtko Vlađević (1378), served King Tvrtko I *Ivan Radivojević (1392) served King Dabiša

List of Serbian ''stavilac''

(?), served King Stefan Milutin. * Miloš Vojinović ( 1333), served King Stefan Dušan. Son of

Vojvoda Vojin Vojin of Gacko or Vojvoda Vojin ( sr, Војвода Војин; fl. 1322–1347) was a Serbian magnate (''velikaš'') and ''voivode'' (military commander equivalent to duke), who was holding the area around Gacko, which was part of '' Hum'', ...

. * Gradislav Sušenica, served King Stefan Dušan. (disputed) *

Vojislav Vojinović Vojislav Vojinović ( sr, Војислав Војиновић, d. 1363) was a 14th-century Serbian nobleman, and one of the leading members of Serbian noble House of Vojinović. He held prominent offices during the reigns of Serbian Emperors Ste ...

( 1350–55), served Emperor Stefan Dušan. Son of

. *

Lazar Hrebeljanović Lazar Hrebeljanović ( sr-cyr, Лазар Хребељановић; ca. 1329 – 15 June 1389) was a medieval Serbian ruler who created the largest and most powerful state on the territory of the disintegrated Serbian Empire. Lazar's state, ...

( 1355–1362), served Emperor Stefan Dušan and Emperor Uroš V.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * {{refend Bosnian noble titles Kingdom of Bosnia Serbian noble titles Kingdom of Serbia (medieval) Serbian Empire Court titles in the Middle Ages Serbo-Croatian words and phrases Obsolete occupations Ceremonial occupations

History of usage

List of Bosnian ''stavilac''

List of Serbian ''stavilac''

See also

References

Sources