Principality of Zeta

Montenegro, 1360–1516. Draft, not yet reviewed

The Principality of Zeta was a late medieval principality located in the southern parts of modern Montenegro and northern parts of modern Albania, around the Lake of Skadar. It was ruled by the families of Balšić, Lazarević, Branković and Crnojević in succession from the second half of the 14th century until Ottoman conquest at the very end of the 15th century. In 1360 the House of Balšić were enthroned as rulers of the state under Tsar Uroš.

Seat of power: Shkodër

No rulers documented for this era yet.

Culture

• The fortress served as the capital of Zeta under the Crnojević dynasty from 1466 till 1478, being the seat of Stefan and Ivan Crnojević.
• The name Crna Gora (Montenegro) was formally mentioned for the first time in 1296, in the charter of St. Nicholas' monastery in Vranjina, issued by the Serbian King Stefan Milutin Nemanjić.
• Queen Jelena, widow of Serbia's King Uroš I, ruled Zeta between 1276 and 1309 and restored around 50 monasteries in the region.

Picture

Žabljak Crnojevića is an abandoned medieval fortified town (fortress) in Montenegro.

Image: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file

Sources

• List of princes of Zeta (Wikipedia)
• Principality of Zeta (Wikidata)
• About the picture (Wikipedia)

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.