HISTORY OF SERBIA, SERBS AND KOSOVO
Serbs came to the territories that form modern Kosovo in the seventh-century migrations of White Serbs under the Unknown Archnot, with the largest influx of migrants in the 630s; although the region was increasingly populated by Slavs since the sixth or even fifth century. These Slavs were Christianized in several waves between the seventh and ninth century, with the last wave taking place between 867 and 874. The northwestern part of Kosovo, Hvosno, became a part of the Byzantine Serb vassal state the Principality of Rascia, with Dostinik as the principality's capital.
The full Serbian takeover was carried out under a branch of the House of Voislav Grand Princes of Rascia. In 1093, Prince Vukan advanced on Lipljan, burned it down and raided the neighbouring areas. The Byzantine Emperor himself came to ZveÄan for negotiations. ZveÄan served as the Byzantine line-of-defence against constant invasions from the neighboring Serbs. A peace agreement was made, but Vukan broke it and defeated the army of John Comnenus, the Emperor's nephew. Vukan's armies stormed Kosovo. In 1094, Byzantine Emperor Alexius attempted to renew peace negotiations in Ulpiana. A new peace agreement was concluded and Vukan handed over hostages to the Emperor, including his two nephews UroÅ¡ and Stefan Vukan. Prince Vukan renewed the conflict in 1106, once again defeating John Comnenus' army. However, his death halted the total Serb conquest of Kosovo.
In 1166, a Serbian nobleman from Zeta, Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the House of Nemanja ascended to the Rascian Grand Princely throne and conquered most of Kosovo, in an uprising against the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus. He defeated the previous Grand Prince of Rascia Tihomir's army at Pantino, near Pauni. Tihomir, who was Stefan's brother, was drowned in the Sitnica river. Stefan was eventually defeated and had to return some of his conquests. He pledged to the Emperor that he would not renew hostilies, but in 1183, Stefan Nemanja embarked on a new offensive with the Hungarians after the death of Manuel I Comnenus in 1180, marking the end of Byzantine domination of Kosovo.
Nemanja's son, Stefan II, recorded that the border of the Serbian realm reached the river of Lab. Grand Prince Stephen II completed the inclusion of the Kosovo territories under Serb rule in 1208, by which time he had conquered Prizren and Lipljan, and moved the border of territory under his control to the Å ar mountain.
In 1217, the Serbian Kingdom achieved recognition. In 1219, an autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church was created, with Hvosno, Prizren and Lipljan being the Orthodox Christian Episcopates on Kosovo. By the end of the 13th century, the centre of the Serbian Church was moved to PeÄ from ŽiÄa.
In the thirteenth century, Kosovo became the heart of the Serbian political and religious life, with the Å ar mountain becoming the political center of the Serbian rulers. The main chatteu was in Pauni. On an island was SvrÄin, and on the coast Å timlji, and in the mountains was the Castle of Nerodimlje. The Complexes were used for counciling, crowning of rulers, negotiating, and as the rulers' living quarters. After 1291, the Tartars broke all the way to PeÄ. Serbian King Stefan Milutin managed to defeat them and then chase them further. He raised the Temple of the Mother of Christ of LjeviÅ¡ka in Prizren around 1307, which became the seat of the Prizren Episcopric, and the magnificent GraÄanica in 1335, the seat of the Lipljan Episcopric. In 1331, the juvenile King DuÅ¡an attacked his father, Serbian King Stefan of Dechani at his castle in Nerodimlje. King Stefan closed in his neighbouring fortress of PetriÄ, but DuÅ¡an captured him and closed him with his second wife Maria Palailogos and their children in ZveÄan, where the dethroned King died on 11 November 1331.
In 1327 and 1328, Serbian King Stefan of Dechani started forming the vast DeÄani domain, although, Serbian King DuÅ¡an would finish it in 1335. Stefan of Dechani issued the Dechani Charter in 1330, listing every single citizen in every household under the Church Land's demesne.
King Stefan DuÅ¡an founded the vast Monastery of Saint Archaengel near Prizren in 1342-1352. The Kingdom was transformed into an Empire in 1345 and officially in 1346. Stefan DuÅ¡an received John VI Cantacuzenus in 1342 in his Castle in Pauni to discuss a joint War against the Byzantine Emperor. In 1346, the Serbian Archepiscopric at PeÄ was upgraded into a Patriarchate, but it was not recognized before 1370.
After the Empire fell into disarray prior to DuÅ¡an's death in 1355, feudal anarchy caught up with the country during the reign of Tsar Stefan UroÅ¡ V. Kosovo became a domain of the House of MrnjavÄeviÄ, but Prince Voislav VoinoviÄ expanded his demesne further into Kosovo. The armies of King VukaÅ¡in MrnjavÄeviÄ from Pristina and his allies defeated Voislav's forces in 1369, putting a halt to his advances. After the Battle of Marica on 26 September 1371, in which the MrnjavÄeviÄ brothers lost their lives, ÄuraÄ' I BalÅ¡iÄ of Zeta took Prizren and PeÄ in 1372. A part of Kosovo became the demesne of the House of LazareviÄ.
The Ottomans invaded and met the Christian coalition of Serbs, Albanians and Vlahcs under Prince Lazar on 28 June 1389, near Pristina, at Gazi Mestan. The Serbian Army was assisted by various allies. The epic Battle of Kosovo followed, in which Prince Lazar himself lost his life. Prince Lazar amassed 70,000 men on the battlefield and the Ottomans had 140,000. Through the cunning of MiloÅ¡ ObiliÄ, Sultan Murad was murdered and the new Sultan Beyazid had, despite winning the battle, to retreat to consolidate his power. The Ottoman Sultan was buried with one of his sons at Gazi Mestan. Both Prince Lazar and MiloÅ¡ ObiliÄ were canonised by the Serbian Orthodox Church for their efforts in the battle. The local House of BrankoviÄ came to prominence as the local lords of Kosovo, under Vuk BrankoviÄ, with the temporary fall of the Serbian Despotate in 1439.
