Religion[edit]

Like most Bosnian nobleman of the era,[12][13] Stjepan Vukčić too considered himself
staunch Krstjanin,[7] as the Bosnian Church adherents were known and as its members called
themselves. His conspicuous attitude toward Bosnian Church was highlighted when king Tvrtko
II died in September 1443, Stjepan refused to recognize the deceased king's cousin and chosen
heir, Thomas, as the new King of Bosnia, thus creating a political crisis which culminated in civil
war. All this happened because Thomas was recent convert to Roman Catholicism, move that
was potentially harmful for the Kristjani and the Bosnian Church. And while Thomas' decision to
convert was forced political maneuvering, albeit founded in sound reasoning with the saving of
the realm on his mind, he also committed himself to demonstrate his devotion by engaging in
religious prosecution against his recent fellow co-religionist. These developments prompted
Stjepan to give Krstjanins of the Bosnian Church safe haven and join the Ottomans in support of
Bosnian anti-King Radivoj, Thomas' exiled brother, who was also Bosnian Church faithful and
remained so in face of Thomas' crusade against the church adherents. [14]

Left: Church of St. George in Sopotnica; Right: Savina Monastery in Herceg Novi; both founded by Stjepan

Vukčić

However, traditionally, most Bosnians' attitude towards religion, and Vukčić's was no exception,
was uncommonly flexible for Europe of the era. He titled himself after the shrine of an Orthodox
saint while maintaining close relations with the papacy. In 1454 he both erected an Orthodox
church in Goražde and requested that Catholic missionaries be sent from Southern Italy to
proselytize in his land, while never flinching from developing close relation and/or allying himself
with Ottoman Muslims. The Holy See in Vatican treated him as a Catholic, while simultaneously
the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople considered him Orthodox.[14]
Accordingly, Stjepan kept at his court a high-ranking prelate of the Bosnian Church, a diplomat
and ambassador, well known and highly influential gost Radin as his closest adviser. He was a
dedicated protector of Bosnian Church krstjani as long as he lived.[14][6] At the end of his life, he
used both gost Radin and priest David, an Orthodox Metropolit of Mileševa, as his court
chaplains.[15]

Relations with the Ottomans[edit]

In the early 1460s, Stjepan controlled all of today's Herzegovina as far north as Glamoč, except
for Nevesinje and Gacko which were under Ottoman control. [16] Stjepan knew he would soon face
Ottoman attack so he asked Venice to allow Skanderbeg's forces to cross their territory to help
him,[17] which they did,[18] but Skanderbeg failed to carry out his promises. When King Thomas died
in 1461, he was succeeded by his elder son Stephen rather than Sigismund, his son by Queen
Katarina. This time, aware of the Ottoman threat, Stjepan did not dispute the succession.
After taking the Kingdom of Bosnia in 1463, Mahmud Pasha also invaded Herzegovina and
besieged Blagaj, after which Stjepan conceded a truce by sending his youngest son as a hostage
to Istanbul, and ceding all of his lands to the north of Blagaj to the Empire. [19]
Stjepan Vukčić died in 1466, and was succeeded by his eldest son Vladislav.

Issue and legacy[edit]

Stjepan Vukčić was married three times. In 1424, he married Jelena, daughter of Balša
III of Zeta (and granddaughter of his aunt, Jelena Balšić). His wife died in 1453. Two years later,
he married Barbara (possibly del Balzo). She died in 1459. His final marriage, in 1460, was to a
German woman named Cecilie.

Tvrtko's I fortress of 'Stari Grad' (Old Town)

With his first wife Jelena, he had at least four children:

 Katarina (1424–1478), married King King Tomaš of Bosnia in 1446

 Vladislav Hercegović (c. 1427–1489), Lord of Krajina, married Kyra Ana, daughter
of Georgios Kantakuzenos in 1455
 Vlatko Hercegović (c. 1428–1489), Duke of St. Sava, married an Apulian
noblewoman
 Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha (c. 1430–1515), baptized Stjepan; the youngest son of
Stjepan Vukčić, whom Sultan Mehmed II took as a hostage, became a Muslim in the
Sultan's service. He became the Grand Vizier and Grand Admiral to the Sultan,
married Sultan Bayezid II's daughter, Fatima, in 1482; and had descendants by her.
Stjepan and his second wife Barbara had a short-lived son (born in 1456) and a daughter named
Mara.
In 1482, Vladislav Hercegović was overpowered by Ottoman forces led by his brother,
Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha. Herzegovina was organized into a province (the Sanjak of
Herzegovina), which later became one of the sanjaks of the Bosnia Eyalet (1580).[20]