Đuraš Ilijić

Đuraš Ilijić
Head of Upper Zeta
Coat of arm
Holding(s)	Upper Zeta
Issue Crnoje Stefan Dobrovoj
Detail Titles and styles čelnik (Head) "in Emperor's Stefan's name a fearsome knight" (burial inscription)
Noble family	Đurašević
Father	kefalija Ilija
Died	1362 (murdered)
Burial	Church of Saint Michael, Prevlaka
Occupation	provincial governor, military commander

Đuraš Ilijić (also Đuro, Djuro and Ilić, Serbian: Ђураш Илијић, Илић) was a Serbian nobleman that held Upper Zeta with the title of čelnik (head) during the rule of Stefan Dečanski (r. 1321–1331), Dušan the Mighty (r. 1331–1355) and Uroš the Weak (r. 1355–1371), from 1326 until his death in 1362. He is an ancestor of the House of Crnojević (Đurašević).

Life

He was the son of Ilija, a kefalija (from Greek kephale, "head", a term used for a provincial governor), and had two brothers, Nikola and Vladin. Đuraš was one of the counts that supported Dušan's overthrow against his father. In 1355 he heads together with his brothers, sons and fraternal nephews to defend Skradin against the Magyars.

He ends up subsequently giving it to Mljet (Republic of Venice) on January 10, 1356, after the news of the death of Dušan, who had wished this (the Emperor had previously sought diplomacy with Venice regarding a flotilla). He was killed around 1362, by the sons of his enemy Balša I, He was buried in the Church of Saint Michael on Prevlaka with the inscription "in Emperor's Stefan's name a fearsome knight" (у цара Стефана трети витез).

References

Sources

• Vladimir Corovic: Istorija srpskog naroda "Kralj Lajoš se, doista, počeo spremati na Srbe, ali ne mogade tokom 1355. god. preći u napadaj. Možda nije imao ni prave volje da primi borbu s Dušanom, čiju je snagu znao i video. Sem sa Srbijom on je rđavo stajao i sa Mletačkom Republikom, nešto zbog mletačkih veza sa Srbima, a mnogo više zbog njenog učvršćivanja u Dalmaciji. Zbog izvesnih gradova u Dalmaciji, posebno zbog Klisa i Skradina, koji su pripadali Šubićima, odnosno Dušanovoj sestri Jeleni, udovici Mladena III, bilo je dosta pregonjenja i pregovaranja. Te gradove su hteli i Mlečani i Mađari i Bosanci, dok je Dušan želeo da ih očuva sestri kao svojoj saveznici, možda kao strateške tačke prema Bosni, sa njene zapadne strane. Dušanova vojska ušla je 1355. god. u te gradove. Kako car nije hteo nikakva sukoba s Mlečanima, on je, videći njihovu nesavladivu želju da dobiju te gradove, pristao da njegova sestra povede pregovore o prodaji. Videći neraspoloženje skradinskog građanstva protiv svojih ljudi, a čuvši možda i za carevu smrt, njegov vojvoda Đuraš Ilić predade taj grad Mlečanima 10. januara 1356. god., kako mu car beše ranije naredio. Grad Klis preoteli su Mađari."
• Sveta loza Stefana Nemanje, chapter 41

Titles of nobility
Preceded by Stefan of Dečani as Prince	Head of Upper Zeta (Serbian Empire) 1326–1362	Succeeded by Balša I Fall of Serbian Empire