Dejan (; fl. 1346–ca. 1366) was a magnate who served Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–55) as sevastokrator, and Emperor Uroš V (r. 1355–71) as despot. He was married to Emperor Dušan's sister Teodora, and possessed a large province in the Kumanovo region, east of Skopska Crna Gora. It initially included the old župe (counties) of Žegligovo and Preševo (modern Kumanovo region with Sredorek, Kozjačija and the larger part of Pčinja). Uroš V later gave Dejan the Upper Struma river with Velbužd (Kyustendil). Dejan rebuilt the Zemen Monastery, one of Dejan's endowments, among others, as he also reconstructed several church buildings throughout his province.
Dejan was one of the prominent figures of Dušan's reign and during the fall of the Serbian Empire after Dušan's death. Dejan is the progenitor of the Dejanović noble family, with his two sons, despot Jovan and gospodin Konstantin, also becoming powerful during the fall of the Serbian Empire and the ensuing Ottoman period.
Life
Origin
Dejan had married Teodora, the sister of King Stefan Dušan, and received the title of sevastokrator in 1346, upon Stefan Dušan's crowning as Emperor. Dejan's origin is deemed unknown. Earlier scholars believed that Dejan was a relative of Jovan Oliver, another magnate in Macedonia, but this is no longer accepted. K. J. Jireček suggested that he was vojvoda Dejan Manjak (Дејан Мањак), only found mentioned in a 1333 charter, in which Stefan Dušan officially sold Ston and Prevlaka to the Republic of Ragusa.
Stefan Dušan's reign
On Easter, 16 April 1346, Stefan Dušan convoked a massive assembly at Skopje, attended by the Serbian Archbishop Joanikije II, the Archbishop of Ochrid Nikolaj I, the Bulgarian Patriarch Simeon and various religious leaders of Mount Athos. The autocephalous Serbian Archbishopric was raised to the status of a Patriarchate. The new Patriarch, Joanikije II, now solemnly crowned Dušan as "Emperor and autocrat of Serbs and Romans (Greeks)". Dušan had his son Uroš V crowned King, giving him nominal rule over the Serbian lands, and although Dušan ruled the whole state, he had special responsibility for the "Roman", i.e. Greek lands, in the south. There was a further increase in the Byzantinization of the Serbian court, especially in court ceremonies and titles. From his new position, Dušan could grant titles only possible for an emperor to grant, such as despot, sevastokrator, and ćesar. Among the Serbian magnates were:
despot Simeon Uroš, Dušan's half-brother, duke of Epirus and Acarnania
despot Jovan Asen, Dušan's brother-in-law, governor in southern Albania
despot Jovan Oliver, Dušan's close associate, vojvoda and governor in Ovče Pole and left Vardar sevastokrator Dejan, Dušan's brother-in-law, governor of Pčinja sevastokrator Branko, Dušan's relative, governor of Ohrid ćesar Preljub, Dušan's son-in-law, vojvoda and governor of Thessaly ćesar Vojihna, Dušan's relative, vojvoda and governor of Drama ćesar Grgur, Dušan's relative (son of Branko), vojvoda and governor of Polog
The raising of the Serbian Patriarchate resulted in bishops becoming metropolitans. The Serbian ruler had wide autocratic powers, but was surrounded and advised by a permanent council of magnates (velikaši or velmože) and prelates. The court, chancellery and administration were rough copies of those of Constantinople.
