Although reliable testimonies are rare, in the medieval Serbian state during the Nemanjić dynasty, there were organized associations of knights. It is certain, however, that during the reign of Emperor Dušan, from 1331 to 1355, historical records mention a chivalric order under the name “Order of Saint Stephen” (Stub Svetog Stefana).
Konstantin Jireček, a Czech historian who dedicated his extensive work to the study of the past of Balkan peoples, especially Serbs, writes that “mounted knightly games were similar to those in the West… Orbini says that Emperor Stefan’s courtiers held knightly games and tournaments before him, and that the emperor would reward the victors with rich gifts.”
The slava (patron saint’s day) of the Nemanjić dynasty was Saint Stephen, the first archdeacon who suffered for the Christian faith, so it is not surprising that Emperor Dušan named this chivalric order after him. He also established the “Order of Saint Stephen,” which was awarded for military and other merits, and was, in all likelihood, the first such order among Serbs.
It was a time when, with the help of the renowned Code of Laws from 1349, Dušan introduced a new order in the state hierarchy in an attempt to put an end to the lawlessness of powerful lords. Instead of hereditary rights by birth, he introduced personal rights based on merit.
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One document states that, still a king at the time, Dušan summoned all twenty-four knights to the “Council of Nobles” (Velikaško veće) to discuss important matters. It was a kind of modern-day government composed of the highest-ranking nobles. From the Code of Laws, it is evident that they received from the emperor a golden belt, a svita adorned with pearls, and weapons—namely, a sword.
The svita was a ceremonial garment for rulers and nobles, of Byzantine origin, made in the form of a long robe in red or green, decorated with gold and pearls. If adorned with pearls, it was called a pearl svita.
To conclude this short note, it is important to mention that there also existed a well-defined knightly code, in which honor—especially military honor—stood above all.
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Source: National Geographic; Foto: Pixabay