A Serbian Princess in Ottoman Palace: Mileva Olivera Lazarevic

Abstract

Born as the daughter of the serbian Knez Lazar taken into the Ottoman palace marrying Bayezid I (The Thunderbolt) who gave her father's execution order became the slave of Timur (Tamerlane) after the Battle of Ankara and when set free turning back to her country Olivera had a life full of trauma and tragedies resembling a romantic adventure According to the serbian she was a hero who sacrificed herself for her country according to the Ottomans she was a bad woman who adapted Bayezid to alcohol and entertainment according to European orientalist myths she was a princess who was despised by barbarians to whom was taken captive. This study aims to reveal the image of Olivera reflected in the works of contemporary Ottoman Byzantine Serbian Timurid and European sources narratives and arts with a focus on the life story of Olivera who although was essentially a member of the Ottoman dynasty did not have any monographs about her in Turkey.