Stefan Dushan

Stefan Dusan

Stefan Urosh Dushan IV (Serbian: Стефан Урош IV Душан) (1331-1355) was a notable Serbian king. His history is divided into different periods. He was an excellent soldier, but not a very good politician. His ancestor was overthrown by Serbian nobles at 1334. During his reign, he fought against the Byzantine Empire and Hungary.

## Starting and first war[edit]

Dushan inherited the Serbian throne from his father, Steban Detchansky, who was overthrown by Serbian nobles because they wanted to expand their counties to the Byzantine coast. On the other hand, Steban Detchansky was a friend of the Greek emperor. Steban Urosh Dushan started the war at 1334, with the help of a Greek deserter named Syrgiano, who was a great strategist. Serbia captured the main cities of Macedonia in record time. But the balance turned over, the Byzantine diplomacy obtained a new ally, the Hungarian kingdom. Steban Urosh Dushan was obligated to firm a claudication, but also he conserved a great number of Macedonian cities.

## The North Frontier[edit]

Steban Urosh Dushan started an desperate war against Hungarians, Venetians and Croatians. He maintained control over the situation for a while. Because of the intermediation of the Bosnian ambassador, Kotromanich, Dushan was able to maintain his mains dominions on the north frontier.

## The Second Byzantine war[edit]

At 1352, John Cantacuzeno and the Byzantine emperor John IV started a civil war between them. John IV asked for the help of the Serbians and Bulgarians, but John Cantacuzeno was helped by the Turks. This war ended with a defeat of the Serbian army. Steban Urosh Dushan never fought again against the Byzantine Empire. He dead by unknown methods at the year 1355.