Mladen (vojvoda)

Mladen (Serbian Cyrillic: Младен; fl. 1323–26) was a Serbian magnate that served King Stefan Dečanski (r.  1322–1331), holding the titles of župan (count), and later vojvoda (general). He was the father of Branko Mladenović, a later magnate.

Mladen and his brother Nikola hailed from a family that held estates in Drenica, in Kosovo, during the reign of Stefan Milutin (r. 1282–1321). The family was elevated during the rule of King Stefan Dečanski (r. 1322–1331); Mladen is mentioned in 1323 as governing Trebinje and Dračevica, while his brother Nikola is mentioned as serving as governor in northern Albania in 1329.^[1] King Stefan Dečanski's confirmation on the rights of Ragusan merchants dating to March 25, 1326, was attended by vojvoda Mladen, tepčija Vladoje, and čelnik Đuraš Ilijić.^[2] The Serbian court hierarchy was as follows: stavilac, čelnik, kaznac, tepčija and vojvoda, the supreme title.^[3] Although the family was influential, it was not among the most powerful families at the Serbian court.^[1] It is unknown whether Mladen lived to serve King Stefan Dušan, as is the case with many other magnates such as vojvoda Vojin and čelnik Gradislav Vojšić.^[4]

The last mention of him in documents dates to 1326. He had a son, Branko, and a daughter, Ratoslava.^[1] Ratoslava married župan Altoman, the son of vojvoda Vojin.^[5] Branko was among the magnates that were given Byzantine court titles upon the crowning of Stefan Dušan as Emperor (1346), receiving the title of sevastokrator.^[6]

• Blagojević, Miloš (2001). Državna uprava u srpskim srednjovekovnim zemljama. Službeni list SRJ. pp. 27, 37, 44, 45, 46, 210. ISBN 9788635504971.
• Ćorović, Vladimir (2001), Istorija srpskog naroda (Internet ed.), Belgrade: Ars Libri
• Fajfrić, Željko (2000a) [1998], Sveta loza Stefana Nemanje (Internet ed.), Belgrade: Janus; Rastko
• Fajfrić, Željko (2000b) [1999], Sveta loza Brankovića (Internet ed.), Belgrade: Janus; Rastko