Hélène / Jelena Helene of the Latin d'Anjou / Anžujska (1236 - 1314)
Nicknames: "Helene (Jelena) of ANJOU & /SICILY/"
Birthdate: 1236
Birthplace: France
Death: Died February 8, 1314 in Skodra, Hvratska, Yugoslavia (Mada je u to vreme bila SRBIJA a ne Hrvatska)
Immediate Family
Stefan Uroš I "the Great", King of Serbia
husband
Stefan Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić, King of Serbia
son
Марија / Maria / Marija Vukanović
daughter
Marie de Chars
sister
Desa av Serbien
son
Uroš II Primislav Vukanović
son
Matilda Angelo
mother
Helen / Ilona / Jelena of Raška
daughter
Белош / Belos / Belus Вукановић, magyar hadvezér, nádor, horvát-dalmát bán
son
János (Janos) Angelo
father
Hélène d'Anjou and her son king Milutin, a fresco from Gračanica monastery Queen consort of Serbia Tenure around 1245 - 1276
Spouse Stephen Uroš I Issue Stephen Dragutin Stephen Milutin House Capetian House of Anjou House of Nemanjić Born about 1236 Died 8 February 1314 Shkodër Burial Gradac monastery Religion Serbian Orthodox
Helen of Anjou or Hélène d'Anjou (Serbian: Јелена Анжујска / Jelena Anžujska; about 1236[1] - 8 February 1314) was a queen consort of Serbia, wife of Serbian king Stefan Uroš I and mother of kings Dragutin and Milutin.
Modern Russian iconHelen married Uroš I around 1245[2]. She descended from the side branch of the Byzantine emperor's family and the Hungarian royal house. Her sister was Marie, wife of Anseau de Chars, Captain General in Albania of Charles I of Naples[citation needed]. Helen was a Catholic and of French origin probably of the House of Valois. It is also known that she was a second cousin once removed of Charles I of Naples, who mentioned her as a relative in a letter dated 1273[1].
With Uroš I she had at least four children:
Dragutin, Serbian king 1276-1282 Milutin, Serbian king 1282-1321 Stefan Brnča, daughter For some time, she was a ruler of Zeta, Travunia, Plav and Poibarje. During that time, Serbia was divided into three parts, and the rulers of the other two parts were Dragutin and Milutin. Helen became a nun at the Church of St. Nicholas in Shkodër, where she died on 8 February 1314[1].
She founded the first girl's school in medieval Serbia. Helen's palace was in modern Kosovo, in the town of Brnjaci, on Mokra Gora mountain (not to be confused with Mokra Gora village), where the school was located. Other than this palace, she possessed the town of Jelač at Rogozna mountain. As did other Nemanjićs, she built monasteries. She built the Gradac monastery, where she was buried, the Church of St. Nicholas in Shkodër where she died,[1] and the Shirgj Monastery.[3]
Helen of Anjou was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Her feast day is 12 November [O.S. 30 October] [4].
[edit] See also Rulers of Serbia House of Nemanjić House of Anjou Royal titles Preceded by Beloslava of Bulgaria Queen consort of Serbia 1245/1250-1276 Succeeded by Catherine of Hungary Preceded by Beloslava of Bulgaria Queen of Zeta, Travunia, Plav and Poibarje Succeeded by Catherine of Hungary
[edit] References 1.^ a b c d Helen of Anjou at Genealogics 2.^ *Vladimir Ćorović "Istorija srpskog naroda": Zapadnjačka orijentacija u Srbiji (Serbian) 3.^ Ndreca, Ardian (14 September 2008). "Rrënojat e Abacisë së Shirgjit dhe shpëtimi i tyne". Gazeta 55.
http://www.gazeta55.net/gazeta/15.09.2008.pdf. Retrieved 20 September 2010. 4.^ see: Srpsko nasleđe: Sveta Jelena Anžujska in #External links [edit] External links Srpsko nasleđe: Sveta Jelena Anžujska (Serbian) Srpsko nasleđe: Nemanjići i žene (Serbian) Justin Popović: Spomen svete Jelene, kraljice srpske (Žitija svetih za oktobar) (Serbian)[dead link] Manastir Gradac: Gradila ga Jelena Anžujska (Serbian) Portreti kraljevske porodice Nemanjića na istočnom zidu Sopoćana (Serbian) Jelena Anžujska, tema na istorijskom forum Descendants of Helen of Anjou at Genealogics