The Life and Deeds of the Ever-Remembered Despot Stefan

David begot Prince Bratislav. Bratislav begot Prince Vratko. Vratko begot a daughter, Milica. She was the wife of the great Prince Lazar; she bore three sons: this most glorious Despot Stefan, and Vuk and Dobrovoj. And that vine blossomed abundantly. (It is not known) whether (thanks) to Constantine or to Licinius. For Isaac, it says, begot Reuel, Reuel begot Zerah, Zerah begot the righteous Job. Behold only how many blossoms God raised up here too for Abraham⁴⁷ and Isaac.

17. It is fitting at this place to begin a story sweet to all and dear to hear. This (Serbian) land here bears fruit worthy of itself; in it she gloried for a long time, not only as in a lord but also as in a dear father and a valiant companion, wise and meek in all things. That land was as though desolate (and) parched, (and) waited to drink of water; (she was) disfigured by many sins, (and now) she is deemed worthy of the best inheritance, (and) that is the great and glorious Lazar, whose name is the same as his son's /Stefan Lazar/. For he did not possess something worthy of praise and something worthy of blame, nor did he excel in one thing and was overcome in another, but in all things he was exceptional; to leave the rest (aside), for most of what I shall say is known to all.

18. The schism between the churches⁴⁸ did not originate from this one (Prince Lazar), but was from earlier, I mean from the time of Emperor Stefan, called Dušan; the Serbian cathedral Church broke away and sank into evil, for often a great fire is kindled from a small spark. Secondly, the Ishmaelite race, which, like locusts, fell upon us - some (people) they led away, others they enslaved, some they plundered, (and) others they slaughtered, crushing and destroying all like fire, wherever they happened to be - went forth to devour all that it came upon and to slay (all) without mercy. Hopeless was the attempt for us sinners to change anything (unless) we turned to the One who changes all things. For this one /Lazar/ the first care was precisely for that which pertains to heaven, (the care) for the peace and order of the Church. For he saw the schism and the affliction. As a great sage, he saw glory in the substance (of things), and where the struggle was (hard) to master, he himself took up the resolution; overcoming difficulties, he overlooked nothing. He arranged (everything) so that the sister (churches) were united again, for they had long been separated and grieved over it. Is there anything greater for an earthly ruler, and more pleasing to God?

19. Having established this, he passed on to other matters. He saw cities and regions and brotherhoods (that is, monasteries) and pious churches burned with fire (or) torn down, many murders and rivers of blood that flowed, and all else like unto this. For long ago the Greek power had begun to decline, and the Ishmaelites had multiplied and spread (so far) that they had reached even the western (lands), having the Persians with them. And let us set this forth more closely. Before the Reigning City /Constantinople/ was raised up, and before the Ishmaelite faith began to be preached, there was a certain ruler by the name of