The Life and Deeds of the Ever-Remembered Despot Stefan

me, shalt gain time. My sons will make war among themselves, and each will send thee suppliants for help, or only (assurances) of love, and not of enmity. Having gained time, thou shalt not only preserve thine own land, but shalt (conquer) also the surrounding regions that border on thy land, and thou shalt be called a great and glorious ruler. For now keep thy land within its borders. Hearken to me and I shall tell thee what thou must do. While I am alive, strive to break thy mighty (nobles) and to subject them to thy power, for (after my death) thou wilt desire (to do so) and wilt not succeed. Therefore, (whether) noble (or) poor, those whom thou hast brought up, raise up, make them glorious, that they may rule together with thee; silence all slanderers and those like them." With these and similar words the emperor instructed (him), and the aforesaid (Stefan) went to his home. And, O wonders! Who has ever heard or seen this anywhere?! He who had been accused and was ready for death received power from the emperor as (if he were his) son. And (he accepted) counsel, and that not from a ruler of the same faith. Who has heard such prophecy from an unbeliever? All this came to pass in our days, so that all, in all regions, could see it, for (nothing) was hidden, nor did it happen in secret, but before the face of the whole world. Let no one think it strange that we compare the words of an Ishmaelite with prophetic ones; let him look at the prophecy of Caiaphas, where it is said that "it is better that one man should die than that the people should perish."⁶⁴ And the chief (Apostle Peter) says: "... no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation;... For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man."⁶⁵

32. Prince Stefan went to his fatherland and arrived home adorned with honor not only by (the sultan) but also by all his grandees and by all his empire and by all the peoples whom the Ishmaelites had cast under their feet, esteemed and loved by all of theirs, while the Christians raised up prayers (of thanksgiving) that God had exalted the horn of His chosen one.

33. That terrible and proud (emperor) conceived the thought of making war on the Wallachians; he rose up with all his might, came and crossed the Danube in the year 6903 (1394), and clashed with the great and autocratic voivode Ioan Mircea; (in that battle) an unspeakable amount of blood was shed. Then King Marko and Konstantin fell. In that battle, together with these lords, Prince Stefan, of whom we speak, also took part. All of them were with the Ishmaelites not by their own will, but out of necessity; (thus) they tell of the blessed Marko⁶⁶ that he said to Konstantin: "I say and pray to the Lord that He be a helper to the Christians, and let me be the first to fall in this battle." Having returned to his home, the emperor (Bayezid) made a truce with them.

34. After two years the emperor with his sons sent an unspeakable multitude of troops against Bosnia; with them went also this Christ-loving Prince Stefan. There was at that time such great snow, as old men told us, that when they cut wood and lit fires in the gardens, the fire, once kindled, sank so deep that those who were there wished the warmth to be felt as far as possible, but they dared not (approach it). Because of that winter few of the soldiers and captives returned to their land. Therefore this Christ-loving one (the Despot) was again accused of this calamity, but (those who slandered him) did not succeed in