The Life and Deeds of the Ever-Remembered Despot Stefan

the renowned (Despot) returned to their quarters. Then Süleyman appeared with very few soldiers - foot soldiers who came to him from all sides. Musa, seeing this, attacked again. Despot Stefan, going forward and seeing that Musa had taken fright, for his soldiers were faithless, (and) few (men) remained with him, himself also turned back to the seashore. As (Despot Stefan) had set out toward Galata, the Emperor Manuel sent him ships, into which (the Despot) entered and sailed into Constantinople. One might say - both as vanquished and as victor. So many (soldiers) perished there that the fields and meadows and the sand by the sea were covered with the dead; and according to the words of the Psalmist, "the righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked."¹⁰⁴ Thus ought he (the Despot) to be hymned and extolled, who with a mighty hand wins battles and leads us through fire and water into tranquility; and he himself appears greater than the greatest praises, crowned with prayers, flowers and greenery, with which victories are celebrated.

60. And the Emperor Manuel, exceptional (in many things), had known him from before, when as a young man he had waged war together (with him), and he had foretold him what would come to pass; he rejoiced over him as over a beloved son. Like knew like. Then he also gave (Stefan) the crown of (the despotic) dignity a second time, saying that John had not been emperor in the full sense. And (thus) they parted from one another. And when the Despot went out of the city, a multitude of people acclaimed him and cried out with the voices and tongues of sirens; there was heard also the blowing of trumpets, by which in ancient times the Muses were victorious and stones were moved by the songs of Orpheus. And to this very day in Jerusalem they ever glorify the divine dwellings and habitations with acclamation.¹⁰⁵

61. But let us pass over much of what happened and cannot be recounted. Departing thence, the most illustrious (Despot) sailed the open sea in ships, toward the north. The waves and storms separated him from the aforementioned caesar (Uglješa). And, O wonders, he gathered the dispersed of Israel into one and came to Wallachia. The Wallachian ruler at that time was the pious and ever-remembered great voivode Mircea. He received them most amicably and welcomed the glorious (Despot) and those who were with him. He could not tear himself from his insatiable desire to behold him and gazed continually upon his face. Entertaining him most cordially, he gave him all that was needful - horses and the equipment required for long journeys. He escorted him /the Despot/ across his land as though it were (the Despot's) own. And (the Despot) reached the Hungarian border, at his city of Golubac.

62. While all this was taking place, Sultan Musa was fleeing before his brother and was left without an army. For (those) who did not defect to (Sultan) Süleyman abandoned the battle, fleeing from him. (He) took refuge in Dubulin. Seeing that an army was gathering again, mostly brigands, he turned back toward the Črnomen¹⁰⁶ (regions). Learning that (Sultan) Süleyman had sent the aforementioned Vuk to reach the Serbs before his brother (Stefan) and to take (his) land, he sent a certain commander Alijaz¹⁰⁷ - not with an army, for (he) himself had little - but as the former commander /i.e., voivode/ of Philip's city /Philippopolis/108, who was able to accomplish (such a thing) in the city. At that time it was not