The Life and Deeds of the Ever-Remembered Despot Stefan

possible to know which men belonged to which sultan - some said to this one, others to that. Having come, he found Vuk in the city, on July 3, and waited in the (forest) preserve until dawn, (until) he could inform the townsmen to make ready. When he came into the city the next day, all gathered around him. He fell upon them (with arms) - some he cut down, and others hid one another in their houses. They say that some of (Vuk's) nobles reached for their weapons, but (Vuk) forbade them, saying: "I have sinned against my lord. Let him do with me what he will." They led (Vuk) to the sultan together with his nephew Lazar /Branković/. When he was going through the forests, gathering an army of brigands, a certain Ishmaelite, thinking that (Vuk) was preparing to flee, showed him friendship and wished to flee with him, while (before his own people) he pretended that he wished to see his death. To this (Asalhan) they handed over (Vuk) to escort him. (He) gave (Vuk) an apple, and Vuk gave half to his nephew, and half, having prayed, he took (himself) in place of Communion. There was then no one to give them Communion, so they tasted the apple in place of the Blood and Body of the Lord. And he brought it about (thus) that the aforementioned (Musa) became enraged at Vuk. When they had brought (Vuk), they begged (and) counseled (Musa) that (Vuk) should send for his nephew who was with Süleyman, so that (together they might pledge) fidelity to Musa and hand over the cities to him. However, one of Musa's (men) cried out: "Had this man not fled to Constantinople, we would have won the battle and the victory would have been ours. Therefore such a one must be removed." And this voice was heeded. (Then Musa) sent to where they were guarding (Vuk), and they beheaded him. Before (that) they led him out before the sultan, that he might pardon his offense; when (Vuk) wished to kiss his hand, he roared at him and, leaping up (to his feet), stood. When (Vuk) had been beheaded, Süleyman came at once in pursuit of Musa.

63. And the other, the pious Lazar /Branković/, grandson of the great (Prince) Lazar, they kept under guard, taking him with them, until the next battle. For Musa set out anew toward Adrianople, fleeing before his brother (Süleyman), (but) met him again. Standing before the army, he saw (Süleyman and concluded) that he could fight with (his) army, since he had (already) come there and grown strong. Then he began (the battle) beneath Adrianople. They had agreed with Lazar that his elder brother (Đurađ) should also come over when the battle began. And Musa commanded: "If you do not see this (i.e., Đurađ deserting Süleyman), kill (Lazar)!" Seeing that he would be defeated, he ordered that (Lazar) be killed. And there came a certain servant of the commander Asalhan, one Ogurli, like a beast,¹⁰⁹ (who) seized (Vuk) and put (Lazar) to death. (He) sought with his eyes and his whip (the one) who had given him /Lazar/ the apple as a sign that at a fitting time he should flee with his uncle (Vuk). And he was slain in the same month, on the eleventh day, on a Friday, in the year 6918 (1410). Musa, defeated, fled and came to the Serbian land, to the (Despot) renowned by name.

64. When the battle was over, (those) who plunder the dead found a youth and by every (sign) (recognized) that (this) was the most pious Lazar, and informed his beloved brother /Đurađ/ of it. What lamentations and wailings were heard from (Đurađ) and from his grandees who were there! Süleyman arose, set out and, coming to Philippopolis, allowed his brother to burn the city, while (Vuk's) murderers fled into the mountains and hid themselves in various ways, and some were also