eriod they migrated from the Carpathians to the Danube, were in the
twelfth century divided into petty states.

"Le premier Roi fut un soldat heureux."

Neman the First, who lived near the present Novibazar, first cemented
these scattered principalities into a united monarchy. He assumed the
double eagle as the insignium of his dignity, and considered the
archangel Michael as the patron saint of his family. He was brave in
battle, cunning in politics, and the convent of Studenitza is a
splendid monument of his love of the arts. Here he died, and was
buried in 1195.

Servia and Bosnia were, at this remote period, the debatable territory
between the churches of Rome and Constantinople, so divided was
opinion at that time even in Servia Proper, where now a Roman Catholic
community is not to be found, that two out of the three sons of this
prince were inclined to the Latin ritual.

Stephan, the son of Neman, ultimately held by the Greek Church, and
was crowned by his brother Sava, Greek Archbishop of Servia. The
Chronicles of Daniel tell that "he was led to the altar, anointed with
oil, clad in purple, and the archbishop, placing the crown on his
head, cried aloud three times, 'Long live Stephan the first crowned
King and Autocrat of Servia,' on which all the assembled magnates and
people cried, _'nogo lieto_!' (many years!)"

The Servian kingdom was gradually extended under his successors, and
attained its climax under Stephan Dushan, surnamed the Powerful, who
was, according to all contemporary accounts, of tall stature and a
commanding kingly presence. He began his reign in the year 1336, and
in the course of the four following years, overran nearly the whole of
what is now called Turkey in Europe; and having besieged the Emperor
Andronicus in Thessalonica, compelled him to cede Albania and
Macedonia. Prisrend, in the former province, was selected as the
capital; the pompous honorary charges and frivolous ceremonial of the
Greek emperors were introduced at his court, and the short-lived
national order of the Knights of St. Stephan was instituted by him in
1346.

He then turned his arms northwards, and defeated Louis of Hungary in
several engagements. He was preparing to invade Thrace, and attempt
the conquest of Constantinople, in 1356, with eighty thousand men, but
death cut him off in the midst of his career.

The brilliant victories of Stephan Dushan were a misfortune to
Christendom. They shattered the G