Anastasia of Serbia

Ana (Serbian Cyrillic: Ана); fl. 1196–d. June 22, 1200) was the princess consort of the Serbian Principality as the wife of Stefan Nemanja (r. 1166–1196). She was of noble descent. Ana took monastic vows in 1196 and was baptized Anastasia, after Anastasia of Sirmium. She is venerated by the Serbian Orthodox Church as Saint Anastasija (Света Анастасија) with her feast day on June 22 (Julian calendar).

Theories of origin

Her origins have never been concluded. The oldest source mentioning her origin was Domentijan (c. 1210 – after 1264), who said of her: "a great princess, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Romanos", only Romanos IV Diogenes ruled 1068–71, making this genealogy impossible.

Stefan Nemanja and Ana Nemanjić overseeing the works of Studenica monastery.

• Mavro Orbini, writing in 1601, mentioned her as a daughter of the Bosnian Ban, based on no historical data. He perhaps mixed her up with the wife of Prince Miroslav, who was the sister of Ban Kulin.^[1]
• Jovan Rajić thought Ana was the daughter of Ban Borić, although this is not supported by any sources. Vaso Glušac believed her to have been the sister of Ban Borić.^[1]
• Simeon Bogdanović–Siniša claimed that Ana was the daughter of Ban Borić, however, he wrongly thought that Borić and Boris Kalamanos were the same person (when in fact, Boris died in 1154, and Borić was alive in 1163), thus Ana, based on this assumption, would have been the daughter of Boris.^[1][2]
• Justin Popović believed her to have been the daughter of Manuel I Komnenos, who after the conflict with Uroš II of Rascia wed of his daughter to him in order to make peace.
• Other theories include her being a Hungarian princess or "Frankish" (French) princess.

Marriage and descendants

Through the marriage with Stefan Nemanja, they had three sons and three daughters:

• Stefan Nemanjić, Stefan Nemanja's successor.
• Rastko Nemanjić (Saint Sava) (1171–1236), The first archbishop and patron saint of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
• Vukan Nemanjić, Grand Prince of Doclea 1190-1208, and Grand Prince of Serbia 1202–1204.
• Jefimija, married Manuel Doukas, Regent of Thesaloniki (+1241).
• A daughter who married Tihomir Asen, and gave birth to Bulgarian Tsar Constantine Tih Asen (reigned 1257–1277).

See also

• Nemanjić family tree

References

Sources

• Predrag Puzović (1998). "GOSPOĐA ANA, NEZNANOG POREKLA". SRPSKO NASLEĐE - ISTORIJSKE SVESKE - BROJ 5 - MAJ 1998. NIP „GLAS“. 

Nemanjić dynasty
Main ruling members	see family tree Stefan Nemanja Stefan the First-Crowned Vukan Radoslav Vladislav Uroš I Dragutin (Uroš II) Milutin (Uroš III) Dečanski (Uroš IV) Dušan Uroš V
Other ruling members	Đorđe Vladislav of Syrmia Stefan Konstantin John Uroš Simeon Uroš
Archbishops	Sava Sava II
Minor members	Vratislav Vratko Urošica Dmitar Stefan Vukanović Stefan Uroš of Pharsalos Desa
Female members	Komnena, Duchess of Kruja and Elbasan Brnjača Zorica Jelena, Princess of Bribir Elizabeth, Baness of Bosnia Ana-Neda, Empress of Bulgaria Teodora-Evdokija, Despotess Milica, Princess of Serbia Maria Angelina, Empress of Epirus Jelena, Lady of Zeta; Grand Duchess of Hum
Consorts	Anastasia Eudokia Angelina Anna Dandolo Anna Doukaina Beloslava of Bulgaria Helen of Anjou Catherine of Hungary Helena Doukaina Angelina Elizabeth of Hungary Ana Terter Simonida Theodora Smilets Maria Palaiologina Helena of Bulgaria Anna of Wallachia