Stefan Nemanja (Cyrillic Стефан Немања), Stefan I (ca 1132-February 13 1199 or 1200) was the Grand Župan of Raška (Rascia), located in the central west region of the Balkans from 1166 or 1168 to 1196. He established control over the teritories of neighbouring Serb states, including Zeta in 1186, except those in Bosnia, and unified them into an independent state (medieval Serbia).

He maintained good relations with the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus (died 1180) and his heirs. In 1186. Nemanja signed first Serbian trade agreement with city of Ragusa (modern Dubrovnik).

He appointed his oldest son Vukan Nemanjić as ruler in province of Zeta and Duklja that included cities of Antivari (Bar) and Cattaro (Kotor). These areas are all in modern Montenegro.

In 1196 Stefan relinguished his power to his son Stefan II, Nemanja, took the monastic name Simeon and joined his youngest son Rastko (monastic name Sava) on the Mount Athos. There two of them founded the monastery Hilandar.

Stefan died on February 13th (Julian), February 26th (Gregorian), 1199 or 1200. Sava moved Simeon's remains to the Studenica monastery. Monk Simeon is later canonised as Saint Simeon.

See also: List of Serbian monarchs - History of Serbia

Source

• Servia/Serbia, an article from The Catholic Encyclopedia (1907), http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13732a.htm