Stefan I Crnojević

Who was Stefan I Crnojević?

Stefan Crnojević also known as Stefanica was a medieval lord of the Principality of Zeta, from the House of Crnojević that ruled it from 1451 to 1465. The earliest documents which mentions him is from 1426. Until 1441 he was one of many governors in Zeta which was at that time a province of Serbian Despotate. He then aligned with Stefan Vukčić Kosača and remained his vassal until 1444 when he accepted Venetian suzerainty. In Venetian held Lezhë on 2 March 1444 Stefan and his sons forged an alliance with several noblemen from Albania, including Skanderbeg. In 1448 he returned under suzerainty of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković. In 1451, Stefan took over the leadership of the house of Crnojević and became the ruler of a large part of Zeta.