Strahinja Banović

Who is Strahinja Banović?

Strahinja Banović or Strahinjić Ban is the name of the nobleman and knight depicted in the Serbian epic poem of the same title. It is unsure whether or not he existed, but some historians believe he was in fact Đurađ II of Zeta, whose grandfather-in-law was Jug Bogdan.

As stated in the poem, Strahinja ruled a small territory near Kosovo prior to the Battle of Kosovo. His wife Anđelija, daughter of noble Jug Bogdan gets kidnapped by Bashi-bazouk Vlah Alija after Turks ravaged absent Strahinja's castle. Strahinja asks Jug Bogdan if he and Anđelija's brothers could help him rescue her, but Jug Bogdan refuses, presuming that Anđelija had slept with the kidnapper, which is a great shame to the family. On his own, Strahinja seeks for Anđelija in the fictional Goleč mountain, where Vlah Alija is stationed. Strahinja finally finds them, but Anđelija openly betrays him for Vlah Alija.

Strahinja slices Vlah Alija's throat with his teeth, as a wolf would kill a sheep and returns to his father-in-law's estate with his wife where her brothers wait to kill her. Strahinja steps in front and tells them that he had forgiven his wife.