Vladislav Hercegović

Who is Vladislav Hercegović?

Vladislav Hercegović was the Duke of Saint Sava, succeeding his father Stjepan Vukčić in 1466. The Kosača noble family held lands in the region of Herzegovina. Vladislav received his father's land and the title of herzog. During his father's reign he is known to have interfered with his affairs. After 1453 he was frequently in the service of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Venice and the Hungarian-Croatian king Matthias Corvinus. Corvinus granted him the forts of Velika Kalnik and Mali Kalnik near Križevci.

As an Ottoman vassal he took part in the capture of the town of Počitelj on the river Neretva in 1472 and in battles against the Vlatković's of that region. He succeeded in escaping Ottoman rule until 1480 when he was defeated and retreated to Herceg Novi. When Herceg Novi was captured by the Ottomans in the year 1483, Vladislav retreated to the island of Rab under Venetian rule where he eventually died. His son Balša lived at Kalnik where he is mentioned until 1510. After his death, the once powerful family was reduced to poverty.