Vlatko Vuković

Vlatko Vuković Kosača (died 1392) was a Vojvode of Hum (Herzegovina). He was a son of the Serb nobleman Vuk Kosača.

Vuković was a Vojvode, which is the Slavic term for a military commander who also serves as a territorial governor, often translated as 'Duke'.

He governed the province of Hum (Herzegovina), which was part of the Kingdom of Bosnia. Bosnia were enjoying a period of peace and prosperity under King Tvrtko Kotromanić, but the Turkish threat was building to the east, threatening neighboring Serbia. On August 27, 1388, Vojvoda Vlatko defeated Ottoman raiding party (some 18,000 strong) that invaded Hum (Battle of Bileca 1388:Serbian-Bosnian heavy cavalry is typically credited with winning the battle as they broke the Ottoman ranks and pursue the retreating enemy. It has been cited that "Ottoman leader Shain barely managed to save himself with the small band of his soldiers" (V. Corovic, "Historija Bosne" p.325, "History of Bosnia). In 1389 he commanded a Bosnian army that fought alongside Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović at the Battle of Kosovo Polje against the Ottomans. Vuković is one of the few leaders on the Serbian side who survived the battle.

Although the battle is viewed now as a decisive defeat and the end of Serbian independence, at the time the battle was viewed differently; Vuković reported the outcome of the battle as a victory, as the Ottomans suffered heavy losses and were forced to withdraw for a time. He died in 1392.

Vuković's grave lies marked near the village of Boljuni by Stolac, Bosnia.

External links

* [http://www.rb-donjahercegovina.ba/GisPodaci.aspx?id=8 Vlatko Vuković's grave]