Stephen Uroš IV Dušan the Mighty (Serbian: Стефан Урош IV Душан Силни, pronounced [stê̞faːn û̞rɔ̝ʃ ʧě̞tʋr̩ːti̞ː dǔ̞ʃan]; c. 1308 – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia (from 8 September 1331) and Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks (from 16 April 1346) until his death on 20 December 1355. Dušan managed to conquer a large part of Southeast Europe, becoming one of the most powerful monarchs in his time. He enacted the constitution of the Empirein Dušan's Code, one of, if not the most important works of medieval Serbia. Dušan promoted the Serbian Church from an Archbishopric to a Patriarchate, finished the Visoki Dečani, and founded the Saint Archangels Monastery. Under his rule Serbia reached its territorial, economical, political and cultural peak.

Lawmaker

In works of Nicephorus Gregoras there are recordings that Tsar Dushan sent his royal servants to Ottoman sultan, offering one of his daughters to sultan's sons. Orhan I accepted the offer, but his servants were intercept along the way, and with that their diplomatic relations were over. Shortly, Turkish presence on the Balkan was more appreciable. A mark of Dušan's rulership was a bulkin work on law. A large amount of charters was published, and some great works on law subject were translated to Serbian. To conception of that time, emperor Dušan had the right to make laws of general, universal character. Dušan tried to explain his code in one of in his charter, where he explains that the sense is spiritual and that the goals are for the after-life, and that the code is going to help his people to save themselves. First part of the code was proclaimed on 21. May 1349. in Skopje, and I contained of 155 clauses, while the second part came in 1354. with 66 clauses. Makers of the code are not known, but they are probably members of the court which were related to law. The original manuscript of the code did not remain. Dušan's codecontains of various subjects and it is made in order to spans in all aspect of life, but to certain subject more attention was given. Serbia had long law tradition, and some parts were well regulated. The old laws were not removed, but they were not exactly repeated. Those laws represented the highest authority. The first 38 appointments are related to the church and they deal with active problems, while the next 25 appointments are related to the nobles Absence of appointments related to civil law is explained because that area was done in works of Saint Sava's Nomokamon and in Corpus Juris Civilis. Dušan's code originally dealt with criminal law. Byzantine law had the greatest influence on Dušan's codex. That is greatly seen through concept of lawfulness, which was mostly taken direcktly from Byzantine law.The code was in use even after the death of Emperor. It is sure that it was in use under the rulership of his son, Stefan Uroš V, and it is not known was it in use in the last decades of medieval Serbia. With the final fall of Serbia under Turkish dominion, the code could not be used any more, with exception of some partly autonomic areas under the Republic of Venice, like Grbalj and Paštrovići.

Religious activity

Much like his ancestors, Stefan Dušan was very active in rebuilding churches and monasteries, but also building new. First, he took care about monasteries in which his parents were buried. Monastery of Banjska, built by King Milutin, where his mother was buried. He was very generous toward monastery of Visoki Dečani, endowment of his father. The monastery was built for eight years and it is certain that emperor's role in the building process was huge. Between 1337. and 1339. emperor got sick, and he pledged ones word that if he survives, he will build a church and monastery in Jerusalem. Already, there was one Serbian monastery in Jerusalem, devoted to archangel Michael (believed to be built by King Milutin). This monastery functioned from tax which was paid by Dubrovnik Republic. In time of Stefan Dušan there were Serbian monks in some monasteries on Sinai Peninsula His greatest endowment is monastery dedicated to archangels Michael and Gabriel, located near the town of Prizren. This is the place where Tsar Dušan was originally buried. Dušan gave many possessions to this monastery, including the forest of Prizren which was supposed to be a special part of the monastery where all the precious goods and relics should be stored. Also, the mosaic on the flor of the monastery was made beautifully. Great admiration to this monastery was showed by Dušan's heir Stefan Uroš V. Dušan's son, Stephen Uroš V, talked about his father with great respect.

Stephen Uroš V did not try to make peace with patriarch of Constantinople, which means that he saw his father's action positively. Such initiative came from despot Uglješa in 1368. The jurisdiction of Constantinople was restored. The final initiative for peace between churches came from Prince Lazar in 1375. Few sources show that Serbian church, at some moment, accepted view of Constantinople about illegality of Dušan's crowning and making of patriarchate. In next decades of Serbian state there is no evidence about existing of the Dušan's cult. In official ideology of later times there is no glorification of Emperor, he even was not mentioned, but his authority was always respected. Dušan's charter to Dubrovnik served as a example to all the later trades made between the two sides, and the regulations made by the charter were considered inviolable. The wise Ragusians said to their guests that they are staying in the city to which Emperor Dušan came by the same door. Later folk tradition had various attitudes to Dušan, mostly negative, mostly made under the influence of the church.

Church policy

With the raising of the Serbian Archbishopric to a Patriarchate, serious changes in the organization of the church followed. Joanikije II became Patriarch. Bishoprics (Eparchies) were raised to Metropolitanates, and new territories of the Ochrid Archbishopric and Ecumenical Constantinople were added to the jurisdiction of the Serbian church. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople had Dušan excommunicated in 1350, although this did not affect the religious organization.

Under Serbian jurisdiction came one of the foremost centers of spirituality - Mount Athos.^[22] As of November 1345, Athonite monks accept his supreme rule, and Dušan guaranteed autonomy, also giving a row of economic privileges, with tremendous gifts and endowments. The monks of Chilandar (the cradle of the Serbian church, founded by Saint Sava, his ancestor) came at the front of the ecclesiastical community.In his codex, Dušan accentuates his role as a protector of Christianity and points out the independence of the church. From the codex we can also see care that the parishes are equally arranged both in cities and villages. He was also taking care of few churches and monasteries from Bari to the west, toJerusalem to the east.Besides Orthodox Christians, there were many Catholics in the Empire, mostly in the coastal cities, Kotor, Lješ etc. In the court of Dušan there were also Catholics (servants from Kotor and Dubrovnik, mercenaries, guests etc.). In the central parts, Saxons were in areas active in mining and trading. Catholics had the full right of faith, except for converting non-Catholics. There are no historical record that traders of catholic faith complained about discrimination based on religion. Dušan was also in contact with the Pope, he negotiated about formal acceptance of papal primacy, his two goals were: stopping Hungarian attacks in the north, and, with the help of the Pope, assemble and organize a crusade against the Turks (Muslims). The Pope sent an envoy led by Peter Tome to the Serbian court, however, according to Philippe de Mézières, their negotiations were followed by much unpleasantness, and the mission did not give the expected results.