Serbian epic poetry in the context of "Prince Marko"

The Kosovo Maiden or Maiden of the Blackbird's Field (Serbian: Косовка девојка / Kosovka devojka) is the central figure of a poem with the same name, part of the Kosovo cycle in the Serbian epic poetry. In it, a young beauty searches the battlefield for her betrothed fiancé and helps wounded Serbian warriors with water, wine and bread after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire. She finally finds the wounded and dying warrior Pavle Orlović who tells her that her fiancé Milan Toplica and his blood-brothers Miloš Obilić and Ivan Kosančić are dead. Before the battle they had given her a cloak, golden ring and veil for the wedding as a promise of safe return, but they were slain and Pavle pointed to the direction of the bodies. The poem finishes with:

The poem became very popular as a symbol of womanly compassion and charity.

Pavle Orlović (Serbian Cyrillic: Павле Орловић) is a semi-mythological hero of the Kosovo cycle of Serbian epic poetry; he was a Serbian knight, one of the military commanders under Prince Lazar that fell at the Battle of Kosovo (1389) against the Ottoman Empire. According to folklore, Orlović was the son of voivode Vuk Orle, the Lord of Soko Grad on the Drina. After the death of Stephen Uroš V the Weak, Orlović held the mining town of Novo Brdo, as well as his father's possessions on Mount Rudnik in central Serbia.

According to legend, Pavle Orlović's four sons escaped their hometown to Čarađe, near Gacko, after the death of their father and fled to Velimlje, a village in Banjani (modern-day Montenegro). After the Ottoman conquest of Banjani, they established several families of the Orlović clan at Čarađe, Bjelice and Cuce.

Toplica Milan (Serbian Cyrillic: Топлица Милан) or Milan Toplica (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Топлица), also known as Milan from Toplica (Serbian: Милан из Топлице, romanized: Milan iz Toplice), was a legendary Serbian knight who was allied to Prince Lazar and died during the historical 1389 Battle of Kosovo, according to Serbian epic poems.

Miloš Obilić (Serbian Cyrillic: Милош Обилић, pronounced [mîloʃ ôbilit͡ɕ]) is a legendary Serbian knight and saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church traditionally said to have served Prince Lazar during the Ottoman invasion of Serbia in the late 14th century. Although absent from contemporary records, he features prominently in later accounts of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo as the assassin of Sultan Murad I. The assassin remains unnamed in historical sources until the late 15th century, but the widespread circulation of the story in Florentine, Serbian, Ottoman, and Greek sources suggests that versions of it were known across the Balkans within decades of the battle.

His original name is believed to have been Miloš Kobilić, though multiple variations exist in historical sources, and his actual existence remains uncertain. The Lazar dynasty, consolidating its power, gave birth to the Kosovo Myth, which incorporated the legend of Obilić. Jelka Ređep notes that Obilić's legend significantly evolved through oral tradition, reflecting Serbian cultural ideals of heroism, loyalty and sacrifice. Over time, he became a central figure in Serbian epic poetry, where he was elevated to the status of a national hero embodying medieval Serbian folklore. Alongside Prince Lazar’s martyrdom and the alleged treachery of Vuk Branković, Miloš's deed became integral to Serbian narratives surrounding the Battle of Kosovo. By the 19th century, he was also venerated as a saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Đurađ II Balšić (Serbian Cyrillic: Ђурађ II Балшић; Albanian: Gjergj II Balsha) or George II Balsha fl. 1385 – April 1403), was the Lord of Zeta from 1385 to 1403, as a member of the Balšić noble family. He was the son of Stracimir Balšić, and succeeded his paternal uncle Balša II in ruling Zeta. He reigned from 1386 up to 1389 in the still officially undissolved Serbian Empire in the form of a family alliance, then up to 1395 as an Ottoman vassal. He ruled until his death in 1403, when he was succeeded by his only son, Balša III. According to some historians, Serbian epic poetry identifies Đurađ II with Strahinja Banović.

Jovan Uglješa (Serbian Cyrillic: Јован Угљеша; fl. 1346–1371) was a Serbian medieval nobleman of the Mrnjavčević family and one of the most prominent magnates of the Serbian Empire. He held the title of despot, received from Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V, whose co-ruler - Serbian King Vukašin was Uglješa's brother.

Uglješa was the son of Mrnjava, a treasurer of Helen, the queen consort of Stephen Uroš I of Serbia. He held Travunija in 1346, during the rule of Stefan Dušan (1331–1355). Uglješa married Jelena (later nun Jefimija), daughter of Vojihna, the kesar of Drama. This boosted the power of Uglješa, who would later govern the region alongside his father-in-law. Vojihna died in 1360, and his lands were inherited by Uglješa. He was given the title of despotes by the widowed Serbian empress, Helena of Bulgaria, in 1365. His domain, the Principality of Serres [bg], was situated along the lower course of the Struma with Serres as seat, eventually replacing Helena in its possession. From 1368, his territory was under the religious jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Patriarch mentioned the "master of Raška" (another name for Serbia), Jovan Uglješa, in a letter from 1371. With the Ottoman threat rising in the Balkans, Uglješa and his brothers Vukašin Mrnjavčević and Gojko Mrnjavčević tried to oppose the Turks. Uglješa was killed on 26 September 1371 in the Battle of Maritsa. Their troops were defeated by those of Ottoman commanders Lala Shahin Pasha and Gazi Evrenos at the Battle of Maritsa in 1371. The defeat resulted in large portions of the region of Macedonia falling under Ottoman power. Additionally, Uglješa's two brothers were killed during the fight. Their courage made them heroes of Bulgarian and Serbian epic poetry.

A vila, or víla (plural: vile, or víly ; Bulgarian: vila, diva, juda, samovila, samodiva, samojuda; Czech: víla, samodiva, divoženka; Old East Slavic: vila; Polish: wiła; Serbo-Croatian: vila; Slovak: víla; Slovene: vila) is a Slavic fairy similar to a nymph.

The vila is mostly known among South Slavs; however, some variants are present in the mythology of West Slavs as well. Among Czechs, víla denotes a woodland spirit (15th century), and ancient place names such as Vilice near Tábor, Vilov near Domažlice, and Vilín near Sedlčany seem to indicate that she was known there as well. In the Chronicle of Dalimil (3, 53) vila is "fool" (as in Old Polish). In Russia, vile are mentioned in the 11th century, but there is doubt that they were truly a part of Russian folklore, and not just a literary tradition. There are common traits between the vile and the rusalki, and Schneeweis holds that they are identical.

Serbia is the nation state of the Serbs, who are Serbia's dominant ethnic group. Serbs are also majority in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the 19th century, the Serbian national identity was manifested, with awareness of history and tradition, medieval heritage, cultural unity, despite Serbs living under different empires. Three elements, together with the legacy of the Nemanjić dynasty, were crucial in forging identity and preservation during foreign domination: the Serbian Orthodox Church, Kosovo Myth, and the Serbian language. The identification with medieval heritage through venerating Serbian saints, together with Serbian epic poetry, had helped develop a national consciousness separate from other Orthodox Christian peoples in the Balkans. The heroic epic poetry cycles inspired the Serbs to revive their heroic past and freedom. In the stories, the hajduks were heroes: they had played the role of the Serbian elite during Ottoman rule, they had defended the Serbs against Ottoman oppression, and prepared for the national liberation and contributed to it in the Serbian Revolution. The symbolical Kosovo Myth became the mythomoteur, signifying martyrdom and defence of Serb honour and Christendom against Turks (Muslims). When the Principality of Serbia gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, Orthodoxy became crucial in defining the national identity, instead of language which was shared by other South Slavs (Croats and Muslims).

The Cyrillic script is an important symbol of Serbian identity. Under the Constitution of Serbia, Serbian Cyrillic is the only script in official use; it is also co-official in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The double-headed eagle and the shield with fire steels are the main heraldic symbols which have represented the national identity of the Serbian people across the centuries.

Vuk Crnogorac (Serbian Cyrillic: Вук Црногорац), also called Orle (Орле) and Oro (Оро; from orao (орао), "the Eagle"), was a legendary Serbian vojvoda (military commander) and the chieftain of Soko Grad, a medieval fortified town located in modern-day Gračanica, Ljubovija, western Serbia. He married the sister of vojvoda Damjan Tomković of Dukađin. Vuk had three children, including Pavle Orlović (1350–1389), a known figure in the Kosovo cycle of Serbian epic poetry. Vuk's descendants are known as Orlović. The Obrenović dynasty claimed descent from the Orlović through knez (prince) Martin of Bajica near Cetinje.