Collapse of the Serbian Empire

Serbian Empire
Српско царство Srpsko carstvo
1346–1371
Flag
Serbian Empire under Stefan Dušan, 1355 (vassalized Bosnia and Bulgaria included)
Capital		Prizren, Skopje
Languages		Serbian
Religion		Orthodox Christian (Serbian Patriarchate)
Government
Emperor
•	1346–1355	Stefan Dušan
•	1355–1371	Stefan Uroš V
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Coronation of Stefan Dušan	16 April 1346
•	Empire collapses	4 December 1371
Area		250,000 km2 (97,000 sq mi)
Currency		Serbian perper
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Serbia (medieval) Fall of the Serbian Empire District of Branković Moravian Serbia Zeta under the Balšići Lordship of Prilep Domain of the Dejanović family Byzantine Empire

The Serbian Empire (Serbian: Српско царство/Srpsko carstvo, pronounced [sr̩̂pskoː tsâːrstʋo]) is a historiographical term for the empire in the Balkan peninsula that emerged from the medieval Serbian Kingdom. It was established in 1346 by King Stefan Dušan, known as "the Mighty", who significantly expanded the state. He also promoted the Serbian Church to an Orthodox patriarchate. His son and successor, Uroš the Weak, lost most of the territory (hence his epithet). The Serbian Empire effectively ended with the death of Stefan V in 1371 and the break-up of the Serbian state. Some successors of Stefan V claimed the title of Emperor in parts of Serbia until 1402.

Stefan Dušan became King of Serbia by deposing his father, Stefan Dečanski (r. 1322–1331). By 1345, Dušan the Mighty had expanded his state to cover half of the Balkans, more territory than either the Byzantine Empire or the Second Bulgarian Empire in that time. Therefore, in 1345, in Serres, Dušan proclaimed himself "Tsar" ("Caesar"). On 16 April 1346, in Skopje, he had himself crowned "Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks", a title signifying a claim to succession of the Byzantine Empire. The ceremony was performed by the newly elevated Serbian Patriarch Joanikije II, the Bulgarian Patriarch Simeon, and Nicholas, the Archbishop of Ohrid. In the same time, Dušan had his son Uroš crowned as King of Serbs and Greeks, giving him nominal rule over the Serbian lands, although Dušan was governing the whole state, with special responsibility for the newly acquired "Roman" (Byzantine) lands.