[1] Her mother was a descendant of Grand Prince (Veliki Župan) Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty and the fourth cousin once removed of Emperor Dušan of Serbia.

[2][3] According to some accounts, Bayezid was allegedly chained, and forced to watch how his beloved wife, Olivera, served Timur at dinner.

[1] A Ragusan chronicler Mavro Orbini wrote in the Kingdom of the Slavs (1601) that she died in captivity two days after Bayezid's death, which is incorrect.

[2] Serbian soldier and memoirist Konstantin Mihailović noted that Timur felt remorse for Bayezid's death and released his delegation, including his wife.

[3][2] According to the story, Timur (Tamerlane) kept Bayezid (Bajazeth) in an iron cage while Zabina was forced to serve him as a slave.