The story of Olivera's and Bayezid's captivity by Timur after the Battle of Ankara (1402) has been popularly narrated, most often in plays and operas.

[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.