Otroci

Dusan’s Code (Serbian: Душанов законик, Dušanov zakonik, known historically as Закон благовјернаго цара Стефана – Law of the pious Emperor Stefan) has had multiple translations during the 19th and 20th centuries (German, English, French, Polish, Russian, etc.

It is indisputable that otroci were the social layer without most of the rights in medieval Serbian society, but that didn’t necessarily mean equality with slaves.

Clause 72. оf Dusan’s Code anticipates that any one person who comes to the royal court reluctant should be done justice but the aristocratic otrok.

Based on Dusan’s Code, it can be seen that the lord of the manor and his closest family claimed the right to release an otrok.

Among those cases, there are otroci Nikola Vladovic and Radoslav Djurasinovic that were a part of important demarcations on monastic estates, based on the trust of their lord Oliver Golemovic.

There was one more otrok, a Greek called Nikita Pedijasim, who was entrusted with important work and was trusted by his lord Jovan Ugljesa.

In our medieval documents, the term is most frequently used for settlers with no personal rights, but also people whom their lords entrust with confidential duties.