Popovic: The Decani Charter as a legal document and a first-class historical source on the presence of Serbs

Bojan Popovic, a museum advisor at the Fresco Museum in Belgrade, stated that the founding charters of monasteries in Kosovo are first-class historical sources confirming the presence of Serbs, with one of the oldest being the initial founding charter of the Visoki Decani Monastery.

"It testifies to the founding of Decani Monastery and the reasons for its construction. It also delineates the monastery’s borders and lists the people who lived on its lands. This allows us to map out the region’s topography and onomastics, revealing numerous names. Above all, it is a first-class historical source because it confirms that this area was entirely inhabited by our people—the Serbian population," Popovic emphasized.

He specified that Visoki Decani has two additional charters written in codex form, similar to books.

"One of them remains in the monastery to this day, while the other is believed to be on Mount Athos and will hopefully be discovered one day," Popovic noted.

He explained that these two additional charters were issued for practical reasons.

"If the original document were used solely as a legal record—which it indeed was, as it guaranteed the monastery’s borders—it would be difficult to transport and reference at various locations," he said.

Popovic highlighted that monastic charters provide extensive insights into their respective historical periods.

"From these charters, we learn a great deal. They include lists of people who lived at the time, detailed topographical information that can be traced from then until today, and even clues about the region’s climate. Some charters mention now-lost industries, such as silk production. They also reveal which types of livestock were raised. In short, they are an invaluable source for understanding the Middle Ages," he stressed.

However, he pointed out a major challenge in studying medieval Serbian history—the loss of many urban archives.

"Our city archives, like those in Novo Brdo, undoubtedly contained many records that would have made historical research much easier. However, in a way, monastic charters help compensate for these losses," Popovic said.

He noted that other founding charters of Kosovo monasteries, such as the Svetostefanska Povelja (Charter of the Banjska Monastery) and the Charter of the Holy Archangels Monastery in Prizren, are also crucial and closely resemble the Decani Charter.

"The first is kept in Istanbul, while the second disappeared during World War I, although its contents were recorded," he explained.

Some of these founding charters were even preserved on monastery walls, as is the case with the Gracanica Charter.

"Just like the written charter, the mural inscription first includes an arenga—the prologue outlining the donor’s intent—written in a scholarly language. This is followed by guarantees of the monastery’s rights and borders, culminating in the ruler’s signature at the bottom. Thanks to the Gracanica Charter, we know exactly when Gracanica was built and to whom it was dedicated," Popovic stated.

Finally, he pointed out that even in cases where no document on a church’s or monastery’s origins has survived, information can still be gathered through indirect sources.

"For example, in one of the earliest charters—the Hilandar Charter—there is mention of a settlement called Hoca and the Church of St. Nicholas, about which we have little direct evidence. However, from the church itself, we know that it was painted during the Middle Ages and likely maintained by the local nobility. More importantly, we know that during the restoration of the Patriarchate of Pec, the church was also renewed, showing that even in difficult times, our ancestors took care of their religious heritage," Popovic concluded.