Marko

Also known as: Kralyevitch Marko / Lord Marko / Marko of Prilip / Prince Marko / Royal Prince Marko / the Royal Prince Marko / the princely Marko · Family: Serbians · Role: prince and hero · First appears: Chapter IV · Kralyevitch Marko; or, the Royal Prince Marko · Part 1

In Chapter IV · Kralyevitch Marko; or, the Royal Prince Marko, the popular tradition places Marko’s birth at Skadar. Petrovitch notes that one account names King Voukashin and Yevrossima as his parents, while another, equally popular tradition makes him the child of the veela (Marko's mother in one tradition) and the zmay. According to the generally accepted belief, Marko served Doushan as secretary and councillor of State, and Doushan entrusted his young son Ourosh to Marko as death approached. Some bards say the veela gave Marko his horse Sharatz; another account says Marko chose a piebald foal after serving a master for three years. Marko and Sharatz remained together for a hundred and sixty years.

In Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be, Archdeacon Nedelyko says Marko learned to read and write from him and was entrusted with the imperial records. When couriers summon Marko to name the heir, he seeks his mother’s counsel. Yevrossima urges him to tell the truth rather than please his father or satisfy his uncles, Despot Ouglesha and Voivode Goyko. Marko declares that the Empire and Crown belong to Ourosh, whom the late Tsar named as successor. King Voukashin draws his yatagan and pursues Marko, but Marko enters a church as its doors close between them.

In Chapter IV · Prince Marko and a Moorish Chieftain, Marko first refuses the Sultan’s request to face the Moor, calling the Sultan (Marko's father-in-God) “my father-in-God.” He changes his mind after hearing the appeal of the Sultan's daughter, defeats the Moorish chieftain, and escorts the Princess back to the Sultan. In Chapter IV · Prince Marko and Bogdan the Bully, Marko and Relya of Bazar and Milosh of Potzerye are sworn brothers pledged to help one another. In Chapter IV · Prince Marko and General Voutcha, Marko captures Velimir and General Voutcha, then secures the release of Milan of Toplitza and Ivan Kosantchitch.

In Chapter IV · The Death of Prince Marko, Marko kills Sharatz rather than let him fall into Turkish hands, and buries him with more honour than his own brother, Andrias. He breaks his sabre and lance and throws his club into the sea, saying, “When my club returns from the depths of the ocean, then shall come a hero as great as Marko!” Marko then lies down beneath the fir-trees. Vasso finds his body and buries it beneath the church at Vilindar, without raising a monument over the grave. In Chapter XI · The Marriage of King Voukashin, Petrovitch notes that Marko inherited the heroism of Voivode Momtchilo.