Voivode Goyko

Also known as: Goiko / Goyko / Mrnyavtchevitch Goiko · Family: Serbians · Role: voivode · First appears: Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be · Part 1

In Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be, Voivode Goyko disputed the inheritance of the Empire at Kossovo with King Voukashin and Despot Ouglesha, and the three were ready to stab one another in their eagerness to reign. When Marko was asked to tell the truth, his mother warned him not to speak falsely to please his father or satisfy his uncles’ ambitions.

In Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari), Goyko was the youngest of the three Mrnyavtchevitch brothers, after King Voukashin and Despot Ouglesha. When the veela of Skadar told the brothers that twins must be immured to build the fortress, and then instructed them to sacrifice whichever wife brought food to the workmen, the brothers swore to keep the secret from their wives. Goyko kept his oath and did not warn his wife; their child Yovo is also named in his plea: “Why hast thou our little one abandoned?”

Relationship record

Life events

• King Voukashin, Despot Ouglesha, and Voivode Goyko disputed the inheritance of the Empire.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be · Part 1 · 📍 Kossovo)
  • With: King Voukashin Despot Ouglesha
  • “The first three of these were disputing over the inheritance of the Empire and were ready to stab one another, so eager were they all to reign.”
• Asked to name the heir, Marko went to his mother Yevrossima for advice; she implored him not to speak falsely to please his father King Voukashin or to satisfy the ambitions of his uncles Ouglesha and Goyko, but to tell the truth before God.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be · Part 1)
  • With: Yevrossima Marko King Voukashin Despot Ouglesha
  • “his good mother implored him with the following words”
• The veela of the mountain tells the brothers that they must immure the twins Stoyan and Stoyana to build the fortress.(Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari) · Part 1 · 📍 Skadra)
  • With: King Voukashin Despot Ouglesha the veela of Skadar
  • “If thou find not Stoyan and Stoyana: And these two--these two young twins so loving, They must be immured in the foundation.”
• The veela of the mountain tells the brothers to immure whichever wife brings food to the workmen.(Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari) · Part 1 · 📍 Boyana)
  • With: King Voukashin Despot Ouglesha the veela of Skadar
  • “Her who brings the rations to the workmen-- Her immure deep, down, in the wall's foundations:-- So shall the foundations fix them firmly: So shall thou erect Boyana's fortress.”
• The three brothers swear to keep the secret of the sacrifice from their wives.(Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari) · Part 1)
  • With: King Voukashin Despot Ouglesha
  • “And each brother swore, in God's high presence. From his wife to keep the awful secret.”
• Goiko keeps silent and does not warn his wife of the danger.(Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari) · Part 2)
  • With: young wife of Goiko
  • “Faithful to his oath, young Goiko whisper'd Not a breath to warn his lovely consort.”

Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be · Part 1

• enemies with King Voukashin “The first three of these were disputing over the inheritance of the Empire and were ready to stab one another, so eager were they all to reign.”
• enemies with Despot Ouglesha “The first three of these were disputing over the inheritance of the Empire and were ready to stab one another, so eager were they all to reign.”
• younger kin: Marko “Speak not falsely either to please thy father, or to satisfy the ambitions of thine uncles, but tell, I beg of thee, the truth before God lest thou shouldest lose thy soul.”

Chapter IV · Prince Marko Tells Whose the Empire Shall Be · Part 2

• younger kin: Marko “here is my dear nephew Marko”

Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari) · Part 1

• siblings with King Voukashin “Brothers three, the brothers Mrnyavtchevitch, Kraly Vukashin was the eldest brother; And the second was Uglesha-Voivode; And the third, the youngest brother Goiko.”
• siblings with Despot Ouglesha “Brothers three, the brothers Mrnyavtchevitch, Kraly Vukashin was the eldest brother; And the second was Uglesha-Voivode; And the third, the youngest brother Goiko.”

Chapter XIII · The Building of Skadar (Scutari) · Part 2

• married with young wife of Goiko “O my wife, my own! my full heart's-sorrow!”
• child: Yovo “Why hast thou our little one abandoned?”

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Extracted from the original text of Hero Tales and Legends of the Serbians (Chapters IV–XIII). Made with Rho MD.