Styepan Zemlyitch

Also known as: the bride's leader · Family: Serbians · Role: bride's leader · First appears: Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 1

In Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession, Part 1, Marko invited Styepan Zemlyitch to join the wedding party with five hundred followers and serve as the bride’s leader. At the Bulgarian king’s court, King Shishman feasted the party for three days and entrusted Styepan with his daughter, the daughter of King Shishman of Bulgaria, and her horse, to keep until they reached Marko’s castle.

When the wedding guests halted for the night, the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom) offered Styepan a bootful of ducats to let him flee with the bride. In Part 2, Styepan gave the bride to the Doge for three bootfuls of gold. She told Marko that Styepan had sold her, and at break of day Styepan tried to escape; Marko caught him and struck him down with his sabre.

Relationship record

Life events

• Marko invited Styepan Zemlyitch to be the bride's leader at the wedding.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 1)
  • With: Marko
  • “also to send to Styepan Zemlyitch, asking him to join the wedding party with five hundred followers and to be the bride's leader.”
• King Shishman feasted Marko and the wedding party for three days.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 1 · 📍 the court of the Bulgarian King)
  • With: King Shishman Marko the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom)
  • “The company now proceeded to the court of the Bulgarian King, who received them most heartily and feasted them for three days.”
• King Shishman placed his daughter and her horse in Styepan Zemlyitch's keeping until they reached Marko's castle.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 1)
  • With: King Shishman the daughter of King Shishman of Bulgaria
  • “Here are now, in thy keeping, the bride and her horse till thou arrivest at Marko's castle; once there thou shalt give Marko the bride, but her courser thou mayst retain for thyself!”
• The Doge asked Styepan Zemlyitch to let him flee with the bride in exchange for golden ducats.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 1)
  • With: the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom)
  • “Wilt thou yield to me thy charge that we may flee together: I will give thee a bootful of golden ducats!”
• Styepan Zemlyitch gave the Bulgarian maiden to the Doge in exchange for three bootfuls of ducats.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 2)
  • With: the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom) the daughter of King Shishman of Bulgaria
  • “This enormous sum of money was too great a temptation for the bride's leader, and he gave up the bride to the Doge, who conducted her to his own tent.”
• The Bulgarian maiden showed Prince Marko the Doge's beard and revealed that Styepan had sold her to the Doge.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 2)
  • With: Marko the daughter of King Shishman of Bulgaria the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom)
  • “Know then, that my leader Styepan Zemlyitch sold me, thy bride, to the Doge of Venice for three bootfuls of gold! If thou canst not believe this, look! Here is the Doge's beard!”
• Prince Marko killed Styepan Zemlyitch as he tried to escape.(Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 2)
  • With: Marko
  • “Styepan Zemlyitch attempted to escape, but Marko rushed after him and struck him so neatly with his keen sabre that he fell to earth in two pieces.”

Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 1

• benefactor: King Shishman “The company now proceeded to the court of the Bulgarian King, who received them most heartily and feasted them for three days.”
• ward: the daughter of King Shishman of Bulgaria “Here are now, in thy keeping, the bride and her horse till thou arrivest at Marko's castle; once there thou shalt give Marko the bride”
• with the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom) (Styepan indignantly rebukes the Doge after he asks to flee with the bride.) “Styepan Zemlyitch answered indignantly: ‘Keep silent, thou Doge of Venice! Mayest thou be turned to stone! Hast thou made up thy mind to perish!’”
• with the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom) (interaction) “O thou bride's leader! Wilt thou yield to me thy charge that we may flee together: I will give thee a bootful of golden ducats!”

Chapter IV · Prince Marko's Wedding Procession · Part 2

• enemies with Marko “Styepan Zemlyitch attempted to escape, but Marko rushed after him and struck him so neatly with his keen sabre that he fell to earth in two pieces.”
• with the Doge of Venice (Marko's koom) (Styepan Zemlyitch gives the bride to the Doge in exchange for money.) “This enormous sum of money was too great a temptation for the bride's leader, and he gave up the bride to the Doge, who conducted her to his own tent.”

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