King Marko

Marko Mrnjavčević was the de jure Serbian king from 1371 to 1395, while he was the de facto ruler of territory in western Macedonia centered on the town of Prilep. He is known as Prince Marko (Serbo-Croatian: Краљевић Марко, Kraljević Marko, and King Marko (Bulgarian: Крали Марко; Macedonian: Kрaле Марко) in South Slavic oral tradition, in which he has become a major character during the period of Ottoman rule over the Balkans.Although a ruler of modest historical significance, Marko became a major character in South Slavic oral tradition. He is venerated as a national hero by the Serbs, Macedonians and Bulgarians, remembered in Balkan folklore as a fearless and powerful protector of the weak, who fought against injustice and confronted the Turks during the Ottoman occupation.