Career
The brothers had their own government and minted coins according to the Nemanjić style. He fell at the Battle of Rovine (17 May 1395), serving the Ottomans against Wallachia, fighting alongside Serbian magnates Stefan Lazarević and Marko Mrnjavčević. Constantine"s grandson, last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI, was named after him, and even used the name Dragaš.
Early
Constantine"s father was the despot and sevastokrator Dejan, who had held the Kumanovo-region under the rule of Stefan Dušan (r 1331-1355).
Constantine"s mother Teodora Nemanjić was a half-sister of Dušan. Reign
In ca. Ottoman sources report that in 1373, the Ottoman army compelled "Saruyar" (Jovan Dragaš) in the upper Struma, to recognize Ottoman vassalship.
Constantine had helped Jovan in ruling the lands, and when Jovan died in 1378/1379, Constantine succeeded, subsequently managing to govern large portions of northeastern Macedonia and the Struma valley. The Dragaš family generously donated to several monasteries on Mount Athos, including Hilandar, Pantaleimon (Rossikon) and Vatopédi.
The next day, they were crowned Emperor and Empress by the patriarch.
After the battle of Maritsa, they were forced to become vassals of the Ottoman Empire, but they maintained close links with their Christian neighbors, including the Byzantine Empire. The Ottomans named Constantine"s capital Velbažd/Velbužd after him, Köstendil (now Bulgarian Kyustendil). Constantine Dragaš was married twice.
Helena Dragases (Jelena Dragaš, nun Hypomone), who married the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos and died on 13 May 1450.
Their many children included the last two Byzantine emperors, of whom Constantine XI added the name Dragaš (in Greek, Dragasēs) to his own. He is venerated in Serb epic poetry as Beg Kostadin (in poetry he was given a title of beg because he became an Ottoman vassal).
