The authority of the central power diminished after the death of Dushan
in 1355. Urosh, who had the title Czar until 1371, because he was a
feudal magnat and, the feudal magnats had all the power and even had
the title "Czar", succeeded him. The region of Ser was ruled by Uglesha,
Drama was ruled by the kesar Voyihna, vojvoda Hlapen ruled with Ber
and Voden, the despot Oliver ruled
with the regions along the r. Bregalnitsa, Morozvizd and Pijanets, the
territory from Zegligovo to Belasitsa and Tikvesh was ruled by the brothers
Constantin and Jovan Dragash and the region of Ohrid was ruled by Grgur.
The brothers Volkashin and Uglesha Mrnjavchevich were the most prominent
and they were assigned as despots in the region of Prilep by Dushan
and Urosh. In 1365, Volkashin proclaimed himself as King. Occupying
the Minor Asia, the Turks-Ottomans imperiled the security of the Byzantine
provinces on the Balkan and even the security of Consantinople. Jovan
Kantakuzen, supported by the Turks, defeated the Serbs in the battle
close to Stefania (in the region of Ser) in 1344 and in 1352, the Turks,
together with the Serbs and the Greek feudals, defeated Byzantium close
to Dimotika and occupied Galipoly. In 1362, the Turks conquered Edrene,
which became a Turkish military and political center. Uglesha persuaded
Volkashin to undertake mutual action against the Turks. The Turks triumphed
close to Chernomen on the river Maritsa on 26 September 1371 where the
brothers Mrnjavchevich were killed.
