Stefan Dusan

Stefan Dušan was crowned Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks in Skopje by the Serbian Patriarch, elevating the Serbian Kingdom to an Empire. This act asserted Serbian dominance in the Balkans and challenged Byzantine authority.

Dušan's forces captured key Byzantine territories including Serres, Thessaloniki (though not the city itself), and much of Epirus. These conquests expanded the Serbian Empire to its greatest territorial extent, controlling most of the Balkan Peninsula.

Dušan issued a comprehensive legal code, the Zakonik, at a state council in Skopje. The code standardized laws across the Serbian Empire, covering criminal, civil, and ecclesiastical matters, and reinforced the authority of the monarchy.

Dušan launched a military campaign into Bosnia, aiming to expand Serbian influence westward. The campaign achieved limited success, failing to conquer significant territory, and was abandoned due to threats from Hungary.