Brailo Tezalović

Brailo Tezalović (Serbian Cyrillic: Браило Тезаловић, Latin: Braylus Thessalovich;[1] fl. 1392–1433) was a Bosnian knez and merchant, nobleman and diplomat, who served Bosnian magnate Pavle Radinović and his family, with the court title of carinik (customs official). Brailo was born into a merchant family from Prača in eastern Bosnia, the son of Mihoje and Vladija, and grandson of Radan.[2] He had three younger brothers, Bogiša, Hval, and Vukosav.[3] Brailo was first mentioned in a document dated to June 1392, then mentioned in February 1399 as a customs official (carinik) of count (knez) Pavle Radenović in Ledenice.[4] In the following years he was a diplomat in the service of the Pavlović noble family.[4] Brailo Tezalović, Bogdan Muržić and Brajko Hvaonić, all from Prača, were the biggest merchants in Bosnia of their time.[5] The main article of commerce was lead, likely mostly from the mine in Olovo.[5] The debts of individuals in Bosnia were different and ranged around 100 ducats, but sometimes could cross over 1000 ducats (merchants from Prača reaching the largest individual credits[6]); Brailo, as the representative of another merchant from Prača (Brajko Hvaonić[6]), raised the credit to 2965 ducats.[7] In 1411, Brailo is mentioned as the protovestijar of Pavle for the first time.[8] Only in 1413, Brailo sent 11,5 wagons of lead to the Republic of Ragusa.[9] He was first mentioned with the title of knez on 31 July 1421, and was inscribed as a witness in the charters of the Pavlović in 1427, 1432 and 1433.[4] His importance at the Pavlović court is evident from the fact that the Ragusans viewed him as an especially important person in the discussions over the sale of Konavle; when the sale was finalized, Brailo received 500 ducats and a parcel of land from Ragusa.[4] He was mentioned as deceased on 28 January 1446.[4]

In ca. 1466, nine noblemen from Hum stated before the Ragusan government that they had "served and courted together with knez Brailo and his brother for lord vojvoda Pavle Radinović.[10]