Sratsimir (, Sracimir; 1324–31) was the father of the Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Alexander (1331–1371).J. V.A. FINE Jr., The Late Medieval Balkans, Ann Arbor 1987, 273.
Sratsimir was a Bulgarian magnate with the highest court title of Despot, holding the territory of either KranА. БУРМОВ, "Към историята на Крънската област." ГББИ 1 (1948) 168–171. or Karvuna (Balchik or Kranevo).Й. АНДРЕЕВ, "Някои бележки около личността на деспотица Кераца, майката на цар Иван Александър." Българските земи през средновековието 3/1 (2005) 87–91; Г. АТАНАСОВ, Добруджанското деспотство. Велико Търново 2009, 78. The lack of certainty over the placement of Sratsimir's holdings is due to the nature of the sparse source evidence, which is derived from a letter from Pope Benedict XII to Sratsimir's wife or widow Petritsa from 1337, which titles her duchissa Carnonen[sis]А. БУРМОВ, "Към историята на Крънската област." ГББИ 1 (1948) 168–171. or Carbonen[sis].Й. АНДРЕЕВ, "Някои бележки около личността на деспотица Кераца, майката на цар Иван Александър." Българските земи през средновековието 3/1 (2005) 87–91. It is unclear when and from whom Sratsimir received his title and governorship, but it has been proposed that they were granted by the Bulgarian Emperor Theodore Svetoslav (1299–1322).Й. АНДРЕЕВ, И. ЛАЗАРОВ, П. ПАВЛОВ, Кой кой е в средновековна България, София 2012: 620–621. or by Sratsimir's brother-in-law, the Bulgarian Emperor Michael Asen III, called Michael Shishman (1323–1330) И. БОЖИЛОВ, Фамилията на Асеневци (1186–1460). София 1985, I 28 (136-139); at any rate, he held them before the accession of his son on the Bulgarian throne in 1331.Й. АНДРЕЕВ, И. ЛАЗАРОВ, П. ПАВЛОВ, Кой кой е в средновековна България, София 2012: 620–621.
Sratsimir's origins remain unclear, but it has been suggested that he belonged to the House of Terter. His brothers Radoslav and Dimitar are mentioned, as well as a cousin or uncle who bore the monastic name Samuel.Й. АНДРЕЕВ, И. ЛАЗАРОВ, П. ПАВЛОВ, Кой кой е в средновековна България, София 2012: 620–621; I.S.R. MLADJOV, "Monarchs' Names and Numbers in the Second Bulgarian State," Studia Ceranea 5 (2015) 267-310: 293–294 and Table 4 (310). A possible additional brother named Vladislav was mentioned in church memorial lists.I.S.R. MLADJOV, "Monarchs' Names and Numbers in the Second Bulgarian State," Studia Ceranea 5 (2015) 267–310: 294, m. 132. The name Sratsimir was borne by several other individuals, most of them apparent kinsmen of the Despot Sratsimir.I.S.R. MLADJOV, "Monarchs' Names and Numbers in the Second Bulgarian State," Studia Ceranea 5 (2015) 267–310: 293–294.
It has been suggested that Sratsimir bore a two-element name, Ivan Sratsimir, and that he was referred to under the first element, Ivan (Ioan) as ruler of Varna on an Italian map from 1322.Й. АНДРЕЕВ, И. ЛАЗАРОВ, П. ПАВЛОВ, Кой кой е в средновековна България, София 2012: 620–621. Sratsimir had married Petritsa, known by the title Keratsa,On her names see I.S.R. MLADJOV, "Monarchs' Names and Numbers in the Second Bulgarian State," Studia Ceranea 5 (2015) 269. a sister of the Bulgarian Emperor Michael Asen III (called Michael Shishman), and a member of the House of Shishman. They had five children. Sratsimir was the eponymous founder of the House of Sratsimir.И. БОЖИЛОВ, Фамилията на Асеневци (1186–1460). София 1985, I 28 (136-139); I.S.R. MLADJOV, "Monarchs' Names and Numbers in the Second Bulgarian State," Studia Ceranea 5 (2015) 267–310: 292-293.
Issue Ivan Alexander, Despot of Lovech, who ascended on the throne as emperor of Bulgaria after a coup d'état in 1331. Helena, who married the Serbian King, later Emperor Stefan Dušan in 1332. John Komnenos Asen, who was made Despot of Valona by his brother-in-law Stefan Dušan of Serbia. Michael, Despot of Vidin Theodora
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