Nikola Buća

Nikola Buća (; fl. 1325-1350) was a Serbian nobleman, merchant from Kotor, and protovestijar (financial manager) in the service of King Stephen Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia (r. 1321-1331) and Emperor Stephen Dušan the Mighty (r. 1331-1355).

Emperor Stephen Dušan asked Buća for advice in every major question, as he was his most reliable advisor,

Life Nikola was part of the Buća noble family of Kotor, in the Serbian Kingdom (modern Montenegro). The first known Buća was Tripe Mihov (Trifun Buća, Трифун Бућа). Kotoran families held high offices in the Serbian court, and the most notable was the Buča family, while the most notable individual was Nikola Buća. His brother was Mihajlo Buća, also a diplomat of Stephen Dušan, and his nephew was Trifun Mihajlov Buća. Nikola and Toma Pavlov, another notable Kotoran,

Nikola Buća along with Metropolitan of Prizren Arsenije, kaznac Baldovin, vojvoda Gradislav, župan Vratko, knez Grgur Kurjaković, stavilac Miloš (title mentioned for the first time), vojvoda Dejan Manjak, Gradislav Sušenica, and more, signed the letter issued by Stephen Uroš III, dated 22 January 1325, for the sale of some maritime possessions to the Republic of Ragusa. The possessions were Ston and Pelješac, Buća had paid several people to gain control of business in Kotor; On 1 December 1326, he entrusted Ilija, the nephew of Bratoslav Dusinj of Ragusa, with 700 perpers, and then he personally invested in goods of Kotor which he sold in Serbia.

In January 1336, Nikola and his brother Mihajlo became Ragusan citizens, and received the notable right of counselor (većnik). The most notable nobles of King Stephen Dušan (the velikaši, "great ones") received up to 1000 ducats, and Nikola Buća was given a plot of land in Ragusa itself, and a part of Ston. The city of Ragusa (modern Dubrovnik) had highly enriched itself during the rule of Emperor Stephen Dušan, who had constantly granted it gifts and delegations. The power of the protovestijar is best testified by the proverb: "Car da – al Buća ne da" (The Emperor gives, but Buća does not). years=1346-1354