Croatian Rulers
2
CROATIA (HRVATSKA) The history of medieval Croatia is not very well known, and must be pieced from references in Western and Byzantine sources, as well as local genuine or forged charters. The Croats settled in the Balkan peninsula in the early 7 th century. If they had not been Slavic in origin, they eventually became Slavicized. The very conjectural list of Croatian rulers presented here is for the period 900–948 an alternative to the more generally accepted list compiled by Croatian scholars. 1 The present list follows suggestions of Runciman and Eggers about the sequence, chronology, and genealogy of Croatian rulers c900–c950, and is based to some extent on the 12 th -century Chronicle of the Priest of Dioclea. This period includes the remarkable figure of Tomislav, who was involved in the Roman church’s settlement of Illyricum and may have been crowned king. The royal title was certainly used from the reign of Držislav in the late 10 th century, but after the deaths of Krešimir IV and Zvonimir the kingdom became the target of Hungarian aggression. King László I of Hungary imposed his nephew Almoš as ruler of Croatia in 1091, but Hungary took over the crown permanently only after defeating the last ‘national’ king Petar in 1097. In 1102 the Hungarian king Kálmán was formally crowned king of Croatia, and the two kingdoms remained in personal union for another eight centuries. The crowns of Hungary and Croatia parted only occasionally, during times of contested kingship (e.g., 1301–1308). On the extinction of the Arpadian house in 1301, the Croatian throne passed directly to the house of Anjou, which was succeeded by the houses of Luxemburg (1387/95) and Habsburg (1438). The house of Habsburg preserved the throne of Croatia with few interruptions (the Jagiellonians 1440–1444 and 1490–1524 and Hunyadi 1458–1490) until the end of World War I. In 1918 Croatia became part of the ‘kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes’, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Serbian predominance in government was resented, and Croatia eagerly sought its independence in World War II under the dictatorship of Ante Pavelić and the nominal rule of duke Aimone of Spoleto, who was elected king as Tomislav II. At the end of the war in 1945 Croatia was reincorporated into Yugoslavia, but became an independent republic in 1990. The rulers of Croatia were titled prince or duke (knez) and later king (kralj). Numbers in parentheses reflect the sequence of kings on the throne of Hungary. Princes (dukes) and kings of Croatia c818–821 Borna … nephew of Ljudemisl; prince of the Dalmatian Croats 821–835 Vladislav … nephew of Borna 835–845 Mislav … son of Vladislav (?) 845–864 Trpimir … son of Vladislav (?) 2 864 Zdeslav … son of Trpimir; deposed 864–876 Domagoj … usurper (?) 876–877 Iljko … son of Domagoj 877–879 Zdeslav … restored 879–888/92 Branimir … usurper (?) 3 888/92–c900 Muntimir … son of Trpimir c900–c908 Krešimir I … son of Trpimir c908–c912 Miroslav … son of Krešimir I c912–c915 Pribunja … son of prince Braslav of Slavonia (?) c915–c928 Tomislav I … son of king Svátopluk II of Moravia (?); king from 925 (?) c928–c948 Čudomir … son of Tomislav I (?) 4 c948–969 Krešimir II (Mihajlo) … son of prince Tješimir by daughter of Čudomir 969–997 Držislav (Stjepan) … son of Krešimir II; king from c988 5 997–1000 Svetoslav Surinja … son of Držislav; deposed 1000–1030 Krešimir III … son of Držislav; associated from 997 Gojislav … son of Držislav; associated 997–c1020 1030–1058 Stjepan I … son of Krešimir III 1058–1074 Krešimir IV (Petar) … son of Stjepan I; deposed 1075–1089 Zvonimir (Dmitrije) … son of Stjepan (?) son of Svetoslav 1089–1091 Stjepan II … son of Gojislav 6 son of Stjepan I; deposed 1091–1095 Almoš … son of king Géza I of Hungary 1093–1097 Petar … ‘national king’ 1097–1116 Koloman the Booklover … brother of Almoš; crowned king of Croatia in 1102 1116–1131 Stjepan III (II) … son of Koloman 1131–1141 Bela I (II) the Blind … son of Almoš 1141–1162 Gejza (II) … son of Bela I 1162 Stjepan IV (III) … son of Gejza; deposed 1162–1163 Ladislav I (II) … son of Bela I 1163 Stjepan V (IV) … son of Bela I; deposed, died 1165 1163–1172 Stjepan IV (III) … restored 1172–1196 Bela II (III) … son of Gejza 1196–1204 Emerik … son of Bela II; associated from 1183 1 The conventional kinglist runs: Mutimir (892–910), his son Tomislav (910–928), his brother Trpimir II (928–940), his son Krešimir I (940– 945), his son Miroslav (945–949), his brother Krešimir II (949–969), installed by Pribunja. 2 Trpimir is sometimes thought to have been included in the Chronicle of the Priest of Dioclea as Krepimir son of Pridislav. 3 Branimir may be identical to Bran son of prince Muntimir of Serbia. 4 Čudomir may be identical to Godemir, a possible successor of Pribunja as ban of Croatia (and so perhaps his son). Godemir is usually dated late in the 10 th century, but that date may be based on the probably erroneous dating of Pribunja to c949. Farlati listed Godemir as the successor of Tomislav. 5 Some authorities list c1000 another ruler named Mucimir, sometimes identified with king Svetoslav Suronja, and sometimes assumed to be the son of another ruler named Trpimir, a putative brother of king Držislav. 6 Or Častimir (?).
Transcript of Croatian Rulers
CROATIA (HRVATSKA) The history of medieval Croatia is not very well known, and must be pieced from references in Western and Byzantine sources, as well as local genuine or forged charters. The Croats settled in the Balkan peninsula in the early 7th century. If they had not been Slavic in origin, they eventually became Slavicized. The very conjectural list of Croatian rulers presented here is for the period 900–948 an alternative to the more generally accepted list compiled by Croatian scholars.1 The present list follows suggestions of Runciman and Eggers about the sequence, chronology, and genealogy of Croatian rulers c900–c950, and is based to some extent on the 12th-century Chronicle of the Priest of Dioclea. This period includes the remarkable figure of Tomislav, who was involved in the Roman church’s settlement of Illyricum and may have been crowned king. The royal title was certainly used from the reign of Držislav in the late 10th century, but after the deaths of Krešimir IV and Zvonimir the kingdom became the target of Hungarian aggression. King László I of Hungary imposed his nephew Almoš as ruler of Croatia in 1091, but Hungary took over the crown permanently only after defeating the last ‘national’ king Petar in 1097. In 1102 the Hungarian king Kálmán was formally crowned king of Croatia, and the two kingdoms remained in personal union for another eight centuries. The crowns of Hungary and Croatia parted only occasionally, during times of contested kingship (e.g., 1301–1308). On the extinction of the Arpadian house in 1301, the Croatian throne passed directly to the house of Anjou, which was succeeded by the houses of Luxemburg (1387/95) and Habsburg (1438). The house of Habsburg preserved the throne of Croatia with few interruptions (the Jagiellonians 1440–1444 and 1490–1524 and Hunyadi 1458–1490) until the end of World War I. In 1918 Croatia became part of the ‘kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes’, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Serbian predominance in government was resented, and Croatia eagerly sought its independence in World War II under the dictatorship of Ante Pavelić and the nominal rule of duke Aimone of Spoleto, who was elected king as Tomislav II. At the end of the war in 1945 Croatia was reincorporated into Yugoslavia, but became an independent republic in 1990. The rulers of Croatia were titled prince or duke (knez) and later king (kralj). Numbers in parentheses reflect the sequence of kings on the throne of Hungary.
Princes (dukes) and kings of Croatia c818–821 Borna … nephew of Ljudemisl; prince of the Dalmatian Croats 821–835 Vladislav … nephew of Borna 835–845 Mislav … son of Vladislav (?) 845–864 Trpimir … son of Vladislav (?)2
864 Zdeslav … son of Trpimir; deposed 864–876 Domagoj … usurper (?) 876–877 Iljko … son of Domagoj 877–879 Zdeslav … restored
879–888/92 Branimir … usurper (?)3
888/92–c900 Muntimir … son of Trpimir c900–c908 Krešimir I … son of Trpimir c908–c912 Miroslav … son of Krešimir I c912–c915 Pribunja … son of prince Braslav of Slavonia (?) c915–c928 Tomislav I … son of king Svátopluk II of Moravia (?); king from 925 (?) c928–c948 Čudomir … son of Tomislav I (?)4
c948–969 Krešimir II (Mihajlo) … son of prince Tješimir by daughter of Čudomir 969–997 Držislav (Stjepan) … son of Krešimir II; king from c9885
997–1000 Svetoslav Surinja … son of Držislav; deposed 1000–1030 Krešimir III … son of Držislav; associated from 997
Gojislav … son of Držislav; associated 997–c1020 1030–1058 Stjepan I … son of Krešimir III 1058–1074 Krešimir IV (Petar) … son of Stjepan I; deposed 1075–1089 Zvonimir (Dmitrije) … son of Stjepan (?) son of Svetoslav 1089–1091 Stjepan II … son of Gojislav6 son of Stjepan I; deposed 1091–1095 Almoš … son of king Géza I of Hungary 1093–1097 Petar … ‘national king’ 1097–1116 Koloman the Booklover … brother of Almoš; crowned king of Croatia in 1102 1116–1131 Stjepan III (II) … son of Koloman 1131–1141 Bela I (II) the Blind … son of Almoš 1141–1162 Gejza (II) … son of Bela I
1162 Stjepan IV (III) … son of Gejza; deposed 1162–1163 Ladislav I (II) … son of Bela I
1163 Stjepan V (IV) … son of Bela I; deposed, died 1165 1163–1172 Stjepan IV (III) … restored 1172–1196 Bela II (III) … son of Gejza 1196–1204 Emerik … son of Bela II; associated from 1183
1 The conventional kinglist runs: Mutimir (892–910), his son Tomislav (910–928), his brother Trpimir II (928–940), his son Krešimir I (940–945), his son Miroslav (945–949), his brother Krešimir II (949–969), installed by Pribunja. 2 Trpimir is sometimes thought to have been included in the Chronicle of the Priest of Dioclea as Krepimir son of Pridislav. 3 Branimir may be identical to Bran son of prince Muntimir of Serbia. 4 Čudomir may be identical to Godemir, a possible successor of Pribunja as ban of Croatia (and so perhaps his son). Godemir is usually dated late in the 10th century, but that date may be based on the probably erroneous dating of Pribunja to c949. Farlati listed Godemir as the successor of Tomislav. 5 Some authorities list c1000 another ruler named Mucimir, sometimes identified with king Svetoslav Suronja, and sometimes assumed to be the son of another ruler named Trpimir, a putative brother of king Držislav. 6 Or Častimir (?).
1204–1205 Ladislav II (III) … son of Emerik; associated from 1204 1205–1235 Andrija I (II) … son of Bela II 1235–1270 Bela III (IV) … son of Andrija I; associated from 1214 1270–1272 Stjepan VI (V) … son of Bela III; associated from 1245 1272–1290 Ladislav III (IV) the Kuman … son of Stjepan VI 1290–1301 Andrija II (III) the Venetian … son of Stjepan posthumous son of Andrija I
Karlo Martel … son of king Carlo II of Naples by Marija daughter of Stjepan VI; rival king in Dalmatia 1290–1295 1301–1342 Karlo I Robert … son of Karlo Martel 1342–1382 Ludovik I … son of Karlo I 1382–1385 Marija … daughter of Ludovik I; deposed 1385–1386 Karlo II the Short … son of duke Luigi of Durazzo son of duke Giovanni brother of Karlo Martel 1386–1395 Marija … restored 1387–1437 Žigmund of Luxemburg7 … husband of Marija
Ladislav of Naples … son of Karlo II; rival king in Dalmatia 1386–1439; deposed, died 1414 1438–1439 Albert of Habsburg8 … husband of Elizabeta daughter of Žigmund
1440 Ladislav VI (V) the Posthumous … posthumous son of Albert; deposed 1440–1444 Vladislav I of Poland … son of king Władysław II of Poland 1444–1457 Ladislav VI (V) the Posthumous … restored; legitimist claimant since 1440 1458–1490 Matija I Hunjadi … son of János Hunyadi 1490–1516 Vladislav II of Bohemia … son of king Kazimierz IV of Poland brother of Vladislav I 1516–1526 Ludovik II … son of Vladislav II; associated from 1508 1526–1564 Ferdinand I of Habsburg9 … husband of Anna daughter of Vladislav II
Ivan Zapolja … son of István Szapolyai; rival king in Slavonia 1527–1540 1564–1576 Maksimilijan … son of Ferdinand I; associated from 1563 1576–1608 Rudolf … son of Maksimilijan; associated from 1572; abdicated, died 1612 1608–1619 Matija II … son of Maksimilijan 1619–1637 Ferdinand II … son of archduke Karl II of Austria son of Ferdinand I; associated from 1618 1637–1657 Ferdinand III … son of Ferdinand II; associated from 1625
Ferdinand IV … son of Ferdinand III; associated 1646–1654 1657–1705 Leopold I … son of Ferdinand III 1705–1711 Josip I … son of Leopold I; associated from 1687 1711–1740 Karlo III … son of Leopold I 1740–1780 Marija Terezija … daughter of Karlo III 1780–1790 Josip II … son of Marija Terezija by emperor Franz I 1790–1792 Leopold II … son of Marija Terezija by emperor Franz I 1792–1835 Franjo I … son of Leopold II
Napoleon (I) of France … son of Carlo Buonaparte; ruled Dalmatia 1809–1813; expelled, died 1821 1835–1848 Ferdinand V the Goodly … son of Franjo I; associated from 1830; abdicated, died 1875 1848–1916 Franjo Josip I … son of Franjo Karlo son of Franjo I 1916–1918 Karlo IV … son of Oton son of Karlo Ludovik brother of Franjo Josip I; deposed, died 1922 1918–1940 (to Yugoslavia) 1940–1943 Tomislav II of Savoy10 … son of Emanuele Filiberto son of king Amadeo I of Spain, abdicated, died 1948 1943–1945 (interregnum)
1945 (to Yugoslavia 1945, republic 1990) SLAVONIA11
Princes of Slavonia (?) Silimir … son of Senulat
«796–799» Vojnomir … brother of Silimir (?) «817–823 Ljudevit … son of Vojnomir (?) 823–c829 Vladin … son of Silimir c829–838 Ratimir … son of Vladin c838–c862 Svetimir … son of prince Mojmír I of Moravia son of Silimir (?) c862–884 Svetopolk I … son of Svetimir; deposed, prince and king of Moravia 871–894 884–898» Braslav … son of prince Rastislav of Moravia (?) son of Vladin c899–c910 Svetopolk II … son of Svetopolk I c910–c915 Vladislav … son of Svetopolk II c915–c928 Tomislav … son of Vladislav c928–c952 Sebeslav … son of Tomislav c952–c972 Vladimir … son of Sebeslav
c972 Hranimir … son of Vladimir c972–c977 (to Croatia)
c977–c1000 Tvrdoslav … son of Hranimir
7 Son of king Karel I of Bohemia (emperor Karl IV). 8 Son of duke Albrecht IV of Austria. 9 Son of king Felipe I of Castile. 10 Originally named Aimone. 11 This list is very conjectural, and is based on the scant evidence of the sources and an adaptation of their interpretation by Eggers.
