Dmitar Zvonimir
Encyclopedia
Demetrius Zvonimir was King of Croatia from 8 October 1076 until his death. He also ruled as Ban of Slavonia
(1064–1074), and was named Duke of Croatia in around 1075. His native name was Zvonimir, while the name Demetrius (Dmitar in Croatian
) was adopted at his coronation
.
He began as a Ban of Slavonia
in the service of King Stephen I. Afterwards, he was appointed Duke of Croatia by his predecessor Peter Krešimir IV, who later declared him as his heir. In 1076, Dmitar Zvonimir succeeded to the Croatian throne. His reign
is characterized as relatively peaceful; with no extensive war campaign
s but with development in the fields of economy and culture. He was the last native king who exerted any real power over the entire Croatian state
, which he inherited at its height and ruled it from the city of Knin.
and the younger cousin of Peter Krešimir IV. On another note, it is believed that he had no real connection with the Croatian royal family of Trpimirović
but was designated by Krešimir IV and later elected (confirmed) by an assembly
of nobles (bans). The only few things that are truly known about his background assert that he had a magister (a Latin phrase for "teacher") named Šestak, who also contributed in the construction of monasteries around Croatia, that his uncle (brother of mother) was Streza, and that his family owned some estates near Biograd.
), Demetrius Zvonimir ruled in Slavonia
, specifically the land between the rivers Drava
and Sava, with the title of ban
.
The neighbouring Holy Roman Empire
invaded Croatia in 1067 by sending the Carantanian army to occupy the northern Banate
. This was probably a result of Zvonimir's close ties with Hungary
, who was also in a war with the empire at the time. Since the Croatian king was preoccupied with the mutiny in Dalmatia
that was in progress due to the prohibition of Slavic liturgy, Demetrius was compelled to seek prevention on the court of king Salamon instead. After they jointly repelled the enemy from Croatia, Ban Zvonimir sent gifts to him as a sign of gratitude.
At the beginning of 1075, Peter Krešimir IV named Demetrius Zvonimir "by the mercy of God Duke of Dalmatian Croatia". This title made him not only the ruler of northern Dalmatia
, but also the chief advisor of the king and his heir. Peter Krešimir IV soon died after he got imprisoned by the Normans
and Demetrius Zvonimir succeeded him.Somewhere during the middle of 1075, Zvonimir made an agreement with the coastal cities
of Dalmatia that were originally lost to the Normans and managed to reunite them with the state again.
on 8 October 1076 at Solin in the Basilica of Saint Peter and Moses
(known today as Hollow Church) by a representative of Pope Gregory VII
. After the pope's deputies crowned him for the king of the Croatia, Demetrius Zvonimir in 1076 donated the city of Vrana and Benedictine monastery of St. Gregory, as a sign of loyalty to Pope Gregory VII.
He is known for building a three-naved basilica
near Knin
and the city is today nicknamed "Zvonimir's city". He continued the expansive and pro-Roman policies of his predecessor, maintaining close alliance with the papacy. He instituted the Gregorian reform
and took up many domestic reforms, like the abolishment of slavery
in his kingdom.
At first, he was in a minor conflict with the one of the dukes from Istria
(a sevant of emperor Henry II) who was preparing for an attack on Croatia
, in which the pope interferred in 1079 and settled the fray on behalf of Zvonimir. The Annales Carinthiæ and Chronica Hungarorum
record that Zvonimir eventually invaded Carinthia
to aid Hungary in war during 1079/83, but this is disputed. Demetrius Zvonimir also took a hard line against the Byzantine Empire
, but, unlike Petar Krešimir IV, he was also an ally of the Normans
, with whom he joined in wars against Byzantium. When Robert Guiscard
, Duke of Apulia, invaded the western Balkan provinces of the empire in 1084, Zvonimir sent troops to his aid.
, asserts that Demetrius died of natural causes. Another account, from the Presbyter of Doclea
, says that on 20 April 1089, desiring to heal the East-West Schism
Pope Urban II
asked Zvonimir, his strongest Balkan ally, to come to the military aid of Alexios I Komnenos
against the Seljuks. Zvonimir convened the Sabor at Kosovo Polje
near Knin that year to mobilize the army on behalf of the pope and the emperor, but the nobility refused him and a rebellion erupted, leading to Zvonimir's assassination at the hands of his own soldiers. His death marked the collapse of Croatian royal power. The myth of the "Curse of King Zvonimir" is based on the legend of his assassination. He was most likely buried in the church of St. Mary in his capital Knin
, while his remains were transferred to Solin some time after. An epitaph
to his grave was recorded (although, assumed as a forgery from centuries later):
, the sister of Ladislaus I of Hungary. Through Helen, he was connected to the royal families of not only Hungary, but also Poland
, Denmark
, Bulgaria
, and Byzantium
. She bore him a son, Radovan, who predeceased him, and a daughter, Claudia, who, being married to the vojvoda of Lapcani Lika, was ineligible for the throne. He was succeeded by Stephen II, last of the House of Trpimirović, but he died in 1091, at which point Ladislaus became the best candidate for the succession.
was inscribed shortly after his death and contains references to him and a number of his nobles of the 11th century. For the first time, Baška tablet mentions the title of Croatian Kings in Croatian
: kral (kralj in modern Croatian).
"Zvonimir" is today a traditional and quite common Croatian name
meaning "sound, chime" (zvoni) and "peace, prestige" (mir), King Zvonimir being the first recorded bearer of the name.
The Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir
, which is awarded to high ranking officials is named after him.
Ban of Slavonia
The Ban of Slavonia was the governor of Slavonia, later appointed by the kings of Hungary in the 12th-15th centuries. According to the public law of the Kingdom of Hungary, the Bans were counted among the "barons of the realm" and thus they enjoyed several privileges connected to their office...
(1064–1074), and was named Duke of Croatia in around 1075. His native name was Zvonimir, while the name Demetrius (Dmitar in Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
) was adopted at his coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
.
He began as a Ban of Slavonia
Ban of Slavonia
The Ban of Slavonia was the governor of Slavonia, later appointed by the kings of Hungary in the 12th-15th centuries. According to the public law of the Kingdom of Hungary, the Bans were counted among the "barons of the realm" and thus they enjoyed several privileges connected to their office...
in the service of King Stephen I. Afterwards, he was appointed Duke of Croatia by his predecessor Peter Krešimir IV, who later declared him as his heir. In 1076, Dmitar Zvonimir succeeded to the Croatian throne. His reign
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
is characterized as relatively peaceful; with no extensive war campaign
Military campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
s but with development in the fields of economy and culture. He was the last native king who exerted any real power over the entire Croatian state
Kingdom of Croatia (medieval)
The Kingdom of Croatia , also known as the Kingdom of the Croats , was a medieval kingdom covering most of what is today Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans.Established in 925, it ruled as a sovereign state for almost two centuries...
, which he inherited at its height and ruled it from the city of Knin.
Biography
Although his exact origin is a speculation, a theory suggests that Demetrius was most likely a descendant of Svetoslav SuronjaSvetoslav Suronja
Svetoslav Suronja was King of Croatia from 997 to 1000. He was a member of House of Trpimirović. He reigned with the help of his Ban, Varda. His name was Svetoslav, but because of his physiology and, probably, his temper, he was nicknamed Suronja which could be translated as dark man or cold man....
and the younger cousin of Peter Krešimir IV. On another note, it is believed that he had no real connection with the Croatian royal family of Trpimirović
Trpimirovic dynasty
Trpimirović dynasty was a native Croat dynasty that ruled, with interruptions, from 845 until 1091 in Croatia and was named after Trpimir I, the first member and the founder...
but was designated by Krešimir IV and later elected (confirmed) by an assembly
Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...
of nobles (bans). The only few things that are truly known about his background assert that he had a magister (a Latin phrase for "teacher") named Šestak, who also contributed in the construction of monasteries around Croatia, that his uncle (brother of mother) was Streza, and that his family owned some estates near Biograd.
Banate of Slavonia and Croatia
From about 1064, during the reign of Peter Krešimir IV (his relative through the Orseoli of VeniceRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
), Demetrius Zvonimir ruled in Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
, specifically the land between the rivers Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
and Sava, with the title of ban
Ban (title)
Ban was a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.-Etymology:The word ban has entered the English language probably as a borrowing from South Slavic ban, meaning "lord, master; ruler". The Slavic word is probably borrowed from...
.
The neighbouring Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
invaded Croatia in 1067 by sending the Carantanian army to occupy the northern Banate
Banate
-Geography:* Banate, Iloilo, a municipality in the Philippines.* An alternate name for a "banovina", an internal division of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1929 to 1941.* Banat, a geographical and historical region of Southeastern Europe.-See also:...
. This was probably a result of Zvonimir's close ties with Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, who was also in a war with the empire at the time. Since the Croatian king was preoccupied with the mutiny in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
that was in progress due to the prohibition of Slavic liturgy, Demetrius was compelled to seek prevention on the court of king Salamon instead. After they jointly repelled the enemy from Croatia, Ban Zvonimir sent gifts to him as a sign of gratitude.
At the beginning of 1075, Peter Krešimir IV named Demetrius Zvonimir "by the mercy of God Duke of Dalmatian Croatia". This title made him not only the ruler of northern Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, but also the chief advisor of the king and his heir. Peter Krešimir IV soon died after he got imprisoned by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
and Demetrius Zvonimir succeeded him.Somewhere during the middle of 1075, Zvonimir made an agreement with the coastal cities
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
of Dalmatia that were originally lost to the Normans and managed to reunite them with the state again.
Reign as king
Demetrius Zvonimir was crownedCrown of Zvonimir
The Crown of Zvonimir was bestowed on King Dmitar Zvonimir of Croatia in 1076 by the papal legate. Zvonimir ruled Croatia until 1089 after which the crown was used in the coronation of his successor Stjepan II and presumably by the numerous Hungarian monarchs after the unification of Croatia and...
on 8 October 1076 at Solin in the Basilica of Saint Peter and Moses
Hollow Church
Hollow Church is a name given to a part of the archeological excavations of what used to be a Croatian romanesque Roman Catholic church in the 11th century...
(known today as Hollow Church) by a representative of Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
. After the pope's deputies crowned him for the king of the Croatia, Demetrius Zvonimir in 1076 donated the city of Vrana and Benedictine monastery of St. Gregory, as a sign of loyalty to Pope Gregory VII.
He is known for building a three-naved basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
near Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
and the city is today nicknamed "Zvonimir's city". He continued the expansive and pro-Roman policies of his predecessor, maintaining close alliance with the papacy. He instituted the Gregorian reform
Gregorian Reform
The Gregorian Reforms were a series of reforms initiated by Pope Gregory VII and the circle he formed in the papal curia, circa 1050–80, which dealt with the moral integrity and independence of the clergy...
and took up many domestic reforms, like the abolishment of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
in his kingdom.
At first, he was in a minor conflict with the one of the dukes from Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
(a sevant of emperor Henry II) who was preparing for an attack on Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, in which the pope interferred in 1079 and settled the fray on behalf of Zvonimir. The Annales Carinthiæ and Chronica Hungarorum
Chronica Hungarorum
Chronica Hungarorum is the title of several works treating the early Hungarian history.-Chronicon Pictum:...
record that Zvonimir eventually invaded Carinthia
Carinthia
Carinthia may refer to:*Carinthia , a state of the Republic of Austria*Slovenian Carinthia, a traditional region of Slovenia*Koroška statistical region, the statistical region of Slovenia*March of Carinthia, in the Holy Roman Empire...
to aid Hungary in war during 1079/83, but this is disputed. Demetrius Zvonimir also took a hard line against the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, but, unlike Petar Krešimir IV, he was also an ally of the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
, with whom he joined in wars against Byzantium. When Robert Guiscard
Robert Guiscard
Robert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...
, Duke of Apulia, invaded the western Balkan provinces of the empire in 1084, Zvonimir sent troops to his aid.
Accounts on Zvonimir's death
There are several versions of Zvonimir's death. The most commonly accepted one, asserted by Thomas the ArchdeaconThomas the Archdeacon
Thomas the Archdeacon was a medieval Dalmatian historian and Archdeacon of Split most remembered for Historia Salonitana, a chronicle of the Bishops and Archbishops of Split until 1266....
, asserts that Demetrius died of natural causes. Another account, from the Presbyter of Doclea
Duklja
Doclea or Duklja was a medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro, from Kotor on the west to the river Bojana on the east and to the sources of Zeta and Morača rivers on the north....
, says that on 20 April 1089, desiring to heal the East-West Schism
East-West Schism
The East–West Schism of 1054, sometimes known as the Great Schism, formally divided the State church of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western branches, which later became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, respectively...
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II , born Otho de Lagery , was Pope from 12 March 1088 until his death on July 29 1099...
asked Zvonimir, his strongest Balkan ally, to come to the military aid of Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
against the Seljuks. Zvonimir convened the Sabor at Kosovo Polje
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
near Knin that year to mobilize the army on behalf of the pope and the emperor, but the nobility refused him and a rebellion erupted, leading to Zvonimir's assassination at the hands of his own soldiers. His death marked the collapse of Croatian royal power. The myth of the "Curse of King Zvonimir" is based on the legend of his assassination. He was most likely buried in the church of St. Mary in his capital Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
, while his remains were transferred to Solin some time after. An epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
to his grave was recorded (although, assumed as a forgery from centuries later):
Succession
Demetrius Zvonimir was married to his distant relative JelenaJelena Lijepa
-Biography:Helen was born a Hungarian princess and was the daughter of Árpád dynasty's King Bela I, sister to King Ladislaus I of Hungary, granddaughter of Polish King Mieszko II Lambert, and a great-granddaughter of Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria....
, the sister of Ladislaus I of Hungary. Through Helen, he was connected to the royal families of not only Hungary, but also Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1025–1138)
The Kingdom of Poland was the Polish state from the coronation of the first King Bolesław I the Brave in 1025 to the union with Lithuania and the rule of the Jagiellon dynasty in 1385.-Early Kingdom:The basis for the development of a Polish state was laid by the Piast, which were preeminent since...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Bulgaria
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
, and Byzantium
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. She bore him a son, Radovan, who predeceased him, and a daughter, Claudia, who, being married to the vojvoda of Lapcani Lika, was ineligible for the throne. He was succeeded by Stephen II, last of the House of Trpimirović, but he died in 1091, at which point Ladislaus became the best candidate for the succession.
Marriage and children
c. 1063: Helen, daughter of King Béla I of Hungary and his wife Richeza of Poland:- Radovan (c. 1065 – 1083/1089), designated heir, but is dead before 1089
- Claudia (? – ?), wife of Vonick, Voivode of Lapčani Lika
- Viniha (? – ?), wife of Michael Nelipči
Legacy
The culturally and historically significant Baška tabletBaška tablet
Baška tablet is one of the first monuments containing an inscription in the Croatian language, dating from the year 1100.The tablet was discovered by scholars in 1851 in the paving of the Romanesque church of St. Lucy in Jurandvor, near Baška, on the island of Krk...
was inscribed shortly after his death and contains references to him and a number of his nobles of the 11th century. For the first time, Baška tablet mentions the title of Croatian Kings in Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
: kral (kralj in modern Croatian).
"Zvonimir" is today a traditional and quite common Croatian name
Croatian name
Croatian names have considerable similarities with most other European name systems, and with those of other Slavic peoples in particular. Croatian names usually consist of a given name, followed by a family name.- Croatian given names :...
meaning "sound, chime" (zvoni) and "peace, prestige" (mir), King Zvonimir being the first recorded bearer of the name.
The Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir
Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir
The Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir , or more fully the Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir with sash and Morning Star , is an order of the Republic of Croatia. It ranks fourth in the Croatian order of precedence after the Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV...
, which is awarded to high ranking officials is named after him.