Grand Principality of Serbia
Grand Principality of Serbia | |||||||||||||
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1091–1217 | |||||||||||||
Seal of
Stefan Nemanja | |||||||||||||
Stefan Nemanjić (Grand Prince↑King) | |||||||||||||
• 1202–1204 | Vukan Nemanjić | ||||||||||||
Historical era | Medieval | ||||||||||||
• Independence | 1091 | ||||||||||||
• Elevated to kingdom | 1217 | ||||||||||||
ISO 3166 code | RS | ||||||||||||
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Grand Principality of Serbia (
Background
According to the
Meanwhile, Duklja emerged as the dominant Serbian principality, that gradually also included Travunija, Zahumlje, Bosnia and Serbia proper.
History
In 1091 or 1092, Vukan became independent, taking the title of Grand Prince (
After defeating the Pechenegs,
Following Bodin's death in 1101, Vukan took advantage of the dynastic civil wars in Duklja, and allied with Kočapar, with whom he invaded Duklja in 1102. Kočapar's reign was short-lived, as he fell in battle during a conflict with Zahumlje; Vukan installed another member of the dynasty, Vladimir, to whom he married his daughter. Upon spreading his influence in Duklja, Vukan invaded Byzantium once more in the spring of 1106, taking advantage of the Norman campaign, defeating co-emperor John II Komnenos, but then sent hostages in return for peace in November.[15] There is no written record of Vukan after this war, and he is believed to have died in ca. 1112, succeeded by his cousin Uroš.
In 1113 or 1114, the Byzantine army of Dyrrhachium invaded Duklja and captured its capital of Scutari. They subsequently installed their protégé, while ruler Đorđe took refuge in Serbia under the protection of Uroš and married his relative. The two led an army into Duklja in 1125, successfully retaining most of its territory. After a Byzantine invasion of the maritime, they nominally recognized Gradinja, resulting in a guerrilla war which ended with Đorđe's capture. Gradinja, however, only ruled a small portion of Duklja and subsequently strengthened ties with Serbia.[17] In ca. 1127, a Byzantine–Hungarian war broke out, with the Hungarians taking over Belgrade, then penetrating to Niš, Sofia, and Philippopolis, after which John defeated them with infantry and navy on the Danube.[2] The Serbs, who had in the meantime recognized Byzantine rule, expelled the Byzantine governor at Ras, Kritopl, who fled to Constantinople where he was ridiculed. [2]
Uroš I had three sons, Uroš II,
Uroš I was succeeded by his son, Uroš II.[b] Beloš had close ties with Uroš II, and they were able to count on each other in times of trouble.[18] In ca. 1148, the political situation in the Balkans was divided by two sides, one being the alliance of the Byzantines and Venice, the other the Normans and Hungarians. The Normans were sure of the danger that the battlefield would move from the Balkans to their area in Italy. Emperor Manuel I Komnenos also allied himself with the Germans after defeating the Cumans in 1148.[18] The Serbs, Hungarians and Normans exchanged envoys, being in the interest of the Normans to stop Manuel's plans to recover Italy.[19] In 1149, Beloš's Hungarian army aided Uroš II against the Byzantines.[18] The Serbs under brothers Uroš II and Desa revolted against the Byzantines when Manuel was in Avlona planning an offensive across the Adriatic, and this revolt posed danger to the Emperor if he would attack Italy, as the Serbs could strike at the Adriatic bases.[19]
Uroš II and Desa next undertook an offensive against Radoslav of Duklja, who was a loyal Byzantine vassal.[19] Radoslav was pushed to the southwestern corner of Duklja, to Kotor, and retained only the coastal area, with the brothers holding much of inland Duklja and Trebinje – over two-thirds of Duklja.[19] Radoslav sought help from the Emperor, who sent aid from Dyrrhachium.[19] At this moment, the Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja ends, presumably because the author of the original text had died.[19] A major war was about to erupt in the Balkans; Uroš II and Desa, in light of Byzantine retaliation, sought aid from their brother Beloš, the count palatine of Hungary.[19] By 1150, Hungarian troops played an active role in Serbia.[19]
In 1150, Desa was mentioned in a charter as dux of Duklja, Travunija and Zahumlje. In 1150, Uroš II swore loyalty to the Byzantine Emperor and demanded that Desa be put in prison. He recovered his title and lands, and Desa also swore loyalty, and was recognized as ruler of the Dalmatian lands. The two brothers were to rule the appointed regions as Manuel's vassals. The event was part of what would become a competition between the Byzantine Emperor and Holy Roman Emperor that would soon move into Hungary.[20] In 1151, Manuel I declared war on Hungary.[21] This was because Hungary had aided Serbia in its revolts against Byzantine rule. Byzantine troops were sent into Syrmia and across the Danube.[21] The Byzantines caused great destruction and then withdrew, the operation being strictly punitive, with no occupation of lands.[21] Géza II soon signed a peace treaty.[21] Over the next 20 years, there were to be 10 campaigns against Hungary.[21] Manuel I was able to keep the Hungarians under control in the Balkans, at the expense of abandoning the Norman conflict.[21] In 1153, Desa ousted Uroš II; the pro-Hungarian faction at the Serbian court was upset with the Byzantine overlordship.[21] In autumn 1154, Manuel I settled the dispute between Uroš II and Desa.[20] The Emperor restored Uroš II in 1155 or 1156 and gave Desa the appanage of Dendra near Niš. In 1161–62, Uroš II was briefly replaced by Beloš, who then returned to his office in Hungary and Croatia.[22] Uroš II seems to have died in 1165 or 1166.
Manuel I now put
Tihomir had Nemanja imprisoned, and his lands taken. Nemanja's supporters conspired to the church that Tihomir had done all this because of his disapproval of church building, thus the Serbian church turned against him; Nemanja managed to escape, and returned to his lands. Now, Nemanja mobilized an army, possibly with Byzantine help (Manuel I might have been displeased with Tihomir's acting), and headed for the crown. Tihomir, Stracimir and Miroslav were defeated, and expelled to Byzantium in 1167. As Nemanja had now become very powerful, and the Byzantines had wanted to see Serbia weak by dividing it, Manuel I now turned to the expelled brothers. Tihomir, provided with an army, was dispatched from
Administration
History of Serbia | |
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1071–1217 | |
Kingdom of Serbia | 1217–1346 |
King Dragutin's realm | 1282–1325 |
1346–1371 | |
Lordship of Prilep | 1371–1395 |
Prince Lazar's Serbia | 1371–1402 |
Vuk's Land | 1371–1412 |
Despotate of Serbia | 1402–1537 |