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68-558: He was the eldest son of Knez Vlastimir , great-great-grandson of the Unknown Archont , who managed to unite the Serb tribes into a state. He initially ruled together with his two younger brothers, but they revolted against him and he exiled them to Bulgaria, as guarantors of peace. It is thought that the rapid extension of Bulgars over Slavs to the south prompted the Serbs to unite into a state. It

136-700: A patriarchal cross and a Greek inscription that reads: "Strojimir" and "God, Help Serbia" . A street in Novi Sad is named after Vlastimir ( Ulica Kneza Vlastimira ). Theme of Dalmatia The Theme of Dalmatia ( Greek : θέμα Δαλματίας/Δελματίας , thema Dalmatias/Delmatias ) was a Byzantine theme (a military-civilian province) on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea in Southeastern Europe , headquartered at Jadera (later called Zara, today's Zadar ). Dalmatia first came under Byzantine control in

204-559: A 3-year war, from which Vlastimir emerged victorious; the heavily defeated Khan Presian made no territorial gains, lost many of his men, and was driven out by Vlastimir's army . The war ended with the death of Theophilos in 842, which released Vlastimir from his obligations to the Byzantine Empire, but also gave the Bulgarians the opportunity to annex the areas of Ohrid , Bitola and Devol in 842–843. Vlastimir continued expanding to

272-409: A Frankish vassal, Duke Trpimir I of Croatia , in 846/848, who defeated the strategos . Vlastimir was succeeded by his three sons about 851. Vlastimir had three sons and one daughter: Vlastimir's three sons successfully fought off an onslaught by Boris I of Bulgaria in 853 or 854 (shortly after the death of Vlastimir ), when they captured 12 great boyars and the commander himself, Vladimir ,

340-507: A Serbian bishopric was founded . The Christianization is evident in the tradition of theophoric names found in the next generation of Serbian monarchs ( e.g. , Petar Gojniković , Pavle Branović ). The three branches of Vlastimir's sons continued a succession war over the decades. The Bulgars under Boris I were persuaded by Moravian Prince Rastislav to attack Louis the German of East Francia . The Bulgar-Slav campaign ended in disaster, and

408-630: A coordinated action in south-eastern Europe originating in Rome. Early medieval Serbs are accounted as Christian by 870s, with the Christianization of Southwestern Slavs beginning in the 7th century under influence of the Roman Church . According to 29th chapter of De Administrando Imperio and 54th chapter of Vita Basilii by Constantine VII , the Serbs and other Slavs became (re-)baptized by Constantinopolitan missionaries sent by Basil I. The account

476-442: A general policy of expansion in which they would first impose the payment of tribute on a neighboring people and the obligation of supplying military assistance in the form of an alliance (societas), leaving them internal self-government and local rulers, and when the need for this kind of relationship expired, they would terminate the self-government arrangement and impose direct and absolute power, integrating their neighbor fully into

544-733: A month (late April to early May). He failed to take the island, but he manage to take island Cres and capture the Croatian king himself who died in Norman prison by November 1074. In February 1075 the Venetians banished the Normans and secured the Dalmatian cities for themselves. The doge Domenico Selvo self-titled himself as the doge of "Venice, Dalmatia and Croatia" (later only of "Dalmatia"), but did not have nominal power over Dalmatia and Croatia. In October 1075

612-677: A peace was signed in 855. The following year, the Byzantine army, led by Michael III and caesar Bardas , recaptured Philippopolis ( Plovdiv ), the region of Zagora and the ports around the Gulf of Burgas on the Black Sea. In 863, the Byzantines invaded the Khanate once again, during a period of famine and natural disasters. Boris I was forced to sign a peace and to convert to Christianity, in return for which he

680-551: A threat in the Serb consolidation, and opted to include them in their conquest of Slav lands. Khan Presian I of Bulgaria (r. 836–852) invades Serbian territory between 839 and 842 . The Bulgars may have been threatened by the Serbs , or, perhaps, the Byzantines wanted to divert Bulgarian attention so that they could cope with the Slavic uprising in the Peloponnese . The invasion led to

748-400: A war that lasted for three years, in which the Serbs were victorious; the defeated Presian lost a large number of his men, made no territorial gains, and was driven out by Vlastimir's army . The Serbs held out in their easily defensible forests and gorges, and knew how to fight in the hills. The war ended with the death of Theophilos in 842, which released Vlastimir from his obligations to

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816-422: Is considered as highly disputable: Serbia (roughly the later province of Rascia , including Bosnia ; part of Zagorje - "hinterlands"); and Pagania , Zachlumia , Travunia (including Kanalitai ) and Dioclea (part of Pomorje - "maritime"). Višeslav , the great-grandfather of Vlastimir and first Serbian monarch known by name, was a contemporary with Charlemagne (fl. 768–814). He directly held

884-504: Is known that the Serbs and Bulgars lived in peace until the invasion in 839 (the last years of Theophilos). Vlastimir united several Serbian tribes, Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–842) probably granted the Serbs independence, and they acknowledged nominal overlordship of the Emperor. The annexation of western Macedonia by the Bulgars changed the political situation, Malamir or Presian may have seen

952-628: Is no mention of any bishopric in Serbia. In early medieval Europe, the existence of a Christian church without a bishop in a specific land was not uncommon, and being placed under the Pannonian Bishop implies that there was no local Serbian bishop at the time. Tibor Živković concluded, based on primary sources of the Church of Constantinople, that there was no information regarding the establishment of any new ecclesiastical center and organization in Serbia, that

1020-471: Is not mentioned in any political or religious context of the Serbs and others. The Christianization was only partly due to Byzantine and subsequent Bulgarian influence, because Basil I's activity had in plan expansion on the already present Christian organization of the Roman Church in the region of former Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum (including Bulgaria) and getting control over the Serbs and others. In

1088-552: Is probably an invented narrative by Constantine VII to give credit to Basil I for Christianization which started in the 7th century amid ecclesiastical turmoil between Constantinople and Rome in the region, or a misinterpretation based on the account in his father's Tactica about Basil I baptizing and graecizing the Slavs in Greece. In the DAI chapters specifically about the Serbs and others, Basil I

1156-540: The Merehani as the people that bordered the Franks furthest away. They lived in the valleys of the present-day Morava river basin , and were still unconquered by the Bulgarians. However, after 845, Bulgaria added these Slavs to their societas ; they are last mentioned in 853. The Byzantines were also active in the hinterland of Dalmatia, to the west of Serbia; the strategos of the cities of Dalmatia came into conflict with

1224-566: The Bulgarian autocephal church during the time of Peter I (927–969) and Samuel of Bulgaria (977–1014). Sima Ćirković considered that it was founded by the Bulgarian emperor, but it most likely represented the latest date in which it could have been integrated into the Bulgarian Church. The episcopy probably was part of the Bulgarian metropolis of Morava, but certainly not of Durrës . If it

1292-634: The East–West Schism of 1054, further weakening Byzantine influence in Dalmatia. Except for Ragusium and the southern third of Dalmatia, Byzantine control collapsed in the 1060s. Constantine Bodin pledged his support for Pope Urban II , which confirmed Bar's status as an archdiocese in 1089 AD, and resulted in a temporary demotion of the Ragusan diocese. By the end of the 11th century, the Kingdom of Hungary took

1360-656: The Eparchy of Ras was founded during Mutimir's rule, as a bishopric of Serbia, at Ras with the church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul , as part of the general plan of establishing bishoprics in the Slav lands of the Empire, confirmed by the Council of Constantinople in 879–880, most significantly related to the creation of the autonomous Archbishopric for Bulgaria of which Roman Church lost jurisdiction. However, according to Predrag Komatina, there

1428-610: The 530s, when the generals of Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565) seized it from the Ostrogoths in the Gothic War . The invasions of the Avars and Slavs in the 7th century destroyed the main cities and overran much of the hinterland, with Byzantine control limited to the islands and certain new coastal cities -with local autonomy and called Dalmatian city-states - such as Spalatum (Split) and Ragusium (Dubrovnik) , while Jadera ( Zadar ) became

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1496-645: The Arabs, he may have pushed the Serbs to drive the Bulgaria from western Macedonia, which would benefit them both. According to J. Bury, this alliance would explain Malamir's action. Zlatarski supposes that the Emperor offered the Serbs complete independence in return. According to Porphyrogenitus, the Bulgarians wanted to continue their conquest to the west and force the Serbs into subjugation. Presian I (r. 836–852) launched an invasion into Serbian territory in 839, which led to

1564-520: The Balkans and received the protection of Heraclius (r. 610–641), known conventionally as the Unknown Archont , was an ancestor of Vlastimir. The Serbs at that time were organized into župe , a confederation of village communities (roughly the equivalent of a county), headed by a local župan (a magistrate or governor). According to Fine, the governorship was hereditary, and the župan reported to

1632-509: The Bulgar Army, led by Vladimir , the son of Boris I of Bulgaria , invaded Serbia in an attempt to exact vengeance for the previous defeat. The Serbian Army was led by Mutimir and his brothers, which defeated the Bulgars , capturing Vladimir and 12 boyars . Boris I and Mutimir agreed to cease hostilities (and perhaps an alliance, and Mutimir sent his sons Bran and Stefan to the border to escort

1700-414: The Bulgarian expansion to the south (Macedonia). Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–842) was recognized as the nominal suzerain (overlord) of the Serbs, and most likely encouraged them to thwart the Bulgarians. The thirty-year-peace treaty between the Byzantines and Bulgarians, signed in 815, was still in effect. According to Constantine VII, the Serbs and Bulgaria had lived peacefully as neighbours until

1768-477: The Bulgarian political and cultural system. Vlastimir succeeded his father, Prosigoj, as the archon of Serbia. According to Živković, the date of Vlastimir's accession was around 830. He united the Serbian tribes in the vicinity. The Serbs most likely consolidated due to alarm at the advance of Bulgaria towards their borders—a rapid conquest of neighbouring Slavs —in self-defence, and possibly sought to cut off

1836-463: The Byzantine emperors of the Macedonian dynasty maintained varying degrees of control over the Dalmatian cities. The Church also endured an analogous internal conflict between the rival dioceses of Spalatum and Nin . Between 986 and 990, due to active alliance against Samuil of Bulgaria who also attacked Dalmatia up to Jadera , king Stephen Držislav was compensated and awarded by Emperor Basil II

1904-416: The Byzantines in 812, after the so-called " Pax Nicephori ". It is unclear whether the region was under actual rather than nominal Byzantine authority after that; the local Latin cities appear to have been virtually independent. Nevertheless, an archon of Dalmatia is mentioned in the 842/843 Taktikon Uspensky , and a seal of a " strategos of Dalmatia" dated to the first half of the century may indicate

1972-514: The Dalmatian sea and islands as "ours", had the Byzantine Empire recognize him as supreme ruler of the theme, and consolidated his holdings as the regnum Dalmatiae et Chroatia . The 1074 invasion of the Normans partly shifted the balance of power as count Amico of Giovinazzo invaded Dalmatia from southern Italy, on behalf of the Dalmatian cities and Byzantines. Amico also besieged Rab for almost

2040-481: The Empire. According to Živković, it is possible that the Bulgarian attack came after the failed invasion of Struma and Nestos in 846 (see next section): Presian may have collected his army and headed for Serbia, and Vlastimir may have participated in the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars , which would mean that Presian responded to a direct Serbian involvement. The defeat of the Bulgarians, who had become one of

2108-556: The Greek. During the rule of Kotsel of Pannonia (861–874), communications between Serbia and Great Moravia must have been possible. There is a possibility that some Cyrillomethodian pupils reached Serbia in the 870s or 880s. The lasting Christian identity is evident in the tradition of theophoric names in the next generation of Serb royalty: Petar Gojniković , Stefan Mutimirović and Pavle Branović . Petros and Stephanos are both characteristically Byzantine. Alexis P. Vlasto argued that

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2176-519: The Kingdom of Croatia's place in controlling the northern Dalmatian hinterland. Duklja remained largely under Byzantine control, with a series of internal conflicts weakening its leaders. Byzantine predominance was restored under Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180), but vanished after his death and was replaced by Venetian control. With the rise of Stefan Nemanja , the Nemanjić dynasty took control of

2244-665: The Pannonian Diocese. And since there has just been ordained a bishop, thanks to God, by the See of the Blessed Apostle Peter, place yourself back under his pastoral care" — Pope John VIII letter to Mutimir, May 873. Mutimir seemingly decided to maintain the communion of Church in Serbia with the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople when Pope John VIII of Roman Church invited him to get back to

2312-572: The Pious (r. 813–840), and met him at his court at Herstal . The Timočani migrated into Frankish territory, somewhere in Lower Pannonia, and were last mentioned in 819, when they were persuaded by Ljudevit to join him in fighting the Franks. The Danubian Obotrites stayed in Banat , and resisted the Bulgarians until 824, when nothing more is heard of them. The khan sent envoys to the Franks and requested that

2380-524: The Serbian ecclesiastical center and capital was at Destinikon , while Ras in the mid-9th century was only a border fort which became the ecclesiastical center of the bishopric by 1019-1020. The imperial charter of Basil II from 1020 to the Archbishopric of Ohrid , in which the rights and jurisdictions were established, has the earliest mention of the Bishopric/Episcopy of Ras, stating it belonged to

2448-412: The Serbian prince, whom they were obliged to aid in war. Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (r. 913–959) mentions that the Serbian throne is inherited by the son , i.e. , the first-born, though on one occasion there is a triumvirate in his enumeration of monarchs. The DAI's account about the Serbian ethnic settlement and establishment of several future principalities by the 10th century

2516-511: The Serbs, who controlled a great part of Dalmatia . In the east, the Bulgarian Empire grew strong. In 805, khan Krum conquered the Braničevci , Timočani and Obotrites , to the east of Serbia, banished their tribal chiefs, and replaced them with administrators appointed by the central government. In 815, the Bulgarians and Byzantines signed a 30-year peace treaty . In 818 during

2584-542: The coastal regions of Croatia to Hungary and Dalmatia to the Republic of Venice, Coloman in 1105 successfully conquered coastal cities of Dalmatia. In the south of the Dalmatia Theme, the city of Ragusa , one of the main Dalmatian city-states but still under Byzantine control, started to grow in importance, and its Church diocese was elevated to an archbishopric in 998 AD. In the early 11th century, Byzantine control over

2652-537: The eastern Adriatic coast, while the Dalmatian city-states paid 710 ducats of tribute to the Croatian ruler. Around 923 AD, Tomislav of Croatia , the Byzantine emperor and the two church patriarchs were involved a deal that transferred the control of the Byzantine Dalmatian cities to the new Croatian kingdom . This started a series of similar maneuvers and the Croatian–Bulgarian Wars , during which

2720-546: The eight Dalmatian city-states started to be contested by the Serb principality of Dioclea , whose ruler Jovan Vladimir took control of Bar , near the border with the Theme of Dyrrhachium . His feats were repeated and bested by Stefan Vojislav twenty years later, and in 1034 AD, the Bar diocese was elevated to an archdiocese, but a war with Theophilos Erotikos soon followed. Stefan Vojislav's son Mihailo obtained papal support following

2788-625: The end of the thirty-year-truce, Malamir (or Presian) invaded the regions of the Struma and the Nestos , and Empress-Regent Theodora (r. 842–855, the wife of Theophilos) answered by attacking Northern Thrace . A brief peace was concluded, then Malamir proceeded to invade Macedonia. Bulgaria also imposed rule on the Morava region, a frontier region with the Serbians; in 844, an anonymous Bavarian geographer mentions

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2856-511: The existence of a Dalmatian theme , at least for a short time. The traditional date of the establishment of Dalmatia as a regular theme is placed in the early years of the reign of Emperor Basil I the Macedonian (r. 867–886), following the expeditions of Niketas Oryphas . Byzantium, the Roman Pope and the Franks vied for the support of the Slavs in Dalmatia; in 878 AD, Zdeslav of Croatia

2924-452: The feud is not known, although it is hypothesized that it was the result of treachery. The Saracens attacked Ragusa in 866. The Ragusians asked Basil I for help, which he answered, sending a large fleet with his admiral Niketas Ooryphas . The pagan Narentines sacked a ship with emissaries returning from Constantinople , which enraged Basil I , resulting in him sending a fleet and subsequently subduing them. By 878, all of Dalmatia

2992-413: The greater powers in the 9th century, shows that Serbia was an organized entity, fully capable of defending its borders, and possessing military and administrative organization. It is not known whether Serbia at the time of Vlastimir had a fortification system or developed military structures in which the župan had clearly defined roles. After the victory Vlastimir's status rose. He went on to expand to

3060-517: The hereditary lands of Tara , Piva and Lim . Constantine VI conquered the Sclaviniae ( slavdom - "slav area") of Macedonia , situated to the south, in 785. Radoslav , then Prosigoj, succeeded Višeslav, and they ruled during the revolt of Ljudevit Posavski against the Franks (819–822). According to the Royal Frankish Annals , written in 822, Ljudevit went from his seat at Sisak to

3128-523: The invasion in 839 (in the last years of Theophilos). It is not known what exactly prompted the war, as Porphyrogenitus gives no clear answer; whether it was a result of Serbian-Bulgarian relations, i.e. , the Bulgar conquest to the southeast, or a result of the Byzantine-Bulgarian rivalry, in which Serbia was an Imperial ally. It was not unlikely that the Emperor had a part in it; as he was at war with

3196-467: The jurisdiction of the bishopric of Sirmium (see also Archbishopric of Moravia ) in a letter dated to May 873. Komatina considered that the pope wanted to strengthen the influence of Roman Church on the eastern part of Illyricum considering the borders from a distant past and not recent including Mutimir's actual ancestors. The Serbs and Bulgarians subsequently adopted the Old Slavonic liturgy instead of

3264-456: The lands in the south of coastal Dalmatia, while nearly all the Dalmatian islands and coastal north-central Dalmatia was under full Venetian control since the 15th century and remained an area of the Venetian Stato da Mar until 1797 (see Venetian Dalmatia ). Byzantine governors of Dalmatia were styled as dukes (pl. of Byzantine Greek "δούξ", doux ), a title derived from Latin dux . In

3332-459: The local episcopal and administrative center, under an archon . These coastal cities were the refuge of the autochthonous Dalmatian neolatins , who created the original eight Dalmatian city-states : (Vecla (now Krk ), Crespa (now Cres ), Arba (now Rab ), Jadera, Tragurium (now Trogir ), Spalatum, Ragusium and Cattaro (now Kotor )). At the turn of the 8th to 9th century, Dalmatia was seized by Charlemagne (r. 768–814), but he returned it to

3400-401: The practical independence of Travunia) strongly suggests that Vlastimir was a Christian ruler who understood very well the monarchal ideology that developed in the early Middle Ages. There is a possibility that the marriage took place before the conflict with Bulgaria, which makes another theory likely: that Bulgaria reacted to Vlastimir's rising political position, particularly given that he had

3468-602: The precise boundary be demarcated between them, and negotiations lasted until 826, when the Franks neglected him. The Bulgarians answered by attacking the Slavs that lived in Pannonia, and subjugated them, then sent ships up the Drava river, and, in 828, devastated Upper Pannonia, north of the Drava. There was more fighting in 829 as well, and by this time, the Bulgarians had conquered all of their former Slavic allies. The Bulgarian state had

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3536-466: The prisoners, where they exchanged items as a sign of peace. Boris gave them "rich gifts", while he was given "two slaves , two falcons , two dogs , and 80 furs ". An internal conflict among the brothers resulted in Mutimir banishing the two younger brothers to the Bulgarian court. He, however, kept the son of Gojnik , Petar , in his court for political reasons. Petar soon fled to Croatia. The reason for

3604-426: The right to confirm rulers in the neighbouring Serbian principalities with Byzantine sanction. Although Vlastimir's elevations of titles were merely symbolic, rather than a reflection of administrative-political relations, it does show that he had the right to act this way, which undoubtedly puts him at the head of all Serbian archontes — viz. , the leading ruler among the Serbian principalities. Soon after 846, with

3672-599: The rule of Omurtag (814–831), the Braničevci and Timočani together with other tribes of the frontiers, revolted and seceded from Bulgaria because of an administrative reform that had deprived them much of their local authority. The Timočani left the societas (association, alliance ) of the Bulgarian Empire, and sought, together with the Danubian Obotrites and Guduscani , protection from Holy Roman Emperor Louis

3740-468: The ruling house of Travunia shows, in context, that his reputation among the neighbouring Serbian archontes and župani was on the rise, as well as the political importance and military strength of Serbia. It is possible that, prior to Vlastimir's reign, the Travunian župan sought to free himself from Serbia's influence, but that Vlastimir found the solution in the political marriage of his daughter to Krajina. The elevation of Krajina's title (which meant

3808-463: The same century the region was also politically contested between Carolingian Empire and Byzantine Empire. Basil I probably sent at least one embassy to Mutimir. "The priests there loose and wandering, coming from all sides, occupy some church services against canons, certainly commit many wicked acts against God's rules, for being acephali . That is why I warn you that you, following the customs of your ancestors, as much as you can try to get back to

3876-440: The son of Boris. The Bulgarians had sought to avenge the previous defeat of Presian in 842 . The two sides made peace, and possibly an alliance. The two younger brothers later revolted against Mutimir for undisclosed reasons. Mutimir sent them as prisoners, a guarantee of peace, to the court of Boris I at Pliska . After Mutimir requested that Emperor Basil I (867–886) baptize his lands, Constantinopolitan priests were sent and

3944-442: The title patriarch and an exarch of Dalmatia , which gave him formal authority over the Theme of Dalmatia (but some historians believe not over the Dalmatian city-states ). According to Thomas the Archdeacon , Stephen Držislav received royal insignia and the titles as an act of recognition from the Byzantine Emperor, becoming reges Dalmatie et Chroatie and his descendants having the same titles. The Venetian maritime power

4012-455: The west, taking Bosnia , and Herzegovina ( Hum ). Vlastimir married off his daughter to Krajina , the son of a local župan of Trebinje , Beloje , in ca. 847/848. With this marriage, Vlastimir elevated Krajina's title to archon . The Belojević family was entitled to the rule of Travunia. Krajina had a son with Vlastimir's daughter, named Hvalimir , who would later on succeed as župan of Travunia. Vlastimir's intent to connect to

4080-438: The west, taking southeast Bosnia and northeast Herzegovina ( Hum ). In the meantime, Braničevo , Morava , Timok , Vardar and Podrimlje were occupied by the Bulgars. Vlastimir died sometime between 845 and 850 and his rule was divided among his three sons: Mutimir, Strojimir and Gojnik . Although they ruled in an oligarchy , Mutimir had the supreme rule, and the two brothers acted as vassals to him. In 853 or 854,

4148-445: Was a noted Byzantine vassal, who deposed and was in turn deposed in a power struggle involving these powers. With the fall of the Carolingian Empire , the Franks ceased to be a major power in the Adriatic, while the Republic of Venice grew in power in Dalmatia, beginning with Doge Pietro Tradonico . Since the time of Duke Branimir of Croatia , Venetians had to pay taxes to Croatia and to the Narentines for their ships traveling along

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4216-407: Was crowned Demetrius Zvonimir as the king of "Croatia and Dalmatia" by the Holy See and his power was felt even on the island of Krk and Cres. His death in 1089 caused succession crisis in Croatia and Dalmatia, but although doge Vitale I Michiel made with Coloman, King of Hungary agreement of 1098—the so-called Conventio Amicitiae —determined the spheres of interest of each party by allotting

4284-445: Was gifted Zagora. The cradle of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was founded about 870 in Pliska . On July 11, 2006, A golden seal of Strojimir , dated to 855-896, was acquired by the Republic of Serbia at auction in Munich , Germany , for 20,000 €, beating a Bulgarian bid of 15,000 €. The seller was an unknown Russian . The seal is of Byzantine handcraft (from Athens , Thessaloniki or Constantinople ), weighs 15.64 g, and has

4352-425: Was obstructed by the Narentines and the Croats until Pietro II Orseolo who successfully intervened in 998 and 1000, and arranged two important royal marriages with both the Croats and the Byzantines. Under Domenico I Contarini , Venice retook Jadera . Croatia again had a period of control over the theme and Dalmatian city-states under Peter Krešimir IV . By 1069 he expanded the kingdom on land and on sea calling

4420-430: Was on the Serbian territory, it seems that the Church in Serbia or part of the territory of Serbia became linked and influenced by the Bulgarian Church between 870 and 924. In the 1985 film "Boris I" (Борис Първи), about the life of Boris I of Bulgaria , the peace treaty between Mutimir and Boris I is featured. Knez Vlastimir Vlastimir ( Serbian Cyrillic : Властимир , Greek : Βλαστίμηρος ; c. 805 – 851)

4488-405: Was the prince of Serbia from c. 830 until c. 851. Little is known of his reign. He held Serbia during the growing threat posed by the neighbouring, hitherto peaceful, First Bulgarian Empire , which had expanded significantly toward Serbia. At the time, the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire were at peace by treaty, and although the Byzantine Emperor was overlord of the Serb lands, he

4556-412: Was unable to aid the Serbs in a potential war. Presian I of Bulgaria eventually invaded Serbia, resulting in a three-year-war , in which the Bulgarian army was devastated and driven out. Vlastimir then turned to the west, expanding well into the hinterland of Dalmatia. He is the eponymous founder of the Vlastimirović dynasty , the first Serbian dynasty . The prince ( archon ) that led the Serbs to

4624-559: Was under Byzantine rule ( Theme of Dalmatia ), and most of the land was under the religious jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople . Mutimir died in 891 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Pribislav. Mutimir and his son Pribislav (as "Preuuisclavo") were apparently entered in the Cividale Gospels , which could indicate Serbian contacts with Aquileia . Serbia's transition to Christianity would, therefore, coincide with similar initiatives by Rome in Moravia and Bosnia-Slavonia (as, incidentally, also in Bulgaria) and suggest

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