| Vlastimirović Властимировић | |
|---|---|
| Royal house | |
| Country | Serbian Principality |
| Founded | 7th century |
| Founder | unnamed 7th-century Serbian ruler Višeslav (first known by name) Vlastimir (eponymous) |
| Final ruler | Časlav († 940s/960s) |
| Titles | Archon (ἄρχων), rendered "Prince" |
| Style(s) | "Prince of the Serbs" |
| Dissolution | 940s/960s |
TheHouse of Vlastimirović[A] (Serbian Cyrillic:Властимировић,pl. Vlastimirovići / Властимировићи) was the firstSerbianroyal dynasty, named afterPrince Vlastimir (ruled c. 831–851), who was recognized by theByzantine Empire. The dynasty was established with theunnamed 7th-century Serbian ruler, who ruled during the reign of EmperorHeraclius (610–641). The Vlastimirović dynasty ruled in Serbia until the 940s/960s, when some of the Serbian lands were annexed by theByzantine Empire.[1][2]
One of the fundamental sources for the early Serbian history is the work of Byzantine EmperorConstantine VII Porphyrogenitos (913–959),De Administrando Imperio.[1] In eight chapters, the settlement of Serbs and their early history is described up until the reign of the author. The 32nd chapter, with the sub-chapterOn the Serbs and the lands that they currently inhabit, gives a short note on the origin of the Serbs, their homeland, and continues with the history of members of the oldest ruling family of the Serbs.[1]
The progenitor, according to Porphyrogenitos, was the prince (unnamed in sources and thus designated as theunnamed 7th-century Serbian ruler) that led the Serbs to Southeastern Europe during the reign ofHeraclius (610–641).[3] The author gives the early genealogy: "As the Serb Prince who fled to Emperor Heraclius" in the time "when Bulgaria was under the Rhōmaíōn" (thus, before the establishment of Bulgaria in 680), "by succession, his son, and then grandson, and so on, of his family rules as princes. After some years, Višeslav is born, and from him Radoslav, and from him Prosigoj, and from him Vlastimir".[3] The time and circumstances of the first three rulers are almost unknown. It is supposed thatVišeslav ruled inc. 780, but it is unclear when Radoslav and Prosigoj would have ruled. When the Serbs were mentioned in 822 in theRoyal Frankish Annals ("the Serbs, which is said to be holding the great part of Dalmatia";ad Sorabos, quae natio magnam Dalmatiae partem obtinere dicitur) one of those two must have ruled Serbia.[4] According toJohn (Jr.) Fine, it was hard to find Serbs in this area since the Byzantine sources were limited to the southern coast, also it is possible that among other tribes exists tribe of group of small tribes of Serbs.[5] Dalmatia, in the antique period, stretched from modern-dayDalmatia far into the hinterland, northwards close to theSava river, and eastwards to theIbar river.[2] Višeslav's great-grandsonVlastimir began his rule inc. 830, and he is the oldest Serbian ruler on which there is substantial data.[6]
Vlastimir united the Serbian tribes in the vicinity.[7][8] The Serbs were alarmed, and most likely consolidated due to the spreading of the Bulgarian Khanate towards their borders (a rapid conquest of neighbouring Slavs,[9][10]) in self-defence,[9][11] and possibly sought to cut off the Bulgar expansion to the south.[8] Byzantine EmperorTheophilos (r. 829–842) was recognized as the nominal suzerain (overlord) of the Serbs,[9] and most likely encouraged them to thwart the Bulgarians.[8] Thethirty-year-peace treaty between the Byzantines and Bulgarians, signed in 815, was still in effect.[12]
According to Constantine VII, the Serbs and Bulgarians had lived peacefully as neighbours until the invasion in 839 (in the last years of Theophilos).[9] It is not known what exactly prompted the war,[8] 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 allied with the Byzantines.[12] According toJohn B. Bury, it was not unlikely that the Emperor had a part in it; as he was at war with the Arabs, he may have pushed the Serbs to drive the Bulgarians from western Macedonia, which would benefit them both—hence, Malamir's action.[9]V. Zlatarski supposed that the Emperor offered the Serbs complete independence in return.[9] According to Porphyrogenitus, the Bulgarians wanted to continue their conquest of the Slav lands - to force the Serbs into subjugation.Presian I (r. 836–852) launched an invasion into Serbian territory in 839, which led to a war that lasted for three years, in which the Serbs were victorious; Presian was heavily defeated and lost a large number of his men, made no territorial gains and was driven out by thearmy of Vlastimir.[8][10] It is believed that the Serbs held out in their defensible forests and gorges, and knew how to fight in the hills.[8][11] According to Živković, it is possible that the Bulgarian attack came after the failed invasion of Struma and Nestos in 846 (see below): Presian may have collected his army and headed for Serbia, and Vlastimir may have participated in theByzantine–Bulgarian Wars, which would mean that Presian was responding to a direct Serbian involvement.[13]
After the victory over the Bulgarians, Vlastimir's status rose,[11] and according to Fine, he went on to expand to the west, takingBosnia andHerzegovina (Zahumlje).[14] Vlastimir married off his daughter toKrajina, the son of a localžupan ofTrebinje,Beloje, inc. 847–48.[15] With this marriage, Vlastimir elevated Krajina toarchon.[15] TheBelojević family was granted the rule ofTravunija. Krajina had a son with Vlastimir's daughter, namedHvalimir, who would later on succeed asžupan of Travunia. Vlastimir's elevation of Krajina and the practical independence of Travunija show, according to Živković, that Vlastimir was a Christian ruler who very well understood the monarchical ideology that developed in the early Middle Ages.[16]
Soon after 846, with the end of the thirty-year-truce, Malamir (or Presian) invaded the regions of theStruma and theNestos, andEmpress-Regent Theodora (r. 842–855, the wife of Theophilos) answered by attackingThracian Bulgaria.[8] A brief peace was concluded, then Malamir proceeded to invade Macedonia.[9][8] The Bulgarians also imposed their rule on the Morava region, on the frontier between Serbia and the Bulgarian Khanate.[17] The Byzantines were also active in the hinterland of Dalmatia, to the west of Serbia; thestrategos of the cities of Dalmatia came into conflict with a Frankish vassal, the Croatian DukeTrpimir, in 846 or 848, in which thestrategos was defeated.[16]
The defeat of the Bulgarians, who had become one of the greater powers in the 9th century, shows that Serbia was an organized state, fully capable of defending its borders, and possessing a very high military and administrative organizational structure. It is not known whether Serbia at the time of Vlastimir had a system of fortifications or a developed military organization with clearly defined roles for thežupan.[18]
PrinceMutimir (ruled c. 851–891), the son of Vlastimir, managed to defeat the Bulgarians once again in 834–835, also capturing the son of the Bulgar Khan.[1] The Serbs and Bulgarians made peace. The remaining years were marked by internal dynastic wars. In 892, princePribislav Mutimirović was overthrown by his cousin, princePetar Gojniković.[1][2] By the middle of the 9th century, the process ofChristianization of Serbia was finalized.[19]
PrincePetar Gojniković was recognized by the Bulgarians, the greatest power inSoutheastern Europe at the start of the 10th century, although the peace was not to last; the Byzantines had sent an envoy to Serbia promising greater independence in return for Petar leading an army against the Bulgarians. A Bulgarian ally,Mihajlo Višević, who had seen a threat in Petar during the latter's conquest of Neretva, heard of the possible alliance and warned the Bulgarian Tzar, who later sent a protege,Pavle Branović, to rule Serbia. In the meantime,Zaharija Pribislavljević was sent by the Byzantines to take the Serbian throne, but he was captured by Pavle and sent to Bulgaria. Pavle was then approached by the Byzantines, and so Zaharija was persuaded by the Bulgarians to switch sides. Pavle planned an attack on Bulgaria, but Tzar Simeon was warned again, and dispatched Zaharija with an army, promising him the throne if he defeated Pavle, which he did. Zaharija soon resumed his Byzantine alliance, also uniting several Slavic tribes along the common border to revolt against the Bulgarians. Several Bulgarian generals were beheaded, their heads sent to Constantinople by Zaharija as a symbol of allegiance. In 924 a large Bulgarian army led byČaslav Klonimirović, the second cousin, ravaged Serbia, forcing Zaharija to flee. Instead of instating Časlav, however the Bulgarians annexed Serbia between 924 and 927.[20]
Prince Časlav took the throne in 933, seven years after theCroatian–Bulgarian battle of 926.[20] Eastern Orthodox influence greatly increased and Časlav maintained close ties with the Byzantines throughout his reign.[21][22] The written information about the first dynasty ends with the death of Časlav.
TheCatepanate of Ras was established between 971 and 976, during the rule ofJohn Tzimiskes (r. 969–976). A seal of astrategos of Ras has been dated to Tzimiskes' reign, making it possible that Tzimiskes' predecessorNikephoros II Phokas was recognized in Rascia.[23][24] Theprotospatharios and katepano of Ras was a Byzantine governor named John. Data on thekatepano of Ras during Tzimiskes' reign is missing.[25] Byzantine military presence ended soon thereafter with thewars with Bulgaria, and was re-established only ca. 1018 with the short-livedTheme of Sirmium, which, however, did not extend much into Serbia proper.[2]
