Stephen I (Croatian:Stjepan I.; c. 988 – 1058) was King ofCroatia from c. 1030 until his death in 1058 or 1060 and a member of the Krešimirović branch of the so-calledTrpimirović dynasty. Stephen I was the first Croatian king whose given name was simply "Stephen" ("Stjepan"), asDržislav added the name Stephen at his coronation. Hisban wasStephen Praska.

Stephen I was the son of KingKrešimir III,^[1] but has often been conflated with his like-named cousin, Stephen, the son ofSvetoslav Suronja,^[2] who had been sent as hostage to the Venetiandoge,Pietro II Orseolo, and apparently married the latter's daughter, Hicela Orseolo.^[3] Stephen I's sonPeter Krešimir IV names Krešimir III as his grandfather, and therefore Stephen I's father.^[4]

Stephen formally succeeded his fatherKrešimir III in 1030, although it is likely that he co-ruled with him from 1028. The King continued his predecessors' ambitions of spreading rule overthe coastal cities and expended much effort in that regard, but it was all eventually in vain.

In 1035, Croatia under Stephen involved itself in the affairs of the neighbouringHoly Roman Empire between theCarinthian countAdalbero andHoly Roman EmperorConrad II. Aldabero was accused on 18 May 1035 during theBamberg assembly of conspiring against the emperor with help from theCroats. Because of this, the Emperor strengthened the southeastern part of his state, where it bordered with Croatia.^[5] At least temporarily, Stephen took over parts of Carinthia, expanding the jurisdiction of the bishop ofKnin to theDrava.^[6]

Between 1038 and 1041, Stephen increased his navy,^[7] and managed to successfully conquerZadar from the Venetians for a short period, possibly with the help of the newly crowned Hungarian kingPeter Orseolo, his wife's nephew.^[5] Stephen controlled the city until 1050, when it was reconquered by dogeDomenico I Contarini.

In an effort to maintain Roman influence overthe Dalmatian cities, the Byzantine emperor grantedStephen Praska, a ban serving under king Stephen I, the title ofProtospatharios.

Stephen I established the diocese ofKnin in 1040, which stretched to the north until it met the riverDrava.^[8] The bishop of Knin had also the nominal title of "Croatian bishop" (Latin:episcopus Chroatensis).

Trade and commerce flourished under Stephen I. A burgeoning aristocracy emerged inZadar,Biograd,Knin,Split and other coastal cities.

It is traditionally considered that Stephen I ruled until 1058 when his son,Petar Krešimir IV, took over. However, according to historical sources, he ruled until the beginning of the 1060 and had good relationship with papal reforms and even gifting a parrot to Pope Leo IX.^[9]

His successors referenced his burial place as the "fields of Elysium" (Elisio campo). In the 1920s, when theHollow Church was excavated, romantic nationalists interpreted this instead as "fields ofKlis" (Clisio campo).^[10]

King Stephen I of Croatia married (possibly Hicela Orseolo, but she is generally considered the wife of his cousin Stephen^[11]) and had at least two sons and possibly a daughter:

• Peter Krešimir IV of Croatia (? – 1074),King of Croatia from 1058 or 1060.
• Gojslav (elsewhere named Častimir), who fatheredStephen II of Croatia, the last male Trpimirović.
• Cika, sister of Peter Krešimir IV, eventually abbess at Zadar.^[12]

• Trpimirović dynasty
• History of Croatia
• List of rulers of Croatia

• Fine (Jr), John V. A.,The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, Ann Arbor, 1983.
• Kostrenčić, Marko, ed.,Codex Diplomaticus Regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, vol. 1 (743 to 1100), Zagreb, 1967.
• Šokčević, Dinko,Hrvatska od stoljeća 7. do danas, Zagreb, 2016.
• Royal Croatia

• 980s births
• 1058 deaths
• Trpimirović dynasty
• Roman Catholic monarchs
• 11th-century Croatian monarchs
• Burials at the Church of St. Stephen, Solin

• CS1 Croatian-language sources (hr)
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Croatian-language text