This is a complete list of dukes and kings of Croatia () under domestic ethnic and elected dynasties during the Duchy of Croatia (until 925), the Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102), the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia (1102–1526 in union with Kingdom of Hungary, 1527–1868 under Habsburg dynasty ending with 1868–1918 Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia).
This article follows the monarch's title number according to Hungarian succession for convenience. For example, the Hungarian monarch Béla IV is according to Croatian succession correctly titled Béla III. This is because Hungarians had a king named Béla prior to the incorporation of Croatia under the Hungarian Crown but the Croats did not.
Early history
The details of the arrival of the Croats in the Balkans are sparsely documented by more or less reliable historical sources. Around late 6th and early 7th century, they migrated from White Croatia (around present-day Galicia). According to a legend recorded in the 10th-century De Administrando Imperio, the Croats came to their present region under the leadership of five brothers (called Kloukas, Lobelos, Kosentzis, Mouchlo, and Chrobatos) and of two sisters (called Touga and Bouga), and successfully fought and expelled the Pannonian Avars influence in the Roman province of Dalmatia. The Croats started gradually converting to Christianity under the rule of Porga in the 7th century.
Early archons of Croats (7th century) Name Reign Notes Father of Porga first part of the 7th century Archon when the Croats fought and expelled the Pannonian Avars and received approval by Heraclius (610–641) to settle in Dalmatia. Porga first part of the 7th century Archon when the Croats started to be baptized into Christianity during the time of Heraclius (610–641), or Constans II (641–668).
Dukes of Lower Pannonia (8th century–896)
The areas of modern-day Croatia located in the Pannonian plain had also been settled by Slavic tribes in the early Middle Ages, and history recorded some of their rulers.
Portrait Name Reign start Reign end Notes Vojnomir c. 790 c. 810 Ljudevit c. 823 Ratimir c. 829 c. 838 Braslav c. 882 c. 896 Had for spouse Ventescela.
Dukes of Croatia (8th century–925)
The common chronology of the dukes and kings of Croatia was conceptualized by Franjo Rački and Ferdo Šišić, but although generally accepted, has several controversial claims about the 9th and 10th century line of Trpimirović dynasty. In their interpretation of the De Administrando Imperio (which is mentioning in chronological order prince Terpimer father of Krasimer, prince Krasimer father of Miroslav who was killed by ban Pribina) the rulers, including Trpimir known from other sources as ruling cca. 845–864, have actually ruled in the first part of the 10th century and invented Trpimir II whose not mentioned in historical sources.
Šišić's old chronology: Borna, Vladislav, Mislav, Trpimir I, his son Zdeslav, Domagoj, unnamed Domagoj's son, Zdeslav, Branimir, Muncimir, Tomislav, Trpimir II, Krešimir I, Miroslav, Michael Krešimir II with Helen of Zadar, Stephen Držislav, Svetoslav Suronja, Gojslav, Krešimir III, Stephen I, Petar Krešimir IV, and lastly Demetrius Zvonimir with brief rule of Stephen II and Petar Snačić. Komatina's revised chronology (1): Borna, Vladislav, Mislav, Trpimir, Zdeslav, Domagoj, unnamed Domagoj's son, Zdeslav, Branimir, Muncimir, Krešimir I, Miroslav, Tomislav I, Michael Krešimir II with Helen of Zadar, Stephen Držislav, Svetoslav Suronja, Gojslav, Krešimir III, Stephen I, Petar Krešimir IV, and lastly Demetrius Zvonimir with brief rule of Stephen II and Petar Snačić. Đaković's revised chronology (2): Borna, Vladislav, Mislav, Trpimir, Krešimir I, Miroslav, Domagoj, unnamed Domagoj's son, Zdeslav, Branimir, Muncimir, Tomislav I, Michael Krešimir II with Helen of Zadar, Stephen Držislav, Svetoslav Suronja, Gojslav, Krešimir III, Stephen I, Petar Krešimir IV, and lastly Demetrius Zvonimir with brief rule of Stephen II and Petar Snačić.
Višeslav of Croatia, who left behind a baptismal font day, which mentioned him being a duke, used to be considered by Croatian historiography as a duke of the Croats, but the evidence for most of the claims regarding him is too scarce.
Portrait Name Reign start Reign end Notes Borna c. 810 821 Vassal of Frankish Emperor Charlemagne. His titles were Duke of the Guduscani, Duke of Dalmatia and Liburnia. Since Croats inhabited those areas at the time, he is considered a Croatian duke. His uncle was Ljudemisl (c. 823) Vladislav 821 c. 835 Nephew of Borna. Mislav c. 835 c. 845 House of Trpimirović Trpimir c. 845 864 Founder of the Trpimirović dynasty Zdeslav 864 864 Son of TrpimirHouse of Domagojević Domagoj 864 876 Overthrew Zdeslav. Unnamed 876 878 Son of Domagoj. Later killed during a civil war.House of Trpimirović Zdeslav 878 879 Restored ruler, overthrew the unnamed son of Domagoj. Killed by Branimir in May 879.House of Domagojević Branimir 879 c. 892 Had for spouse earliest known Croatian female ruler Maruša (Mariosa).House of Trpimirović Muncimir 892 910 Son of Trpimir. Also called Mutimir. Tomislav I 910 925
Kings of Croatia (925–1102)
In his letter from 925, Pope John X refers to Tomislav I of Trpimirović dynasty as Rex Chroatorum (King of the Croats). All Croatian rulers after Tomislav I held the title of King of Croatia. This is confirmed by epigraphic inscription mentioning the earliest known Croatian queen (regina) Domaslava dated to first half of 10th century.
Portrait Name Reign start Reign end NotesHouse of Trpimirović Tomislav I 925 928 Possibly the son of Muncimir. After his death, civil wars weakened the state and some territory, including Bosnia, was lost. His title as rex (king) is based on two contemporary documents:
a correspondence dated 925 where the Pope John X addresses him with the title Rex Croatorum (King of the Croats) a transcript from the First Church Council of Split where he is also referred to as rex
He was also addressed as princeps (prince) and dux (duke) on other occasions. Nevertheless, in modern Croatia he is traditionally considered the first (and arguably the most famous) Croatian king. Trpimir II 928 935 Younger brother or son of Tomislav Krešimir I 935 945 Son of Trpimir II Miroslav 945 949 Son of Krešimir I Michael Krešimir II the Great 949 969 Younger brother of Miroslav. Michael Krešimir ruled jointly with his wife Queen Helen of Zadar. During their reign, the Croatian Kingdom regained previously lost territories, including Bosnia. Upon Michael Krešimir's death in 969, his wife ruled as regent for their underage son Stephen Držislav. Helen of Zadar 969 976 Ruled as regent for her son Stephen Držislav from 969 until her death 8 October 976. Stephen Držislav 969 997 Son of Michael Krešimir and Queen Helen of Zadar. He received royal insignia as an act of recognition from the Byzantine Emperor and was crowned by the Archbishop of Split in Biograd in 988. Thomas the Archdeacon's Historia Salonitana names him as the King of Croatia (rex).Thomas the Archdeacon: Historia Salonitana, caput 13. Svetoslav Suronja 997 1000 He was the oldest son of king Stephen Držislav, from whom he received the title of duke, and was designated as his successor. Dethroned by his brothers Krešimir III and Gojslav. Gojslav 1000 1020 Younger brother of Svetoslav Suronja. Co-ruled with Krešimir III. Krešimir III 1000 1030 Younger brother of Svetoslav Suronja. Ruled alone after the death of Gojslav in 1020 Stephen I 1030 1058 Son of Krešimir III. Peter Krešimir IV 1058 1074 Son of Stephen I. During his reign the Croatian Kingdom reached its peak. Near the end of his reign, having no sons, Peter Krešimir designated Demetrius Zvonimir as his heir. Demetrius Zvonimir 1075/76 1089 Cousin of Peter Krešimir IV. He received royal insigia as an act of recognition from the Holy See and was crowned at the Basilica of Saint Peter and Moses at Salona in 1075 or 1076. Married Princess Helen, daughter of King Béla I of Hungary (c. 1063). Stephen II 1089 1090/91 Son of Gojslav II who was younger brother of King Peter Krešimir IV. He was due to succeed Peter Krešimir IV but was sidelined by the people and clergy in 1075 who instead bestowed the title of king on Demetrius Zvonimir. He was the last member of the Trpimirović dynasty and last native king of Croatia to rule the entire medieval Croatian Kingdom.House of Árpád Ladislaus I 1091 1095 After the death of his brother-in-law King Demetrius Zvonimir in 1089, King Ladislaus I of Hungary (1077–1095) ruled in Slavonia. After the death of Stephen II, he conquered big part of Croatia and adopted the title King of Croatia in 1091. He set his nephew Álmos to rule as his proxy with the title of duke (1091–1095), but he was recognized only by the Hungarian nobility. He was a claimant to the throne due to the fact that his sister was married to the late Croatian king Zvonimir who died without an heir (son Radovan predeceased Zvonimir), however, kingship over all of Croatia would not be achieved until the reign of his successor Coloman.House of Snačić Petar Snačić 1093/1095 1097 Petar Snačić, a Ban of Croatia, was elected to rule by the Croatian nobles, likewise before him his uncle Slavac who briefly appropriated the royal title. He assumed the throne amid deep tension throughout the Kingdom. He fought with Coloman of Hungary for control of Croatia and was killed at the Battle of Gvozd Mountain in 1097. Petar was the last native king of Croatia. From 1102 onwards, the Kings of Hungary were also Kings of Croatia, because of the political union of the two crowns.
Under the Hungarian Crown (1102–1527)
From 1102, the reigning King of Hungary was also the ruler of the Kingdom of Croatia in agreement with the Croatian nobles (see Pacta conventa).Catholic Encyclopedia Croatia was governed on his behalf by a viceroy (ban) and a parliament (sabor). In 1409 Ladislaus of Naples sold his rights to Dalmatia to Republic of Venice for 100,000 ducats.