This is an archontological list of Serbian monarchs, containing monarchs of the medieval principalities, to heads of state of modern Serbia. The Serbian monarchy dates back to the Early Middle Ages.
The Serbian royal titles used include Knyaz (Prince), Grand Župan (Grand Prince), King, Tsar (Emperor), and Despot.
Early medieval Serbian states (7th century–1166)
Vlastimirović dynasty (7th century–960)
Vlastimirović
The Vlastimirović dynasty was the first royal dynasty of the Serb people. Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (r. 913–959) mentions that the Serbian throne is inherited by the son, i.e. the first-born, though in his enumeration of Serbian monarchs, on one occasion there was a triumvirate. ,, The Serbs established several polities by the 10th century: Serbia or Zagorje (hinterlands) which consisted of Serbia and small land of Bosnia; and Pomorje (maritime) which consisted of Dioclea, Zachlumia, Pagania, Travunia (including Kanalitai). The Serbian ruler was titled knyaz or archon by the Byzantines, "prince".
The history of the dynasty starts with the eponymous founder Vlastimir. This era is marked by the Christianization of Serbs, the many internal and external wars (Bulgars, Magyars), and the power struggle between the First Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire in which Serbia found itself in the middle. The history of this dynasty ends with the annexation of Serbia in 969.
Ruler Reign Notes 626–650 One of the two sons of an unnamed "king" of White Serbia (assumed to be Dervan), he led "half of his folk" to the Balkans and was given land by Byzantine emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), upon receiving his protection (most likely before 626). He is said to have died long before the Bulgar invasion (681). For two or three generations, no information was recorded or preserved. 780 A descendant of the Unknown Archon, he lived during the rule of Frankish King Charlemagne, and ruled the hereditary lands, župe ("counties, districts") around Tara, Piva, and Lim. He united some Slavic tribes, forming the first Serbian principality. <830 Son of Višeslav, he or his son Prosigoj are believed to have ruled during the time in which the Royal Frankish Annals speak of Ljudevit Posavski revolting against the Franks (ca. 819–822), during which time is said that the Serbs held a great part of Dalmatia.Eginhartus de vita et gestis Caroli Magni, p. 192: footnote J10 At this time, there was peace with the Bulgaria. 830–850 Son of Prosigoj. He is the eponymous founder of the Vlastimirović dynasty. He defeated the Bulgars in a three-year war against Khan Presian. Vlastimir had three sons (Mutimir, Strojimir and Gojnik) and one daughter. His daughter married Krajina, who received the fief of Travunia. 850–891 Eldest son of Vlastimir. Mutimir was the supreme ruler, with his two younger brothers (Gojnik and Strojimir) being subordinate to him. They successfully fought off an attack by Bulgarian Prince Vladimir-Rasate sent by Vladimir's father knyaz Boris I of Bulgaria (r. 852–889) during the Bulgar-Serb war of 853. Gojnik and Strojimir later revolted against Mutimir, who exiled them to Boris in Bulgaria in 855–856, securing brief peace between the two nations. Byzantine emperor Basil I the Macedonian sent missionaries to Serbia by 869. The Eparchy of Ras was established by 871, as the bishopric of Serbs. 891–892 He was the eldest son of Mutimir. Pribislav ruled briefly until 892 when Petar Gojniković, his cousin, returned and defeated him in battle. Pribislav fled with his two brothers (Bran and Stefan) and son, Zaharije, to Croatia. 892–917 Son of Gojnik, born in ca. 870. His name (Peter) symbolizes Christianization of the Serbs. He returned from exile and deposed Pribislav in 892. He later caught Bran in 895 under an attempted coup and blinded him, and then in 897 he killed Klonimir, the son of Strojimir, in yet another attempted coup. Petar re-gained Bosnia and annexed Pagania. He was in conflict with Mihailo Višević, the ruler of Zahumlje (917–935), who would warn Simeon I of Bulgaria of a possible alliance between Serbia and the Byzantines. Petar defeated Pavle, the son of Bran, who was sent by Simeon I of Bulgaria. In 917, Simeon's generals tricked and captured Peter, sending him to prison in First Bulgarian Empire, where he died within a year. 917–921 Son of Bran Mutimirović, born in ca. 870–874. He was sent with an army to Serbia in 917, but was defeated by Petar. After Petar was deposed, Pavle took the throne. He defeats Zaharija, the son of Pribislav, sent by the Byzantines in 920. He was initially vassal to Simeon I of Bulgaria, later he switched to the Byzantine Empire. Zaharija, now sent by the Bulgarians, defeats him in 921. 921–925/926 Son of Pribislav. Zaharije was sent in 920 by the Byzantines to retake the throne, but was captured by Pavle and handed over to Simeon I of Bulgaria who held him hostage for future tactics. In the meantime, Pavle switched sides to the Byzantines; Simeon dispatched Zaharija who managed to defeat Pavle and then betrayed Simeon by supporting the Byzantines. Zaharija defeated the Bulgarian army in 923, when he sent two heads and weapons of Bulgarian generals as trophies to Constantinople. In 924, a much larger army was sent by the Bulgarians, led by Časlav Klonimirović, Zaharija's second cousin. Časlav won the battle and Zaharija fled to Croatia. Simeon gathered all Serbian counts, and instead of instating Časlav, he arrested them and sent them as captives to Bulgaria, annexing Serbia. 927/928 – before 945 Born to Klonimir. Defeated Zaharija in 924, after which he was attacked by Simeon I of Bulgaria who annexed the Serbian tribes. He returned and liberated and united the tribes from Bulgaria. According to the semi-mythical account from the Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, certain Ciaslavus defeated the Magyars, but was later captured and drowned by them. His son-in-law Tihomir, who had held the Drina county, succeeded him as ruler of Serbia (the relation with Ciaslavus and those events remains disputable). The state is believed to have disintegrated, and becoming annexed by the Byzantines and Bulgaria. Serbia was annexed by the Byzantines (Catepanate of Ras fl. 969–976), and ruled by strategoi.The Serbian principality was succeeded by the principality of Duklja.
Vojislavljević dynasty (1018–1186/9)
With the partial annexation of Serbia, the county around the city of Doclea emerges into a Principality, where the leaders adopt the title archon of Serbs, signifying supreme leadership among Serbs, alongside their given offices under Byzantine overlordship. The first office-holder was Peter of Diokleia, of which we only have a seal found in the 19th century. The next known is Jovan Vladimir, who became a Bulgarian vassal. Stefan Vojislav succeeds in giving the realm independence, he is the eponymous founder of the Vojislavljevići that ruled Duklja from the early 11th century up to the 1180s.
Picture TitleName Reign Notes ArchonPeter 10th century Peter was an archon of Duklja in the 10th or 11th century. The only information on him is from a seal found in the 19th century, which is decorated on the obverse with a bust of the Virgin Mary holding a medallion of Christ and flanked by two cruciform invocative monograms. The text is in Greek letters, saying "Petrou, Archontos Diokleias, Amin" (ΠΕΤΡ(Ο)Υ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΟΣ ΔΙΟΚΛ(Ε)ΙΑ(Σ) ΑΜΗΝ) - Peter, archon of Dioklea, Amen. The seal shows that although Duklja underwent turmoil in the 9th century, the region still continued under Byzantine rule, or if not authority, influence. PrinceJovan Vladimir 1000–1016 Jovan fought to protect Duklja from Bulgarian expansion, making an alliance with Byzantium; Bulgaria however conquered Doclea in 997 and took Jovan Vladimir prisoner. Jovan ruled Duklja as a vassal of the Bulgarian empire until his murder in 1016. Ruler Dragimir of Travunia and Zachlumia 1000–1018 Ruler of Travunia and Zachlumia, medieval Serbian principalities located in present-day regions of Herzegovina and south Dalmatia. PrinceStefan Vojislav 1018–1043 Overthrew the Byzantine supremacy over Serbs in Duklja; founder of the Vojislavljević dynasty; in 1035 rebelled against the Byzantine Empire, but forced to sign an armistice; went to war again in 1040, which would be continued by his heir and son, Mihailo. Except Doclea, his realm included Travunia with Konavle and Zachumlia. PrincessNeda 1043–1046 As queen, she co-ruled with her sons, the princes. King↑PrinceMihailo Vojislavljević 1046–1081 Initially as a Byzantine vassal holding the title of protospatharios, then after 1077 as nominally serving Pope Gregory VII, addressed as "King of the Slavs". He had alienated himself from the Byzantines when he supported a Byzantine Slavic revolt in 1071–72, after which he then sought to gain support in the West. In 1077 he received a royal insignia by Gregory VII in the aftermath of the Church schism of 1054. note: Serbia is liberated from Byzantine rule and restored into the Serbian realm of Doclea, with Duklja being the seat. King (titular)Constantine Bodin 1081–1101 Son of Michael. He was crowned 'Tsar of Bulgaria' as Peter III in 1072, after being chosen by Bulgarian nobles through his Cometopuli lineage, he was sent off with an army that would conquer parts of southern Serbia and Macedonia. He was captured and sent to Constantinople, where he spent several years. He was rescued in 1078 by Venetian sailors, and in 1081 he succeeds his father as King. He enlarged his influence, installing his nephews and other family in Bosnia and Serbia. He is captured by the Byzantines in the 1090s, and continues as a mere Byzantine vassal. note: Doclea is continued with a number of Byzantine and Serbian vassals (until 1146) - see List of rulers of Duklja. King (titular)Dobroslav II 1101–1102 Overthrown by Vukan and Kočapar. Kočapar 1102–1103 Brought to power by Vukan of Serbia. Killed in battle against Zachlumia. Vladimir II 1103–1113 Married daughter of Vukan of Serbia. He was poisoned by his cousin Đorđe I. Đorđe I 1113–1118 Son of Constantine Bodin. Đorđe was overthrown by Uroš I in 1118. Grubeša 1118–1125 Overthrew Đorđe with the help of the Byzantines. Đorđe I 1125–1131 Second rule. PrinceGradinja 1131–1146 Appointed to Doclean throne by Byzantines after Đorđe's defeat in the second war against Byzantines. PrinceRadoslav 1146–1148 Byzantine vassal. Only dynastic member to be mentioned as Prince of Doclea. PrinceMihailo III 1180–1186 Byzantine vassal. Princess (disputed) 1186–1189 According to Professor , she was the last ruler of Duklja.
Vukanović dynasty (1091–1166)
In the mid-11th century, Mihailo I had liberated Serbia from Byzantine rule, and appointed his son Petrislav to rule as Prince, independently. In 1083, Constantine Bodin appoints brothers Vukan and Marko, sons of Petrislav, as rulers of Serbia. In 1089, the Byzantines capture Bodin, and Vukan retains independence, founding the Vukanović dynasty. The Vukanovići quickly claim the following Serbian domains in the following decades, and by 1148, the maritime possessions are united with the inland. The Byzantine Empire at times intervened in the political scene, and at times Serbia had Hungary as its main ally. The dynasty ruled until 1166, when a dynastic branch is instated by the Byzantines.