Peter Krešimir IV
| Petar Krešimir IV the Great | |
|---|---|
| King of Croatia | |
| Reign | 1059 – 1074 |
| Coronation | 1059 |
| Predecessor | Stjepan I of Croatia |
| Successor | Dmitar Zvonimir |
| Burial | Church of St. Stephen, Solin |
| House | House of Trpimirović |
| Father | Stjepan I of Croatia |
Petar Krešimir IV, called the Great, was a notably energetic King of Croatia from 1059 to his death in 1074. He was the last great ruler of the Krešimirović branch of the Trpimirović dynasty. Under his rule the Croatian realm reached its peak territorially, earning him the sobriquet "the Great," otherwise unique in Croatian history. He kept his seat at Nin and Biograd na Moru. The city of Šibenik holds a statue of him and is often called Krešimirov grad (Kresimir's city).
Religious policy
Raised in Venice, Kresimir succeeded his father Stephen I upon his death in 1058 and was crowned the next year. From the outset, he continued the policies of his father, but was immediately commanded by Pope Nicholas II first in 1059 and then in 1060 to reform the Croatian church in accordance with the Roman rite. This was especially significant to the papacy in the aftermath of the Great Schism of 1054, when a papal ally in the Balkans was a necessity. Kresimir and the upper nobility lent their support to the pope and the church of Rome.
The lower nobility and the peasantry, however, were far less well-disposed to reforms. The Croatian priesthood was aligned towards Byzantine orientalism, including having long beards and marrying. Moreso, the ecclesiastical service was practiced in the native Slavonic (Glagolitic), whereas the pope demanded practice in Latin. This caused a rebellion of the clergy against celibacy and the Latin liturgy in 1063, but they were proclaimed heretical at a synod of 1064 and excommunicated, a decision which Kresimir supported. He harshly quelled all opposition and sustained a firm alignment towards western Romanism, with the intent of more fully integrating the Dalmatian populace into his realm. In turn, he could then use them to balance the power caused by the growing feudal class. By the end of Kresimir's reign, feudalism had made permanent inroads into Croatian society and Dalmatia had been permanently associated with the Croatian state.
The income from the cities further strengthened Krešimir's power, and he subsequently fostered the development of more cities, such as Biograd, Nin, Šibenik, Karin, and Skradin. He also had several monasteries constructed and donated much land to the Church. In 1066, he granted a charter to the new monastery of St Mary in Zadar, where the founder and first nun was his cousin Čika. This remains the oldest Croatian monument in the city of Zadar, which had long been claimed by the Republic of Venice (and later Italy). He also founded a Benedictine monastery at Biograd.
Territorial policy
Kresimir greatly expanded Croatia along the Adriatic coastland and in the mainland eastwards. He made the ban of Slavonia, Zvonimir, of the related Svetoslavić brand of his house, his principal adviser with the title Duke (or ban) of Croatia. This act brought Slavonia into the Croatian fold definitively. Kresimir also peacefully re-annexed Pannonia.
Kresimir's influence extended to Bosnia in the east. His father had previously negotiated to get the submission of the Narentines around 1050. During Kresimir's reign, a total of twelve counties comprised the Croatian kingdom, stretching between the rivers Raša and Drina and from Drava to Neretva.
In 1069, he gave the island of Maun, near Nin, to the monastery of St Krševan in Zadar, in thanks for the "expansion of the kingdom on land and on sea, by the grace of the omnipotent God" (quia Deus omnipotenus terra marique nostrum prolungavit regnum). In his surviving document, Kresimir nevertheless did not fail to point out that it was "our own island that lies on our Dalmatian sea" (nostram propriam insulam in nostro Dalmatico mari sitam, que vocatur Mauni).
Relations with Byzantium and the Normans
In 1069, Kresimir had the Byzantine Empire recognize him as supreme ruler of the parts of Dalmatia Byzantium had controlled since the Croatian dynastic struggle of 997. At the time, the empire was at war both with the Seljuk Turks in Asia and the Normans in southern Italy, so Kresimir took the opportunity and, avoiding an imperial nomination as proconsul or eparch, consolidated his holdings as the regnum Dalmatiae et Chroatia. This was not a formal title, but it designated a unified political-administrative territory, which had been the chief desire of the Croatian kings.
During Kresimir's reign, the Normans first became involved in Balkan politics and Kresimir soon came in contact with them. After the 1071 Battle of Manzikert, where the Seljuk Turks routed the Eastern Imperial army, the Serbs instigated a rebellion of Slavic boyars in Macedonia. In 1072, Kresimir lent his aid to the uprising. However, against all odds, the empire relatively quickly retaliated, in 1074. In November 1075, the Norman Count Amico invaded Croatia from southern Italy, either at the command of Constantinople or on behalf of the Dalmaitan cities (by invitation to protect them from Croatian domination). Amico besieged Rab for almost a month (late April to early May). He failed to take the island, but he did manage to capture the Croatian king himself at an unidentified location. In return for liberation Kresimir was forced to relinquish many cities, including both his capitals, as well as Zadar, Split, and Trogir. His followers also collected a large ransom. However, he was not liberated. Over the next two years, the Republic of Venice banished the Normans and secured the cities for themselves.
Death and succession
Nearing the end of his reign, Kresimir had no sons, but only a daughter named Neda. His brothers were also dead, so the end of Kresimir meant the de facto end of the Trpimirović dynasty which had ruled Croatia for more than two centuries. Kresimir designated his duke, Zvonimir, as his heir. Zvonimir deposed him and he died in a Norman prison. Zvonimir was supposed to gather an army and march it to Rab, but he didn't. There are some clues that this made on purpose.
In 1075, Kresimir was buried in the church of St. Stephen in Solin, together with the other dukes and kings of the Croats. Unfortunately, several centuries later the Ottoman Turks destroyed the church, banished the monks who had preserved it, and destroyed the graves.
