Page 40 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

38  INTRODUCING CRO A TIA

The Hungarians Krešimir also conquered the islands
The situation in the Balkans of Dalmatia. In 1054, with the
seemed stable enough towards schism of the Roman and
the end of the 9th century. Byzantine churches, Croatia
However, Hungarians from the sided with Rome. After the
Urals came to Europe and, under death of Petar Krešimir IV, his
the leadership of King Arpad, successor Zvonimir, who had
settled along the middle stretches married the sister of the
of the Danube and in the valleys Hungarian king Ladislaus,
of Transylvania, forcing out the Statue of the alleged first was crowned king by Pope
Slavs and other tribes. They carried Croat king, Tomislav Gregory VII and declared himself
out military raids in Italy and Austria subject to Rome. The Croat
but were defeated in 955 by Emperor nobles refused to participate in the war
Otto I at Lechfeld in Augsburg, Bavaria, against the Turks and killed Zvonimir in 1089.
and were forced to retreat to what are today
the borders of Hungary and Transylvania. The Union with Hungary
This Hungarian invasion was the last great Claiming the right of succession, Koloman
invasion of the first millennium. (1102–1116), the Hungarian king, came
to power after Ladislaus. He conquered
The Kingdom of the Croats Croatia and was crowned king of Dalmatia
In the meantime, in 845, under Prince and Croatia. In 1102 an agreement united
Trpimir, the Croats obtained a tacit the two states under one dynasty. A
autonomy from the Franks and formed a Croatian parliament (Sabor) was set up,
state which also controlled part of Dalmatia. to be ruled by a royally appointed Ban
This was recognized by the pope while (governor), and the state was divided
Duke Branimir into counties governed by Croatian and
(879–92) was its Hungarian nobles. In the following century,
leader. Prince to deal with the Tartar raids, King Bela IV
Tomislav was reorganized the state into two parts
allegedly crowned (Croatia and Slavonia), each ruled by a Ban.
king in 925 and New cities were founded and some were
his death, in 928, granted the privileges of a free city.
was followed by
years of anarchy The Royal Free Cities
until King Petar These cities, defended by walls, moats and
Krešimir IV towers, were built mainly in Pannonia and
(1058–74) came the northern counties. Varaždin, founded at
to power and this time, became one of the area’s busiest
Relief of King Zvonimir in the
baptistry of St John in Split united Croatia. trading centres and, for a long period, the
901 Prince Tomislav defeats
the Hungarians and forces them
896 Hungarians settle beyond the Sava. He obtains 956 Branimir, prince of Croatia, rebels against
between the Tisza and from Byzantium the authority to the Byzantines. He obtains the title of king of
the Danube administer the cities of Dalmatia Croatia with the pope’s blessing
850 900 950 1000
899 Hungarians enter the 930 The Byzantines renew the union 1000 Venice’s first armed naval
Balkans and destroy the with the coastal towns and cities that expedition against pirates near
cities of the Croats, who pay taxes to the emperor mouth of Neretva river; towns on
seek refuge in Dalmatia islands and coast of Istria and
925 Tomislav allegedly becomes king Dalmatia declare allegiance to Venice
of the Croats with the pope’s blessing

038-039_EW_Croatia.indd 38 20/10/16 12:31 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
History Portrait template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm