Svetoslav Suronja

Svetoslav Suronja
King of Croatia
Reign	997–1000
Predecessor	Stephen Držislav
Successor	Krešimir III of Croatia and Gojslav of Croatia

House	House of Trpimirović, founder of House of Svetoslavić
Father	Stephen Držislav
Religion	Christian

Svetoslav Suronja (Croatian pronunciation: [sʋětoslaʋ sǔːroɲa]), was King of Croatia from 997 to 1000. A member of the Trpimirović dynasty, he reigned with the help of his ban, Varda. John the Deacon (d. 1009) called him Surinja (Latin: Surigna),^[1] adopted in Croatian historiography as Suronja, meaning "dark man" or "cold man", probably due to his temper. He was the oldest son of king Stjepan Držislav, from whom he received the title of Duke, and was designated as his successor.

Biography

Croatian Kingdom c. 998, during the reign of king Svetoslav Suronja of Croatia

Rebellion

After the death of their father, his brothers Krešimir and Gojslav started organizing a rebellion against him since Svetoslav rejected sharing power over the kingdom. The brothers had asked Bulgarian emperor Samuil for aid, even though the emperor was at war with the Byzantine Empire. In the war, the Byzantines were supported by Venice and Svetoslav Suronja, who had continued his father's policy. Samuil had accepted the revolters' invitation and attacked Croatia in 998, which started the last of three Croatian-Bulgarian wars. In his rampage, he took all of Croatian Dalmatia up to Zadar after which he ended his rampage, returning home to Bulgaria through Bosnia. Samuil gave all the territory he took to the revolters Krešimir and Gojslav. Using this newly gained territory and further Bulgarian aid, the brothers overthrew their elder brother, Svetoslav Suronja, and became rulers of Croatia.

War with Venice

Svetoslav's reign was particularly unpleasant for the Dalmatian cities, as they were occasionally raided and pillaged by his supporters. The cities asked the Venetian Republic for help in autumn of 999, which encouraged Venice to make a pact with the Byzantine Empire in order to secure the cities for themselves.^[2] Using events like the casus belli, the Venetian Doge Pietro II Orseolo launched a campaign in Dalmatia against Croatia in 1000. During May, Croatia lost the islands Cres, Lošinj, Krk and Rab to the Doge, who was eventually received in Zadar and recognised as its master. Svetoslav sent envoys to the city offering peace, but the Doge declined and decided to further his campaign. From here the island Pašman was taken and, with negotiations, the city of Biograd.

Svetoslav's descendant, Dmitar Zvonimir, will later become the Croatian king in 1074.

Footnotes

↑ Sime Ljubić (1864). Pregled Hrvatske povíesti. Emidija Mohovića. pp. 23–.
↑ Ferdo Šišić, Povijest Hrvata u vrijeme narodnih vladara, 1925, Zagreb ISBN 86-401-0080-2

Sources

Intervju - ДИНАСТИЈЕ и владари јужнословенских народа. Special Edition 12, 16 June 1989.

Regnal titles
Svetoslav Suronja Trpimirović Dynasty Died: c. 1000
Preceded by Stjepan Držislav	King of Croatia 997–1000	Succeeded by Krešimir III and Gojslav

House of Trpimirović

Trpimir I (845–864) Zdeslav (878–879) Muncimir (892–910) Tomislav (910–928) Trpimir II (928–935) Krešimir I (935–945) Miroslav (945–949) Michael Krešimir II (949–969) Stephen Držislav (969–997) Svetoslav Suronja (997–1000) Krešimir III (1000– c. 1030) and Gojslav (1000–c. 1020) Stephen I (c. 1030–1058) Peter Krešimir IV (1058–1074) Demetrius Zvonimir (1075–1089) Stephen II (1089–1091)

Monarchs of Croatia

House of Trpimirović	Tomislav (910–928) Trpimir II (928–935) Krešimir I (935–945) Miroslav (945–949) Michael Krešimir II (949–969) Stephen Držislav (969–997) Svetoslav Suronja (997–1000) Krešimir III (1000–c. 1030) with Gojslav (1000–c. 1020) Stephen I (c. 1030–1058) Peter Krešimir IV (1058–1074) Dmitar Zvonimir (1075–1089) Stephen II (1089–1091)

House of Árpád	Ladislaus I (1091–1095)

House of Svačić	Petar Svačić (1093–1097)

Croatia in union with Hungary	Rulers of Croatia after 1102 (1102–1918)

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