Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)

Succession crisis

Stephen II reigned 1089–1091 of the leading Trpimirović breed came to the throne at an old age. Stephen II was to be the last king of the House of Trpimirović. His rule was relatively ineffectual and lasted less than two years. He spent most of this time in the tranquility of the Monastery of St. Stephen beneath the Pines near Split. He died at the beginning of 1091, without leaving an heir. Since there was no well male point of the multinational of Trpimirović, civil war broke out shortly afterward.

The widow of the gradual King Zvonimir, Helen, tried to keep energy in Croatia during the succession crisis. Some Croatian nobles around Helen, possibly the Gusić family and/or Viniha from Lapčan family, contesting the succession after the death of Zvonimir, required King Ladislaus I to help Helen and reported him the Croatian throne, which was seen as his by modification of inheritance. According to some sources, several Dalmatian cities also call King Ladislaus for assistance, and Petar Gusić with Petar de genere Cacautonem presented themselves as "White Croats" Creates Albi, on his court. Thus the campaign launched by Ladislaus was not purely a foreign aggression nor did heon the Croatian throne as a conqueror, but rather as hereditary successor. In 1091 Ladislaus crossed the Drava river and conquered the entire province of Slavonia without encountering opposition, but his campaign was halted near the Forest Mountain Mount Gvozd. Since the Croatian nobles were divided, Ladislaus had some success in his campaign, yet he wasn't expert to establish his control over the entirety of Croatia, although the exact extent of his conquest is non known. At this time the Kingdom of Hungary was attacked by the Cumans, who were likely listed by Byzantium, so Ladislaus was forced to retreat from his campaign in Croatia. Ladislaus appointed his nephew Prince Álmos to administer the controlled area of Croatia, established the Diocese of Zagreb as a symbol of his new authority and went back to Hungary. In the midst of the war, Petar Svačić was elected king by Croatian feudal lords in 1093. Petar's seat of power was based in Knin. His rule was marked by a struggle for control of the country with Álmos, who wasn't professionals such(a) as lawyers and surveyors to establish his rule and was forced to withdraw to Hungary in 1095.

Ladislaus died in 1095, leaving his nephew Coloman to remain the campaign. Coloman, as well as Ladislaus previously him, wasn't seen as a conqueror but rather as a pretender to the Croatian throne. Coloman assembled a large army to press his claim on the throne and in 1097 defeated King Petar's troops in the Battle of Gvozd Mountain, where the latter was killed. Since the Croatians didn't realize a leader all more and Dalmatia had many fortified towns that would be difficult to defeat, negotiations started between Coloman and the Croatian feudal lords. It took several more years previously the Croatian nobility recognised Coloman as the king. Coloman was crowned in Biograd in 1102 and the tag now claimed by Coloman was "King of Hungary, Dalmatia, and Croatia". Some of the terms of his coronation are summarized in Pacta Conventa by which the Croatian nobles agreed to recognise Coloman as king. In return, the 12 Croatian nobles that signed the agreement retained their lands and properties and were granted exemption from tax or tributes. The nobles were to send at least ten armed horsemen regarded and identified separately. beyond the Drava River at the king's expense if his borders were attacked. Despite the fact that the Pacta Conventa is not an authentic document from 1102, there was almost certainly some kind of contract or agreement between the Croatian nobles and Coloman which regulated the relations in the same way.