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Duklja

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Duklja according to De administrando imperio.
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Duklja according to De administrando imperio.

Duklja/Дукля (Latin: Doclea or Diocleia) was a Slavic, Serbian medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of the Zeta River, Skadar Lake and the Boka bay and bordering with Travunia at Kotor. Duklja was at first a semi-independent part of the Grand Principality (Zhupanate) of Rascia (Raška) which was a vassal of the Eastern Roman Empire and later directly under Byzantine suzerainty until it won its independence in the mid-11th century, ruled by the House of Voislav (Vojislavljević).

Duklja was named after Dioclea (from Docleata, the ancient Illyrian tribe). Dioclea, located near present-day Podgorica, was the capital of early Duklja. Afterwards, Skadar became the capital of the state until the end of the Middle Ages. The Royal Capital of Duklja was Ston.

The relationship between the names of Duklja and Zeta is somewhat unclear, as the two terms overlap. Duklja was mostly referenced as the littoral area between the Bay of Kotor and the Skadar Lake, while Zeta refers to the river located inland. Zeta is thus the more accurate predecessor of the 19th century Montenegro, while today's Montenegro encompasses the territory of both. According to another interpretation, Duklja was composed of Zeta and Travunia. In any event, the name Duklja went out of use by the end of the Middle Ages.

Contents

History

Early

De Administrando Imperio from the 10th century mentions it in the story of the province of Dalmatia:
Now, the said Croatia and the rest of the Slavonic regions are situated thus: Diocleia is neighbour to the forts of Dyrrachium, I mean, to Elissus and to Helcynium and Antibari, and comes up as far as Decatera, and on the side of the mountain country it is neighbour to Serbia.
It was one of the four southern Dalmatian Slavic principalities (Sclavinias). Although Slavs populated the regions of Dioclitia since the 6th century, the greater wave of Slavic migrants came in the first half of the 7th century by the White Serbs and White Croats under the Unknown Archont. The land was given by the Byzantine Emperor Flavius Heraclius Augustus to settle and accept his supreme rule. During the Slavic intrusions, the City of Dioclea was mostly ransacked. Many were baptised during Heraclius' missions on baptising the Serbs by missionaries from Rome.

According to the legend, the Slavs came to the western Balkans under one ruling family. The legend continues the tale how the Slavic Realm was partitioned into two halves. One of the halves - Dalmatia - was further partitioned into two halves. The story tells of how Duklja was a part of Transmontana (yet another half) of one of those halves - Red Croatia.

In 732, the Eastern Roman Emperor took the region of Doclea from the suzerainity of the Bishop of Rome and gifted it to the Patriarch of Constantinople, thus quelling the previously dominant Latin culture and returning Hellenism. The Latin language and culture remained only in the old coastal Romanized cities. The Principality of Doclea was subjected to the Grand Principality of Rascia since at least the early 9th century, under Grand Prince Vlastimir of All Rascias, but kept endorsing its semi-independence. The Slavic pagans of Doclea were fully baptised together with all Serbs under Grand Princes Stefan and Petar in the same century.

Prince Ceslav of Klomir of the House of Vlastimir, last descendant of the Unknown Archont, created an Realm of Serbia and managed to excerpt control over more than 70% of Doclea's territory. The Byzantine enclaves of Kotor, Bar and Ulcinj had to pay taxes and sometimes were even governed by the Doclean rulers.

Lead stamp of archont Petar (or Predimir) (9th century), the first known ruler of Duklja; The Holy Virgin Mary with the Christ Child (left) and inscription in Greek "+ Petar archont of Dioklia AMIN" (right).
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Lead stamp of archont Petar (or Predimir) (9th century), the first known ruler of Duklja; The Holy Virgin Mary with the Christ Child (left) and inscription in Greek "+ Petar archont of Dioklia AMIN" (right).

The death of Prince Ceslav brought an opportunity for a more independent Doclea. In the middle of the 10th century, the Travunian Princes have fought long wars against Doclea's Ban. Eventually, Doclea was conquered and Travunia and Doclea were united under one ruling family. Folk tales call their rulers "Kings", when in fact, they were nothing more than Princes. "King" Predimir is the first known ruler - and he ruled his "Kingdom" from Onogošt. One tale is kept from his life: After the fall of the Bulgarian Czardom, Rascia was invaded by the Byzantines by Emperor John I Tzimiskes and his generals and Rassa was conquered. Rascia's Zhupan fled together with his sons Plenus and Radigrad and daughter Prechvala to exile to Onogost with Predimir. According to the tale, Predimir heavily fell in love with the beautiful Rascian princess Prechvala, and immediately conveined a council to arrange a political offer to the Rascian rulling house. Predimir was to marry Prechvala - while Rascia's Zhupan and his sons would become vassals under "King" Predimir's protection. Rascia's Prince and his sons agreed and swore an oath of loyalty to Predimir and his subjects. The newfound "King"'s relatives were given the territory of Tribessa as a marriage gift and established Radigrad as the Zhupan of Onogost, while the new marriage was celebrated in a regal fashion. Predimir and his father-in-law instigated a rebellion in Rassa - ordering the inhabitants to kill their Byzantine overlords. After the Greeks in Rassa were killed, Predimir came with his family and annexed Rassa and restored his son-in-law as the Grand Prince of Rascia, while his cousins received various Princely titles.

Predimir's sons with Prechvala split his land after his death: the oldest son, Chlavimir ruled Zeta and the Zhupanates of: Lusca, Podlugiae, Gorsca, Cupelnich, Obliquus, Prapratna, Cermenica and Budva with Cuceva and Gripuli. Second son, Boleslav, got the Zhupanates of: Libomir, Vetanica, Rudina, Crusceviza, Vrmo, Rissena, Draceviza, Canali, Gernoviza. Dragoslav ruled in Zachlumia and got the following Zhupanates: Stantania, Papava, Yabsko, Luca, Vellica, Gorimita, Vecenike, Dubrava and Debre. The youngest son, Svevlad, ruled Submontana (Podgoria) and got the following Zhupanates: Onogost, Moratia, Comerniza, Piva, Gerico, Netusini, Guisemo, Com, Debreca, Neretva and Rama. The system of the Tetrarchy was adopted.

The tale continues telling about Predimir's brother, King Krešimir of Croatia discarding his crippled son Leghec and sending him away to Travunia, where his cousin Boleslav regionally ruled. Story tells how Leghec married a local servant, Lovizza, with whome he had seven sons. Predimir's four sons ruled the people ruthlessly without any mercy, so Leghec and his sons raised a rebellion and lead the people to a civil war, until every single one of Predimir's sons and grandsons were killed - from the youngest to the oldest - except for Boleslav's son Sylvester, who managed to flee to Ragusa. According to the story, Leghec ruled together with his seven sons from Traiectus in the Bay of Kotor, where he built himself a fortress and a court. The story goes on telling how God got angry on Leghec's rulling family because of this betrayel, so he crippled Leghec even more, both physicly and mentally - while infecting his sons a pestileny disease. Very soon, the entire Leghec's branch was extinct.

The people returned Sylvester from Ragusa and enthroned him, restoring Predimir's dynasty. Sylvester ruled one handedly the entire Tetrarchy with reverence and justice. He had a son, Tugemir, who succeeded him as Doclea's ruler, who was further succeeded by his own son, Chvalimir. Chvalimir divided divided the realm amongst his three sons: first-born Petrislav ruled Zeta, Dragomir ruled Travunia and Zachlumia, while the youngest, Miroslav, ruled over Transmontana (Podgoria). Miroslav died in the Lake of Skadar in a storm together with his entire crew, while travelling to visit his brothers on board a ship. Petrislav inherited his demesne - thus reunifying Duklja. After Petrislav died, he was burried in the Church of Prečista Krajina in the Frontier region. He was succeeded by his son, Vladimir.

Jovan Vladimir (990 - 1016), one of the first rulers of Duklja.
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Jovan Vladimir (990 - 1016), one of the first rulers of Duklja.

Saint Jovan Vladimir fought the Arbanass tribes that menaced the eastern territories. Skadar was subsequently formalised as the political center of Duklja. The Bulgarian Tsar Samuil invaded Doclea and took the Prince as a prisoner. As a result of marriage between Jovan Vladimir and the Bulgarian princess Kossara, Jovan Vladimir was allowed to return and rule as a Bulgarian vassal. After the successful plot of the last Czar of the Bulgarian Empire Ivan Vladislav Jovan Vladimir's life was taken on 22 May 1016. Saint Jovan Vladimir expanded his pretensions greatly by also becoming the ruler of Tribalia and Serbia.

Duklja became a part of the Byzantine theme of Serbia (thema Servia) under strategos of Serbia Constantine Diogenes; while its rulers remained only titulary.

High, Voislav, Golden Age

The anarchic ages that followed the dawn of the 11th century were crucial for Duklja. The people rebelled and lynched their Prince, Dragomir.

The Church of St. Mihailo in Ston from 1080, a foundation of King Mihailo Voislav.
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The Church of St. Mihailo in Ston from 1080, a foundation of King Mihailo Voislav.

Starting in 1034, Dobroslav, also called Stefan Voislav, son of Dragomir (Stefan Vojislav; the eponym of the House of Voislav), who was among the Travunian gentry, started to amass a movement to liberate Doclea. While Voislav was preparing for war, he played nice with the Byzantines, assuring them that he was their faithful subject. He gained the nickname "Stefan" from the Greek word Stephanos meaning "crowned" to resemble his independent power. In 1035 and 1036 an uprising was raised, but the Byzantines have quickly manage to impose peace terms. Voislav was taken hostage to Constantinople, and the task of occupying Duklja was given to Serbia's strategos, Theophilos Erotikos. Voislav managed to escape imprisonment and push the fight to expel strategos Theophilos and briefly create an independent territory from the Skadar lake to the Hum mountain. He also helped the uprising of Slavs that quickly expanded from Belgrade across Naissus to Skopje led by Petar Delian, as well as the Tihomir's Slavic uprising in Dyrrachion. Those involved in the uprising even reached the ruins of Thebes on one occasion, so the Byzantines left Duklja untroubled for some time.

Mihailo Voislav, the first recognized ruler of Duklja on a fresco in the Church of St. Michael in Ston: He was crowned as King of Slavs and became known as the Ruler of Tribals and Serbs during his reign.
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Mihailo Voislav, the first recognized ruler of Duklja on a fresco in the Church of St. Michael in Ston: He was crowned as King of Slavs and became known as the Ruler of Tribals and Serbs during his reign.

The Byzantine Emperor Michael, waiting in Thessalonika, was to receive a shipment of gold of 10 Kentenars from Southern Italia. One Galley accidentally crashed in Duklja's Bay. Its treasures were taken by the Voislav's men, which greatly enriched Duklja's economy. This incurred Michael's fury, as he sent Imperial Eunuch George Probat to crush Voislav's movement. The Eunuch's Army was caught in the Doclean Gorges in an ambush and suffered a total defeat. Voislav's son, Radoslav was famous for killing a Byzantine military commander himself on the battlefield. The Slavic uprisings in Macedonia of Peter Delian who now crowned himself as Czar Peter II of Bulgarians stopped any possibility for another Byzantine military attempt against Duklja.

Later his achievements were repeated by his descendant Mihailo of Voislav, who held the old Grand Princely title of Grand Prince of Rascia up to 1077 when he received the title of King of Slavs and crown from Pope Gregory VII. To mark his crowning, the Pope raised the Bishopric of Bar to an Archbishopric in 1080. His realm was known as the Kingdom of Serbia, and Mihailo wore the title Ruler of Tribals and Serbs. During Duklja's expansion into Croatia in which the Doclean forces raided as far as Knin, the full rulling title was King of Doclea and Dalmatia. He sends his son with an army to assist the insurrection of George Voiteh in 1072 during the Slavic rebellion in Macedonia. Constantin Bodin was accepted as Peter III, Czar of Bulgarians (see: List of Bulgarian monarchs), but he got captured by the Byzantine forces. He was rescued by his father in 1078. King Mihailo finished the incorporation of the Byzantine enclaves of Dubrovnik, Kotor, Bar and Ulcinj, started by his predecessor.

The map of the Kingdom of Duklja under King Constantin Bodin.
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The map of the Kingdom of Duklja under King Constantin Bodin.

This period was useful for Duklja. While its eastern borders were used as a demarcational zone between the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch, the rulers of Duklja used the Latin side to gain independence from the Byzantine, but enforced Eastern Rite and Schismatic Orthodoxy so as not to be controlled by the Catholic west.

Constantin Bodin inherited his father's Doclean kingdom. He was a son-in-law of the Guy of Normandy Robert Guiscard. After the death of Bodin, Duklja didn't have any powerful rulers and fights over the crown were became more common. In 1101, an Army of Crusaders passed through Duklja under Count Raymond IV of Toulouse during the Crusade of 1101.

Other Voislav dynasty rulers after Bodin included Vukan, Marko, Uroš I, Uroš II.

Late, The Byzantines gave numerous lands of the Grand Principality of Rascia to Stracimir, son of Prince Zavida of Zahumlje, who ruled in the name of his oldest brother, Grand Prince Tihomir of Rascia as a vassal of the Byzantine Empire since 1166. The majority of Duklja was included in his lands.

Out of Diocleia Ribnica arose, which was the birthplace of Prince Stracimir's brother, Prince Nemanya, another of the sons of Prince Zavida of Zahumlje. Up to 1168 Nemanja ascended to the throne as Grand Prince of Rascia after he defeated Tihomir. Stracimire initially supported Tihomir in the fight, but drew back as soon as Tihomir started to lose.

Stracimir's other brother, Prince Miroslav of Zahumlje had to call off his military expeditions against Korčula and Vis, because of the losing war against the Republic of Dubrovnik in 1184 in which Stracimir offered military assistance. Miroslav eventually drew from the war, while Stracimir didn't want to advance alone, so abandoned the conquest of the Republic too. Stracimir got the job to take the islands Korčula and Vis in 1185. The smaller part of his force managed to raid heavily Vis. Stracimir's galleys landed his forces on Korčula and took the island, but did not manage to control it, so they raided the island's fertile regions on the western part. The inhabitants of Korčula hailed the Dubrovnik Republic for assistance and it managed to capture all of Stracimir's galleys. Prince Stracimir managed to sign an agreement with the island's inhabitants: he guaranteed that the island will have autonomy, separated from Zahumlje; while the islanders agreed to help his forces set sail back to the mainland.

Although Prince Stracimir was the factual ruler of Duklja, Prince Mihailo of the old rulling Voislav family and Stefan Nemanja's nephew remained as the titulary ruler. After Stracimir's passing away, Mihailo had claims to rule Duklja in the name of the Byzantine Emperor, rather then the Serbian Duke. In 1186, while Stefan Nemanja was at war with the Byzantine Empire, he went on a military campaign to incorporate Duklja into his realm. He besieged Bar which was under the leadership of the local Archbishop, Grgur. Grgur wrote the Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja in 1172-1196 to boost the morale of the people, attempting first to keep Duklja independent, and then only to mark its former glory. He predicted the return of the old regal power in Duklja, but his hopes were all in vain. Stefan Nemanja demanded 800 perpers of ransom to abandon the siege of Bar, while Prince Mihailo of Duklja was under attack by Nemanja's brothers. Stefan Nemanja gave Duklja in 1186 to his oldest son, Vukan, who asserted to power with the old regal title of King of Duklja and Dalmatia. In 1189, Prince Mihailo died and his Princess Desislava escaped with the remaining loyal nobility of Duklja and the Archbishop of Bar in her two ships to the Republic of Dubrovnik. Desislava then moved to [Omis], where she died. Archbishop Grgur was exiled and his post temporarely aboloshed after Nemanja's capture of Bar, so he continued his chronicles in exile.

Vukan of Nemanya maintained good relations with the Papacy, as he married the Pope's relative and accused Bosnia's Ban Kulin of heresy to the Pope. Vukan was enraged that he didn't inherit from Stefan Nemanja the Grand Princely throne which was contrary to the traditional system of primogeniture, so he rebelled against the new Grand Prince Stephen II the First-crowned of Nemanya with the help of the Dukljan nobility and managed to assess to the Grand Princely throne in 1202, but was deposed in 1204 by Stephen II with Bulgarian assistance. Vukan withdrew to Duklja where he continued to rule and kept fighting the Grand Prince.

Around this time, the name Zeta replaced the ancient name of the region (name deriving from the river of Zeta). Its population is henceforward defined as Serbian.

List of rulers

Chronology

External links

 

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