Pribislav (Serbian: Прибислав, Greek: Πριβέσθλαβος[A]) was Prince of the Serbs for a year, in 891–892, before being deposed by his cousin Petar. He was the eldest son of Mutimir (r. 851–891) of the Vlastimirović dynasty, who ruled during the expanding and Christianization of Serbia.

Pribislav
Prince / Archont / Knez
of Serbs / Serbia
Prince of Serbia
Reign891–892
PredecessorMutimir
SuccessorPetar
Born845/850
DiedAfter 892
IssueZaharija
HouseVlastimirović dynasty
FatherMutimir
ReligionChalcedonian Christian

Life

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His father had with his brothers Strojimir and Gojnik, defeated the Bulgar Army sent by Tsar Boris I of Bulgaria and led by his son Vladimir.[1] Vladimir was captured together with 12 boyars. Boris I and Mutimir agreed on peace (and perhaps an alliance[1]), and Mutimir sent his sons Bran and Stefan beyond the border to escort the prisoners, where they exchanged items as a sign of peace: Boris himself gave them "rich gifts", while he was given "two slaves, two falcons, two dogs, and eighty furs".[2]

In the 880s, Mutimir seized the throne, exiling his younger brothers and Klonimir, Strojimir's son, to the court of Boris I in the Bulgar Khanate.[1] This was most likely due to treachery.[3] Petar, the son of Gojnik, was kept at the Serbian court of Mutimir for political reasons,[3] but he soon fled to Branimir of Croatia.[1]

Mutimir died in 890 or 891, leaving the throne to his eldest son, Pribislav.[1] Pribislav had only ruled for a year when Petar returned in 892, defeating him in battle and seizing the throne. Pribislav fled to Croatia with his brothers Bran and Stefan.[1] Bran later returned and led an unsuccessful rebellion against Petar in 894.[4] Bran was defeated, captured and blinded (a Byzantine tradition meant to disqualify a person from taking the throne[5])

His only son, Zaharija, remained in Constantinople for a long period before successfully seizing the throne with Byzantine aid, ruling from 922–924.

Vlastimir
Mutimir
PribislavBranStefan
Zaharija I

Legacy

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The Pribislav mentioned in the Gospel of Cividale (codex aquileiensis), is most likely referring to Pribislav.[6][7][8]

Notes

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  1. ^
    Name: The first attestation of his name is the Greek Pribeslavos (Πριβέσθλαβος[9]), in Latin Pribesthlabus[10] or Preuuisclao,[11] in Serbian Pribislav or Prvoslav (Прибислав/Првослав, meaning "First-glorified"; from the words prvo - first, and slava - glory). He was a descendant of Vlastimirović, his father was Mutimir, hence, according to the contemporary naming culture, his name was Pribislav Mutimirović Vlastimirović.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f The early medieval Balkans, p. 141
  2. ^ Southeastern Europe
  3. ^ a b Đekić, Đ. 2009, "Why did prince Mutimir keep Petar Gojnikovic?", Teme, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 683-688. PDF
  4. ^ The early medieval Balkans, p. 150
  5. ^ Longworth, Philip (1997), The making of Eastern Europe: from prehistory to postcommunism (1997 ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, p. 321, ISBN 0-312-17445-4
  6. ^ Đorđe Sp Radojičić (1967). Književna zbivanja i stvaranja kod Srba u srednjem veku i u tursko doba. Matic srpska. p. 27.
  7. ^ Die Welt der Slaven. Böhlau. 1965. p. 104.
  8. ^ (Eggers 1996, p. 51)
  9. ^ De Administrando Imperio, ch. 32
  10. ^ Johann Grosse II (Héritiers), Nova acta eruditorum, 1764, p. 169
  11. ^ Kos, F.; Kos, M. (1906). knj. L. 801-1000. Lenova družba. Retrieved 2015-08-23.

Sources

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Pribislav
Regnal titles
Preceded by Prince of Serbia
891–892
Succeeded by