TOMISLAV, THE
FIRST CROATIAN KING
(910 - 928 A.D.)
The land that was defended by Croatians in 910, and under the leadership of Tomislav had
become an independent political community. History had recorded that area under the name
of Adriatic Croatia, and Tomislav was its Prince. The most celebrated Tomislav did not
only preserve the Croatian indepenednce, but he united into one Croatia the north -
Pannonian Croatia and the Adriatic Croatia. Finally, in 925 he was crowned at
Duvanjska field as King of the whole mighty, independent Croatia.
During Tomislav's reign, Croatia was the most powerful state in that part of Europe. It
could raise over 100,000 armed soldiers overnight, 60,000 horsemen, it had 80 large ships
manned by 40 marines and 100 smaller ships manned by 20 marines. Such descriptions of
Croatian might during Tomislav's reign are found in Annals written by Constantine VII
Porfirogenet, Tsar of Byzantium (913 - 959). Had Croatia not been exposed to
profound misfortunes and aggression from all sides, today it would have as many people as
England.
When Tomislav became Prince of White Croatians a terrible peril was threatening the
Croatian countries of the north as well as White Croatia - i.e., Adriatic Croatia.
Hungarians had already conquered the once great Moravian state and seized Princedom of
Kocelj. Masses of Slavic people crossed river Drava, and moved south to find refuge in the
Croatian country. But Hungarian soldiers crossed the river Drava as well, and soon turned
the northern Croatian land into dust. Rivers of blood were spilt in these barbaric
attacks.
Then, the Hungarians moved south, attacking White Croatia - Adriatic Croatia. But they did
not succeed: Tomislav's army was stronger and more determined than the Hungarian. After
numerous barbaric, failed attempts to seize Croatia, the Hungarians withdrew. Tomislav
suceeded to unite the Pannonian (Slavonian) Croatia into one strong, independent state of
Croatia.
But, around the same time, Tomislav had other enemies to reckon with: the Tsar of the
Byzantian Empire, Constantine VII sought Tomislav's help in fighting the Bulgarian Prince
Simeon, who was trying to ruin the Byzantian Empire. Prince Simoen and his Bulgarian
armies ruthlessly and bloodthirsty attempted to wipe the Byzantian Empire off the map of
the world.
Croatian Prince Tomislav agreed to join forces with Byzantian Tsar in order to fight
against Prince Simeon, and save Constantinople and the Byzantian Empire. Prince Tomislav
did this by attempting to save Serbia from the Bulgarian Prince Simeon's harsh and brutal
rule. But in 924 Prince Simeon and the Bulgarian army destroyed Serbia. Many Serbs fled
their homeland and sought refuge in Croatia.
In 925 Bulgarian Prince Simeon sought to destroy King Tomislav, and Croatia. Prince Simeon
thought: if he conquered Croatia, Constantinople would fall into his hands as well, and
then, he would rule over the entire area from the Adriatic Sea to the seas that divide
Europe from Asia. But, King Tomislav's courage and military shrewdness resulted in the
historic triumph over Bulgarians. Defeat he had encountered in Croatia was the most
catastrophic blow for the Bulgarian Prince Simeon. After Simeon's death in 927, Bulgaria
plummeted deeper and deeper into ruin, until it finally became a province of the Byzantian
Empire.
Having defeated the Bulgarians, Croatian Prince Tomislav united all areas of Croatia and
Serbia into one great state, which was populated by both Croatian and Serbian people. In
this, he also united all the Latin cities along the Dalmatian coast, and made them part of
Croatia.
With the Decree of the Roman Catholic Church, Prince Tomislav was crowned King of all
Croatia in 925. At Duvanjska Plain there was a great assembly of people and their
representatives - all those who were accepting Prince Tomislav as the King of all Croatia
and as their elder. There were represtnatives from the Croatian people, and from the
Roman Catholic Church in Rome. Tomislav was crowned as King of Croatia.
King Tomislav was thus THE founder of indepentent Croatian state.
After his crowning, King Tomislav went on to continue fighting the Bulgarian army which
was ruthlessly destroying Serbia and its people. These bloody battles to save serbia from
the Bulgarian Prince Peter Simeon lasted for over two years. Finally, in 927 the Pope sent
his representatives Bishop Madalbert, and Duke Ivan to Croatia where a peace
agreement was decided upon between King Tomislav and Prince Simeon. After that time, the
Bulgarian and Croatian people had never been at war against each other.
Soon after that King Tomislav died. It is not known where, or how he died. It is not known
where he was buried.
However, it is written in history that there was much discord between the Roman Catholic
Church in Rome and Croatia during those couple of years after King Tomislav was crowned.
That is, the Roman Catholic Church with its Latin language had its seat and archbishopry
in the city of Split on the Dalmatian coast, and in Nin - north of Split - the bishopry
was under the rule of Bishop Grgur, who had lead the White Croatian Roman Catholic Church
using the Croatian language. The Latin bishops, headed by the Archbishop from Split,
demanded that the Croatian Catholic church in Nin be disbanded. Rome said that the church
and bishopry of Nin were illegal for, they used an illegal language - Croatian - and that
the only acceptable language for the church was Latin. Latin bishops and Archbishop
demanded that the Croatian language be ousted from religious practices.
Bishop Grgur defended his Croatian church and bishopry with all his might. Croatian people
joined him, claiming that the Latin bishopry from Split had lost its rights over
Croatia when they abandoned the Pope and turned to the Patriarch in Constantinople.
But, Latin bishops were determined to fight, and they turned to the Pope in Rome and to
Prince Tomislav for support. Tomislav though, had no time to enter into the fierce
disagreements between the Croatian and Latin Catholic Church in Croatia - he went on to
fight the Bulgarians and save Serbia. But time came when he had to interfere in order to
put to an end the fierce fighting between Croatian and Latin priests in Croatia. By now
King of Croatia, Tomislav had an interest in making sure that all territory under his rule
became inclined toward the western, Latin Catholic Church. Clearly a major reform in the
Catholic Church was necessary in Croatia.
Pope Ivan X, in agreement with King Tomislav called for a Church Assembly in Split where
the Croatian and the Latin Croatian Catholic church would excercise a reform of the
Catholic Church. However, the Pope did stipulate in writing that Croatian language was
illegal and barbaric as far as serving of Mass, and as far as other higher religious rites
were concerned. The Pope recognised only the Latin language, quoting in his decisions the
similar case undertaken by Pope Grigor I with the Roman Catholic Church practices by
Anglo-Saxon people who had populated Britain.
The great Assembly in Split, 926, brought reforms that abolished the Croatian language
from the Catholic Church in Croatia - made it illegal, and defined severe punishment for
any priest who dared to use that language during Mass, and during other important
operations of the church. Some conclusions from this Assembly were:
"The Croatian Bishop Grgur of Nin, and other Croatian bishops must
come under the leadership of the Archbishop in Split.
If the Croatian King and Croatian people wish that all bishopries in
the Split area become answerable to their own (Croatian) bishop, that will not be allowed
nor blessed by us in their country, we will not ordain their priests, we will not bless
their churches. Let them, together with their bishop answer to God for such misdeeds, if
the Christian faith will suffer because of it.
All parents must send their children to Latin schools, and these children will later
divert their parents from delusions - for a parent would rather listen to his own child
than a foreigner."
It is clear that Rome and the Catholic Church sent a warning to King Tomislav, should he
dare to stray from the Assemly's resolutions. But, Pope John X did not sign and seal all
the resolutions from this Assembly in Split. He, decided to honour Bishop Grgur from Nin
who insisted that the Croatian Catholic Church which was under his bishopry must not
become answerable to the archbishopry in Split. The Pope hence, ordered a yet an another
Assembly in Split, and decreed that whatever that Assembly decides, he would support.
It was in 927 when this second Assembly was held in Split. The bitter fighting between the
Croatian (Croatian language) Catholic Church and the Western (Latin language) Catholic
Church continued. Again, the Latin side overruled the Croatian. Croatians continued to
protest fiercely, and Pope John X continued to express understanding for the Croatian
people and their wishes.
Amidst all this Pope John X was forcefully removed from his post and Pope Leo VI became
the head of Roman Catholic Church in 927.
Immediately, in 928 Pope Leo VI confirmed the resolutions from the second Assembly in
Split, thus placing his seal on resolutions that would quash the Croatian Catholic Church
and place the Latin bishops and their Archbishop as the only church representatives. Pope
Leo VI sent his threatening letter to all priests and bishops in Croatia ordering them
sternly to be subservient to the Archbishop in Split and honour the resolutions from
the Split Assembly.
The Croatian Church (Croatian language) was supported by King Tomislav, and it has been
written and said that he lost his life in his battles to retain his people's church that
was established from Nin as the first Catholic Croatian bishopry by Pope John VIII in 879,
and independent of Split. King Tomislav was an ally of Bishop Grgur of Nin, and Pope
John X had endearing predispositions toward the Croatian people. Unfortunately, Pope John
X was removed forcefully from his post in Rome, and around the same time in history King
Tomislav disappeared from the face of this earth. Pronounced dead. Without a grave.
Without a trace.
King Tomislav lives still today in the hearts of his people. In Croatians all over the
world. His death must be explained. Details and place of his death must be revealed. His
grave must be found, wherever it may be.
King Tomislav is the Altar upon which Croatian nationality and identity rests. That Altar
must finally be returned to Croatia and its people.
That is the aim of Project Mojmir.
Croatians throughout the world are called upon to offer their moral support to this
Project. Please E-mail us or write to us of your support.
We seek no financial support because this Project Mojmir is sponsored by Mojmir Damjanovic
from Australia whose greatest wish is to present Croatia and its people with the greatest
national gift of all: the crown and the remains of our beloved King Tomislav.
Our address:
Project Mojmir
"Croatian King Tomislav"
P.O. Box 1132, LANE COVE, NSW 2066, AUSTRALIA
Tel: 61 - 2 - 9427- 8665
rrisente@nsw.bigpond.net.au
Or Webmaster mail: webf1469@croatian-king-tomislav.com
