Duchy of Croatia

Duchy of Croatia Kneževina Hrvatska (Croatian) Ducatus Chroatorum (Latin)
7th century[1]–c. 925a
Southeast Europe c. 850; Duchy of Croatia is shaded pink.
Capital	No permanent seat[2] Nin Klis Bijaći Solin Knin
Common languages	Old Croatian Latin
Religion	Slavic paganism Chalcedonian Christianity
Demonym(s)	Croats
Government	Duchy
Duke
• early 7th century	"Father of Porga" and Porga (first Archons)
• 810–821	Borna (first known Duke)
• 910–925	Tomislav (last Duke)
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	7th century[1]
• Frankish vassalage	790s
• Papal recognition	7 June 879
• Elevated to the status of kingdom	c. 925a
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire Avar Khaganate Kingdom of Croatia
Today part of	Croatia Bosnia and Herzegovina
^ Tomislav is regarded as the first king due to being addressed as Rex (King) in a letter sent by Pope John X and the Councils of Split in 925 AD. Circumstances and the date of his coronation are unknown.[3]

The Duchy of Croatia (Modern Croatian: Kneževina Hrvatska; also Duchy of the Croats, Modern Croatian: Kneževina Hrvata; Latin: Ducatus Chroatorum; Greek: Χρωβατία) was a medieval state that was established by White Croats who migrated into the area of the former Roman province of Dalmatia c. 7th century AD. Throughout its existence the Duchy had several seats – namely, Klis, Solin, Knin, Bijaći and Nin. It comprised the littoral – the coastal part of today's Croatia – except Istria, and included a large part of the mountainous hinterland as well.

The Croats settled in Dalmatia after defeated the Pannonian Avars, during the time of Byzantine emperor Heraclius I. The Duchy was in the center of competition between the Byzantine Empire and the Carolingian Empire for rule over the area. Croatian rivalry with Venice emerged in the first decades of the 9th century and would continue through the following centuries. Croatia also waged battles with the Bulgarian Empire (founded c. 681; Bulgar-Croatian relations improved greatly afterwards) and with the Arabs; it also sought to extend its control over important coastal city-states under the rule of Byzantium. Croatia experienced periods of vassalage to the Franks or to the Byzantines and of de facto independence until 879, when Duke Branimir was recognized as an independent ruler by Pope John VIII. The Duchy was ruled by the Trpimirović and Domagojević dynasties from 845 to 1091. Around 925, during the rule of Tomislav, Croatia became a kingdom.