Gojslav of Croatia

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Gojislav (died c. 1020), was a king of Croatia and member of royal Trpimirović dynasty. He was the first son of the former Croatian King Stjepan Držislav.

[edit] Reign

After Croatia's King Stjepan Držislav died in 997, he become one of the three equal Kings of Croatia with his brothers Svetoslav Suronja and Krešimir III. Although, Svetoslav subequently abolished the triarchic system together with Croatia's Ban Varna, relinquishing the ruling rights of his brothers - which Krešimir's raising of a rebellion together with his younger brother. The Dalmatian cities joined Krešimir and his brother because Svetoslav allied with the the violent ill-famed Narentine pirates. The coastal cities invited the Venetian Doge Peter Orsello, who after securing good relations with the Byzantine Empire launched a military intervention in Dalmatia in 1000, and eventually defeated Svetoslav.

The Venetians implaced Gojislav as the King of Croatia, who ruled equally with his brother Krešimir. Gojislav and his co-regnent brother spent their reign attempting to restore rule over the Dalmatian cities that were now under Venetian control. This brought upon them a conflict with their former protector, the Republic of Venetia, in 1018. Peace was concluded upon the diplomatic intervention of Byzantine Emperor Basil II. Gojislav died in 1020, and his oldest brother Krešimir III continued to rule as King alone.