Tihomir of Rascia

Tihomir of Rascia (Serbian: Тихомир^[A]) was a Serbian nobleman, mentioned only in the Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, who served as the Prince of Rascia from around 960 to 969.

Background

Tihomir's predecessor Časlav (r. 927–960) had united several Slavic tribes, expanding Serbia which then extended between the shores of the Adriatic Sea, the Sava river and the Morava valley. The Magyars led by Kisa invaded Bosnia. The Serbian army advanced and met them on the banks of river Drina, in the Drina župania, downstream from present-day Foča.^[1][2] The Magyars were decisively defeated, and Kisa was killed by Tihomir.^[2] Due to his heroism, Časlav appointed Tihomir Duke of Drina and gave him his daughter in marriage.^[3]

Succession to Rascia

Kisa's widow asked the Magyar leaders to give her an army for revenge. With an "unknown number" of troops, the widow returned and surprised Časlav at Syrmia. The Magyars attack the Serbs in the night, capturing Časlav and all of his male relatives. On the command of Kisa's widow, all the prisoners were bound by their hands and feet and thrown into the Sava river.^[2] This event is dated to around 960^[2] or thereafter, as 'De Administrando Imperio' does not mention his death.

Through his marriage with Časlav's daughter, Tihomir inherited the crownland of Rascia.^[4]

Later annexation of Rascia by Byzantium

Tihomir's reign ended around 969. The Catepanate of Ras was established between 971–976, during the rule of John Tzimiskes (r. 969–976).^[5] A seal of a strategos of Ras has been dated to Tzimiskes' reign, making it possible for Tzimiskes' predecessor Nikephoros II Phokas to have enjoyed recognition in Rascia.^[6][7] The protospatharios and katepano of Ras was a Byzantine governor named John.^[8] Data on the katepano of Ras during Tzimiskes' reign is missing.^[9] Byzantine military presence ended soon thereafter with the wars with Bulgaria, and was re-established only ca. 1018 with the short-lived Theme of Sirmium, which however did not extend much into Rascia proper.^[6]

See also

• Byzantine Serbia
• List of Serbian monarchs

Footnotes

References

Sources

Further reading

• Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De Administrando Imperio, edited by Gy. Moravcsik and translated by R. J. H. Jenkins, Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies, Washington D. C., 1993
• J. B. Bury, History of the Eastern Empire from the Fall of Irene to the Accession of Basil: A.D. 802-867. ISBN 1-60520-421-8, ISBN 978-1-60520-421-5. Google Books
• Fine, John Van Antwerp (1991). The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. Michigan: The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08149-7. 
• Curta, Florin (2006). Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-89452-4.
• Ćorović, Vladimir, Istorija srpskog naroda, Book I, (In Serbian) Electric Book, Rastko Electronic Book, Antikvarneknjige (Cyrillic)
  • Drugi Period, IV: Pokrštavanje Južnih Slovena
  • The Serbs, ISBN 0-631-20471-7, ISBN 978-0-631-20471-8. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004, Google Books.
• Tibor Živković, Forging Unity The South Slavs between East and West 550-1150
• Ferjančić, B. 1997, "Basile I et la restauration du pouvoir byzantin au IXème siècle", Zbornik radova Vizantološkog instituta, no. 36, pp. 9–30.
• L. von Südland, Fedor Pucek, Južnoslavensko pitanje: prikaz cjelokupnog pitanja, Hrvatska Demokratska Stranka, 1990 Google Books
• Stevan Sremac, Veliki župan Časlav, Sabrana dela Stevana Sremca ;, knj. 5