Reign 891–892 Father Mutimir House Vlastimirovic dynasty Uncles Strojimir Issue Zaharija Parents Mutimir of Serbia Grandparents Vlastimir | Successor Petar Name Pribislav Serbia Cousins Klonimir Predecessor Mutimir Religion Eastern Christianity Children Zaharija of Serbia | |
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Pribislav (Serbian: Прибислав, Greek: Πριβέσθλαβος) 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.
Contents
Life
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. Vladimir was captured together with 12 boyars. Boris I and Mutimir agreed on peace (and perhaps an alliance), and Mutimir sent his sons Pribislav 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".
In the 880s, Mutimir seized the throne, exiling his younger brothers and Klonimir, Strojimir's son to the Bulgar Khanate; the court of Boris I. This was most likely due to treachery. Petar, the son of Gojnik, was kept at the Serbian court of Mutimir for political reasons, but he soon fled to Branimir of Croatia.
Mutimir died in 890 or 891, leaving the throne to his eldest son, Pribislav. Pribislav 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. Bran later returned and led an unsuccessful rebellion against Petar in 894. Bran was defeated, captured and blinded (blinding was a Byzantine tradition that meant to disqualify a person to take the throne)
His only son, Zaharija, had the goals to one day rule Serbia, but remained in Constantinople for a long period before successfully seizing the throne with Byzantine aid, ruling Serbia 920–924.
Legacy
The Pribislav mentioned in the Gospel of Cividale (codex aquileiensis), is most likely referring to Pribislav.