Reign 878 – early May 879 Religion Christian House Trpimirovic dynasty Father Trpimir I of Croatia Parents Trpimir I of Croatia | Royal House House of Trpimirovic Died 879 AD, Knin, Croatia Name Zdeslav Croatia Successor Branimir of Croatia | |
People also search for Trpimir I of Croatia, Muncimir of Croatia, Mutimir of Serbia, Vlastimir | ||
Predecessor unnamed son of Domagoj | ||
Zdeslav ([zdêslaʋ], Latin: Sedesclavus) was a duke (Croatian: knez) of the Duchy of Croatia in 878–879. He was from the House of Trpimirović.
Biography
Zdeslav was the son of Trpimir I. After his father's death in 864, an uprising was launched by a powerful Croatian nobleman from Knin-Domagoj, and Zdeslav was exiled with his brothers, Petar and Muncimir to Constantinople. Domagoj died in 876, and was succeeded by his son. Zdeslav overthrew him in 878 with the help of the Byzantines, expelled Domagoj's sons and restored peace with Venice. He acknowledged the supreme rule of Byzantine Emperor Basil I.
In 879, Pope John VIII asked Duke Zdeslav for an armed escort and protection for his legate who was crossing Croatia on his way to Bulgaria, ruled by Boris I. On early May 879, Zdeslav was killed by arrows near Knin in an uprising led by Branimir, a relative from Domagoj, instigated by the Roman Pope fearing Byzantine power.