Zadar in the period of Croatian national rulers

Abstract

The author first describes Zadar before the arrival of the Slavs and Croats to Dalmatia. Then he outlines its position under the Byzantine and Frankish empires and again -under Constantinople (806). He deals particularly with the contacts between the city and the Croats and their princes. He describes in detail the internal circumstances in Zadar from 9th to late 11th century (the population, municipal government, role of the church) and points out the prominent role of the city and its priors, some of whom maintained close connections with the rulers of the Croats. The author further describes the futile siege of Zadar by Emperor Samuilo (before 992) and its recognition of Venetian rule (before 988 or in 999) whose rector now governed the city. But in 1018 or 1019 Zadar was again under Byzantium whose interests in Dalmatia were being undermined by its toparch Dobronja; a native of Zadar. Having got rid of him, Byzantine influence in the city grew stronger and its economy progressed. However, from the second half of 11th century onwards, control of Dalmatia and Zadar shifted on several occasions between Venice and Byzantium, but the rule of the latter was mere formality in the end. At that time, King Petar Krešimir maintained strong connections with temporal and. spiritual peers and other persons in Zadar. Not only did he bestow rich donations to the monastery of St. Chrysogonos’ and to the nunnery of St. Mary’s but was for a period ruler of Dalmatia and consequently of Zadar (after 1071). After his death Zadar was first under Venice, then again, symbolically though, under Byzantium, then under Zvonimir, and finally it recognized Constantinople. At last Dalmatia and Zadar fell under the rule of the Venetian doge from whom they were taken by the victorius King Collomanus of Hungary and Croatia who entered the city in triumph, marking that decisive event with a stone inscription in the belfry of St. Mary’s (1105). References to original sources are given in footnotes.