Stjepan I of Croatia

Stjepan I Krešimirović was a King of Croatia (c. 1030–1058) and a member of Trpimirović dynasty, first of the Krešimirović branch. He was the son of former King Krešimir III.

Stjepan succeeded his father as Krešimir III in 1030. Stjepan continued his predecessors' ambitions of spreading rule over the coastal cities and conducted activities in that course greatly, but it was all eventually in vain. He focused on rebuilding Croatia's military strength and in 1032 sent a large segment of his naval fleet to assist Byzantium in its war against the Arabs. Tensions between the Byzantines and Arabs had escalated after Muslims destroyed the Church of St. Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Stjepan used this to his advantage, utilizing the restored Croatian-Byzantine alliance as a method of pacifying the Byzantines and simultaneously frustrate Venetian desires to occupy Croatia's coastline.

Trade and commerce flourished under Stjepan I. A burgeoning aristocracy emerged in Zadar, Biograd, Knin, Split and other coastal cities. It is likely that urban centres in Slavonia also grew at this time (particularly along the Sava River) as people migrated northwards and eastwards in search of new farming land. The two largest towns in Slavonia at this time were Zagreb and Sisak.

Stjepan I ruled until 1058 when his son, Petar Krešimir IV, took over.

Stjepan I had two sons:
* Petar Krešimir IV, who succeeded him as the King of Croatia
* unknown son, the father of the future Croatian King Stjepan II

See also

* Trpimirović dynasty
* History of Croatia

Sources

* "Intervju - ДИНАСТИЈЕ и владари јужнословенских народа". Special Edition 12, 16 June 1989.
* [http://members.tripod.com/royalcroatia/stjepan1.htm Royal Croatia]