List of Serbian monarchs
This is an archontological list of Serbian monarchs, containing monarchs of the medieval principalities, to heads of state of modern Serbia.
The :Category:Serbian monarchy|Serbian monarchy dates back to the Early Middle Ages. The Serbian royal titles used include Knyaz, Grand Župan, King, Tsar and Despot.
Early medieval period (7th century–1166)
Vlastimirović dynasty (7th century–960)
The Vlastimirović dynasty was the first royal dynasty of the Serb people. Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus mentions that the Serbian throne is inherited by the son, i.e. the first-born, though in his enumeration of Serbian monarchs, on one occasion there was a triumvirate. The Serbs established several polities by the 10th century: Serbia or Zagorje which consisted of Serbia, and Bosnia; and Pomorje which consisted of Dioclea, Zachlumia, Pagania, Travunia. The Serbian ruler was titled knyaz or archon by the Byzantines, "prince".The history of the dynasty starts with the eponymous founder Vlastimir. This era is marked by the Christianization of Serbs, the many internal and external wars, and the power struggle between the First Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire in which Serbia found itself in the middle. The history of this dynasty ends with the annexation of Serbia in 969.
Vojislavljević dynasty (992–1091)
With the annexation of Rascia, the previous crownland and seat of Serbia, the county around the city of Doclea emerges into a Principality, where the leaders adopt the title archon of Serbs alongside their given offices under Byzantine overlordship. The first office-holder was Peter of Diokleia, of which we only have a seal found in the 19th century. The next known is Jovan Vladimir, who became a Bulgarian vassal. Stefan Vojislav succeeds in giving the realm independence, he is the eponymous founder of the Vojislavljevići that ruled Duklja from the early 11th century up to the 1120s. The dynasty may have been a cadet branch of the preceding Vlastimirovićs.| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Notes |
| Peter | Peter was an archon of Duklja in the 10th or 11th century. The only information on him is from a seal found in the 19th century, which is decorated on the observe with a bust of the Virgin Mary holding a medallion of Christ and flanked by two cruciform invocative monograms. The text is in Greek letters, saying "Petrou, Archontos Diokleias, Amin" Υ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΟΣ ΔΙΟΚΛΙΑ - Peter, archon of Dioklea, Amen. The seal shows that although Duklja underwent turmoil in the 9th century, the region still continued under Byzantine rule, or if not authority, influence. | ||
| Prince Jovan Vladimir | 992–1016 | Jovan fought to protect Duklja from Bulgarian expansion, making an alliance with Byzantium; Bulgaria however conquered Doclea in 997 and took Jovan Vladimir prisoner. Jovan ruled Duklja as a vassal of the Bulgarian empire until his murder in 1016. | |
| Prince Stefan Vojislav | 1018–1043 | Overthrew the Byzantine supremacy over Serbs in Duklja; founder of the Vojislavljević dynasty; in 1035 rebelled against the Byzantine Empire, but forced to sign an armistice; went to war again in 1040, which would be continued by his heir and son, Mihailo. Except Doclea, his realm included Travunia with Konavli and Zachumlia. | |
| King ↑Prince Mihailo Vojisavljević | 1050–1081 | Initially as a Byzantine vassal holding the title of protospatharios, then after 1077 as nominally serving Pope Gregory VII, addressed as "King of the Slavs". He had alienated himself from the Byzantines when he supported a Byzantine Slavic revolt in 1071–72, after which he then sought to gain support in the West. In 1077 he received a royal insignia by Gregory VII in the aftermath of the Church schism of 1054. note: Rascia is liberated from Byzantine rule and restored into the Serbian realm of Doclea, with Duklja being the seat. | |
| King Constantine Bodin | 1081-1101 | Son of Michael. He was crowned 'Tsar of Bulgaria' as Peter III in 1072, after being chosen by Bulgarian nobles through his Cometopuli lineage, he was sent off with an army that would conquer parts of southern Serbia and Macedonia. He was captured and sent to Constantinople, where he spent several years. He was rescued in 1078 by Venetian sailors, and in 1081 he succeeds his father as King. He enlarged his realm, installing his nephews and other family in Bosnia and Rascia. He is captured by the Byzantines in the 1090s, and continues as a mere Byzantine vassal, with his peripheral provinces gaining independence, of which Rascia becomes the most powerful one. note: Rascia breaks out of the state, subsequently becoming the most powerful of the Serbian principalities. Doclea is continued with a number of Byzantine and Rascian vassals - see List of rulers of Duklja. | |
| King Dobroslav II | 1101-1102 | Overthrown by Vukan of Rascia and Kočopar. | |
| Kočapar | 1102-1103 | Brought to power by Vukan of Rascia. Killed in battle against Zachlumia. | |
| Vladimir II | 1103-1113 | Married daughter of Vukan of Rascia. He was poisoned by his cousin Đorđe I. | |
| Đorđe I | 1113-1118 | Son of Constantine Bodin. Đorđe was overthrown by Uroš I of Rascia in 1118. | |
| Grubeša | 1118-1125 | Overthrew Đorđe with the help of the Byzantines. | |
| Đorđe I | 1125-1131 | Second rule. | |
| Prince Gradinja | 1131-1146 | Appointed to Doclean throne by Byzantines after Đorđe's defeat in the second war against Byzantines. | |
| Prince Radoslav | 1145-1148 | Byzantine vassal. Only dynastic member to be mentioned as Prince of Doclea. | |
| Prince Mihailo II | 1148-1186 | Byzantine vassal. |
Vukanović dynasty (1091–1166)
In the mid-11th century, Mihailo I had liberated Rascia from Byzantine rule, and appointed his son Petrislav to rule as Prince, independently. In 1083, Constantine Bodin appoints brothers Vukan and Marko, sons of Petrislav, as rulers of Rascia. In 1089, the Byzantines capture Bodin, and Vukan retains independence, founding the Vukanović dynasty. The Vukanovići quickly claim the following Serbian domains in the following decades, and by 1148, the maritime possessions are united with the inland. The Byzantine Empire at times intervened in the political scene, and at times Serbia had Hungary as its main ally. The dynasty ruled until 1165, when a dynastic branch is instated by the Byzantines.| Ruler | Reign | Notes |
Grand Prince Vukan | 1083–1112 | Vukan was the son of Petrislav, the Prince of Rascia and son of Mihailo I, that held the office from ca 1060. In 1083, Constantine Bodin appoints Vukan to the supreme rule of "Rascia", while Vukan's brother Marko administrated a part of the land, most likely the frontier region in the north. After the Byzantine campaign against Duklja in 1089, and the subsequent civil war, Vukan asserted independence, ruling as Grand Prince, becoming the most powerful Serb ruler as of ca 1091. He began raiding Byzantine territories in 1090, taking Kosovo, and defeated a Byzantine army in 1092. Vukan made peace with Alexios I Komnenos, after the Emperor had threatened with a larger army. However, Vukan immediately broke the treaty as the Byzantines marched onto the dangerous Cumans in Adrianople. Vukan conquers the cities along the Vardar. In 1095, the Emperor meets Vukan and renews the treaty. Vukan again raided Macedonia, as the First Crusade began. In 1106 he nominally recognized Alexios I. Note: Rascia is elevated to an independent Grand Principality. |
| Grand Prince Uroš I | 1112–1145 | Uroš I was the son of either Vukan or Marko. In the treaty concluded between Vukan and Alexios I in 1095, Uroš I and Stefan Vukan became "guarantors of peace", as hostages to the Byzantines. Uroš succeeds the throne when Vukan dies. In ca 1130, he married his daughter, Jelena, to King Béla II of Hungary. Béla II, being blind, relied entirely on Jelena who acted as a co-ruler. In 1137, Ladislaus II, the son of Béla II and Jelena, becomes the Ban of Bosnia. |
| Grand Prince Uroš II | 1145–1162 | Replaced his father at 1131 or around 1140 and ruled until 1155. note: Duklja and Travunia is re-incorporated into the realm. |
| Grand Prince Beloš | 1162 | Instated by Manuel I Komnenos. |
| Grand Prince Desa | 1162-1166 | Desa took Zeta and Travunia from Radoslav of Duklja and unified the coastal Serbian Principalities under his firm grip. |
| Grand Prince Tihomir | 1166 | First son of Zavida, exiled Župan of Zahumlje. |
After Desa's revolt, in 1165 the Byzantium divided the Serb lands between the four sons of Zavida: Tihomir in Raška, Stracimir in Duklja, Miroslav in Zahumlje and Travunia, and Stefan Nemanja in Toplica. Stefan Nemanja rebelled against his eldest brother Tihomir in 1166, who fled with his brothers Stracimir and Miroslav to Byzantium to seek help. But later on, Stefan Nemanja defeated his Greek army of mercenaries in the same year near the town of Pantino on Kosovo in which poor Tihomir drowned in the River of Sitnica. Nemanja captured his other brothers and made peace with them by giving them rule in their former parts of the land to recognise him as the only ruler of Rashka or Serbia. The Nemanjić dynasty was named after Stefan Nemanja and ruled over Serbia until 1371.
Late medieval period (1166–1371)
Nemanjić dynasty (1166–1371)
| Nemanjić |
The Nemanjić dynasty ruled the Serb lands between ca. 1166 up to 1371.
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Notes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja Saint Symeon the Myrrh-streaming | 1166-1196 | Nemanja is the eponymous founder of the Zoupanic Nemanjić dynasty. He re-established control over the neighbouring territories, including Duklja, Hum and Travunia. In his last years, he joined his son Sava and took monastic vows, later recognized as Saint Symeon after numerous alleged miracles following his death. Note: Duklja, Zahumlje and Travunija is reconquered, Nemanja is proclaimed "Grand Prince of All Serbia" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Prince Vukan Nemanjić | 1202-1204 | Eldest son of Stefan Nemanja. He held the appanage of "Duklja, Dalmatia, Travunija, Toplica and Hvosno" as Grand Prince, by 1190. He was the initial heir presumptive, but his father chose Stefan instead upon the abdication in 1196. With the death of Nemanja, Vukan started plotting against his brother. He found help in Hungary, and together they forced Stefan to flee to Bulgaria. He ruled as a Hungarian vassal, evident in Emeric I's title "King of Serbia". He left the throne in 1204, and continued to rule his appanage, he was later pardoned by the third brother Saint Sava. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King ↑Grand Prince Stefan Prvovenčani Stefan the First-Crowned | 1196-1202 1204-1228 | Second son of Stefan Nemanja. He inherited the title of Grand Prince in 1196 when his father retired as a monk. His reign began with a struggle against his brother Vukan, who expelled Stefan to Bulgaria. Kaloyan gave him an army of Cumans in exchange for eastern territories. The crisis ended when Sava negotiated a peace between the brothers and Stefan's power was cemented. He was crowned King in 1217, and then Sava gains autocephaly, becoming the first Archbishop of Serbs in 1219, thus Serbia retained full independence. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King Stefan Radoslav | 1228–1233 | Son of Stefan the First-crowned. He ruled Zahumlje during the reign of his father, and also held a governor status of Zeta. He was the co-founder of the Žiča monastery with his father, who would abdicate in 1227 due to illness, taking monastic vows. Radoslav was crowned by his uncle Sava, the Archbishop of Serbia. His marriage to Anna Doukaina Angelina would prove unpopular as she undermined his authority, he lost the loyalty of the people and in 1233 a revolt against them prompted the couple to flee to Dubrovnik. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King Stefan Vladislav | 1233–1243 | Son of Stefan the First-crowned. He succeeded his brother Radoslav in 1233 and ruled for 10 years, before being overthrown by his younger brother Uroš. He continued to rule Zeta. The first known flag design of Serbia was found in his treasury. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King Stefan Uroš I Uroš the Great | 1243–1276 | Son of Stefan the First-crowned. He succeeded his brother Vladislav. He boosted trade with Dubrovnik and Kotor, marking a beginning of economic prosperity. In 1253 a war was fought against Dubrovnik, peace was signed in 1254, and in the 1260s a second war begun that ended in 1268. Uroš immediately turned towards Hungary, successfully taking Mačva, he was however captured and peace was ensured between the two Kings through marriage of Dragutin and Catherine, the daughter of Stephen V of Hungary. His oldest son Dragutin would have succeeded his rule, but Uroš favored Stefan Milutin, the younger son, as successor. He was overthrown by Stefan Dragutin in 1276. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King Stefan Dragutin Teoctist | 1276-1282 1282-1316 | Son of Stefan Uroš I. He overthrew his father with help from the Hungarian royalty after the Battle of Gacko. He was injured in 1282, and gave the supreme rule to his younger brother Milutin, but continued to rule what would later become the Kingdom of Srem with the capital at Belgrade. Milutin boosted relations with the Byzantine Emperor, and refused to give the rule to Vladislav II, causing a split of the Kingdom. Dragutin continued to rule the northern frontier in Hungarian alliance, but in the last years re-connected with Serbia, acting as a vassal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King Stefan Milutin | 1282–1321 | Son of Stefan Uroš I. He succeeded his brother Dragutin. Upon his accession, he immediately turned towards Macedonia, conquering the northern part with Skoplje, which became his capital. He continued deep into Byzantine lands, taking northern Albania and as far as Kavala. He also took Vidin, and later Durres. He was in a succession war with Dragutin after peace was signed with the Byzantines in 1299. Milutin aids the Byzantines against the Turks at the Battle of Gallipoli, which ended in a victory. When Dragutin died he put most of his lands with Belgrade under his rule, in the same year his son Stefan Uroš III tried to overthrow him, resulting in him being exiled to Constantinople. In 1319 the Hungarians took all of Dragutin's lands but Braničevo.Fall of the medieval state (1371–1459)Magnate provinces
The crumbling Serbian Empire under Stefan Uroš V was to be of little resistance to the powerful Ottoman Empire. In light of conflicts and decentralization of the realm, the Ottomans defeated the Serbs at the Battle of Maritsa in 1371, making vassals of the southern governors, soon thereafter, the Emperor died. As Uroš was childless and the nobility could not agree on the rightful heir, the Empire was ruled by semi-independent provincial lords, who often were in feuds with each other. The most powerful of these, Tsar Lazar, a Duke of present-day central Serbia, stood against the Ottomans at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. The result was indecisive, but it resulted in the subsequent fall of Serbia. The administration was divided in the following:
The Branković family descends from the Nemanjići and the Lazarevići via female line. The family rises to prominence during the time of disintegration of the Serbian Empire under the last Nemanjić. The original family domains were centred around Kosovo region, one of the heartlands of medieval Serbian state. Later members of the house extended their rule over all remaining independent regions of Serbia making them the last suzerain rulers of medieval Serbia. The dynasty ruled the Serbian Despotate from 1427 to 1459. Duchy of Saint Sava (1435–1483)
Short-lived states (1526–1532)Governors of Serbia under the Habsburg Monarchy
Modern Serbia (1804–1918)[Revolutionary Serbia] (1804–1813)[Principality of Serbia] (1817–1882)[Obrenović dynasty] (1817–1842)[Karađorđević dynasty] (1842–1858)[Obrenović dynasty] (1858–1882)[Kingdom of Serbia] (1882–1918)[Obrenović dynasty] (1882–1903)[Karađorđević dynasty] (1903–1918)[Kingdom of Yugoslavia] (1918–1941)[Karađorđević dynasty] (1918–1945)In 1918, Serbia became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Later that state changed name in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. During that interwar period the country was a parliamentary monarchy, ruled by the Karađorđević dynasty.
After World War II and the civil war Yugoslavia became a communist state known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, ruled by Josip Broz Tito and the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. After Tito's death in 1980, the federation started a process of dissolution which finished in a series of civil wars in the early 1990s. Through the 1990s, constituent republics Serbia and Montenegro comprised the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was restructured in 2003 into a confederation called Serbia and Montenegro. The state union ended with Montenegro's separation following the 2006 independence referendum. Currently Serbia is a parliamentary republic. There was no referendum of restoration of parliamentary monarchy, although political organizations and certain public in favor of it, do exist. |