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VOJISLAVLJEVIC Mihailo
Birth: ABT 1000
Death: 1081
Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihailo_Vojislavljevi%C4%87
Mihailo Vojislavljevic (fl. 1050–d. 1081) was the Serbian ruler of Duklja, from 1050 to
1081 initially as a Byzantine vassal holding the title of protospatharios, then after 1077
as nominally serving[citation needed] 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.
Life[edit]
Early rule[edit]
With the death of Stefan Vojislav, his dominion was divided among his five sons
(according to CPD).[1] Gojislav received Travunia (Trebinje) ruled briefly until he was
killed by local nobles, who set up Domanek in his place.[1] Mihailo expelled him and
Saganek chosen to rule,[1] but Domanek returned and drove him out.[1] Mihailo
offered the office to Radoslav, who declined, afraid of losing Luška župa (future
Zeta).[1] Radoslav perhaps distrusted his brother, thinking he would seize Zeta, but
Mihailo seems to have offered him a deal.[1]
The Byzantine Empire, keen to take advantage of the death of Stefan Vojislav,
prepared an offensive against unstable Duklja.[1] At this time, the four remaining
brothers made peace and signed an alliance,[1] deemed the oldest treaty in Serbian
history.[1] After the agreement, Radoslav attacked Travunia, killing Domanek.[1] After
this event, their mother (who had acted as an stability in the relations between the
brothers) died.[1] Mihailo succeeded as Knez of "Duklja" in 1046, or as his realm was
called by contemporary Cedrenus: "Triballorum ac Serborum principatum".[2]
While in no imminent danger from that side, Mihailo found it favorable to further
strengthen ties with Byzantium and, in 1050, he received the title of protospatharios
and married a niece of Constantine IX Monomachos,[2] something that might have
implied a titular recognition of Constantinople's authority, but without no real
concessions on his part. It corresponded to the then-current balance of forces and
bought some 20 years of peace and prosperity to his land.
Aid to anti-Byzantine uprising in theme of Bulgaria[edit]
Main article: Uprising of Georgi Voiteh
Matters started to change after 1071, the year of Byzantium's key Asian debacle at
the Battle of Manzikert, as well as of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.
In 1072, the Bulgarian noblemen in Skopje planned a revolt against Byzantine rule
under the leadership of Georgi Voiteh, the exarchos of the city. The rebel chieftains
(proechontes) asked Mihailo I for help and, in exchange, offered to one of his sons, a
descendant of the House of the Cometopuli, the Bulgarian throne.[3][4] In the fall of
1072, Michael I gladly sent Constantine Bodin with 300 troops, which arrived at
Prizren and met with Voiteh and other magnates. There[5] they crowned Bodin
"Emperor of the Bulgarians" and gave him the name 'Peter III', recalling the names of
the Emperor-Saint Peter I (d. 970) and of Peter II Delyan (who had led the first major
revolt against Byzantine rule in 1040–1041).[4] Despite some initial successes, Bodin
was subsequently captured.[4] When Michael I heard about his son's capture, he sent
a captive Byzantine general, Langobardopoulos, whom he had married with one of his
daughters, to rescue him, but he defected to the Byzantines.[4]
The aid to Georgi Voiteh moved Mihailo away from the Byzantines.[6]
Papal vassalage; crown receival, and Byzantine enemy[edit]
After the uprising, Mihailo began looking for support westward - to the Pope. This
came as a result not only of his alienation from the Byzantines, but also from a desire
to create an independent archbishopric within his realm and to finally to obtain a royal
title. In the aftermath of the Church schism of 1054, Pope Gregory VII was interested
in bestowing royal crown on rulers in the rift area and Mihailo was granted his in 1077.
Thereafter, Duklja was referred to as a kingdom, a situation that lasted until its
reduction in the following century.
It is not known whether his brothers accepted him as supreme ruler or if he forced it
upon them. Onwards, Mihailo was the ruler of All Duklja, and his brothers may at most
have had only appanages.[1]
Last years[edit]
Having sealed ties with the Normans through marriage of his heir, Constantine Bodin,
with Jaquinta of Bari, Mihailo died in 1081, after a rule of 30 or so years. He left St.
Michael's Church in Ston, north of Dubrovnik, a small church following mostly an early
Byzantine style, which contains one of the oldest known fresco portraits of a South
Slavic ruler.
Titles[edit]
According to George Kedrenos (fl. 1050s) and John Skylitzes (fl. 1057), he was the
Prince of Triballians and Serbs (???ßa???? ?a? S??ß??...a??????[7]/ ???ßa???? ?a?
S??ß??...???????[8]), and was called an "ally and friend of the Byzantines", having
received the title of protospatharios.[9]
In 1077, he received a crown from Pope Gregory VII,[9] who thereafter addressed
Mihailo as "King of the Slavs". A letter dated January 9, 1078, begins "Gregory ... to
Michael, king of the Slavs" (Latin: Sclavorum regi).[10]
Anna Komnene (1083–1153) calls him "Exarch of Serbia".[11]
Family[edit]
Mihailo married a niece of Constantine IX Monomachos, with whom he had seven
sons, out of which four are known:
Vladimir
Constantin Bodin
Dobroslav II
Petrislav, ruled Rascia
A daughter
Parents
VOJISLAV Stefan (ABT 975 - 1043)
----- ----- ()
Siblings
VOJISLAVLJEVIC Mihailo (ABT 1000 - 1081)
Marriage To ----- ----- ()
m.
Notes
Children by ----- -----
OF RASCIA Petrislav (ABT 1030 - ABT 1083)
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