Mihajlo Krešimir II. (c. 920.-969.)

In the year 945. Miroslav became the croatian king (he succeeded his father Krešimir I.). It is important to note that after the death of king Tomislav, the influence and power of the Croatian state gradually weakened, and strengthened the byzantine so that Byzantium again ruled larger cities on the coast. Also, the great serbian župan (prefect) Časlav (supported by Byzantium) gathered in the alliance of the principalities south of Croatia.

In several historical documents from that, but even later periods, it is noted that at that time ban Pribina was very powerful (he ruled the areas of Lika, Gacka and Krbava) who got involved in internal battles for the throne that ended with the death of king Miroslav.

Mihajlo Krešimir II emerged from these battles as the new king in 949. (Miroslav’s brother). He (on behalf of Byzantium) ruled larger cities on the coast, and in the “Chronicle of the priest Dukljanin” from the 12th century it is recorded that he invaded Bosnia and occupied the parishes of Uskoplje, Luka and Pleva. It seems that Mihajlo Krešimir II. with the help of ban Pribina consolidated his power over the state and established stability and peace.

The wife of Mihajlo Krešimir II. was queen Jelena. She most likely came from a respectable, rich and powerful patrician family from Zadar, Madi. After the king’s death in 969. she ruled as regent to her young son Stjepan Držislav. As her endowment, she built two churches in Solin near Split. Church of „St. Stephen on the Island“ has since served as a royal mausoleum and the church of „The Blessed Virgin Mary“ as the coronation basilica of future rulers. The churches were destroyed several times (by the Mongols and the Turks) and were upgraded over time. At the end of the 19th century, during the excavation of the foundations of the church of „St. Stephen“ a stone sarcophagus and a latin epitaph dedicated to the queen were found, and reads:

„(in hoc) (t)UMULO Q(ui)ESCIT HELENA FAMO(sa) (quae fui)T UX(o)R MIHAELI REGI MATERQ(ue) STEFANI R(egis) (pacemque) (obt)ENUIT REGNI. VIII IDUS M(ensis) OCT(obris) (in pac)E HIC OR(dinata) FUIT AN(no) AB INCARNA(tione) (Domini) DCCCCLXXVI IND. IV CICL(o) L(un) V. (ep) XVII (ciclo sol) V LUN. V. (conc)URRENTE VI. ISTAQ(ue) VIVENS FU(it) REGN(i) MATER FUIT PUPILOR(um) TUTO(rque) VIDUAR(um) ICQUE ASPICIENS VIR ANIME DIC MISERERE DEUS.“

“In this grave rests the famous Jelena, who was the wife of king Mihajlo and the mother of king Stjepan. She renounces the royal splendor of the eight day of the month of October. And she would be buried here in the year 976. from the incarnation of the Lord’s indication of the fourth of the fifth cycle of the moons, the seventeenth epakte, the fifth circle of the sun falling with the sixth. Behold, this is she who was the mother of the kingdom for life, and then became the mother of orphans and the protector of widows. Looking here, man, say: God have mercy on her soul! ”