Principality of Serbia (medieval)

Serbian Principality
Cрпска кнежевина Srpska kneževina
8th century–969
Serbia, during the rule of Časlav (927–960)
Capital		Ras
Languages		Serbian (Old Serbian)
Religion		Eastern Christianity
Government		Monarchy
Prince
•	c. 780	Višeslav (first known by name)
•	831–850	Vlastimir (notable)
•	850–891	Mutimir (first Christian)
•	927–960	Časlav (last)
Historical era		Medieval
•	Unification	8th century
•	Byzantine annexation	969
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire Catepanate of Serbia Duklja Serbian Grand Principality
Today part of		Serbia  Montenegro  Bosnia  Croatia  Albania  Kosovo

The Principality of Serbia or Serbian Principality (Serbian: Cрпска кнежевина / Srpska kneževina), also known as Raška (Рашка, Latin: Rascia), was an early medieval state of the Serbs ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, that existed from 7th century to 969 in Southeastern Europe. Its first ruler known by name was Višeslav. In 822, the Serbs were said to rule the "greater part of Dalmatia", and at the same time the Bulgars had taken the lands to the east, preparing to conquer Serbia. Vlastimir defeated the Bulgar army in a three-year-war (839–842), and the two powers lived in peace for some decades. Vlastimir's three sons succeeded in ruling Serbia together, although not for long; Serbia became a key part in the power struggle between the Byzantines and Bulgars (in predominantly Byzantine alliance), which also resulted in major dynastic civil wars for a period of three decades. Serbia was annexed by the Bulgars for three years (924–927), until the return of the political hostage Prince Časlav, who united several provinces, becoming the most powerful of the Vlastimirović. An important event was the establishment of Christianity as state-religion in 869 AD, and the founding of the first Serbian eparchy, the Eparchy of Ras. The information of the Vlastimirović dynasty ends with De Administrando Imperio (fl. 950–960). Serbia was annexed by the Byzantines in 969 and ruled as the Catepanate of Ras.

Slavs (Sklavenoi) settled the Balkans in the 6th century. The history of the early medieval Serbian principality and the Vlastimirović dynasty is recorded in the work De Administrando Imperio (On the Governance of the Empire, abbr. "DAI"), compiled by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (r. 913–959). The work mentions the first Serbian ruler, without a name (known conventionally as "Unknown Archon"), that led the Serbs to the Balkans and received the protection of Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), and was said to have died long before the Bulgar invasion (680). The Serbian ruler was titled "Prince (archon) of the Serbs" (αρχων Σερβλίας). The DAI mentions that the Serbian throne is inherited by the son, i.e. the first-born. His descendants succeeded him, but their names are unknown until the coming of Višeslav.