Mihailo Vojislavljević

Mihailo Vojislavljević
King of the Slavs
Mihailo I on a fresco in the Church of St. Michael in Ston.
King of the Slavs, ruler of Duklja
Reign	1050-1081
Predecessor	Stefan Vojislav
Successor	Constantine Bodin
Died	1081
Spouse	Monomachina
Issue	Vladimir Bodin Dobroslav II Petrislav
House	Vojislavljević
Father	Vojislav
Religion	Christianity

Mihailo Vojislavljević (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 servingPope 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.

With the death of Stefan Vojislav, his dominion was divided among his five sons (according to CPD). Gojislav received Travunia (Trebinje) ruled briefly until he was killed by local nobles, who set up Domanek in his place. Mihailo expelled him and Saganek chosen to rule, but Domanek returned and drove him out. Mihailo offered the office to Radoslav, who declined, afraid of losing Luška župa (future Zeta). Radoslav perhaps distrusted his brother, thinking he would seize Zeta, but Mihailo seems to have offered him a deal.

The Byzantine Empire, keen to take advantage of the death of Stefan Vojislav, prepared an offensive against unstable Duklja. At this time, the four remaining brothers made peace and signed an alliance, deemed the oldest treaty in Serbian history. After the agreement, Radoslav attacked Travunia, killing Domanek. After this event, their mother (who had acted as an stability in the relations between the brothers) died. Mihailo succeeded as Knez of "Duklja" in 1046, or as his realm was called by contemporary Cedrenus: "Triballorum ac Serborum principatum".

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, 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.