Mutimir of Serbia
| Mutimir | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince / Archont / Knez of Serbs / Serbia |
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Balkans, late 9th century
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| Prince of Serbia | ||||
| Reign | ca. 850 – 891 | |||
| Predecessor | Vlastimir | |||
| Successor | Pribislav | |||
| Born |
ca. 830s Stari Ras |
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| Died | 891 | |||
| Issue | Pribislav Stefan Bran |
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| House | Vlastimirović | |||
| Father | Vlastimir | |||
| Religion | Eastern Christianity | |||
| Vlastimirović dynasty | |||
Mutimir of Serbia (Serbian: Мутимир, Greek: Μουντιμῆρος) was Prince of the Serbs from ca. 850 until 891. He defeated the Bulgar Army, allied himself with the Byzantine Emperor and ruled the First Serbian Principality when the Christianization of the Serbs took place and the Eparchy of Ras was established.
He was the eldest son of Knez Vlastimir, great-great-grandson of the Unknown Archont, who managed to unite the Serb tribes into a state. He initially ruled together with his two younger brothers, but they revolted against him and he exiled them to Bulgaria, as guarantors of peace.
It is thought that the rapid extension of Bulgars over Slavs to the south prompted the Serbs to unite into a state. It is known that the Serbs and Bulgars lived in peace until the invasion in 839 (the last years of Theophilos). Vlastimir united several Serbian tribes, Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–842) probably granted the Serbs independence, and they acknowledged nominal overlordship of the Emperor. The annexation of western Macedonia by the Bulgars changed the political situation, Malamir or Presian may have seen a threat in the Serb consolidation, and opted to subjugate them in midst the conquest of Slav lands.
Khan Presian I of Bulgaria (r. 836–852) invades Serbian territory between 839-842 (see Bulgarian–Serbian Wars). The Bulgars of Malamir may have felt a threat in the Serbs, alternatively the Byzantines wanted to divert the attention so that they could cope with the Slav Uprising in the Peloponnese. The invasion led to a 3-year war, Vlastimir was victorious; Khan Presian made no territorial gain, was heavily defeated and lost many of his men, he was driven out by the army of Vlastimir.
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