Petar Svačić

Petar
Death of the Last Croatian King, by Oton Iveković
King of Croatia (nominal)
Reign	1093–1097
Predecessor	Stephen II
Successor	Coloman
Died	1097 Mount Gvozd
House	House of Snačić

Petar Snačić (Svačić) was a feudal lord, notable for being one of the claimants of the Croatian throne during the wars of succession (c. 1093–1097). It is assumed that he began as a ban serving under king Demetrius Zvonimir of Croatia and was then elected king by the Croatian feudal lords in 1093. Petar's seat of power was based in Knin. His rule was marked by a struggle for control of the country with Coloman of Hungary. During his reign he was able to expel Álmos of Hungary from Slavonia, and unite Croatia to the river Drava. According to Juraj Utješinović, alias Frater Georgius, first Croatian cardinal, Petar was born in Kamičak (above river Krka canyon), Croatia. He died in 1097 and was the last king of Croatia (reigned 1093–1097).

He assumed the throne amid deep tension throughout the Kingdom. His predecessor, Stjepan II (1089–1091) died without leaving an heir, sparking a major political crisis. Jelena or Ilona, the widow of King Dmitar Zvonimir (1074–1089) supported her brother, King Ladislaus I of Hungary, in the inheritance of the throne of Croatia. Meanwhile, as a part of Croatia's dignitaries and clergy did not support Ladislaus' claim, they elected nobleman Petar as King, who immediately deployed the military to defend Croatia's borders from Hungarian attack. However it was too late. Ladislaus, who had probably devised a military strategy two years earlier, launched an offensive and managed to breach Croatian lines along the Drava River. The well-prepared Hungarians soon occupied the entire province of Slavonia but were halted by the Croats at Mount Gvozd (nears today's Karlovac).

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