Peter Krešimir IV

Peter Krešimir IV the Great
Statue of Petar Krešimir IV in Šibenik
King of Croatia and Dalmatia
Reign	1058–1074/5
Coronation	1059
Predecessor	Stephen I
Successor	Demetrius Zvonimir
Born	Venice ?
Died	1074/5
Burial	Church of St. Stephen, Solin
House	House of Trpimirović, House of Krešimirović
Father	Stephen I of Croatia
Mother	Joscella (Hicela) Orseolo
Religion	Roman Catholic

Peter Krešimir IV, called the Great (Croatian: Petar Krešimir IV. Veliki, Latin: Petrus Cresimir ) (died 1075), was King of Croatia and Dalmatia from 1059 to his death in 1074/5. He was the last great ruler of the Krešimirović branch of the House of Trpimirović.

Under his rule the Croatian realm reached its peak territorially, earning him the sobriquet "the Great", otherwise unique in Croatian history. He kept his seat at Nin and Biograd na Moru, however, the city of Šibenik holds a statue of him and is sometimes called Krešimir's city ("Krešimirov grad", in Croatian) because he is generally credited as the founder.

Peter Krešimir was born as one of two children to king Stephen I (Stjepan I) and his wife Hicela, daughter of the Venetian Doge Pietro II Orseolo.

Krešimir succeeded his father Stephen I upon his death in 1058 and was crowned the next year. It is not known where his coronation took place, but some historians suggest Biograd as a possibility.

From the outset, he continued the policies of his father, but was immediately requested in letter by Pope Nicholas II first in 1059. and then in 1060 to reform the Croatian church in accordance with the Roman rite. This was especially significant to the papacy in the aftermath of the Great Schism of 1054, when a papal ally in the Balkans was a necessity. This was in accordance with the visit of the papal legate Mainardius in 1060, Kresimir and the upper nobility lent their support to the pope and the church of Rome.