Vojislavljević dynasty
| Vojislavljević | |
|---|---|
| Country |
Duklja/Doclea (modern Montenegro, Herzegovina, southernmost Dalmatia)
|
| Parent house | Possibly Vlastimirović dynasty |
| Titles |
|
| Founded | 1034 |
| Founder | Stefan Vojislav |
| Final ruler | Radoslav Gradišnić |
| Dissolution | 1186 |
| Ethnicity | Serb |
| Cadet branches | Vukanović dynasty |
Duklja/Doclea (modern Montenegro, Herzegovina, southernmost Dalmatia)
The Vojislavljević (Serbian: (pl.) Војислављевићи, Vojislavljevići) was a Serbian medieval dynasty, named after archon Stefan Vojislav, who wrestled the polities of Duklja, Travunia, Zahumlje, Rascia and Bosnia from the Byzantines in the mid-11th century. The main line of the Vojislavljević were ousted by their cadet branch, the Vukanović (which became the Nemanjić dynasty), in the late 12th century.
Stefan Vojislav, the progenitor of the dynasty, was a Serbian nobleman in Byzantine service who had the titles of archon, and toparch of the Dalmatian kastra of Zeta and Ston. In 1034 he led an unsuccessful revolt that resulted in his incarceration at Constantinople, he however, managed to escape and return, this time successfully gaining independence of his statelet, which he would rule as Prince of the Serbs, a title signifying supreme leadership among the Serbs. The contemporary writers call him a Serb, but do not mention his genealogy, while a later, dubious source, calls him a cousin to previous ruler Jovan Vladimir (r. 990–1016).
Mihailo I became Grand Prince around 1050/1055. He restored independence and maintained it from the Byzantine Empire. He sought closer relations with other great powers, such as the Pope and the Normans. Mihailo installed his son Petrislav as Prince of Rascia. After the aborted rebellion in Bulgaria, the military governor of Dyrrhachium, Nicephorus Bryennius, restored Byzantine rule to Rascia in 1073. Mihailo reportedly received royal insignia in 1077 from Pope Gregory VII, although this is still a matter of debate. An image of King Mihajlo with his crown is still found in the Church of St. Michael in Ston, a town in the Pelješac peninsula (in present-day Croatia). Mihajlo's rule ended in 1080.
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