Zahumlje

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Image:Principalities02.png Zahumlje, also known as the Land of Hum, was a medieval principality located in today's Herzegovina.

Earliest written mentions

De Administrando Imperio[1] states:

"From Ragusa begins the domain of the Zachlumi and stretches along as far as the river Orontius; and on the side of the coast it is neighbour to the Pagani, but on the side of the mountain country it is neighbour to the Croats on the north and to Serbia at the front."
"The Zahumljani (Zachlumoi) that now live there are Serbs, originating from the time of the prince (archont) who fled to emperor Heraclius"
"The land of the Zahumljani comprise the following cities: Ston (το Σταγνον), Mokriskik (το Μοκρισκικ), Josli (το Ιοσλε), Galumainik (το Γαλυμαενικ), Dobriskik (το Δοβρισκικ)"

Zahumlje then bordered the lands of Pagania (Paganoi) to the west and southwest, Travunia (Terbounia) to the east and southeast, and Serbia to the north.

The Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja mentions Zahumlje as a part of Red Croatia and states a source from 753, De Regno Sclavorum.

The book De Administrando Imperio from the 10th century, written by the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos, mentions the land of the Zachlumoi or Zahumlje as a one of the lands given to the Serbs that came unsatisfied from Servia in the Byzantine theme of Serbia (thema Servia) to inhabit in the first half of the 7th century.

Rulers of Zahumlje

Zahumlje entered into confederations with the Serb princes of Raška early on. The Serb prince Časlav Klonimirović of the House of Vlastimirović fully incorporated this area into his domain between AD 927 and 940.

In the 12th and 13th century, Zahumlje was ruled by the a dynasty of local rulers:

The recorded rulers of Zahumlje in the 14th century include:

  • Stephen Konstantin, Prince of Zahumlje, pretender to the Serbian throne in 1323.
  • Jovan Uglješa, a descendant of the Serbian House of Mrnjavčević governed Zahumlje from approx. 1370 until his death in 1404.
  • Sandalj Hranić Kosača, knez of Zahumlje and one of the Dukes of Saint Sava, rose to become became Grand Vojvoda of Bosnia until his death in 1435
  • Stefan Vukčić Kosača, Grand Vojvoda of Bosnia, a Knez of Zahumlje and Primorje until his death in 1466

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