page_title: Principality of Serbia (early medieval)
hierarchical_section_title: Principality of Serbia (early medieval)
caption_attribution_description: English: Sources: 1. P.M. Barford, The Early Slavs. Culture and Society in Early Medieval Eastern Europe, ISBN&#160;0-8014-3977-9 2. John Fine, Jr., The Early Medieval Balkans, ISBN&#160;0-472-08149-7 3. D. Hupchik, The Balkans. From Constantinople to Communism, ISBN&#160;1-4039-6417-4&#160;Invalid ISBN 4. H.E. Stier (dir.), Grosser Atlas zur Weltgeschichte, Westermann publ., Braunschweig 1985, ISBN&#160;3-14-100919-8, pp. 54-59. Borders were often fluctuant, and those represented here are based on discussions contained within the above books. Hxseek (talk) 03:42, 15 January 2009 (UTC)
context_page_description: The Principality of Serbia was one of the early medieval states of the Serbs, located in western regions of Southeastern Europe. It existed from the 8th century up to c. 969-971 and was ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty. Its first ruler known by name was Višeslav who started ruling around 780. In 822, the Serbs were said to rule the "greater part of Dalmatia", while by that time, starting from the year 681, the Bulgarian state had taken the lands to the east, preparing to conquer Serbia. Vlastimir defeated the Bulgarian army in a three-year-war, and the two powers lived in peace for some decades. Vlastimir's three sons succeeded in ruling Serbia together, although not for long; Serbia became a key part in the power struggle between the Byzantines and Bulgarians, which also resulted in major dynastic wars for a period of three decades. Central parts of the principality were shortly occupied by the Bulgarian army for three years, until Serbian prince Časlav was able to liberate the land and unite several Serbian regions, becoming the most powerful ruler of the Vlastimirović dynasty.
context_section_description: The Principality of Serbia (Serbian: Кнежевина Србија / Kneževina Srbija) was one of the early medieval states of the Serbs, located in western regions of Southeastern Europe. It existed from the 8th century up to c. 969-971 and was ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty. Its first ruler known by name was Višeslav who started ruling around 780. In 822, the Serbs were said to rule the "greater part of Dalmatia", while by that time, starting from the year 681, the Bulgarian state had taken the lands to the east, preparing to conquer Serbia. Vlastimir defeated the Bulgarian army in a three-year-war (839–842), and the two powers lived in peace for some decades. Vlastimir's three sons succeeded in ruling Serbia together, although not for long; Serbia became a key part in the power struggle between the Byzantines and Bulgarians (predominantly allied with the Byzantines), which also resulted in major dynastic wars for a period of three decades. Central parts of the principality were shortly occupied by the Bulgarian army for three years (924–927), until Serbian prince Časlav was able to liberate the land and unite several Serbian regions, becoming the most powerful ruler of the Vlastimirović dynasty. An important process during this period was the Christianization of the Serbs, the establishment of Christianity as state-religion c. 869, and the founding of the first Serbian eparchy (diocese), the Eparchy of Ras. The principality was annexed by the Byzantines in c. 969-971 and ruled as the Catepanate of Ras. The main information of the history of the principality and Vlastimirović dynasty are recorded in the contemporary historical work De Administrando Imperio (written c. 950–960).
caption: Serbia during the rule of prince Vlastimir is shown in brown on this map of Southeastern Europe in 850.
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