page_title: Peter Krešimir IV of Croatia
section_title: Relations with Byzantium and the Normans
hierarchical_section_title: Peter Krešimir IV of Croatia / Biography / Relations with Byzantium and the Normans
caption_attribution_description: Hrvatski: Odredba i potvrda kralja Petra Krešimira IV. o području Rapske biskupije (8. srpnja 1071. U Biogradu). HR-HDA-876-7. Hrvatski državni arhiv
context_page_description: Peter Krešimir IV, called the Great was King of Croatia and Dalmatia from 1059 until his death in 1074 or 1075. He was the last great ruler of the Krešimirović branch of the Trpimirović dynasty.
  Under Peter Krešimir IV, 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" because he is generally credited as the founder.
context_section_description: In 1069, he had the Byzantine Empire recognize him as supreme ruler of the parts of Dalmatia Byzantium had controlled since the Croatian dynastic struggle of 997. At the time, the empire was at war both with the Seljuk Turks in Asia and the Normans in southern Italy, so Krešimir took the opportunity and, avoiding an imperial nomination as proconsul or eparch, consolidated his holdings as the regnum Dalmatiae et Chroatia. This was not a formal title, but it designated a unified political-administrative territory, which had been the chief desire of the Croatian kings.
  During Krešimir's reign, the Normans from southern Italy  first became involved in Balkan politics and Krešimir soon came in contact with them. After the 1071 Battle of Manzikert, where the Seljuk Turks routed the Eastern Imperial army, the Diocleans, Serbs and other Slavs instigated a rebellion of boyars in Macedonia and in 1072, Krešimir is alleged to have lent his aid to this uprising. In 1075, the Normans under Peter II of Trani invaded the Dalmatian possessions of Croatia from southern Italy, most likely at the command of the Pope, who had been in a quarrel with the king of Croatia over papal politics towards his kingdom. During the invasion, the Norman count Amico of Giovinazzo besieged the island of Rab for almost a month (14 April to early May). He failed in his siege of Rab, but he managed to take the island of Cres on 9 May. It was during these clashes that the Croatian king himself was captured by Amico at an unidentified location. In return for liberation, he was forced to relinquish many cities, including both his capitals, as well as Zadar, Split, and Trogir. His followers, such as the Bishop of Cres, also collected a large ransom. However, he was not liberated. Over the next two years, the Republic of Venice expelled the Normans and secured the cities for themselves.
caption: Peter Krešimir IV's confirmation of donating land parcels to the diocese of Rab.[3]
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