Travunia

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Travunia in the 9th century, according to De administrando imperio

Travunia (also Travunja) was a medieval land located in today's eastern Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia, near Trebinje.

The book De Administrando Imperio from the 10th century, written by Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos, mentions the land of Terbounia or Travunia as a Serb tribe.

De Administrando Imperio[1] states:

"From the city of Decatera begins the domain of Terbounia and stretches along as far as Ragusa, and on the side of its mountain country it is neighbour to Serbia."

"Travunia (Terbounia) and Konavli are united. Its inhabitants originate from unchristened Serbs, who lived there since the archont that fled from unchristened Serbia to Emperor Heraclius and Serb archont Vlastimir

"The archonts of Travunia have always been subject to the archont of Serbia"

"Populated cities in Travunia and Konavli are: Travunia (ηε Τερβουνια), Vrm (το Ορμος), Risan (τα Ρισενα), Lukavete (το Λουκαβεται), Zetlivi (του Ζετλεβε)."

Travunia bordered Zahumlje to the west, the city of Ragusa or Dubrovnik to the southwest, Duklja to the south and Serbia to the north. Its coastline spanned from Dubrovnik to Boka Kotorska.

History

Travunia entered into confederations with the Serb princes of Raška early on. In the early 9th century, duke Vlastimir of Serbia married his daughter to duke Krajina, son of Beloje, the grand župan of Travunia.

The Serb prince Časlav Klonimirović of the House of Vlastimirović fully incorporated this area into his domain between 927 AD and and 940. After the death of Caslav in 960, Travunia was contested between Byzantium and Bulgaria. But by 968, it was violently conquered by the Croatian King Krešimir but it returned to the Serb princes of the House of Vojislavljević of Zeta by the middle of the 11th century and later to Serb princes of the House of Nemanjić of Raška.

The Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, a document from the 12th century, also mentions Travunia.

People, Religion and Culture

See: Duklja#People.2C_Religion_and_Culture

List of Rulers

• Beloje ca. 850
• Krajina
• Hvalimir
• Cucimir