Medieval Dalmatian Principalities

Medieval Dalmatian Principalities

In the Early Middle Ages, following the Migration Period, South Slavs formed several small states in the southern part of the former Roman province of Dalmatia, encompassing the entire eastern Adriatic coast. Pagania or Narenta was a minor duchy between Cetina and Neretva. The territories of Zahumlje/Hum and Travunia probably spread much further inland and than the current Dalmatia does. Duklja began south of Dubrovnik/Ragusa and spread down to the Skadar Lake. All of these duchies were at the time self-ruled by their Slavic population that was, by religion, mixed pagan and Christian.

To the northwest, the Principality of Littoral Croatia controlled most of the northern part of former Roman Dalmatia, while the Principality of Serbia controlled the eastern, inland part. Duklja, Zahumlje and Travunia were collectively referred to as Red Croatia by De Regno Sclavorum from 753, found in the Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja from the late 12th century, while all four are referred to as Serbian lands, their people originating from White Serbia by De Administrando Imperio by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos from around 950.