
Kulin ( sh-Cyrl, Кулин; d. November 1204) was the
Ban of Bosnia from 1180 to 1204, first as a
vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...
of the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
and then of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
, although his state was de facto independent. Kulin was son of the first known ruler of Bosnia,
Ban Borić.
Kulin was one of Bosnia's most prominent and notable historic rulers and had a great effect on the development of early Bosnian history. One of his most noteworthy diplomatic achievements is widely considered to have been the signing of the
Charter of Ban Kulin, which encouraged trade and established peaceful relations between Dubrovnik and his realm of Bosnia. His son,
Stephen Kulinić succeeded him as Bosnian Ban. Kulin founded the
House of Kulinić.
Early life
Kulin's sister was married to
Miroslav of Hum, the brother of Serbian Grand Prince
Stefan Nemanja (r. 1166–1196).
He belonged to the Bosnian nobility and was brought to the throne when the
Byzantine Emperor
The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos (; 28 November 1118 – 24 September 1180), Latinized as Comnenus, also called Porphyrogenitus (; " born in the purple"), was a Byzantine emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history o ...
(1143–1180) was the overlord of Bosnia.
In 1180, when Komnenos died, Stefan Nemanja and Kulin asserted independence of Serbia and Bosnia, respectively.
Reign
His rule is often remembered as being emblematic of Bosnia's golden age, and he is a common hero of Bosnian national folk tales. Under him, the "Bosnian Age of Peace and Prosperity" would come to exist. Bosnia was completely autonomous and mostly at peace during his rule.
War against Byzantium
In 1183, Kulin Ban led his troops with the forces of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
under King Béla and the Serbs under Stefan Nemanja, who had just
launched an attack on the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
. The cause of the war was Hungary's non-recognition of the new emperor,
Andronikos Komnenos. The united forces met little resistance in the eastern Serbian lands – the Byzantine squadrons were fighting among themselves as the local Byzantine commanders Alexios Brannes supported the new Emperor, while Andronikos Lapardes opposed him – and deserted the Imperial Army, going onto adventures on his own. Without difficulties, the Byzantines were pushed out of the
Morava Valley and the allied forces breached all the way to
Sofia
Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...
, raiding
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
,
Braničevo,
Ravno,
Niš
Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
and Sofia itself.
Heresy
In 1199, Serbian prince
Vukan Nemanjić informed the Pope, Innocent, of
heresy
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy.
Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...
in Bosnia. Vukan claimed that Kulin, a heretic, had welcomed the heretics whom
Bernard of Split had banished, and treated them as Christians. In 1200, the Pope wrote a letter to Kulin's suzerain, the Hungarian
King Emeric, warning him that "no small number of Patarenes" had gone from
Split and
Trogir to Ban Kulin where they were warmly welcomed, and told him to "Go and ascertain the truth of these reports and if Kulin is unwilling to recant, drive him from your lands and confiscate his property". Kulin replied to the Pope that he did not regard the immigrants as heretics, but as Catholics, and that he was sending a few of them to Rome for examination, and also invited that a Papal representative be sent to investigate. Unconvinced, the Pope sent his legates to Bosnia to interrogate Kulin and his subjects about religion and life, and if indeed heretical, correct the situation through a prepared constitution. The Pope wrote to Bernard in 1202 that "a multitude of people in Bosnia are suspected of the damnable heresy of the Cathars." The two legates sent by the Pope went through the country of Bosnia and interrogated the clergy.
Bilino Polje abjuration
Not only did Casamaris listen to his informants' answers, but where they were in error, he would have taught them correct doctrine, in line with Innocent's directive. John must have convinced himself that he had fulfilled Innocent's command to correct the krstjani, because the "Confessio" (
Abjuration) signed at
Bilino Polje by seven
priors of the Krstjani church on 8 April 1203, makes no mention of errors. The same document was brought to Budapest, 30 April by Casamaris and Kulin and two abbots, where it was examined by the Hungarian King and the high clergy. Kulin's son.
Charter of Ban Kulin
The Charter of Ban Kulin was a trade agreement between Bosnia and the
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, was an maritime republics, aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (''Ragusa'' in Italian and Latin; ''Raguxa'' in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost ...
that effectively regulated Ragusan trade rights in Bosnia written on 29 August 1189. It is one of the oldest written state documents in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
and is among the oldest historical documents written in Bosnian Cyrillic. The charter is of great significance in national pride and historical heritage of Bosnia.
Death
After his death in 1204, Ban Kulin was succeeded to the Bosnian throne by
Stjepan, ban of Bosnia, often deemed his son.
Marriage and children
Kulin married Vojislava,
with whom he had two sons:
*
Stephen Kulinić, the following
Ban of Bosnia
*A son that went with the Pope's emissaries in 1203 to explain heresy accusations against Kulin
Legacy and folklore
As a founder of first de facto independent Bosnian state, Kulin was and still is highly regarded among Bosnians.
Even today Kulin's era is regarded as one of the most prosperous historical eras, not just for Bosnian medieval state and its feudal lords, but for the common people as well, whose lasting memory of those times is kept in Bosnian folklore, like an old folk proverb with significant meaning: ''"Od kulina Bana i dobrijeh dana"'' ("").
Accordingly, in today's Bosnia and Herzegovina, many streets and town squares, as well as cultural institutions, and non-governmental organizations, bear Kulin's name, while numerous culturally significant events, manifestation, festivals and anniversaries are held in celebration of his life and deeds.
See also
*
Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Middle Ages
*
List of rulers of Bosnia
References
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kulin, Ban
Bans of Bosnia
12th-century births
Year of birth uncertain
1204 deaths
12th-century monarchs in Europe
12th-century Bosnian people
13th-century Bosnian people
Kulinić dynasty
Bosnian monarchs
People of the Banate of Bosnia