Petar Snačić

Background

The only reliable mention of Petar comes from the 13th century Hungarian chronicle Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum by Simon of Kéza. Probably ruling only central Croatia, it is unknown whether Petar was crowned king.

A note added in the 14th century to the Supetar Cartulary that a ban during the rule of King Zvonimir was a certain Petar from the Snačić family, is not considered reliable enough to identify King Petar with him. This is, however, usually done thanks to a misinterpretation by historian Franjo Rački, and both the name and identity of King Petar was accepted to be Petar Svačić or Snačić in the historiography and the public.

Ferdo Šišić's identification of Petar with Petar Slaven is also deemed unsuccessful. Petar Slaven was also a Ban of Croatia, son of Rusin and nephew of Slavac, who was also a pretender to the Croatian throne and titled as king, per Supetar Cartulary.

According to Croatian historian Mladen Ančić, all these personalities bearing the name of Petar most probably indicate the same person. Neven Budak considers that Petar was "previously possibly a ban from the genus Snačić".

Struggle for the succession

He assumed the throne amid deep tension throughout the Kingdom. His predecessor, Stephen II (1089–1091) died without leaving an heir, sparking a major political crisis. Jelena or Ilona, the widow of King Dmitar Zvonimir (1074–1089) supported her brother, King Ladislaus I of Hungary, in the inheritance of the throne of Croatia. Croatia was invaded in 1091 by Ladislaus I, encountering opposition only upon reaching the mountain Gvozd, where he successfully engaged in warfare with the local nobility, but only until Northern Dalmatia. Meanwhile, as a part of Croatia's dignitaries and clergy did not support Ladislaus' claim, they elected, or a Croatian nobleman self-proclaimed as a new king, first being dux Simeon, then king Slavac, and lastly king Petar.

Shortly after his army's success, Ladislaus died (1095), leaving his nephew Coloman to continue the campaign. In 1097, Petar departed from Knin to meet Coloman in battle, resulting in Coloman's victory and Petar's death. According to Pacta conventa, whose authenticity is debated, a historic settlement was subsequently reached by which the Croats agreed to recognize Coloman as king. In return, he promised to guarantee Croatia's self-governance under a ban (royal governor), and to respect all the rights, laws and privileges of the Croatian Kingdom. Petar was the last native king of Croatia, and the personal union with Kingdom of Hungary lasted until 1918.

References

title = King of Croatia | before=Álmos | after=Coloman | years=1093–1097 title=Ban of Croatia | before=Demetrius Zvonimir | after=Ugra | years=1075/1076–c.1089/1091

References

1. "Petar". [[Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography]].
2. Švob, Držislav. (1956). "Pripis Supetarskog kartulara o izboru starohrvatskog kralja i popis onodobnih banova". Školska Knjiga.
3. Fine, John V. A. (Jr.). (2010). "When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans: A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early-Modern Periods". University of Michigan Press.
4. Ančić, Mladen. (2002). "Kolomanov put (katalog izložbe)". Hrvatski povijesni muzej.
5. Budak, 2018, p. 285
6. Budak, 2018, p. 284–287
7. Budak, 2018, p. 288–290