Stephen Držislav (Croatian: Stjepan Držislav, Latin: Dircislauus, Dirscisclavus, Dirzisclavus, Dirzsci[s]clavus, Dirzislaus, Stefanus) was King of Croatia from AD 969 until his death around 997. He was a member of the Trpimirović dynasty, and in preserved documents and inscriptions held titles of reges (king), dux magnus, patriarch and eparchi.
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Biography
Rule
Stephen Držislav was a son of king Michael Krešimir II and Queen Helen of Zadar. His church name Stephen (Stefani regis) is mentioned on the epitaph of the Helen's sarcophagus with date 976. Helen acted as regent for the young king from 969 until her death on 8 October 976. As in the inscription his named as "Stephen (honorific)" he probably already by 976 received royal insignia.
During Byzantine emperor Basil II's war against Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria who in his conquest became neighbor of Croatia, Stephen Držislav actively allied with the Byzantines. After Basil managed to defend every single Adriatic coastal city during Samuil's rampage towards Zadar in 986, the cities were returned to Croatian control. According to Thomas the Archdeacon, Stephen Držislav received royal insignia and the titles as an act of recognition from the Byzantine Emperor, becoming reges Dalmatie et Chroatie with titles of patritii and eparchi, which gave him formal authority over the Theme of Dalmatia (but some historians believe not over the Dalmatian city-states), and his descendants having the same titles. Since his period, the official title of Croatian kings changed from gentile (king of Croats) to territorial (king of Croatia and Dalmatia).