Michael of Zahumlje
ruler of Zahumlje
Years: 870 - 917
Michael of Zahumlje, also known as Michael Višević or rarely as Michael Vuševukčić, is an independent Slavic ruler of Zahumlje, in present-day western Herzegovina and southern Croatia, who flourishes in the early part of the 10th century.
A neighbor of the Kingdom of Croatia and Serbia as well as an ally of Bulgaria, he is nevertheless able to maintain independent rule throughout at least a good part of his reign.
Michael comes into territorial conflict with Petar of Serbia, who attempts to expand his power westwards.
To eliminate the threat, Michael warns his ally, the Bulgarian Tsar Simeon I, about the alliance between Peter and Symeon's enemy, the Byzantine Empire.
Symeon attacksSerbia and captures Peter, who later dies in prison.
Michael is mentioned together with Tomislav of Croatia in Pope John X's letter of 925.
In this same year, he participates in the first church councils in Split, something that some historians have taken as evidence of Zahumlje being a vassal of Croatia.
In any case, Michael, with grand titles of the Byzantine court as anthypatos and patrician (patrikios), remains ruler of Zahumlje through the 940s, while maintaining good relations with the Pope.
