Vlatko Vukoslavić

Vlatko Vukoslavić (before May 25, 1325 – after November 26, 1383) is apparently the eldest son of Prince Vukoslav Hrvatinić and grandson of Prince Hrvatin Stjepanić. Besides Vlatko, Prince Vukoslav had two more sons, Vuk and Pavle Vukoslavić. In historical sources, he appears for the first time together with his brothers in his father’s charter issued on May 25, 1325 in Ključ. Since he was the oldest of the brothers, he appeared on behalf of the Vukoslavić family in the demarcation with the Pavlović family, who were represented by Grgur Pavlović, whereby the Vukoslavić family got the county of Banica, while the Pavlović family got the county of Zemunik, as stated in the charter of Ban Stjepan II Kotromanić from 1351. Considering that both of them already controlled the territories mentioned, it was merely a formal act of demarcation that validated the situation on the ground. Here, we are referring to the division of noble families into smaller units, which was unavoidable even for the Hrvatinić kindred.

From the beginning of the reign of the young Ban Tvrtko I Kotromanić, several charters have been preserved that were issued to Vlatko Vukoslavić by members of the ruling dynasty, where he was guaranteed protection and security on the condition of faithful service. However, the position of Prince Vlatko deteriorated significantly in 1357 when his cousins Pavlovići – Grgur and Vladislav, sons of Prince Pavle Hrvatinić, abandoned the Bosnian ban and placed themselves under the rule of the Hungarian king Ludovic I, ceding the town of Greben to him. This action of Pavlović brothes disturbed Vlatko Vukoslavić, who worried that he might suffer certain consequences regarding the betrayal of his relatives. For this reason, Ban Tvrtko issued him a charter in 1357, where he was given guarantees that he would not suffer any consequences for the act of betrayal of other members of his family. Additionally, this charter served to support and encourage Prince Vukoslav and his son in maintaining their loyalty to the Bosnian dynasty.

Vlatko Vukoslavić shared possessions with his brothers Vuk and Pavle in the counties of Banica and Vrbanja. The town of Ključ, which was the seat of the county of Banica, came under his possession, and in the charter of Ban Tvrtko from 1354, it was stated that his house was also located there. Nevertheless, it is unknown which of the brothers ruled the town of Kotor in the county of Vrbanja.

Prince Vlatko Vukoslavić’s loyalty to the Kotromanić dynasty did not last long, but during the Hungarian attack on Bosnia in 1363, where Hrvatinićs’ possessions were also attacked, he switched over to the side of King Ludovic I and on that occasion ceded the town of Ključ to him in exchange for the town of Bršljanovac in Slavonia. This was the only success of the Hungarian army from 1363 in Bosnia, considering that the town of Sokol in Pliva county was defended by Prince Vukac Hrvatinić, the father of Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, and the army that had been sent to Usora to take over Srebrenik had also been defeated. After returning from a failed campaign, it is likely that the Hungarian king forced Prince Vlatko to hand over Ključ in exchange for Bršljanovac in northern Slavonia. Namely, a document that has been preserved was issued in the king’s camp on July 13, 1363 near the river Sana, which ordered the demarcation of the possessions in Slavonia that were supposed to belong to his new subject.

From the preserved documents, it is clear that Prince Vlatko Vukoslavić was not well received by the Slavonic nobles, who considered him a foreigner and thus regularly infringed on his rights and privileges. For this reason, on March 26, 1367, the Hungarian king Ludovic I ordered the Chapter in Čazma not to issue protest, investigative or other documents against him in the future, in the sense that he would be treated as a foreigner in that way. The overall impression of Prince Vlatko’s stay in Slavonia is that he was a local lord without significant influence. In historical sources, he was mentioned for the last time on September 26, 1383, after which all traces of him were lost. He left behind three sons: Vukoslav, Grgur and Nikola, who are known as Vlatkovići after their father. The rule of Vlatko Vukoslavić and his successors – Vlatkovići, over Bršljanovec lasted until 1391, when they lost their possession, only to manage to regain one third of it a little later. The family died out in 1475, leaving Sloboština and Mogor Castle behind.

Bibliography: 

  1. Ančić, Mladen: Putanja klatna; Ugarsko-hrvatsko kraljevstvo i Bosna u XIV stoljeću, Zavod za povijesne znanosti HAZU u Zadru – Ziral, Zadar-Mostar, 1997.  
  2. Ćirković, Sima: Istorija srednjovekovne bosanske države, SKZ, Beograd, 1964.
  3. Ćirković, Sima: “’Verna služba’ i ‘vjera gospodska’. Veze lične zavisnosti u bosanskoj državi” in:  Rabotnici, vojnici, duhovnici; Društva srednjovekovnog Balkana, Equilibrium, Beograd, 1997, 318-335.
  4. Ćošković, Pejo: “Hrvatinići (Horvatići, Stipančić Hrvatinić, Stipanići, Stjepanići), (velikaški rod)” in: Hrvatski biografski leksikon, V (Gn-H), Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža, Zagreb, 2002, 725-739.
  5. Engel, Pál: “Neki problemi bosansko-ugarskih odnosa”, Zbornik odsjeka za povijesne i društvene znanosti  HAZU 16, Zagreb, 1998, 57-72.
  6. Isailović, Neven: “Povelja kneza Vukoslava Hrvatinića kojom daje slobodu sinu Jurja Hranićevog i Marice”, Građa o prošlosti Bosne 10, Banja Luka, 2017, 69-89.
  7. Ječmenica, Dejan: “Povelja bana Tvrtka knezu Vlatku Vukoslaviću”, Građa o prošlosti Bosne 4, Banja Luka, 2011, 9-19.
  8. Mrgić-Radojčić, Jelena: “Povelja bana Stjepana II Kotromanića knezu Vuku i Pavlu Vukoslaviću”, Stari srpski arhiv 1, Laktaši, 2002, 79-92.
  9. Mrgić-Radojčić, Jelena: Donji Kraji. Krajina srednjovekovne Bosne, Filozofski fakultet u Beogradu-Filozofski fakultet u Banjaluci-Istorijski institut u Banjaluci, Beograd-Banja Luka, 2002.  
  10. Rudić, Srđan: “Povelja bana Tvrtka Kotromanića knezu Vlatku Vukoslaviću”, Stari srpski arhiv 2, Laktaši, 2003, 69-83.
  11. Smičiklas, Tadija: Codex diplomaticus regni Croatie, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, XIII, JAZU, Zagreb, 1915.
  12. Šišić, Ferdo: Vojvoda Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić i njegovo doba, MH, Zagreb, 1902.
  13. Thallόczy, Ljudevit: “Istraživanje o postanku bosanske banovine sa naročitim obzirom na povelje kӧrmendskog arkiva”, Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja 18, Sarajevo, 1906, 401-444.
  14. Thallóczy, Ludwig von: Studien zur geschichte Bosniens und Serbiens in mittelalter, Duncker&Humblot, München-Leipzig, 1914.  

The Hungarian National Archives in Budapest (Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár Országos Levéltára) in the so-called Pre-Mohács collection (Mohács Előtti Gyűjtemény) signatura Diplomatikai Levéltár (DL) 66502.

Source of signature: Isailović, Neven: “Povelja kneza Vukoslava Hrvatinića kojom daje slobodu sinu Jurja Hranićevog i Marice”, Građa o prošlosti Bosne 10, Banja Luka, 2017, p. 75.

The Hungarian National Archives in Budapest (Magyar Országos Levéltár), signature DL 56742.

Source of signature: Ječmenica, Dejan: “Povelja bana Tvrtka knezu Vlatku Vukoslaviću”, Građa o prošlosti Bosne 4, Banja Luka, 2011, p. 10.

The Hungarian National Archives in Budapest, signature D1 56 742

Source of signature: Rudić, Srđan: “Povelja bana Tvrtka Kotromanića knezu Vlatku Vukoslaviću”, Stari srpski arhiv 2, Laktaši, 2003, p. 70.