Tomislav became the Duke of Croatia around 910. It is not known who his parents were, but his predecessor, Muncimir, may have been his father. Muncimir may have been the son or grandson of an earlier Duke of Croatia, Trpimir, who ruled around 850. 1/10
The Duchy of Croatia was situated in the erstwhile Roman province of Dalmatia. It was the last province of the Roman Empire in the west holding out until its conquest by Odoacer in 480. Later, it fell under Avar influence, while Slavs also settled in the region. 2/10
Constantinople retained an influence in the region as well, while the Bulgars also attempted to intervene. By the end of the seventh century, the Avars had been vanquished by the Franks and Dalmatia sat in the junction of the Frankish, Byzantine and Bulgar empires. 3/10
Along with neighbouring Serbia and Duchy of Lower Pannonia, Croatia was the major Slavic state in the region. But Croatia often had to submit to Frankish or Byzantine powers, the major powers in the region. Access to the Adriatic helped developing the ports, thanks to trade. 4/10
In the late 9th century and early 10th century, Lower Pannonia was invaded by Hungarians. The duchy soon disintegrated, and many moved to Croatia. Tomislav was able to resist some of the invaders and in the process acquire parts of Lower Pannonia south of River Drava. 5/10
But he soon had to deal with a new foe. The Bulgars of Tsar Symeon invaded Croatia in 926. They had defeated both Constantinople and Serbia, annexing the latter and obtaining tribute from the former. But Tomislav was able to defeat the Bulgarian force led by Duke Alogobotur. 6/10
The two sides soon made peace, made easy with the Tsar's death in 927. A year later, Tomislav appears to have been succeeded by Tripimir as king. Just like his predecessor, Tomislav's connection with his successor is also uncertain. 7/10
The Kingdom of Croatia continued expanding and declining at times, but it reached its peak under Petar Krešimir who ruled from 1058 to 1075. Constantinople, however, had managed to hold on to some of the port cities, especially Ragusa (Dubrovnik). 8/10
In 1097, the Hungarian king Kálmán defeated Croatia at the Battle of Gvozd Mountains. By 1102, Croatia had been incorporated into Hungary, and the two continued to be ruled by the Hungarian king in union, though as separate kingdoms, until 1918 (For most part). 9/10
Ragusa, though, became an autonomous republic under Byzantine, Venetian, Hungarian, Ottoman and Habsburg overlordship at various times. It lost Neum to Ottoman Bosnia in 1699 and was conquered by France in 1808. In 1814, it became Habsburg territory, like Croatia. 10/10
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John de Balliol was born in 1250 to John de Balliol, Lord of the Barnard Castle, and Devorguilla of Galloway. John had three brothers, Hugh, Alan and Alexander and three sisters, Cecily, Ada and Alianore. 1/10
In 1234, Devorguilla's father had died leading to a division of Galloway amongst his three daughters, Elen, Devorguilla and Christian. The youngest, Christian, died in 1246 without an heir, while the Lordship of Galloway passed to Devorguilla and her husband. 2/10
Rhodri ap Merfyn was born around 820 to Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad and Nest ferch Cadell of Powys. Around the same time, Merfyn Frych became the king of Gwynedd, one of many kingdoms of Cymru also known as Wales. 1/10
Cymru had been conquered by the Romans in first century AD, but after their departure in fifth century, the British managed to recover much of the island. However, the arrival of the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes pushed them back again. 2/10
Ever since Imperator Caesar Augustus became the first citizen of the Roman Empire, many have sought to attain the imperial title. But there was one empire that lasted only a dozen years, only for someone to attempt to resurrect it 600 years later.
Story tomorrow ...
Our story begins in 843.
Three brothers had been fighting it out for three years to claim the Frankish Carolingian Empire for themselves and, in 843, they finally came to a truce in Verdun, where they decided to divide their father’s empire.
The imperial part was Middle Francia, which went to the eldest brother, Lothaire. It included the kingdoms of the Lombards and the Burgundians, Provence and the stretch from the Burgundian kingdom to the North Sea. 2/37
Charles de Bourgogne was born in 1433 to Philippe de Bourgogne, Duke of Burgundy, and Princess Isabel of Portugal. Along with the Duchy of Burgundy, Philippe de Bourgogne also ruled a number of provinces stretching from the North Sea to the Alps. 1/10
Charles was made Count of Charolais in 1433. He belonged to the House of Valois-Burgundy, which was a cadet branch of the French royal family. Over the past century, his family had accumulated territory along the border of France with its neighbour, the Holy Roman Empire. 2/10
Leopold von Habsburg was born in 1351 to Albrecht, Duke of Austria, and Jeanne, Countess of Ferrette. He was the third son of his father to live into adulthood and had a claim for both his parents' domains in the Holy Roman Empire. 1/10
The Habsburgs hailed from the Habsburg Castle in Aargau, in present day Switzerland. But the senior branch of the Habsburgs moved to Austria, soon after Leopold's great grandfather, Rudolf, was elected as king of Germany. 2/10