Ljutovid of Zahumlje

Ljutovid (Љутовид) was an independent local Slavic chieftain and ruler of Zahumlje with a title of knez. This region included parts of present-day western Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina and southern Croatia along the coast. Ljutovid flourished in the middle of the 11th century as a vassal of the Byzantine Empire.

As the local Slavic ruler of Zahumlje, and recipient of Byzantine ranks and titles, in July 1039 was styled as "protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou, hypatos, strategos of Serbia and Zahumlje", and claimed supremacy in military ranks not only in his local domain but also to entire Serbia. This could suggests Emperor Michael IV, also granted him nominal right over neighbouring lands, including Serbia.

Depending on different narratives by 11th century John Skylitzes and 14th century Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, in 1042 new emperor ordered Michael the governor of Dyrrhachium to gather a big army, and were sent piles of imperial gold and silver to the Župan of Rascia (Serbia), Ban of Bosnia and Ljutovid of Zahumlje to do the same as support to overthrow Stefan Vojislav of Duklja. This was because previously Vojislav denounced emperor's authority by stealing gold and attacking lands under Byzantine allies. In the same year of 1043, Michael, or Curcilius and Ljutovid, led the army of the allied force against Duklja but they were disastrously ambushed in the Triballos mountains (possibly Klobuk hill ), with Ljutovid having a duel with Vojislav's son Gojislav. Vojislav went on to pursue and annex lands of Zahumlje, Travunia and Dyrrhachium.

There exist several documents (possibly forged, but recent research approves their authenticity), one with two variants dated 1039 and 1151, and third a transcript by duke Desa. In them is confirmed his title as "protospatarius epi to chrusotriclinio, ypatus et strategos Servie et Zachlumie" According to them Ljutovid awarded the monastery on Lokrum with Babino Polje on the island of Mljet (modern Croatia). According to it, Protospatar Ljutovit declared that no one, neither Ragusan, nor citizen of Ston, neither Latin, nor Slav, could impede the donation.