Stephen Držislav

Stephen Držislav (Stjepan Držislav, 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.

Early period
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.

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. In an effort to compensate and award Držislav for his alliance, the Eastern Roman Emperor between 986 and 990 named Stephen Držislav Patriarch and an Exarch of Dalmatia, which gave him formal authority over the Theme of Dalmatia (but some historians believe not over the Dalmatian city-states). 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 and his descendants having the same titles.

Rule
The 13th-century work Historia Salonitana by Thomas the Archdeacon notes that Zachlumia (or Chulmie) was a part of the Kingdom of Croatia, before and after Stephen Držislav.

During his rule Godemir was Ban of Croatia.

Before the end of his reign, Stephen Držislav as dux magnus gave Svetoslav, his oldest son, the title of dux Hroatorum and Svetoslav became his co-ruler. Stone panels from the altar of a 10th-century church in Knin, reveal the following inscription in Latin: CLV DUX HROATOR IN TE PUS D IRZISCLV DUCE MAGNU. In English, this means: Svetoslav, Duke of the Croats at the time of Drzislav the Great Duke (dux magnis). The stone panels are kept at the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split.

In 996, Venetian Doge Pietro II Orseolo stopped paying tax for safe passage to the Croatian King after a century of peace, renewing old hostilities. Stephen Držislav, together with the Neretvians, possibly fought the Venetian fleet led by Badorai Bragadin at Vis, but with little success. Some historians argue that the Venetians attacked in that year because Držislav already died hence dating his death to 996 instead of 997.

Držislav's rule was one of the longest of Kings in Croatia, spanning nearly three decades. In addition to Svetoslav, he had two other sons, Krešimir, and Gojslav, and all three of them were to hold the title of King of Croatia over the following decades.

Croatian checkerboard legend
According to a legend and folk tradition, it is said that he was captured by the Venetians and played a chess match against Doge Pietro II Orseolo. He won all 3 matches and gained freedom, later incorporating the red checkerboard into the Croatian coat of arms.