Tomislav (910 - 928) Tomislav elevated Croatia to the highest
sphere of European politics. Successfully repelling two foreign
invasions in the 920s, Tomislav placed Croatia in a position of
unprecedented power. During his reign he assumed sovereignty
over the thema of Dalmatian towns; and advanced his title from
that of prince to king - the first Croatian ruler to do so.
Tomislav succeeded Prince Muncimir following his death in 910
and was crowned at Duvno (today's Tomislavgrad in Bosnia
Hercegovina). In 925 Pope John X gave his blessing to Tomislav,
as King of the Croats. In a well-preserved letter from this
time, the Pope referred to the Croats as "most special sons" of
the Holy Roman Church. Historians view these events as official
international recognition of Croatia as a Kingdom and its
subsequent inclusion in the highest tier of European diplomatic
circles. The rise of Tomislav attracted respect from many of his
contemporaries. Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus
described Tomislav's Kingdom a