in 1069, he had the byzantine empire recognize him as supreme ruler of the parts of dalmatia byzantium had controlled since the croatian dynastic struggle of 997. at the time, the empire was at war both with the seljuk turks in asia and the normans in southern italy, so krešimir took the opportunity and, avoiding an imperial nomination as proconsul or eparch, consolidated his holdings as the "regnum dalmatiae et chroatia". this was not a formal title, but it designated a unified political-administrative territory, which had been the chief desire of the croatian kings.