Strojimir ( sr-cyr, Стројимир; gr, Στροἠμιρ, Στροἠμηρος) was the co-ruler of the Serbian Principality alongside his two brothers Mutimir and

Gojnik Gojnik Vlastimirović or Gojnik of Serbia ( sr, Гојник, la, Goinicus) was a Serbian Župan who was subject to his elder brother Mutimir, the Grand Župan of the Serbian lands ( Rascia) from ca. 850-860 with his brother Strojimir. He wa ...

, from ca 851 to his and Gojnik's deposition in the 880s after an unsuccessful coup against the eldest Prince Mutimir (r. 851-891). He was a younger son of

Vlastimir Vlastimir ( sr-cyrl, Властимир, ; c. 805 – 851) was the Serbian prince from c. 830 until c. 851. Little is known of his reign. He held Serbia during the growing threat posed by the neighbouring, hitherto peaceful, First Bulgarian Empi ...

, who ruled in 836–851. Strojimir, together with his brothers

and Mutimir, defeated the Bulgarian Army sent by

Boris I Boris I, also known as Boris-Mihail (Michael) and ''Bogoris'' ( cu, Борисъ А҃ / Борисъ-Михаилъ bg, Борис I / Борис-Михаил; died 2 May 907), was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire in 852–889. At ...

, led by his son Vladimir, who, together with 12

boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgaria, Russia, Wallachia and Moldavia, and later Romania, Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. Boyars were ...

s was captured by the Serb Army. Peace was subsequently agreed and the two sons of Mutimir; Pribislav and Stefan Mutimirović escorted prisoners towards the border at Rasa. There Boris gave them rich gifts and was given 2

slave Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

s, 2

falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

s, two dogs, and 80 furs by Mutimir. After power struggle between the younger brothers and Mutimir, he and Gojnik was captured and sent as prisoners to Bulgarian Khan

in 855–856, as a token of peace-agreement, they both lost their titles as ''Princes of Serbia'' and were held at Pliska, the Bulgarian capital. Strojimir was treated well by the Bulgarians, Khan Boris himself chose the wife of Klonimir, the son of Strojimir.

The Seal of Strojimir

On July 11, 2006, the Serbian government bought a Byzantine-styled seal in solid gold weighing 15,64 g, most likely belonging to Strojimir (Klonimir's father), at an auction in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...

. It was presumably crafted outside Byzantium, and has a Greek inscription (KE BOIΘ CTPOHMIP, "''God Help Strojimir''") and a patriarchal cross in the centre. It most likely dates to the second half of the 9th century, between 855/56 and 896, when Klonimir tried to take the Serbian throne.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Steven Runciman, A History of the First Bulgarian Empire, London 1930.
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Strojimir 9th-century Serbian royalty Vlastimirović dynasty Serbian exiles People of the Bulgarian–Serbian Wars Medieval Serbian princes 9th-century births 9th-century deaths Medieval Serbian military leaders Slavic warriors