Vuissasclavus (Latin), transliterated Višeslav (Croatian), was a duke (; ) who is believed to have ruled somewhere in or near

Duchy of Croatia The Duchy of Croatia (Modern ; also Duchy of the Croats, Modern ; ; ) was a medieval state that was established by White Croats who migrated into the area of the former Roman province of Dalmatia 7th century AD. Throughout its existence the Duch ...

in the 9th century. Višeslav's name is known from an inscription left on the Baptismal font of Prince Višeslav, surviving to this day. The font is considered a symbol of early Croatian history and the people's conversion to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. The inscription is in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

and mentions the name of a priest named John (''Ivan'') who baptized people during "the time of Duke Višeslav" in the honor of

John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

. Historians have been making numerous attempts to date the reign of Višeslav, and to locate his domain geographically, and older Croatian historiography has many claims about this, but there is no present-day consensus about where or when he ruled beyond a Slavic group Christianized by the Carolingians in the early or mid-late 9th century. He has also been identified with the late 8th century duke Višeslav/Vojislav of Serbia ( 780), a late 9th century duke Višeslav ( 870–900) who was father of

Michael of Zahumlje Michael of Zahumlje (reign usually dated c. 910–935), also known as Michael Višević (Serbo-Croatian: ''Mihailo Višević'', Serbian Cyrillic: Михаило Вишевић) or rarely as Michael Vuševukčić,Mihanovich, ''The Croatian nation i ...

(''

floruit ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...

'' c. 910–935), or was the unnamed son (876–878) of the Croatian duke Domagoj (864–876).

References

{{Dukes of Croatia (dux Croatorum) Dukes of Croatia 9th-century dukes in Europe Christian monarchs 9th-century Croatian people Year of birth unknown Slavic warriors