Gradinja

Gradinja (fl. 1125–46) was the King of Duklja, from either 1131 to 1142 or 1135 to 1146. Gradinja is one of many persons (alongside Branislav, Gojislav, Georgije and Grubeša among others) mentioned only in the Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja (CPD), not found in Byzantine sources as the other Serbian rulers and royalty.^[1] Gradinja was the son of Dukljan ruler Branislav, and the brother of Grubeša, the former ruler (r. 1118–25).

Around 1125, Gradinja, the rival of George, married himself in Rascia (Grand Principality of Serbia), with the "intent of returning the rule", according to Mavro Orbini.^[2]

Following the second war with the Byzantines, in which King George was defeated and imprisoned in the stronghold of Oblik, the Byzantines appointed Gradinja as ruler of Duklja, to rule as a vassal. According to the CPD, Gradinja was gentle, tame, compassionate and a protector of the widows and the poor. Gradinja was a Byzantine exponent, however, the power and territorial extent of Duklja was, in the time of his reign, greatly decreased.

Gradinja was buried in the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Bojana.^[3] His son Radoslav inherited the throne in 1146.

Annotations

• Name: Gradihna (Градихна).

References

Sources

• John Van Antwerp Fine (1991). The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. University of Michigan Press. pp. 233–. ISBN 0-472-08149-7. 
• Florin Curta (31 August 2006). Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250. Cambridge University Press. pp. 339–. ISBN 978-0-521-81539-0. 
• Živković, Tibor (2008). Forging unity: The South Slavs between East and West 550-1150. Belgrade: The Institute of History, Čigoja štampa. 
• Konstantin Jireček (1967). Geschichte der Serben. Hakkert. 
• Vizantološki institut (2006). Recueil de travaux de l'Institut des études byzantines. Institut. 
• Младен Лесковац; Александар Форишковић; Чедомир Попов (2004). Српски биографски речник. 2. Будућност. p. 768. Градихна, дукљански краљ (?, друга половина XI в. — Дукља, после 1150) Познаје га само Летопис Попа Дукљанина, ко- ји у завршним поглављима описује борбе међу наследницима краља Бодина и потомцима њего- ...