Bosnia (early medieval polity)

The early Bosnia, according to Vego and Mrgić, as well as Hadžijahić and Anđelić, was situated, broadly, around the Bosna river, between its upper and the middle course: in the south to north direction between the line formed by its source and the Prača river in the south, and the line formed by the Drinjača river and the Krivaja river (from Olovo, downstream to town of Maglaj), and Vlašić mountain in the north, and in the west to east direction between the Rama-Vrbas line stretching from the Neretva to Pliva in the west, and the Drina in the east, which is a wider area of central and eastern modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina.[5][6][4]

Confirmation of its emergence and territorial distribution comes from historiographical interpretation of Bar's Chronicle in modern and post-modern scholarship, which situate the state around the Upper Bosna river and the Upper Vrbas river, including Uskoplje, Pliva and Luka.[4] This also suggest that this distribution from the Bosna river valley into the Vrbas river valley is the earliest recorded. These three small parishes will later become a quintessence for emergence of Donji Kraji county, before they were reclaimed as Kotromanić's demesne, after 1416 and death of Hrvoje Vukčić.[5][6][4]

The western Balkans had been reconquered from "barbarians" by Byzantine Emperor Justinian (r. 527–565). Sclaveni (Slavs) raided the western Balkans, including Bosnia, in the 6th century.[7] The De Administrando Imperio (DAI; 949-960) mentions Bosnia (Βοσωνα/Bosona) as a "small/little land" (or "small country",[8] χοριον Βοσωνα/horion Bosona),[9] in the upper course of Bosna river, settled by Slavs who in time created their own unit with a ruler calling himself a Bosnian.[10][11][12][13]

As for the question of whether the inhabitants of Bosnia were really Croat or really Serb in 1180, it cannot be answered, for two reasons: first, because we lack evidence, and secondly, because the question lacks meaning. We can say that the majority of the Bosnian territory was probably occupied by Croats – or at least, by Slavs under Croat rule – in the seventh century; but that is a tribal label which has little or no meaning five centuries later. The Bosnians were generally closer to the Croats in their religious and political history; but to apply the modern notion of Croat identity (something constructed in recent centuries out of religion, history, and language) to anyone in this period would be an anachronism. All that one can sensibly say about the ethnic identity of the Bosnians is this: they were the Slavs who lived in Bosnia.[14][15]

Also, Serbs settled in south, in Zahumlje and Travunija (south-east in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina);[16] it was referred to only once, at the end of the 32nd chapter on the Serbs (a chapter overall drawn from older writings).[8] This is the first mention of a Bosnian entity; at the time it was a geographic, not a national, entity.[8] In the Early Middle Ages, Fine, Jr. believes that what is today western Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Croatia, while the east was Serbian,[17] although, the harsh and usually inaccessible elevated terrains of Upper Bosnia was most likely never under direct control of either of the two Slavic states, but more under its own political rule. This claim is reinforced by the Byzantine writer Cinnamus, who wrote:

..the river Drina which has its source somewhere in the upper lands, separates Bosnia from Serbia, Bosnia, isn't subordinated to the Serb ruler, instead the people in it have a special way of life and governance.[18]

Historical and archaeological information on early medieval Bosnia is inadequate.[19] Bosnia included two inhabited towns[20] according to DAI, Katera and Desnik.[21] Katera has been identified as Kotorac near Sarajevo, however, according to Bulić 2013 archaeology refutes this; it may have been Kotor Varoš (the site of Bobac or Bobos), although it only includes late medieval findings to date.[20] Desnik remains unidentified, but was thought to be near Dešanj.[20] If DAI's kastra oikoumena does not designate inhabited towns, but ecclesiastical centres (as theorized by Tibor Živković), the towns might be Bistua (Zenica or Vitez) and Martar (probably Konjic).[20]
Expert historians have established that the medieval Bosnian polity stretched from the Sarajevo field in the south to the Zenica field in the north, the eastern boundary being the Prača valley towards the Drina, the western along the Lepenica and Lašva valleys.[8] Nucleus where first state had developed is believed to be in Visoko valley.[22][23] .

After the death of Serbian ruler that conquered territories Časlav (r. ca. 927–960), land of Bosnia detached from the Serbian state, together with Raška, Travunija, Zahumlje and Paganija, became politically separated.[4][24] Bulgaria briefly subjugated Bosnia at the turn of the 10th century, after which followed period of Byzantine rule.[24] In the 11th century, Bosnia was briefly part of the state of Duklja (predecessor of Montenegro).[24]

At the end of 12th century, the Banate of Bosnia emerged under its first ruler Ban Borić. After Ban Kulin Bosnia was by practical means an independent state, but that was constantly challenged by Hungarian kings who tried to reestablish its authority.[25]