Stjepan Kotromanić

ruler of Bosnia

Also known as: Stephen Kotromanić

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June 30, 2026

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Stjepan Kotromanić was the independent lord of Bosnia from 1322 to 1353. He expanded his territory southward, incorporating Hum (later Herzegovina) and the Adriatic coastline between Split and the Neretva River. His reign marked a period of growth and consolidation for Bosnia.1

Following Stjepan Kotromanić, his nephew Tvrtko I became ruler. Tvrtko I further expanded Bosnia's influence, claiming titles such as "king of the Serbs, of Bosnia, and of the coast" and later "king of Dalmatia and Croatia." Under his rule, Bosnia became the dominant power among the South Slavs in the late 14th century. However, after Tvrtko I's death, internal conflicts and external pressures from Hungary and the Ottoman Empire led to the decline and eventual incorporation of Bosnia into the Ottoman Empire in 1463.1

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Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ancient and medieval periods
1180–1204), Ban Stjepan (Stephen) Kotromanić (ruled 1322–53) of the Kotromanić dynasty, and Stjepan’s successor, King Tvrtko I (ruled 1353–91). Under Stjepan Kotromanić, Bosnia expanded southward, incorporating the principality of Hum (modern Herzegovina). During the reign of Tvrtko I, Bosnia reached farther south and acquired a portion…
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1180–1204), Ban Stjepan (Stephen) Kotromanić (ruled 1322–53) of the Kotromanić dynasty, and Stjepan’s successor, King Tvrtko I (ruled 1353–91). Under Stjepan Kotromanić, Bosnia expanded southward, incorporating the principality of Hum (modern Herzegovina). During the reign of Tvrtko I, Bosnia reached farther south and acquired a portion…
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Kotromanić Dynasty
His son Stephen Kotromanić became the independent lord of all Bosnia in 1322. Extending his domain southward, Stephen Kotromanić incorporated both the land of Hum (1325; later called Hercegovina) and the Adriatic coastline between Split and the Neretva River. Although challenged by Hungarian aggression and internal uprisings,…
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His son Stephen Kotromanić became the independent lord of all Bosnia in 1322. Extending his domain southward, Stephen Kotromanić incorporated both the land of Hum (1325; later called Hercegovina) and the Adriatic coastline between Split and the Neretva River. Although challenged by Hungarian aggression and internal uprisings,…
Read More