Hrvati između Franaka i Bizanta

From the time of their settlement, Slavs in Dalmatia were subjects of the Byzantine empire. The Frankish-Byzantine war at the begining of the ninth century meant a change, bringing a large part of Dalmatia under Frankish rule. These lands had been first put under control of the marchgrave Qf Friuli, and after 828 were subdued directly to the kingdom of Italy. The weakening of Frankish control enabled the Croats to gain an almost independant position. Attempts made by emperor Basil I to regain control over Croatia prooved to be unsuccessful. After 888 Croatia became even formally independent. This was followed by efforts of Croatian rulers and bishops to reunite the Church of Dalmatia and Croatia. The goal was achieved in 928 by sacrificeing the Croatian bishopric. Towards the end of the century relations to Byzantium were intensified and finally Stephen I Držislav was crowned king of Croatia and Dalmatia with a crown given to him by the Byzantine emperor