Ban Borić

BorićTemplate:Cref2 (Template:Floruit 1154–63) was the first known by name Ban of Bosnia,Template:Cref2 and progenitor of Boričević royal house. He was appointed Ban of Bosnia in 1154, during Byzantine-Hungarian conflicts, nominally a Hungarian vassal, he was last mentioned in 1163.

Rule

Borić is mentioned by Byzantine Greek historian John Kinnamos in his history book covering years 1118–1176, where he was referred as Hungarian ally, not a vassal as often considered by historiography.Template:Sfn The first certain mention regards 1154, when the Byzantine-Hungarian war was underway, with engagements in the Danube area. Hungarian king Géza II surrounded Byzantine-held Template:Ill (in Serbia) and devastated the surrounding area. Part of this Hungarian force was Hungarian vassal Borić, the ban of Bosnia, and a Bohemian detachment. Kinnamos described Borić as "exarch (governor) of the land/country of Bosnia". When the Hungarian force raised the siege of Braničevo and headed west for Belgrade, Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos sent a detachment to attack the Bosnian troops. However, that Byzantine detachment clashed with the main Hungarian force and was decisively defeated.

It is uncertain how and when Borić came to rule Bosnia. According to Vladimir Ćorović, he was not a native Bosnian; it is believed that his origins should have been trace in Slavonia, in the Grabarje area in župa Požega.Template:Sfn As Hungary became the overlord of Bosnia in the 1130s, and it has been claimed in historiography that Borić was appointed governor in Bosnia as a Hungarian vassal, and was obliged to participate in the march on Braničevo. However, currently it is believed that he was an ally of the Hungarians not a vassal.Template:Sfn

Later years

There is no mention of Borić until 1163, by which time Géza II was deceased (31 May 1162Template:Sfn) and there was a civil war in Hungary regarding the inheritance of the throne – Géza's brothers Ladislaus and Stephen IV rose up against crowned heir Stephen III.Template:Sfn Ladislaus managed to gain the throne, but he died shortly afterwards (14 January 1163Template:Sfn), upon which Stephen IV took it with Byzantine help.Template:Sfn Borić supported Stephen IV, presumably due to assurance that Stephen IV would, as a Byzantine protege, stand.Template:Sfn In 1163 at Esztergom, Stephen IV issued a charter in which he confirmed ban Beloš's decision that the Dubrava forest belongs to the Bishopric of Zagreb; among witnesses were Borić, listed after Beloš, a Hungarian court member and palatine, and before other counts.Template:Sfn Also, with the permit of Stephen IV, Borić in 1162–63 gifted the village of Zdelje (Esdel) to the Templars in Slavonia, later confirmed by kings Béla III and Andrew II (in 1209), as part of further gifts of his descendants.Template:Sfn

In 1163, the intended heir Stephen III defeated Stephen IV and eventually plead to Byzantium.Template:Sfn The new king then chased after Stephen IV's supporters–and his enemies–including ban Borić.Template:Sfn Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum (ca. 1282–85) says that a "miles (soldier) Gotfridus" went after the lord of Bosnia, whom he defeated, on the order of the Hungarian king.Template:Sfn After this, mentions of Borić in Bosnia disappear.Template:Sfn From ca. 1166, Bosnia was a Byzantine province.Template:Sfn

Legacy

Borić's descendants are sometimes referred to as the Boričević. He had sons, Borić and Pavao, and his grandsons were called Odola, Čelk and Borić.Template:SfnTemplate:Cref2 The extended family also included Detmar and Benedikt (also called Borić).Template:Sfn In the 13th century his descendants had possessions on both sides of the river Sava, in the eastern and western parts of what is now the Požega County.Template:Sfn

An undated charter of Borić to the Benedictine monastery on Lokrum was proven to be a forgery from the 13th century.Template:Sfn

See also

• Banate of Bosnia

Sources and further reading

Books

Journals