Stephen II of Croatia

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Stephen II of Croatia, known as Stjepan II in Croatian, was the last native king who ruled the entire medieval Croatian Kingdom and the last of the Trpimirović dynasty. His father was Gojslav, brother of Peter Krešimir IV. He was duke around 1066, but in 1075 the people and the church chose Demetrius Zvonimir as king instead. Stephen then lived in the monastery of St Stephen Beneath the Pines near Split, saying illness forced him to give up his honors. After Zvonimir died in 1089, Stephen, though old and ill, was persuaded by the nobles and clergy to become king. His reign lasted less than two years, and he spent much of it in the monastery. He died in December 1090 or early 1091, without an heir. Jelena, Zvonimir’s widow, reportedly sought to have her brother, Ladislaus I of Hungary, inherit Croatia. War followed, with Petar Snačić elected king in 1093 to oppose Hungary. The fighting ended with the Battle of Gvozd Mountain in 1097, leading to a personal union of Croatia and Hungary in 1102 under King Coloman.