The inscription of duke Branimir, c. 880

Branimir died in (892) was duke of the Dalmatian Croatia from 879 to 892. He was the first to be recognized by Pope John VIII as the Duke of the Croats (dux Chroatorum). This was one of the first recognitions of an independent Croatian state. Branimir inscription File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Branimir inscription File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see number 880. ... Events Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia,is deposed by the German Carolingian king Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia invades Great Moravia Duke Guido of Spoleto crowned Roman Emperor in April The former Silla general Gyeonhwon attacks the city of Gwangju and declares himself king. ... The term duke is a title of nobility which refers to the sovereign male ruler of a Continental European duchy, to a nobleman of the highest grade of the British peerage, or to the highest rank of nobility in various other European countries, including Portugal, Spain and France (in Italy... The Croatian people trace their origins to Slavic peoples which moved into the territory of the former Roman provinces Pannonia and Dalmatia between the 7th and 8th centuries. ... Events Wilfred the Hairy, Count of Barcelona, founded the benedictine monastery at Ripoll. ... Events Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia,is deposed by the German Carolingian king Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia invades Great Moravia Duke Guido of Spoleto crowned Roman Emperor in April The former Silla general Gyeonhwon attacks the city of Gwangju and declares himself king. ... John VIII was pope from 872 to 882. ...

Branimir come to the throne by overthrowing Zdeslav, who was a supporter of Byzantium. Approval from the Holy See was brought about by Branimir's own actions to bring the Croats further from the influence of Byzantium and closer to the Roman Catholic Church. Branimir wrote to John VIII affirming this split from Byzantine and commitment to the Roman papacy. Byzantine Empire (Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The Roman Catholic Church (commonly known as the Catholic Church) is the Christian Church which is led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ...

Branimir's reign was followed by duke Muncimir.

Currently, the Croatian government presents the Order of duke Branimir as one of its highest state honours.