Battle of Pantina

The Battle of Pantina was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Serbian Principality in 1167. It resulted in the crowning of Stefan Nemanja.

Background

Tihomir had Nemanja captured and chained after he had built monasteries without talking to Tihomir, the lands of Nemanja were seized but Nemanja's supporters conspired to the church that Tihomir had done all this because of his disapproval with the building of churches and thus became targeted by the clergy, something that would boost Nemanja's respect. Nemanja was later freed and regained rule some of his previous lands.

Stefan Nemanja successfully overthrowed Tihomir, who fled to the Byzantines with his brothers.

The battle

A Byzantine army was assembled for the Byzantine ally Tihomir, who came in from Skopje. The two armies collided at Pantina near Zvečan, present-day Kosovo. After a decisive battle, the Byzantine force was crushed and quickly began retreating. Tihomir drowned in the Sitnica river and Nemanja's remaining brothers were pardoned, recognizing Stefan as supreme ruler of Serbia, crowned as "Ruler of All Serbia".

Aftermath

The battle was decisive in the fact that it ensured the unity of all Serbian princes and their ultimate loyalty to Stefan Nemanja. This later paved the way for the consolidation of Serbia and its eventual formation into a kingdom.

References

• Fine, John Van Antwerp, The Late Medieval Balkans, (University of Michigan Press, 1987)