Tomislav

This name derives from the Slavic “Tomislav (томислав),” composed of two Old Church Slavonic elements: “tomiti (томити)” (to torture) and “sláva ‎(сла́ва)” (glory, fame, renown, honor, repute, reputation). The name means “a strong man.” Tomislav was a ruler of Croatia in the Middle Ages. He reigned from around 910 until 928, first as a duke of the Duchy of Croatia, and then became the first king of the Croatian Kingdom by the year 925. At the time of his rule, Croatia forged an alliance with the Byzantines during their struggle with the Bulgarian Empire, with whom Croatia eventually went to war that culminated in the decisive Battle of the Bosnian Highlands in 926. To the north, there were often conflicts with the Principality of Hungary, Croatia managed to keep its borders and to some extent expand on the disintegrated Duchy of Pannonia.