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[[File:Balkans850.png|thumb|right|375px|'' Medieval Croatia (Map by Hxseek)'']]

[[File:Balkans850.png|thumb|right|375px|'' Medieval Croatia (Map by Hxseek)'']]

'''Medieval Croatia''' evolved from province of the old Roman Empire named Dalmatia. From 480 to 535 AD Roman Dalmatia was ruled by the Ostrogoths (a Germanic tribe related to the Goths). After the collapse of the Ostrogoth Kingdom it was divided between the '''Byzantine Empire''' (Eastern Roman Empire) and the Carolingian Empire - Franks (the old Roman neighbouring province of Pannonia was at one stage under the Avar<ref>"Avar, one of a people of undetermined origin and language, who, playing an important role in eastern Europe (6th–9th century)" '''referenced''' from: http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/45428/Avar The Slavs and Avar at one stage had a shared history.</ref>). Both the Byzantine Empire and the Carolingian Empire created their own Dalmatian Ducatus. The Dalmatian province had a Roman Latin-Illyrian population as well as Liburnians, Greeks, Guduscani<ref>[http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/guduscani self.gutenberg.org:] ''"It has been assumed, that they were part of the Vandals, Goths or Lombards."'' </ref> , Ostrogoths and the late arrivals, Slavs.

'''Medieval Croatia''' evolved from province of the old Roman Empire named Dalmatia. From 480 to 535 AD Roman Dalmatia was ruled by the Ostrogoths (a Germanic tribe related to the Goths). After the collapse of the Ostrogoth Kingdom it was divided between the '''Byzantine Empire''' (Eastern Roman Empire) and the Carolingian Empire - Franks (the old Roman neighbouring province of Pannonia was at one stage under the Avar<ref>"Avar, one of a people of undetermined origin and language, who, playing an important role in eastern Europe (6th–9th century)" '''referenced''' from: http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/45428/Avar The Slavs and Avar at one stage had a shared history.</ref>). Both the Byzantine Empire and the Carolingian Empire created their own Dalmatian Ducatus. The Dalmatian province had a Roman Latin-Illyrian population as well as Liburnians, Greeks, Guduscani<ref>[http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/guduscani self.gutenberg.org:] ''"It has been assumed, that they were part of the Vandals, Goths or Lombards."'' </ref> , Ostrogoths and the '''late arrivals''', Slavs.

With time one of the Slavic tribes <ref>The term ''Slav'' was first used by the Byzantines-Eastern Roman Empire (i.e. Procopius-Byzantine scholar, Jordanes- 6th century Roman bureaucrat) and was recorded in the 6th century (cia. 550) in [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] (Σκλαβῖνοι-Sklabenoi). Later in '''Latin''' it was written Sclaveni.</ref> within Dalmatian Ducatus of the Carolingian Empire became the political elite and the leaders (dux) of the province. The fore-mentioned Slavic political elite from the late 9th century onwards were referred to as Cruatorum. This was the first time that the [[Croatian Identity|Croatian identity]] (Hrvat) was used c. 880 AD.<ref>[http://mq.academia.edu/DanijelDzino/Papers/163667/Becoming_Slav_Becoming_Croat_New_approaches_in_research_of_identities_in_post-Roman_Illyricum Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat: New approaches in research of identities in post-Roman Illyricum] by Danijel Dzino

With time one of the Slavic tribes <ref>The term ''Slav'' was first used by the Byzantines-Eastern Roman Empire (i.e. Procopius-Byzantine scholar, Jordanes- 6th century Roman bureaucrat) and was recorded in the 6th century (cia. 550) in [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] (Σκλαβῖνοι-Sklabenoi). Later in '''Latin''' it was written Sclaveni.</ref> within Dalmatian Ducatus of the Carolingian Empire became the political elite and the leaders (dux) of the province. The fore-mentioned Slavic political elite from the late 9th century onwards were referred to as Cruatorum. This was the first time that the [[Croatian Identity|Croatian identity]] (Hrvat) was used c. 880 AD.<ref>[http://mq.academia.edu/DanijelDzino/Papers/163667/Becoming_Slav_Becoming_Croat_New_approaches_in_research_of_identities_in_post-Roman_Illyricum Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat: New approaches in research of identities in post-Roman Illyricum] by Danijel Dzino