Mladen III Šubić


Mladen III Šubić was a member of the Croatian Šubić noble family, who ruled from Klis Fortress. He was in possession of Klis, Omiš and Skradin. He is also known as Shield of the Croats, according to the Latin epitaph in verse on his grave in Trogir.

Ruler

He formally succeeded his father upon his death, though the territories were initially controlled by his mother Lelka until he reached adulthood in 1332. She continued to have considerable influence on his politics afterwards. He successfully warred against the coalition of Dalmatian cities under Venice and the nobility under Duke of Knin, Ivan Nelipić, whom he defeated in 1335. He also strengthened his position by ousting opposition within his clan either through military or diplomatic means. He allowed his uncle Paul II to secede as the Prince of Ostrovica.
He was the famous Šubić from Klis, where he married his sister Jelena Šubić to Regent of Bosnia Vladislav Kotromanić. Jelena Šubić gave birth to the first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I. Regardless of the diplomatic and dynastic success, Mladen could not save Šubić family from its fall, because he was almost only one left to defend it. Before the death he married Serbian Jelena, half-sister of the Serbian ruler Dušan, but even this relationship couldn't help Šubić's family. Following the death od Ivan Nelipić, he became the principal opposition to the king in 1344.
He allied himself with the Republic of Venice and took the title of Marquess of Croatia, with the intention of overthrowing royal power of Louis I over rest of Croatia, but his preparations were halted. Duke Mladen III Šubić died on 1 May 1348, from the plague, and is buried in the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir.

The aftermath

After Mladen's death, a great political and military struggle for control over Klis Fortress arose.
After several diplomatic games and battles between the armies, Klis became again the city of king Louis I of Hungary.

Family connections

Mladen III Šubić was son of Juraj II Šubić and grandson of Pavao I Šubić Bribirski, who was the most powerful Croatian noble at the end of the thirteenth century and beginning of the fourteenth century.
Mladen III Šubić had two children.