List of rulers of Croatia

This is a complete list of rulers of Croatia under domestic ethnic and elected dynasties during the Croatian Kingdom (925–1918). This article follows the monarch's title number according to Hungarian succession for convenience. For example, the Hungarian monarch Béla IV is according to Croatian succession correctly titled Béla III. This is because Hungarians had a king named Béla prior to the incorporation of Croatia under the Hungarian Crown but the Croats did not.
Early history.
The details of the arrival of the Croats are scarcely documented. Around 626, Croats migrated from White Croatia (around what is now Galicia) at the invitation of Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. According to a legend recorded in "De Administrando Imperio", the Croats came to their present region under the leadership of five brothers called Kloukas, Lobelos, Kosentzis, Mouchlo, Chrobatos and two sisters called Touga and Bouga.
It is theorized that one of the brothers called Chrobatos ("Hrvat") gave the name for Croats ("Hrvati") as a whole, although mainstream historians dismiss this as not verifiable. The Croats started gradually converting to Christianity under the rule of Porga in the 7th century.
Dukes of Lower Pannonia (7th century–896).
The areas of modern-day Croatia located in the Pannonian plain had also been settled by Slavic tribes in the early Middle Ages, and history recorded some of their rulers.
Dukes of Croatia (7th century–925).
Slavic tribes known as the Croats migrated to areas of present-day Croatia in the 7th century, and their rulers started to be recorded in historical records in the late 7th century.
Kings of Croatia (925–1102).
In his letter from 925, Pope John X refers to Tomislav I as "Rex Chroatorum" (King of the Croats). All Croatian rulers after Tomislav held the title of king.
Hungarian kings of Croatia (1102–1527).
From 1102, the reigning King of Hungary is also the ruler of the Kingdom of Croatia in agreement with the Croatian nobles. Croatia is governed on his behalf by a viceroy ("ban") and a parliament ("sabor").
Under the Habsburgs (1527–1918).
On 1 January 1527, the Croatian Parliament met in Cetin to elect Ferdinand I of Habsburg as the new King of Croatia.
Kings of Yugoslavia (1918–1941).
After the World War I and the breakup of Austria-Hungary, Croatia joined a newly formed State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. Following a brief period of self-rule, that state became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes under the Karađorđević dynasty. The name of the kingdom was changed in 1929, amid unitarianist reforms, to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1941, Yugoslavia was occupied by the Axis powers along with the rest of Yugoslavia. The Axis set up the Independent State of Croatia as a puppet state, while many Croats fought for the Yugoslav Partisans.
King of the Independent State of Croatia (1941–1943).
During the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, a puppet state under Italian protection called the Independent State of Croatia was created, with Ante Pavelić as its leader. Soon after its creation, the state government passed three laws on the creation of the Crown of Zvonimir, which made the country "de jure" a kingdom. Three days later the Treaties of Rome were signed. The Italian Prince Aimone of Savoy-Aosta was designated King of Croatia. He abdicated in 1943.
"Duke of Croatia".
The title Duke of Croatia has been used widely: