Grdeša
12th century Slavic chieftain with a title župan of Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina
About Grdeša
Lived 1120 – 1180 (aged 59–60). Grdeša was a traditional leader or chief.
Grdeša (, ; 1150–51) or Grd was a local Slavic chieftain from the region surrounding Trebinje, who ruled the area with a title of župan. He was mentioned in 1150–51 as one of the military commanders in the army of Grand Prince Uroš II of Serbia.
It is believed that Grdeša was born around 1120. In 1150 he was one of the military commanders in the army of Uroš II of Serbia that fought the Byzantine Empire; the combined Serbo-Hungarian army suffered defeat at the Battle of Tara, where Grdeša and fellow Duke Vučina (Bучинa) where captured. It is assumed the prisoners were taken to Sredets, but were released in 1151. The death of Grd is placed in 1178 or around 1180. He had a son, župan Pribilša, who "died in the time of Stephen Vladislav I of Serbia".
His tomb (stećak) was found at the local community of Police in Trebinje. The tablet mentions him "in the days of Grand Prince Mihailo" as the župan of Trebinje, and also his brother župan Radomir (Радомир), and his family. The stećak is the oldest found and is currently held at the Museum of Herzegovina in Trebinje. A spur of his is in the collection of the National Museum in Sarajevo.
A charter, believed to be written in 1151, was found, and in it Desa, the younger brother of Uroš II, gifted the island of Mljet to the monastery of Saint Mary in Apulia, of which witnesses were "iupanus Gerdessa, Desimir, setnicus Rastessa, iupanos Grubessa, Petrus comes Raguseorum...".
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Grdeša's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Grdeša?
12th century Slavic chieftain with a title župan of Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina
When was Grdeša born?
Grdeša was born in 1120.
When did Grdeša die?
Grdeša died in 1180 in Trebinje.
What was Grdeša's occupation?
Grdeša was a traditional leader or chief.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Grdeša. https://biography.guide/grdesa/
MLA: "Grdeša." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/grdesa/.
Chicago: "Grdeša." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/grdesa/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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