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For other uses, see: Salan (disambiguation)

Voivodship (duchy) of Salan

Salan (in some sources also Zalan) was, according to the Gesta Hungarorum, a Bulgarian voivod (duke) who ruled in the territory of present-day Vojvodina region of Serbia in the 9th century. He ruled in the territory of Bačka, between Danube and Tisa rivers and capital city of his voivodship (duchy) was Titel.

He was a vassal of the Bulgarian tsar (Emperor), but it is not clear if he was of Bulgarian origin or from the local Slavic population. It is possible that he was descendant of Great Khan Krum, a Bulgarian ruler who conquered territory between Danube and Tisa.

His name might not be real. There is a theory that his name means "the salt man", so it could be a name given to him by the authors of the chronicles, describing the role he had: supplying salt for his suzerain (tsar Simeon the Great of Bulgaria).

At the time of Hungarian conquest (in 896), Bulgarian tsar Simeon came to the aid to voivod Salan and even the Byzantine Emperor sent auxiliary troops against the Hungarians. The Hungarians defeated the Bulgarians and the Byzantines in the early 10th century and the voivodship of Salan fell under Hungarian rule.

The main historical source about duke Salan is a historical chronicle known as Gesta Hungarorum, written by Peter, a high priest in Buda, during the time of Hungarian King Bela III in the late 12th century. The 10th century Lombard chronicler, Liudprand, also wrote about a Hungarian victory over the Bulgarians and the Byzantines in the early 10th century.

• Marko Jovanov, Devet vekova od pomena imena Titela, Titelski letopis, Titel, 2001.
• Dr Aleksa Ivić, Istorija Srba u Vojvodini, Novi Sad, 1929.
• Prof.dr Radmilo Petrović, Vojvodina, Beograd, 2003.

• Vojvodina
• History of Vojvodina
• Rulers of Vojvodina
• Bačka

• Gesta Hungarorum
• Gesta Hungarorum
• Duchy of Salan (map)