Mladen III Šubić of Bribir

Mladen III Šubić (Croatian: Mladen III. Šubić) (c. 1315 – Trogir, 1 May 1348) 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 (clipeus Croatorum), according to the Latin epitaph in verse on his grave in Trogir.

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 (died c. 1378) 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.

• Catherine Dandolo the wife of Pavao III Šubić and relative of doge Andrea Dandolo wanted the fortress for Venetians
• Jelena Šubić (Nemanjić) (his wife-widow) wanted the fortress for her half-brother Dušan of Serbia
• Jelena Šubić (his sister) wanted the fortress for her son Tvrtko I of Bosnia.

After several diplomatic games and battles between the armies, Klis became again the city of king Louis I of Hungary (Ludovik I. Anžuvinac).

Mladen III Šubić was (probably oldest) 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.

• Mladen IV Šubić
• Katharina Šubić of Croatia (? –1358) who married Piast Duke of Legnica-Brzeg Bolesław III the Generous in 1326.

• Prince of Klis, Skradin and Omiš
• Marquis of Croatia (from 1348)