188 THE REPUBLIC OF RAGUSA
ful of them, thought more of occupying Dalmatia and Croatia than of strengthening his southern frontier. His enterprises were fairly prosperous; he succeeded in conquering the whole country from the Velebit mountains to Cattaro, Zara and Ragusa alone remaining true to Sigismund, while the three islands of Brazza, Curzola, and Lesina recognised the suzerainty of the Bosnian king (1390). He died in 1391, leaving Bosnia in such a position as she had never enjoyed before. But her power was not based on a solid foundation, and therefore short-lived, His brother, Stephen Dabisa, who succeeded him, soon lost the greater part of Dalmatia and Croatia.
   George II. Stracimirov Balsa, who now styled himself “ absolute lord of all the Zedda and of the coast,” and had established a brilliant court at Scutari,1 was equally unconscious of the danger, and thought only of capturing Cattaro. He began by occupying the Krivosije,2 and blocked all the roads leading into the town. Ragusa at the request of Cattaro acted as mediator, and peace was made, probably on an understanding on the part of the Cattarini that they would pay a tribute to George.3 Ragusa was beginning to be really alarmed at the progress of the Turks in Albania, and saw the necessity of allying herself with the other Dalmatian townships, “propter oppressionem Turcorum.” In 1390 the Senate had tried in vain to mediate between the King of Bosnia and Hungary, so as to end the war which was desolating the country,4 and now it made a proposal of this kind to
1 Gelcich, Balia, 140. 2 The mountainous region behind Cattaro.
   3	Lettere di Levante, 1403-1410, fol. 78; Gelcich, Balia, 162.
   4	Ref, in Dipl. Rag., Sept. 17, 1390, and Jan. 26, 1391.