Stjepan II. Kotromanić (Srebrenik, 1292 - Bobovac, September 28, 1353) was Bosnian ban from 1314 to 1353. He built Bobovac, the most important and best-fortified town in medieval Bosnia, before the first half of the 14th century. He encouraged the exploitation of Bosnian iron, silver and copper mines and trade, especially with Dubrovnik. He was the first Bosnian ruler to mint his own money. In the beginning he was in the service of the Bosnian ban Mladin II. Bribirski. He then joined an alliance against Mladin II, who was defeated in 1322 with the help of the Venetians and the Croatian-Hungarian King Karl I. Robert. After that, Stjepan took power in Bosnia together with his brother Vladislav. Relying on the Angevins, he took advantage of the discord in Serbia after the death of King Milutin and occupied Soli, Usora, Završje, the coast between Neretva and Cetina and Hum, opening Bosnia's access to the sea. In 1333, he confirmed the possession of Ston and Pelješac to the people of Dubrovnik, who, in return, agreed to pay an annual fee. He ruled independently in Bosnia, as evidenced by the fact that Pope Ivan XXII. called him "the ruler of Bosnia" in one letter. During his reign, Catholicism strengthened in Bosnia, and the Franciscans expanded their activities by establishing a special vicarage in 1339. He was succeeded by his nephew Tvrtko I, who became the first Bosnian king. (Željka Šaravanja)
