Stephen Držislav was a son of king Michael Krešimir II and Queen Helen of Zadar. Helen acted as regent for the young king from 969 until her death on 8 October 976. During Byzantine emperor Basil II's war against Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria, Stephen Držislav allied with the Byzantines. After Basil managed to defend every single Adriatic coastal city during Samuil's rampage towards Zadar in 986, the cities were returned to Croatian control. Samuil, however, invaded central Croatia and conquered the territories of Bosnia between the Drina and Bosna rivers. Samuil pursued some of his cousins during the war and they often sought help in Croatia. King Držislav took fourteen of them, gave them hospitality and a residence near Klis. According to Martin, the Archbishop of Split, in 994 they collected money for the construction of the Orthodox St. Michael church in Solin.