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Republic of Poljica

January 01, 1970

The Republic of Poljica or duchy (Croatian: Poljička republika, in older form Poljička knežija) was an autonomous community which existed in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period in central Dalmatia, near modern-day Omiš, Croatia.

It was organized as a "peasants' republic" and is best known because of the Poljica Statute.

Etymology edit

The name poljica stems from the word polje for "field", karst polje in particular, a common geographic feature in the area. The Poljica region was first titled a "republic" by the Venetian writer Alberto Fortis in 1774. It was also known as Poglizza (in Italian).

Legal system edit

Poljica is best known for the eponymous statute from the 15th century. The oldest preserved revision is from 1440, it refers to an older one[1] and was further revised in 1485, 1515, 1665, and on several occasions up to the 19th century, growing to 116 articles. It is today kept in Omiš's museum. This document contains a description of the Poljica common law and its system of government, and is one of the most important Croatian historical legal statutes (together with the Vinodol codex of 1288), written in a mixture of Chakavian and Shtokavian dialects, and in Cyrillic (the name appears in the annex of the Statute of Poljica from 1655) (poljičica and poljička azbukvica).

One of the items of the Poljica Statute states that "everyone has the right to live", contrary to many mediaeval European laws replete with capital punishments including torture.

A number of other documents dated from the 12th to 17th century regarding the republic have been preserved, such as Poljički molitvenik (1614) and Statut poljičke bratovštine Sv.Kuzme i Damjana (1619).

Geography edit

The territories of the Republic of Poljica lay chiefly within the south-easterly curve made by the river Cetina before it enters the Adriatic at Omiš. They also comprised the fastnesses of the Mosor mountain (1,370 m or 4,500 feet) and the fertile strip of coast from Omiš to Stobreč, 16 km (10 mi) W.N.W.[2]

Poljica is divided into three zones: Upper Poljica (Zagorska), behind Mosor, is farthest from the Adriatic Sea and is in the hinterland of Mosor; Middle Poljica (Zavrska), the largest part of Poljica (50%) extends from the Žrnovnica River to the Cetina River at Zadvarje; Lower Poljica (Primorska), built on the remnants of the ancient Greek colony Eqetium, which extends along the sea from Omiš to the village of Stobreč.

History edit

The people of Poljica organized and founded the "parish commune" where they could live according to their own laws. The parish commune was divided into twelve villages (katuni), which they named after twelve larger villages of Poljica:

  • (Upper) Gornja Poljica: Srijane, Dolac Donji and Gornje Polje
  • (Middle) Sridnja Poljica: Kostanje, Zvečanje, Čišla, Gata, Dubrava, Sitno and Srinjine
  • (Lower) Donja Poljica: Duće, Jesenice and Podstrana

Five of the twelve villages were greatly populated by free peasants of Split origin, and are therefore called free peasant composite villages. The other composite villages were populated by descendants of the three brothers (noted to be founders of Poljica). Each of the twelve villages elected an elder, or little duke (knez), to serve as leader. The little dukes of free peasant composite villages did not share the same rights as little dukes of the other villages—they could vote, but not be elected to the government of Poljica due to their ties with Split.

The inhabitants lived in scattered villages, twelve of them, each ruled by its count, and all together ruled by the supreme count. These officers, with the three judges, were always of noble birth, though elected by the whole body of citizens. There were two orders of nobles:[2] but because both noble groups were Croats, and to distinguish them from the original nobles "didići", the later from mid-14th century got nickname "ugričići" after the assumption that they came from the areas under control of Kingdom of Hungary.[3] Didići according to legends are the descendants of three sons of King Miroslav of Croatia (each of them forming a tribe of Tišimiri, Limići and Kremenićani[4]), and were "koljenovići", as they had rights on lands ("didovina"). Vlastela could become the part of "poljički stol", but they needed the confirmation of the assembly of Poljica nobles. The descendants of the office holders were allowed to use titles of duke and count. Below these ranked the commoners and the serfs. At a very early date the warlike highlanders of Poljica became the friends and allies of the Omiš corsairs, who were thus enabled to harass the seaborne trade of their neighbors without fear of a sudden attack by land.[2]

Omiš received a charter from Andrew II of Hungary in 1207, and remained under the nominal protection of Hungary until 1444, when both Omiš and Poljica accepted the suzerainty of Venice, while retaining their internal freedom.[2]

The occupation of Bosnia as well as by the Ottoman Empire gravely impacted the Republic of Poljica. Notable battles were fought by the local forces against the Turks in 1530 and 1686, and in both occasions the Ottoman army was repelled. A local young woman by the name of Mila Gojsalić became a heroine after sacrificing herself for the good of the Poljica community in one of the conflicts with the Turks—she infiltrated the Turkish camp and blew up the munitions stockpile. A statue of Mila Gojsalić by Ivan Meštrović stands in Poljica overlooking the mouth of Cetina,[5] and the story was also made into a theatre play.

After the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, Poljica was taken over by Austria. The population of Poljica numbered 6,566 in 1806. In the following year, however, the republic incurred the enmity of Napoleon by rendering aid to the Russians and Montenegrins in Dalmatia, and it was invaded by French troops, who plundered its villages, massacred its inhabitants, and finally deprived it of independence.[2]

After the Napoleonic era, Poljica was absorbed by Austria.

Legacy edit

Poljica area were also important to Croatian national renaissance on Croatian South, because the votes from Poljica contributed a lot to the victory of the People's Party (Narodna stranka, the Croatian unionist party) in 1882 on the elections in Split county, bringing the pro-Croat forces on ruling level.

It since passed to Yugoslavia, and in 1912, the Poljica region was reconstituted as a single municipality. In 1945, it was split again between several municipalities, and remained that way until the present day, when the villages are part of Croatian municipalities of Omiš, Podstrana, Dugi Rat and Split. Today this area of around 250 km2 (97 sq mi) is inhabited by around 20,000 people.

Recently the republic was "re-established" as a cultural organization. The reigning prince (veliki knez) is elected once a year and Petar Rodić was re-elected several times.[6]

Rulers of the Principality of Poljica edit

The title of the rulers of the Principality of Poljica was župan (count) at first, later changing to knez (prince) and finally veliki knez (grand prince).

Župans
  • Dalizio (Dališ) 1070
  • Visen (Uisono) 1076, 1078
  • Vratina (Uratina) 1088
  • Kačić, c 12th century
  • Gregor Ivanišević 1120
  • Domaso Papalli 1144
  • Alberti 1145
  • Michiel Francesco Ivancichio 1146
  • Comulli Petracca 1148
  • Lovretić 1149
  • Ivan Papalli 1200
Princes
  • Tolen 1239
  • The Counts Šubić ruled over Poljica at the end of the 13th century.
  • Mladen II Šubić of Bribir 1322
  • Gregor Jurinić 1328
  • Jure Rajčić between 1342 and 1350
  • Dražoe, Lord of Kamengrad 1350
Grand princes in the period 1444–1482
  • Grisogono
  • Cindro
  • Alberti
  • Petracca
  • Dujam Papalić (Papalli)
Grand princes
  • Arnerio Lovretić 1451
  • Žane Žanić 1454
  • Mijo Pocolić (also known as Kulišić) 1458
  • Matija Tusčević Scinsić 1459
  • Komula Vitković 1461
  • Dujam Papalić 1468
  • Stipan Mikulić c. 1469
  • Dujam Maričić 1479
  • Dujam Papalić 1482 – 1483
  • Ivan Petrović October 1499 – March 1500
  • Marian Gregolić 1500
  • Augustin Maričić 15 February 1503 – January or February 1504
  • Ivan Jovanović 1504 – 1511
  • Ivaniš Nenada Dražoević 1511 – 1546
  • Ivan Augustinović (Dražoević) veliki knez five times in the period 1512 – 1537
  • Jure Pavić March 1537
  • Radoš Sladoević 1541
  • Ivan Augustinović (Dražoević) 1546 – 1567
  • Augustin Maričić 1555
  • Nikola Sudgić 1567 – 1581
  • Stipan Mikulić (Nikolić, Dražoević) 1581 – 1605
  • Pavo Pavić 1596
  • Jure Pavić 1607 – 1609
  • Radoš Sudgić 1609 – 1626
  • Nikola Gojaković 1619
  • Ivan Sikić 1620
  • Jure Sinovčić 1626 – 1628
  • Pavo Sudgić 1628 – 1632
  • Jure Pavić 1632 – 1655
  • Stipan Bobetić 8 March 1652
  • Jure Sinovčić 1655 – 1676
  • Pavo Sučić 1676 – 1678
  • Ivaniš Novaković 1678 – 1684
  • Luka Sinovčić 1684 – 1701
  • Marko Barić 1701 – 1704
  • Marko Sinovčić 1704 – 1708
  • Ivan Sinovčić 14 September 1706
  • Jure Novaković 24 November 1707
  • Marko Barić 1708 – 1710
  • Ivan Barić 1710 – 1712
  • Petar Barić 11 August 1711
  • Marko Barić 1712 – 1716
  • Ivan Sinovčić 1716 – 1717
  • Ivan Barić 1717 – 1721
  • Ivan Novaković 1721 – 1732
  • Pavo Pavić 28 October 1728
  • Petar Sinovčić 1732 – 1740
  • Marko Barić 1740 – 1742
  • Ivan Novaković 1742 – 1747
  • Marko Barić 1747 – 1760
  • Ivan Pavić 20 July 1756
  • Jure Novaković 1760 – 1768
  • Frano Pavić 1766 – 1768
  • Ivan Jerončić 1768 – 1771
  • Frano Pavić 1770 – 1777
  • Ivan Jerončić 1777 – 1778
  • Andrija Barić 1778 – 1783
  • Jure Novaković 1783 – 1789
  • Ivan Sičić 1789
  • Matija Kružičević 1793
  • Frano Pavić 9 September 1796
  • Frano Gojselić 24 February 1796
Grand princes during the period of the Austrian occupation of Dalmatia
  • Marko Žuljević 18 November 1797 – 25 March 1798
  • Matija Mianović 21 May 1799 – 1 December 1801
  • Ivan Čović 23 April 1803 – 1806
Grand princes during the period of the French occupation of Dalmatia
  • Ivan Čović until 10 June 1807, when the Principality of Poljica was abolished by the French.

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Poljički statut", Croatian Encyclopedia (in Croatian), Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža, 1999–2009
  2. ^ a b c d e   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Poglizza". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 891.
  3. ^ Laušić 1991, pp. 92–99, 144.
  4. ^ Laušić 1991, pp. 145–146.
  5. ^ "Mile Gojsalic".
  6. ^ "Petru Rodiću i 21. mandat na čelu društva poljičana". from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.

References edit

  • Domljan, Žarko (ed); Omiš i Poljica, Naklada Ljevak, Zagreb, 2006., ISBN 953-178-733-6
  • Laušić, Ante (1991). Postanak i razvitak Poljičke kneževine: (do kraja XV. stoljeća) [The inception and development of the Principality of Poljica (up to the end of the 15th century)] (in Croatian). Split: Književni krug. ISBN 86-7397-082-2.
  • Mimica, Bože ; Omiška krajina Poljica makarsko primorje. Od antike do 1918. godine, Rijeka, 2003. ISBN 953-6059-62-2
  • Nazor, Ante (2015). Splitsko-poljički odnosi u XIV. i XV. stoljeću [Split-Poljica relations in 14th and 15th century] (in Croatian). Split: Književni krug. ISBN 978-953-163-408-3.
  • The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, in turn, gives the following references:
    • Annuario Dalmatico for 1885 (published at Zadar)
    • Fortis, A; Travels into Dalmatia, London, 1778
  • Alfons Pavich v. Pfauenthal, Beiträge zur Geschichte der Republik Poljica bei Spalato mit besonderer Rücksicht auf die Reihenfolge der Veliki Knezen (Staatsoberhäupter), in Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen aus Bosnien und der Herzegowina, 10. vol. Moriz Hoernes (ed.), Vienna, 1907, pp. 156–345.

External links edit

  • History of the Republic of Poljica
  • Map of the Republic of Poljica

January 01, 1970
republic, poljica, duchy, croatian, poljička, republika, older, form, poljička, knežija, autonomous, community, which, existed, late, middle, ages, early, modern, period, central, dalmatia, near, modern, omiš, croatia, organized, peasants, republic, best, know. The Republic of Poljica or duchy Croatian Poljicka republika in older form Poljicka knezija was an autonomous community which existed in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period in central Dalmatia near modern day Omis Croatia It was organized as a peasants republic and is best known because of the Poljica Statute Contents 1 Etymology 2 Legal system 3 Geography 4 History 5 Legacy 6 Rulers of the Principality of Poljica 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksEtymology editThe name poljica stems from the word polje for field karst polje in particular a common geographic feature in the area The Poljica region was first titled a republic by the Venetian writer Alberto Fortis in 1774 It was also known as Poglizza in Italian Legal system editPoljica is best known for the eponymous statute from the 15th century The oldest preserved revision is from 1440 it refers to an older one 1 and was further revised in 1485 1515 1665 and on several occasions up to the 19th century growing to 116 articles It is today kept in Omis s museum This document contains a description of the Poljica common law and its system of government and is one of the most important Croatian historical legal statutes together with the Vinodol codex of 1288 written in a mixture of Chakavian and Shtokavian dialects and in Cyrillic the name appears in the annex of the Statute of Poljica from 1655 poljicica and poljicka azbukvica One of the items of the Poljica Statute states that everyone has the right to live contrary to many mediaeval European laws replete with capital punishments including torture A number of other documents dated from the 12th to 17th century regarding the republic have been preserved such as Poljicki molitvenik 1614 and Statut poljicke bratovstine Sv Kuzme i Damjana 1619 Geography editThe territories of the Republic of Poljica lay chiefly within the south easterly curve made by the river Cetina before it enters the Adriatic at Omis They also comprised the fastnesses of the Mosor mountain 1 370 m or 4 500 feet and the fertile strip of coast from Omis to Stobrec 16 km 10 mi W N W 2 Poljica is divided into three zones Upper Poljica Zagorska behind Mosor is farthest from the Adriatic Sea and is in the hinterland of Mosor Middle Poljica Zavrska the largest part of Poljica 50 extends from the Zrnovnica River to the Cetina River at Zadvarje Lower Poljica Primorska built on the remnants of the ancient Greek colony Eqetium which extends along the sea from Omis to the village of Stobrec History editThe people of Poljica organized and founded the parish commune where they could live according to their own laws The parish commune was divided into twelve villages katuni which they named after twelve larger villages of Poljica Upper Gornja Poljica Srijane Dolac Donji and Gornje Polje Middle Sridnja Poljica Kostanje Zvecanje Cisla Gata Dubrava Sitno and Srinjine Lower Donja Poljica Duce Jesenice and Podstrana Five of the twelve villages were greatly populated by free peasants of Split origin and are therefore called free peasant composite villages The other composite villages were populated by descendants of the three brothers noted to be founders of Poljica Each of the twelve villages elected an elder or little duke knez to serve as leader The little dukes of free peasant composite villages did not share the same rights as little dukes of the other villages they could vote but not be elected to the government of Poljica due to their ties with Split The inhabitants lived in scattered villages twelve of them each ruled by its count and all together ruled by the supreme count These officers with the three judges were always of noble birth though elected by the whole body of citizens There were two orders of nobles 2 but because both noble groups were Croats and to distinguish them from the original nobles didici the later from mid 14th century got nickname ugricici after the assumption that they came from the areas under control of Kingdom of Hungary 3 Didici according to legends are the descendants of three sons of King Miroslav of Croatia each of them forming a tribe of Tisimiri Limici and Kremenicani 4 and were koljenovici as they had rights on lands didovina Vlastela could become the part of poljicki stol but they needed the confirmation of the assembly of Poljica nobles The descendants of the office holders were allowed to use titles of duke and count Below these ranked the commoners and the serfs At a very early date the warlike highlanders of Poljica became the friends and allies of the Omis corsairs who were thus enabled to harass the seaborne trade of their neighbors without fear of a sudden attack by land 2 Omis received a charter from Andrew II of Hungary in 1207 and remained under the nominal protection of Hungary until 1444 when both Omis and Poljica accepted the suzerainty of Venice while retaining their internal freedom 2 The occupation of Bosnia as well as by the Ottoman Empire gravely impacted the Republic of Poljica Notable battles were fought by the local forces against the Turks in 1530 and 1686 and in both occasions the Ottoman army was repelled A local young woman by the name of Mila Gojsalic became a heroine after sacrificing herself for the good of the Poljica community in one of the conflicts with the Turks she infiltrated the Turkish camp and blew up the munitions stockpile A statue of Mila Gojsalic by Ivan Mestrovic stands in Poljica overlooking the mouth of Cetina 5 and the story was also made into a theatre play After the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797 Poljica was taken over by Austria The population of Poljica numbered 6 566 in 1806 In the following year however the republic incurred the enmity of Napoleon by rendering aid to the Russians and Montenegrins in Dalmatia and it was invaded by French troops who plundered its villages massacred its inhabitants and finally deprived it of independence 2 After the Napoleonic era Poljica was absorbed by Austria Legacy editPoljica area were also important to Croatian national renaissance on Croatian South because the votes from Poljica contributed a lot to the victory of the People s Party Narodna stranka the Croatian unionist party in 1882 on the elections in Split county bringing the pro Croat forces on ruling level It since passed to Yugoslavia and in 1912 the Poljica region was reconstituted as a single municipality In 1945 it was split again between several municipalities and remained that way until the present day when the villages are part of Croatian municipalities of Omis Podstrana Dugi Rat and Split Today this area of around 250 km2 97 sq mi is inhabited by around 20 000 people Recently the republic was re established as a cultural organization The reigning prince veliki knez is elected once a year and Petar Rodic was re elected several times 6 Rulers of the Principality of Poljica editThe title of the rulers of the Principality of Poljica was zupan count at first later changing to knez prince and finally veliki knez grand prince Zupans Dalizio Dalis 1070 Visen Uisono 1076 1078 Vratina Uratina 1088 Kacic c 12th century Gregor Ivanisevic 1120 Domaso Papalli 1144 Alberti 1145 Michiel Francesco Ivancichio 1146 Comulli Petracca 1148 Lovretic 1149 Ivan Papalli 1200 Princes Tolen 1239 The Counts Subic ruled over Poljica at the end of the 13th century Mladen II Subic of Bribir 1322 Gregor Jurinic 1328 Jure Rajcic between 1342 and 1350 Drazoe Lord of Kamengrad 1350 Grand princes in the period 1444 1482 Grisogono Cindro Alberti Petracca Dujam Papalic Papalli Grand princes Arnerio Lovretic 1451 Zane Zanic 1454 Mijo Pocolic also known as Kulisic 1458 Matija Tuscevic Scinsic 1459 Komula Vitkovic 1461 Dujam Papalic 1468 Stipan Mikulic c 1469 Dujam Maricic 1479 Dujam Papalic 1482 1483 Ivan Petrovic October 1499 March 1500 Marian Gregolic 1500 Augustin Maricic 15 February 1503 January or February 1504 Ivan Jovanovic 1504 1511 Ivanis Nenada Drazoevic 1511 1546 Ivan Augustinovic Drazoevic veliki knez five times in the period 1512 1537 Jure Pavic March 1537 Rados Sladoevic 1541 Ivan Augustinovic Drazoevic 1546 1567 Augustin Maricic 1555 Nikola Sudgic 1567 1581 Stipan Mikulic Nikolic Drazoevic 1581 1605 Pavo Pavic 1596 Jure Pavic 1607 1609 Rados Sudgic 1609 1626 Nikola Gojakovic 1619 Ivan Sikic 1620 Jure Sinovcic 1626 1628 Pavo Sudgic 1628 1632 Jure Pavic 1632 1655 Stipan Bobetic 8 March 1652 Jure Sinovcic 1655 1676 Pavo Sucic 1676 1678 Ivanis Novakovic 1678 1684 Luka Sinovcic 1684 1701 Marko Baric 1701 1704 Marko Sinovcic 1704 1708 Ivan Sinovcic 14 September 1706 Jure Novakovic 24 November 1707 Marko Baric 1708 1710 Ivan Baric 1710 1712 Petar Baric 11 August 1711 Marko Baric 1712 1716 Ivan Sinovcic 1716 1717 Ivan Baric 1717 1721 Ivan Novakovic 1721 1732 Pavo Pavic 28 October 1728 Petar Sinovcic 1732 1740 Marko Baric 1740 1742 Ivan Novakovic 1742 1747 Marko Baric 1747 1760 Ivan Pavic 20 July 1756 Jure Novakovic 1760 1768 Frano Pavic 1766 1768 Ivan Jeroncic 1768 1771 Frano Pavic 1770 1777 Ivan Jeroncic 1777 1778 Andrija Baric 1778 1783 Jure Novakovic 1783 1789 Ivan Sicic 1789 Matija Kruzicevic 1793 Frano Pavic 9 September 1796 Frano Gojselic 24 February 1796 Grand princes during the period of the Austrian occupation of Dalmatia Marko Zuljevic 18 November 1797 25 March 1798 Matija Mianovic 21 May 1799 1 December 1801 Ivan Covic 23 April 1803 1806 Grand princes during the period of the French occupation of Dalmatia Ivan Covic until 10 June 1807 when the Principality of Poljica was abolished by the French Notes edit Poljicki statut Croatian Encyclopedia in Croatian Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleza 1999 2009 a b c d e nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Poglizza Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 21 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 891 Lausic 1991 pp 92 99 144 Lausic 1991 pp 145 146 Mile Gojsalic Petru Rodicu i 21 mandat na celu drustva poljicana Archived from the original on 11 January 2020 Retrieved February 14 2021 References editDomljan Zarko ed Omis i Poljica Naklada Ljevak Zagreb 2006 ISBN 953 178 733 6 Lausic Ante 1991 Postanak i razvitak Poljicke knezevine do kraja XV stoljeca The inception and development of the Principality of Poljica up to the end of the 15th century in Croatian Split Knjizevni krug ISBN 86 7397 082 2 Mimica Boze Omiska krajina Poljica makarsko primorje Od antike do 1918 godine Rijeka 2003 ISBN 953 6059 62 2 Nazor Ante 2015 Splitsko poljicki odnosi u XIV i XV stoljecu Split Poljica relations in 14th and 15th century in Croatian Split Knjizevni krug ISBN 978 953 163 408 3 The 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica in turn gives the following references Annuario Dalmatico for 1885 published at Zadar Fortis A Travels into Dalmatia London 1778 Alfons Pavich v Pfauenthal Beitrage zur Geschichte der Republik Poljica bei Spalato mit besonderer Rucksicht auf die Reihenfolge der Veliki Knezen Staatsoberhaupter in Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen aus Bosnien und der Herzegowina 10 vol Moriz Hoernes ed Vienna 1907 pp 156 345 External links editHistory of the Republic of Poljica Map of the Republic of Poljica Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Republic of Poljica amp oldid 1176321113, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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