Andrijica Šimic
Encyclopedia
Andrijica Šimić was a hajduk
from Herzegovina
.
Andrija Šimić (Andrijica is a diminutive form) was born in Grude
, in a Croatian
family of seven children: he had a brother and five sisters. At the age of only ten, he moved to Mostar
to work for Ottoman
aga Tikvina as a wage worker. He worked there until the age of 20, when he returned to his village.
The Ottoman Turkish taxmen harassed the local population, and at one point robbed his father at gunpoint. Andrijica was enraged and decided to become a hajduk
, an outlaw, to fight the Turkish government. He was hunted down and imprisoned on several occasions, as he also pillaged and stole from Muslim and Christian wealthy men in the region. His robberies affected not only Ottoman but also Austro-Hungarian
territory in inner Dalmatia
, so even the Austrian authorities put a warrant for the arrest of him and his group.
He was joined by other young men, including the renowned Mijat Tomić
from Duvno, and evaded the authorities for six years. They aimed to be outlaws in a manner similar to Robin Hood
, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor peasants.
The group was pursued by the Austro-Hungarian
authorities, and at one point in the village of Zagvozd
he shot and killed a member of the police while trying to escape. He fled to the village of Runovići where he found shelter at the Garac family. However, Ante Garac and his wife Kata together with six other villagers tied him up in his sleep and handed him over to the authorities.
When he was finally tried in 1871, they sentenced him to life in prison. He served 33 years in the Koper jail when he was paroled at the age of 68 due to efforts of his stepson Jozo who was a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army
.
When Andrijica returned to Dalmatia, the citizens of Split
celebrated it with three days of festivities and gave him plentiful donations. He decided to travel throughout Dalmatia, telling stories about his escapades to many people on the road.
One day he wandered back into the once fatal village of Runovići, and died there. When he died all the money they found in his pocket was one crown
and two para.
Ivan Mimica Zunkalo (1862-1945) served his sentence in prison together with Šimić, and during this time composed 3616 ten-syllable verses of epic poetry
which he published in 1892. Šimić was later topic to several other epic songs, lyrical verses, dramas and novels, as well as a 1995 documentary by Croatian Radiotelevision
.
The local government in Imotski decided to erect a monument at his grave in Runovići in 1991. The sculpture was cast by the Split artist Ante Strinić.
Hajduk
Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe....
from Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
.
Andrija Šimić (Andrijica is a diminutive form) was born in Grude
Grude
Grude is a town and municipality in western Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Geography :Grude is 49 kilometers from Mostar,19 kilometers from Imotski, and 100 km from Split....
, in a Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
family of seven children: he had a brother and five sisters. At the age of only ten, he moved to Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
to work for Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
aga Tikvina as a wage worker. He worked there until the age of 20, when he returned to his village.
The Ottoman Turkish taxmen harassed the local population, and at one point robbed his father at gunpoint. Andrijica was enraged and decided to become a hajduk
Hajduk
Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe....
, an outlaw, to fight the Turkish government. He was hunted down and imprisoned on several occasions, as he also pillaged and stole from Muslim and Christian wealthy men in the region. His robberies affected not only Ottoman but also Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
territory in inner Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, so even the Austrian authorities put a warrant for the arrest of him and his group.
He was joined by other young men, including the renowned Mijat Tomić
Mijat Tomic
Mijat Tomić was a Croat hajduk from Bosnia and Herzegovina. -Biography:He was born in the village of Brišnik near Tomislavgrad. Although his exact birthdate is unknown, it is known that he lost his parents at a young age, and by 1640, had two brothers and two sisters...
from Duvno, and evaded the authorities for six years. They aimed to be outlaws in a manner similar to Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor peasants.
The group was pursued by the Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
authorities, and at one point in the village of Zagvozd
Zagvozd
Zagvozd is a municipality in Croatia in the Split-Dalmatia County. It has a population of 1,642 , 99% which are Croats.Zagvozd celebrates its municipal day on July 16 to coincide with the local celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.-History:From 1941 to 1945, Zagvozd was part of the...
he shot and killed a member of the police while trying to escape. He fled to the village of Runovići where he found shelter at the Garac family. However, Ante Garac and his wife Kata together with six other villagers tied him up in his sleep and handed him over to the authorities.
When he was finally tried in 1871, they sentenced him to life in prison. He served 33 years in the Koper jail when he was paroled at the age of 68 due to efforts of his stepson Jozo who was a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
.
When Andrijica returned to Dalmatia, the citizens of Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
celebrated it with three days of festivities and gave him plentiful donations. He decided to travel throughout Dalmatia, telling stories about his escapades to many people on the road.
One day he wandered back into the once fatal village of Runovići, and died there. When he died all the money they found in his pocket was one crown
Austro-Hungarian krone
The Krone or korona was the official currency of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1892 until the dissolution of the empire in 1918...
and two para.
Ivan Mimica Zunkalo (1862-1945) served his sentence in prison together with Šimić, and during this time composed 3616 ten-syllable verses of epic poetry
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
which he published in 1892. Šimić was later topic to several other epic songs, lyrical verses, dramas and novels, as well as a 1995 documentary by Croatian Radiotelevision
Croatian Radiotelevision
Croatian Radiotelevision is a Croatian public broadcasting company. It operates several radio and television channels, over a domestic transmitter network as well as satellite...
.
The local government in Imotski decided to erect a monument at his grave in Runovići in 1991. The sculpture was cast by the Split artist Ante Strinić.
Further reading
- Mijo Milas: Hajduk Andrijica Šimić, Zagreb, 1972.
- Mijo Milas: Hrvatski narodni junak hajduk Andrijica Šimić, Split, 1996