House of Cerva
Encyclopedia
The House of Cerva or House of Crijević (Latin: Cervinus, also in the sources Cereva, Cerieva, Creve, Crieva, Crevice) is a noble family from the ancient Dalmatia
n city of Ragusa
(modern Dubrovnik), which held noble titles in the Republic of Ragusa
, and in the Austrian
and Austro-Hungarian
empires. The family still survives in Austria
and Italy
.
(modern Cavtat
) after its destruction by the Slavs and Avars in the 7th century. The Almanach de Gotha
enumerates the Cerva among eleven families of older native Patrician Sovereign Republic still residing in the town in mid-19th century and in ancient documents from the Republic of Ragusa, the House of Cerva is cited since 1234. The name Crijević derives from the Croatian language, meaning "intestine" or "hose", though during the Renaissance
they used to be considered heirs of an ancient Roman family Cervia (or Cervius).
.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the House of Cerva gave the Republic of Ragusa 419 senior civil officials, representing 4.75% of total whole period. Similarly, between 1440 and 1640 they counted 109 members of the Great Council, representing 4.95% of total The two hundred years, they also got 209 senators (6.40%), 121 members of the Minor Council (5.59%), 56 Guardians of Justice (6.82%) and 132 times one of them became a Rector Respublicae (Chancellor of the Republic) (5.54%).
A branch of the family joined their name and arms to those of the House of Sorkočević, creating a new branch as Sorgo-Cerva or Sorkočević-Crijević.
After the fall of the Republic of Ragusa in 1808, the nobility of the House of Cerva was recognized by the House of Austria in 1817 and confirmed with the title of counts. The main branch in Dubrovnik became extinct in the 19th century, but branches of the family still survive in Austria
and Italy
.
, Notizie istorico-critiche sulle antichità storia e letteratura de' Ragusei, (Dalle stampe di Antonio Martecchini), Ragusa 1803 Renzo de' Vidovich
, Albo d'Oro delle famiglie nobili patrizie e illustri nel Regno di Dalmazia, Fondazione Scientifico Culturale Rustia Traine, Trieste 2004
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....
n city of Ragusa
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
(modern Dubrovnik), which held noble titles in the Republic of Ragusa
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
, and in the Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
and 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...
empires. The family still survives in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Origin
The family is traditionally considered to be one of the founders of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), arriving as refugees from EpidaurusEpidaurus (Dalmatia)
Epidaurus was an ancient Greek colony in Dalmatia founded sometime in the 6th century BC.The town changed its name to Epidaurum during Roman rule in 228 BC....
(modern Cavtat
Cavtat
Cavtat ) is a town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. It is on the Adriatic seacoast 15 km south of Dubrovnik and is the centre of the Konavle municipality.-History:...
) after its destruction by the Slavs and Avars in the 7th century. The Almanach de Gotha
Almanach de Gotha
The Almanach de Gotha was a respected directory of Europe's highest nobility and royalty. First published in 1763 by C.W. Ettinger in Gotha at the ducal court of Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, it was regarded as an authority in the classification of monarchies, princely and ducal...
enumerates the Cerva among eleven families of older native Patrician Sovereign Republic still residing in the town in mid-19th century and in ancient documents from the Republic of Ragusa, the House of Cerva is cited since 1234. The name Crijević derives from the Croatian language, meaning "intestine" or "hose", though during the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
they used to be considered heirs of an ancient Roman family Cervia (or Cervius).
Role in the Republic of Ragusa
The Cerva were throughout their history an influential and wealthy family in Dubrovnik, divided into various branches and combined with other noble families of the town by a series of weddings, which in turn gave rise to additional branches of the house. A branch of the family suggested that they originate from KotorKotor
Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the House of Cerva gave the Republic of Ragusa 419 senior civil officials, representing 4.75% of total whole period. Similarly, between 1440 and 1640 they counted 109 members of the Great Council, representing 4.95% of total The two hundred years, they also got 209 senators (6.40%), 121 members of the Minor Council (5.59%), 56 Guardians of Justice (6.82%) and 132 times one of them became a Rector Respublicae (Chancellor of the Republic) (5.54%).
A branch of the family joined their name and arms to those of the House of Sorkočević, creating a new branch as Sorgo-Cerva or Sorkočević-Crijević.
After the fall of the Republic of Ragusa in 1808, the nobility of the House of Cerva was recognized by the House of Austria in 1817 and confirmed with the title of counts. The main branch in Dubrovnik became extinct in the 19th century, but branches of the family still survive in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Notable people
- Ludovik Crijević TuberonLudovik Crijevic TuberonLudovik Crijević Tuberon was a Latinist from the Republic of Ragusa, who especially excelled with his work in historiography....
or Ludovico Cervario Tuberone (1455–1527) was a latinist and an historianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. Between 1490 and 1522 he wrote his most famous work: the Commentaria de temporibus suis, for which he was called Sallustio Raguseo ('Ragusan SallustSallustGaius Sallustius Crispus, generally known simply as Sallust , a Roman historian, belonged to a well-known plebeian family, and was born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines...
'). - Ilija CrijevićIlija CrijevicIlija Crijević in in his lifetime was called Elio Lampridio Cerva . He was a poet born in the city of Ragusa in the homonymous Republic c...
or Elio Lampridio Cerva (in his works Aelius Lampridius Cervinus) (1463–1520) - HumanistHumanismHumanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and lexicographer. Arrived in Rome when he was just a child he grew up at the court of Pope Sixtus IVPope Sixtus IVPope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
studying Roman Academy of Pomponio Leto. Here he became one of the greatest Latin language poets of that years. - Toma Crijević or Tommaso Cerva (16th century) - DominicanDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, lawyer and outstanding jurist, was bishop of TrebinjeTrebinjeTrebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
and Mercana, director of the church of StonStonSton is a village and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula. The town of Ston is the center of the Ston municipality.- Demographics :...
between 1541 and 1559 and general vicar of the archbishop of DubrovnikRoman Catholic Diocese of DubrovnikThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Dubrovnik is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southern Croatia. The diocese is centred in the city of Dubrovnik. It was first erected in 990...
, Giovanni Angelo MediciMediciThe House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
, who became Pope Pius IVPope Pius IVPope Pius IV , born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 1559 to 1565. He is notable for presiding over the culmination of the Council of Trent.-Biography:...
in 1559. - Serafin Crijević or Serafino Cerva (1696–1759) – Born in 1696, he wore the Dominican habit and is considered an important historian. He translated several works from Italian to Latin. He also wrote in Latin "Monumenta Congregationis di Sancti Dominici Ragusanae", "The sacred city of Dubrovnik" and "Bibliotheca Ragusina, in qua Ragusi scriptores, eorum gesta et scripta recensetur" later known under the title "Vite de uomini illustri Ragusei". His works have remained unpublished and are held in the Convent of St. Dominic in Dubrovnik. He died in 1759.
See also
- Republic of RagusaRepublic of RagusaThe Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
- DubrovnikDubrovnikDubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
- DalmatiaDalmatiaDalmatia 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....
- History of DalmatiaHistory of DalmatiaThe History of Dalmatia concerns the history of the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and its inland regions, stretching from the 2nd century BC up to the present....
- Post-Roman patriciates
Sources
Francesco Maria AppendiniFrancesco Maria Appendini
Francesco Maria Appendini was an Italian, born at Poirino, near Turin, in 1768. Poirino was then part of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. He received his early education in his native country after which he went to Rome, where he entered the order of the Scolopj or Scholarum...
, Notizie istorico-critiche sulle antichità storia e letteratura de' Ragusei, (Dalle stampe di Antonio Martecchini), Ragusa 1803 Renzo de' Vidovich
Renzo de' Vidovich
Renzo de' Vidovich is an Italian politician,historian and journalist.- Biography:Born and growth up in Zadar , from the old noble Dalmatian family of de' Vidovich, Counts Capocesto e Ragosniza; he is a close cousin of Ottavio Missoni...
, Albo d'Oro delle famiglie nobili patrizie e illustri nel Regno di Dalmazia, Fondazione Scientifico Culturale Rustia Traine, Trieste 2004
- Simeon Gliubich, Biographical dictionary of illustrious Dalmatian men, Vienna-Zadar 1836
- Giorgio Gozzi, the free and sovereign Republic of Ragusa 634-1814, Volpe Editore, Rome 1981 Robin Harris, Storia e vita di Ragusa - Dubrovnik, la piccola Repubblica adriatica, Santi Quaranta, Treviso 2008 Konstantin Jireček, L’eredità di Roma nelle città della Dalmazia durante il medioevo, 3 voll., AMSD, Rome 1984-1986