Republic of Poljica
Encyclopedia
The Poljica Republic
or duchy
was an autonomous community which existed in the late Middle Ages
and the early modern period in central Dalmatia
, near modern-day Omiš
, Croatia
.
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 "Republic" by the Venetian writer Alberto Fortis
in 1774. It was also known as Poglizza (Italian).
It was organized as a "peasants' republic".
Poljica is best known for the eponymous statute from the 15th century
. It was first written in 1440, 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 the most important Croatian historical legal statute (together with the Vinodol codex of 1288
) written in the Chakavian dialect
and arvatica (the name appears in the annex of Statute of Poljica from 1655) (poljičica and poljička azbukvica). One of the items of Poljica Statute states, "everyone has the right to live", contrary to many mediaeval European laws replete with 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), Statut poljičke bratovštine Sv.Kuzme i Damjana (1619).
The territories of the Poljica republic 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 (9.9 mi) W.N.W.
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.
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:
Five of the twelve villages were greatly populated by free peasants from 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.
Documents dating back to the 15th century mention three brothers as founders of the parish commune of Poljica. According to tradition, Tišimir, Krešimir and Elem, sons of Croatian king Miroslav, escaped from Bosnia to Poljica. Each brother is credited to having occupied Upper, Middle and Lower Poljica during the mid 15th century.
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
: "vlastela" were the nobles that came from other parts of Kingdom of Croatia-Hungary. Because both noble groups were Croats, and to distinguish them from "didići", at first they got nickname "ugričići", after the fact that they came from the areas under control of Hungary
. "Didići" were the original nobles, and according to legends, the descendants of Croatian king Miroslav. Didići were "koljenovići", and they have rights on lands ("didovina"). Vlastela could became 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 commoner
s and the serf
s. 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.
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.
The occupation of Bosnia
as well as Herzegovina
by the Ottoman Empire
gravely impacted the Poljica Republic. 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 Mestrovic
stands in Poljica overlooking the mouth of Cetina, 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 Russia
ns and Montenegrins
in Dalmatia
; and it was invaded by French
troops, who plundered its villages, massacred its inhabitants, and finally deprived it of independence.
After the Napoleonic era, Poljica was absorbed by Austria.
Poljica area were also important to Croatian national renaissance on Croatian South, because the votes from Poljica contributed a lot to the victory of Narodna stranka (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 Croatia
n municipalities of Podbablje and Omiš. Today this area of around 250 km² (96.5 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 His Highness Petar Rodić.
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
or duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
was an autonomous community which existed in the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and the early modern period in central 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....
, near modern-day Omiš
Omiš
Omiš is a town and port in the Dalmatia region of Croatia, and is a municipality in the Split-Dalmatia County. The town is situated approximately south-east of Croatia's second largest city, Split. Its location is where the emerald-green Cetina River meets the Adriatic Sea...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
The name poljica stems from the word polje for "field", karst polje
Polje
A polje is a large flat plain in karst territory, with areas usually 5 to 400 km². The name derives from the Slavic languages and is a cognate with the English word field.-In geology:...
in particular, a common geographic feature in the area. The Poljica region was first titled "Republic" by the Venetian writer Alberto Fortis
Alberto Fortis
Abbe Alberto Fortis , was a Venetian writer, naturalist and cartographer.Alberto Fortis was born in Padua on either 9 or 11 of November 1741. He journeyed extensively in Dalmatia...
in 1774. It was also known as Poglizza (Italian).
It was organized as a "peasants' republic".
Poljica is best known for the eponymous statute from the 15th century
Poljica Statute
Poljica Statute is the most important source for Republic of Poljica. Statute determined law of Poljica which is, by its form, style, content and establishment of social-economic relations totally different from the rest of Croatian statutes....
. It was first written in 1440, 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
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
and its system of government, and is the most important Croatian historical legal statute (together with the Vinodol codex of 1288
Law codex of Vinodol
Law Codex of Vinodol or Vinodol statute is one of the oldest law texts written in the Croatian language. It was compiled in 1288 by a commission of 42 members in Novi Vinodolski. A paragraph was set to define the relation between the dukes and the peasantry of the region. It was written in the...
) written in the Chakavian dialect
Chakavian dialect
Chakavian or Čakavian is a dialect of the Croatian language. The name stems from the word for "what?", which is "ča" in Čakavian...
and arvatica (the name appears in the annex of Statute of Poljica from 1655) (poljičica and poljička azbukvica). One of the items of Poljica Statute states, "everyone has the right to live", contrary to many mediaeval European laws replete with 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), Statut poljičke bratovštine Sv.Kuzme i Damjana (1619).
The territories of the Poljica republic lay chiefly within the south-easterly curve made by the river Cetina
Cetina
Cetina is a river in southern Croatia. It has a length of and its basin covers an area of . Cetina descends from an altitude of 385 m at its source to the sea level when it flows into the Adriatic Sea. It is the most water-rich river in Dalmatia....
before it enters the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
at Omiš. They also comprised the fastnesses of the Mosor
Mosor
Mosor is a mountain range in Croatia located near the town of Split on the Adriatic coast. It belongs to Dinaric Alps, and it stretches from the pass of Klis in the northwest to the Cetina River in the southeast....
mountain (1,370 m or 4,500 feet)) and the fertile strip of coast from Omiš to Stobreč
Stobrec
Stobreč is a historical town, now village in Croatia located near Split and Solin. In modern times, Stobreč is considered a desirable vacation/camping spot located on a beautiful scenic peninsula ensconced between the Adriatic Sea and pine woods. Population: approximately 4,700...
, 16 km (9.9 mi) W.N.W.
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.
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: 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 from 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...
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.
Documents dating back to the 15th century mention three brothers as founders of the parish commune of Poljica. According to tradition, Tišimir, Krešimir and Elem, sons of Croatian king Miroslav, escaped from Bosnia to Poljica. Each brother is credited to having occupied Upper, Middle and Lower Poljica during the mid 15th century.
The inhabitants lived in scattered villages, twelve of them, each ruled by its count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
, 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
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
: "vlastela" were the nobles that came from other parts of Kingdom of Croatia-Hungary. Because both noble groups were Croats, and to distinguish them from "didići", at first they got nickname "ugričići", after the fact that they came from the areas under control of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. "Didići" were the original nobles, and according to legends, the descendants of Croatian king Miroslav. Didići were "koljenovići", and they have rights on lands ("didovina"). Vlastela could became 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 commoner
Commoner
In British law, a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. Therefore, any member of the Royal Family who is not a peer, such as Prince Harry of Wales or Anne, Princess Royal, is a commoner, as is any member of a peer's family, including someone who holds only a courtesy title,...
s and the serf
SERF
A spin exchange relaxation-free magnetometer is a type of magnetometer developed at Princeton University in the early 2000s. SERF magnetometers measure magnetic fields by using lasers to detect the interaction between alkali metal atoms in a vapor and the magnetic field.The name for the technique...
s. At a very early date the warlike highlanders of Poljica became the friends and allies of the Omiš corsairs
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, who were thus enabled to harass the seaborne trade of their neighbors without fear of a sudden attack by land.
Omiš received a charter from Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
in 1207, and remained under the nominal protection of Hungary until 1444, when both Omiš and Poljica accepted the suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, while retaining their internal freedom.
The occupation of Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
as well as 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...
by the Ottoman Empire
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...
gravely impacted the Poljica Republic. 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
Mila Gojsalić
Mila Gojsalić is a Croatian heroine and martyr.Her origins are from village Kostanje in Dalmatian hinterland and she was a distant descendant of Croatian king Gojslav. She lived in time of Ottoman wars in Croatia. In 1530 Ottoman Ahmed-pasha gathered an army of 10 000 men with a goal to conquer...
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 Mestrovic
Ivan Meštrovic
Ivan Meštrović was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor and architect born in Vrpolje, Croatia...
stands in Poljica overlooking the mouth of Cetina, 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
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...
. 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 Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ns and Montenegrins
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
in 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....
; and it was invaded by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
troops, who plundered its villages, massacred its inhabitants, and finally deprived it of independence.
After the Napoleonic era, Poljica was absorbed by Austria.
Poljica area were also important to Croatian national renaissance on Croatian South, because the votes from Poljica contributed a lot to the victory of Narodna stranka (Croatian unionist party) in 1882 on the elections in Split county, bringing the pro-Croat forces on ruling level.
It since passed to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, 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 Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n municipalities of Podbablje and Omiš. Today this area of around 250 km² (96.5 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 His Highness Petar Rodić.
Sources
- Domljan, Žarko (ed); Omiš i Poljica, Naklada Ljevak, Zagreb, 2006., ISBN 953-178-733-6
- Mimica, Bože ; Omiška krajina Poljica makarsko primorje. Od antike do 1918. godine, Rijeka, 2003. ISBN 953-6059-62-2
The 1911 Britannica, in turn, gives the following references:- Annuario Dalmatico for 1885 (published at Zadar)
- Fortis, A; Travels into Dalmatia, London, 1778
