Venetian Dalmatia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Governorate of Dalmatia
Dalmazia veneziana
Province of the Republic of Venice
1409–1797
CapitalZadar
DemonymDalmatian
 • TypeGovernorate
History 
• Established
1409
• Disestablished
1797
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Croatia in personal union with Hungary
Kingdom of Dalmatia
Today part ofCroatia

Venetian Dalmatia (

Habsburg Austria
.

Geography

The

Venetian Ionian Islands in western Greece. Its possessions in Dalmatia stretched from the Istria peninsula to what is today coastal Montenegro: they included all the Dalmatian islands and the mainland territories from the central Velebit mountains to the northern borders of the Republic of Ragusa. With the 1718 Treaty of Passarowitz, Venice enlarged its possessions in Dalmatia to their greatest extent: it made some small advances, taking the areas of Sinj, Imotski and Vrgorac in the Dalmatian hinterland.[2]

History

Background

Further information: Dalmatia (theme), Dalmatian city-states, and Croatian–Venetian wars

Conflicts between Venetians and Croats, as well as other

Slavic nations or tribes on the Adriatic coast, including Narentines, began very early, in the 7th and 8th century, because the Venetians demanded free passage for their merchant galleys and did not want to pay taxes. By the mid-9th century was formed Byzantine theme of Dalmatia limited to the islands and coastal cities of the Dalmatian city-states, hence, the medieval region of Dalmatia was a wide and long sea area of Eastern Adriatic, but with a very narrow coastline land area. Nearby the coastline and in its hinterland the control and influence was in the hands of Slavs, mostly Croatian dukes and kings who had royal courts at Klis, Bijaći near Trogir,[3] Knin, Nin,[4] and Biograd na Moru among others.[5]

Beginning with

Petar Krešimir IV
succeeded in taking almost the whole coast back, so the latter carried the title King od Croatia and Dalmatia.

During the 1074 invasion of the Normans died Petar Krešimir IV, and in February 1075 the Venetians banished the Normans and secured the Dalmatian cities for themselves. The doge Domenico Selvo self-titled himself as the doge of "Venice, Dalmatia and Croatia" (later only of "Dalmatia"), but did not have nominal power over Dalmatia and Croatia. In October 1075 was crowned Demetrius Zvonimir as the king of "Croatia and Dalmatia" by the Holy See and his power was felt even on the islands of Krk and Cres. His death in 1089 caused succession crisis in Croatia and Dalmatia, but although doge Vitale I Michiel made with Coloman, King of Hungary agreement of 1098—the so-called Conventio Amicitiae—determined the spheres of interest of each party by allotting the coastal regions of Croatia to Hungary and Dalmatia to the Republic of Venice, Coloman in 1105 successfully conquered coastal cities of Dalmatia.[6][7]

During the 12th century, after Croatia

siege of Constantinople.[9] Hungarian king Louis the Great launched a large campaign in 1356–1358 and forced Venice to withdraw from Dalmatia. Zadar Peace Treaty
was signed on 18 February 1358 and Venice lost influence over whole coast from eastern Istria to southern Dalmatia.

Formation

In 1409, during the 20-year

ducats. Sigismund tried to recover the territory but Venice defeated his troops in the Battle of Motta (1412). Croatian Littoral and eastern Istria remained parts of Croatia, where Croats, together with their allies, rejected Venetian efforts to subject them. The more centralized merchant republic took control of the coastal cities by 1420 (with the exception of the Republic of Ragusa); they were to remain under Venetian rule for a period of 377 years (1420–1797).[10] The southernmost area of Dalmatia (now part of coastal Montenegro) was called Venetian Albania
during that time.

Ottoman–Venetian Wars

Main articles:
Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–40)
Venetian Dalmatia in 1469.
Venetian Dalmatia in 1558.

In the period between the start of the

Croatian possessions between Skradin and Obrovac (forming Croatian vilayet and then Sanjak of Klis), eliminating them as a buffer zone between the Ottoman and Venetian territory.[11] Venetians still perceived this inner hinterland as once part of Croatia calling it as "Banadego" (lands of Ban i.e. Banate).[12] The economy of the Venetian cities in Dalmatia, severely impacted by the Turkish occupation of the hinterland in the previous war, recovered and held steady even throughout this war.[13]

Uskok war

Main article: Uskok War

The Uskok War was fought by the Austrians, Slovenes, Croats, and Spanish on one side and the Venetians, Dutch, and English on the other. It is named for the

merchantmen. The conflict began in January 1616 in the Gorizia Hills and lasted until 1617. The Treaty of Peace (now known as the Preliminary Treaty of Paris and the Treaty of Madrid) resolved that pirates would be driven from the maritime areas of the House of Habsburg. The Venetians returned to Austrians all the places occupied by them in Istria and Friuli
.

Cretan War

Main article:
Cretan War (1645–69)
Klis Fortress
to surrender.

The Dalmatian front was a separate theater of operations, which was involved in the early phase of the war. The conditions there were almost reverse to those in

Klis,[18][19] while a month-long siege of the fortress of Šibenik by the Ottomans in August and September failed.[20] During the next few years, military operations stalled because of an outbreak of famine and plague amongst the Venetians at Zadar, while both sides focused their resources in the Aegean area.[21] As other fronts took priority for the Ottomans, no further operations occurred in the Dalmatian theater.[22] Peace in 1669 found the Republic of Venice with significant gains in Dalmatia, its territory tripled, and its control of the Adriatic thus secured.[23]

Morean War

Main article: Morean War

In October 1683, the population of Venetian Dalmatia, principally Uskoks of Ravni Kotari, took arms and together with the rayah (lower class) of the Ottoman frontier regions rose up, taking Skradin, Karin, Vrana, Benkovac and Obrovac.[24]

oltramarine
.

In the Morean War, the Republic of Venice besieged

Second Morean War
, but would be repelled.

On 26 November 1690, Venice took

Popovo polje as well as Klek and Sutorina, to maintain the pre-existing demarcation near Ragusa.[30]

The "Linea Mocenigo"

Napoleonic conquest in 1797.[32]
However, Venetians lost Čitluk and Gabela to Ottomans according to this treaty.

Last decades

In 1797 AD, during the Napoleonic Wars, the Republic of Venice was dissolved. Venetian Dalmatia was included in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy from 1805 to 1809 AD (the Republic of Ragusa was included in 1808 AD), and later in the Illyrian Provinces from 1809 AD. After the final defeat of Napoleon, the entire territory was granted to the Austrian Empire by the Congress of Vienna in 1815, constituted as the Kingdom of Dalmatia.[33]

Demographic history

Illyrian tribes are extinct. Dalmatian language evolved from the vulgar Latin of the Illyro-Romans. After the fall of the western Roman Empire Slavic-speaking people arrived in Dalmatia, circa 640 AD. The Slavic Croatian population spoke Chakavian and Shtokavian dialects of Serbo-Croatian language which is today called Croatian language. Romance population created Dalmatian city-states in the early Middle Ages. They had already become a minority in the Middle Ages after the year 1000 AD, living mostly in the coastal areas and with smaller pockets in the hinterland. Merchants and soldiers from Venice settled the Dalmatian cities over the following centuries, mixing with the already present Romance population. During the Venetian rule in Dalmatia Venetian language became the "lingua franca" of all Dalmatia, assimilating the Dalmatian language of the Romanised Illyrians and influencing partially both Croatian[34] and Albanian[35]
language.

During Ottoman rule in the Ottoman Dalmatia hinterlands Orthodox and Catholic Slavic-speaking people started arriving as martolos in Ottoman service (also called as "Vlachs/Morlachs" which then was an umbrella term regardless of ethnic origin),[36] and after the Venetian takeover of most of the hinterland during the Great Turkish War the Croat population in the hinterlands was greatly reinforced by new Croat settlers fleeing from Ottoman Bosnia. Over time the Croats assimilated the Catholic Vlachs, while the Serbs assimilated the Orthodox ones. The Romance-speakers in the coastal areas were more resilient to assimilation (in great part due to their prestige status) and after the fall of the Republic, during the national movements of the 19th century, had mostly adopted an Italian national identity.

Administration

Dalmatian administration was in the hands of a few Venetian officials, who were headed by a governor (Provveditore generale), who changed every three years. The Venetian nobility competed for this service, because it was honorable and lucrative. The provveditore generale ruled like an independent ruler, having a court in Zadar, a splendid bodyguard and a suit resembling a doge. The power of the provveditore was unlimited, and he was also the last instance for the court, finances, army, even for the church. Venetian Dalmatia was divided into districts (distretto), headed by a prince (conte) appointed by the provveditore. The prince is flanked by two officials, the chancellor (chancelliere) for judicial affairs and the camerlingo for financial affairs. The small number of Venetian officials was poorly paid, so they were forced to take from collected taxes and other public duties to the detriment of the Venetian Republic. However, the taxes were not too high, because the Republic wanted to spread discontent in the hard-won Dalmatia. They were paid only by peasants, because nobles and citizens were exempted not only from all taxes, but also from all duties. Each city municipality had its own statute, so there is no uniqueness in Dalmatia. Likewise, weights and measures differed from place to place. The municipal administration was shared by nobles and citizens, who gathered for assemblies, where municipal affairs were discussed. In some municipalities, only the nobles met for assemblies, and in some the citizens also had their own assemblies. Civil and criminal affairs were handled by the city (municipal) prince, and police affairs were carried out by grand and petty judges. Peasants met in brotherhoods in gatherings, where they discussed their needs. Otherwise, in every village there was a leader called harambaša, who was in charge of civil and military affairs. During peacetime, the peasants formed some companies, and they were called cops. Their duty was to keep an eye on the movement of border Bosnian Turks, and to watch over security at home. At that time, each district had its own colonel, with serdars and serdars as lower officers. The islanders served only in the Venetian navy. The Italian language was spoken mainly in the cities, while Croatian was used in other areas.

Legacy

See also: Dalmatian Italians
The Land Gate in Zara (today Zadar).
Kamerlengo Castle in Trogir.

The legacy of Venice in Dalmatia is huge and very important, mainly in the cultural and artistic area. Venice was one of the centers of the Italian Renaissance and Venetian Dalmatia enjoyed the benefits of this fact. From Giorgio da Sebenico to the influence on the early contemporary Croatian literature, Venice made its Dalmatia the most western-oriented civilized area of the Balkans, mostly in the cities.

Some architectural works from that period of Dalmatia are of European importance, and would contribute to further development of the Renaissance: the Cathedral of St James in Šibenik and the Chapel of Blessed John in Trogir.

Indeed, the Croatian renaissance, strongly influenced by Venetian and Italian literature, was thoroughly developed on the coastal parts of Croatia. The beginning of the Croatian 16th-century literal activity was marked by a Dalmatian humanist Marko Marulić and his epic book Judita, which was written by incorporating peculiar motives and events from the classical Bible, and adapting them to the contemporary literature in Europe.[37]

In 1997 the historical city-island of Trogir (called "Tragurium" in Latin when one of the

St. Lawrence, whose main west portal is a masterpiece by Radovan
, and the most significant work of the Romanesque-Gothic style in Croatia.

The

Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition[38]
states on page 774 "Antiquities" that:

"... from Italy (and Venice) came the Romanesque. The belfry of S. Maria, at Zara, erected in 1105, is first in a long list of Romanesque buildings. At Arbe there is a beautiful Romanesque campanile which also belongs to the 12th century; but the finest example in this style is the cathedral of Trau. The 14th century Dominican and Franciscan convents in Ragusa are also noteworthy. Romanesque lingered on in Dalmatia until it was displaced by Venetian Gothic in the early years of the 15th century. The influence of Venice was then at its height. Even in the relatively hostile Republic of Ragusa the Romanesque of the custom-house and Rectors' palace is combined with Venetian Gothic, while the graceful balconies and ogee windows of the Prijeki closely follow their Venetian models. In 1441 Giorgio Orsini of Zara, summoned from Venice to design the cathedral of Sebenico, brought with him the influence of the Italian Renaissance. The new forms which he introduced were eagerly imitated and developed by other architects, until the period of decadence - which virtually concludes the history of Dalmatian art - set in during the latter half of the 17th century. Special mention must be made of the carved woodwork, embroideries and plate preserved in many churches. The silver statuette and the reliquary of St. Biagio at Ragusa, and the silver ark of St. Simeon at Zara, are fine specimens of Italian jewelers' work, ranging in date from the 11th or 12th to the 17th century ...".

After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797 to the Napoleon Armies, the Dalmatia was incorporated briefly (1805-1809) in the "Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy". In those years the scholastic system was expanded to all the population (following the ideals of the French Revolution) and the Italian language was instituted as the official language in the schools of Dalmatia. In the 19th century, the cultural influence from Venice and the Italian peninsula originated the editing in Zadar of the first Dalmatian newspaper, in Italian and Croatian: Il Regio Dalmata – Kraglski Dalmatin ("The Royal Dalmatian"), founded and published by the Italian Bartolomeo Benincasa in 1806 AD. Furthermore, this Kraglski Dalmatin was stamped in the typography of Antonio Luigi Battara and was the first fully done in Croatian. The decision to launch a newspaper for Dalmatia was made by Napoleon himself, under the initially determined name Dalmata Veneto.

Governors

The

Provveditore generale (Governor-general) was the official name of Venetian state officials supervising Dalmatia.[39] The Governors of Dalmatia were based in Zadar, while they were under direct supervision of the Provveditore Generale da Mar, who was based in Corfu and was directly controlled by the Signoria of Venice
.

Sebastiano Venier -"Capitano Generale da Màr" (Chief Admiral) and "Procurator-Provveditore Generale dello Stato da Màr" (including Venetian Dalmatia)- at the Battle of Lepanto

Main and most famous Venetian "Provveditori generali" (Governors-general) of Dalmatia:

Governor Period Notes
Alvise Badoer 1538 – 1539 During the Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–1540)
Cristoforo Valier 1595 – 1597 "Sindico" with Francesco Erizzo
Filippo Pasqualigo 1599 – 1603
Giustin Antonio Belegno 1617 – 1622
Leonardo Foscolo 1645 – 1650 Ancestor of Italian poet Ugo Foscolo
Pietro Valier (fl. 1685) October 1684 — May 1686
Alvise Mocenigo III (1st time) Dec 1696 – 1702 He was Governor of Dalmatia and later Doge of Venice
Alvise Mocenigo III (2nd time) Apr 1717 – 1720 The "Linea Moncenigo" in 1718 Dalmatia was named after him
Alvise Foscari 1777 – 1780
Andrea Maria Querini Sep 1795 – Jun 1797 Last "Provveditore generale" of Dalmatia

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Venetian Dalmatia.

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Map of Venetian Dalmatia in 1750, with the 21 provinces called "Reggimenti"". Archived from the original on 2014-11-01. Retrieved 2014-12-04.
  2. ^ Maps showing the historical evolution of the Venice empire
  3. ^ Ančić, Mladen (1999). "Od vladarske curtis do gradskoga kotara Bijaći i crkva Sv. Marte od početka 9. do početka 13. stoljeća" [From the Reignal Curtis to the Town Borough]. Starohrvatska prosvjeta (in Croatian). III (26): 189–236.
  4. ISBN 9788677431044
    .
  5. ISBN 9788677431044
    .
  6. ISBN 978-953-340-061-7
    .
  7. ^ Zekan, Mate (1990). Kralj Zvonimir - dokumenti i spomenici [King Zvonimir - Documents and Monuments] (in Croatian and English). Zagreb: Muzej hrvatskih arheoloških spomenika Split, arheološki muzej Zagreb. pp. 9–24.
  8. ^ Beginning of Venetian Dalmatia
  9. ISBN 978-0-7864-1573-1
    .
  10. ^ Dalmatia history
  11. ISSN 0353-295X
    . Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  12. ^ Ivetic 2022, pp. 143.
  13. ISSN 0353-295X
    . Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  14. ^ Nicolle 1989, p. 40.
  15. ^ Setton (1991), p. 143.
  16. ^ Setton (1991), p. 142.
  17. ^ Setton (1991), p. 144.
  18. ^ Finkel (2006), p. 227.
  19. ^ Setton (1991), p. 148.
  20. ^ Setton (1991), p. 149.
  21. ^ Setton 1991, p. 162.
  22. ISBN 978-0-7100-8871-0
  23. ^ Lane (1973), p. 409.
  24. ISBN 9788617015631
    . Становништво Млетачке Далмације, на првом месту Котарски ускоци, још у октобру 1683. дигло се на оружје заједно с ра- јом у пограничним крајевима Турске. Устаници су "сами заузели Скрадин, Карин, Врану, Бенковац и Обровац
  25. ^ a b Nazor 2002, p. 50.
  26. ^ Nazor 2002, pp. 50–51.
  27. ^ Nazor 2002, p. 51.
  28. ^ Čoralić 2001.
  29. ^ a b c d Nazor 2002, p. 52.
  30. ^ Nazor 2002, p. 53.
  31. ^ "Map of Linea Mocenigo". Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
  32. ^ Larry Wolff: "Venice and the Slavs"
  33. ISBN 978-0-307-33716-0
    .
  34. ^ "Map of Serbo-Croatian Dialects". ccat.sas.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  35. ^ Varvaro, Alberto, "La preistoria delle parlate meridionali e siciliane", La preistoria dell'italiano, Berlin, New York: DE GRUYTER, retrieved 2023-09-15
  36. ^ Ivetic 2022, pp. 142, 163–164.
  37. ISBN 953-0-61107-2
    .
  38. ^ Jayne, Kingsley Garland (1911). "Dalmatia" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 07 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 772–776.
  39. ^ "Provveditore generale di Dalmazia e Albania".

Sources

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