Bosnia-Hercegovina Coats of Arms
NEW BOOK 2003
A Guide and Index
to
Croatian Coats of Arms
By
Adam S. Eterovich
The Index covers over 7000 Croatian family names and variations of names.
Each name is referenced with the source of grant. Some names were never
formally listed and were found on grave stones, house doors or on church
floors. Names were recorded in the Hungarian, Austro-German, Venetian-Italian
and Croatian languages. The Croatian language was formalized in 1848; most
Croatian nobility were granted prior to 1848 and names appear corrupted with
many variations. Dalmatian and Istrian nobility used two forms of their names
in some cases, such as Mladinic-Mladineo or Capogrosso-Glavinic. The Italian
alphabet does not have a “K”, Kovacevic became Covacevich;
Basanic-Bassanich. Croatian nobility grants and records were found from
Vienna in Austria to Budapest, Hungary and Venice in Italy. Croatian nobility
records can be found in all archival centers in Croatia and in personal
family archives. Many more names will be found with further research. No
Guide or Index exists to Croatian coat of arms or heraldry. Bibliography
included.
Croatia Proper, Slavonia, Dalmatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Dubrovnik, Kotor and
Vojvodina all had the same source or influence of grants of nobility. Croatia
was ruled and influenced by Austria, Hungary, Turkey and Venice and her
nobility can be best illustrated as follows: 0ld Croatian hereditary
nobility; Austrian-Hungarian grants; Venetian grants to Dalmatian nobility. A
further detailed breakdown of the various parts of Croatia and the years
involved would be as follows:
Croatia Proper
Hereditary nobility; Feudal nobility; List of nobility or grant of Coat of
Arms-1438; Habsburg nobility grants - 1527-1740; Austrian or Hungarian -
1740-1806; Start of military orders or grants to Croatians on the Military
Frontier; Austro-Hungarian-Croatian - 1806-1918.
Dalmatia
Old Dalmatian nobility and those escaping from Bosnia recognized by Venice
1409-1520; Venice granted titles to those who fought the Turks and gave
others the title of Count - 1520-1718; Majority of Dalmatian arms were
granted in this period - 1718-1797; Austria occupation recognized all
Venetian-Dalmatian nobility - 1797-1806; French occupation took away some
privileges-1806-1813; Austrian occupation recognizes only 20% of Dalmatian
nobility - 1814-1918.
Bosnia
Old Croatian hereditary titles; Feudal nobility - 1377-1463; Hercegovinian
nobility to 1482. All grants of arms and heraldry stopped with the conquest
of Bosnia and Hercegovina by the Ottoman Turk.
The original grants were lands given to the nobility under a strict feudal
system. Later Coats of Arms were granted, then finally lists were published
as Nobility Lists or Rolls of Nobility.
Titles of Nobility
Titles of the nobility varied somewhat due to the influence of foreign rulers
and the time period involved. The titles were somewhat different in various
parts of Croatia: Old Croatian Hereditary Nobility Knezova--Princes;
Velikasa--High Nobility. Bosnian Nobility Knez -- Prince; Vojvoda--Duke;
Plemic--Nobleman. Habsburg - Austria Period Knez--Prince; Grof--Count;
Barun--Baron; Vitez--Knight; Plemic--Nobleman. Dalmatian Cities
Vlastela--High Nobility; Vlastelicici--Nobility. Venice Conte--Count;
Nobile--Nobleman.
Study of Arms
The study of Croatian coats of arms and other historic sciences on the
professional level started in Croatia in the seventeenth century,
particularly with the works by Pavao Ritter Vitezovic from Senj. The
contributions have been especially notable since the nineteenth century. Ivan
Bojnicic published “Der Adel von Kroatien und Slavonien” (The Noblemen of
Croatia and Slavonia). Beside Bojnicic the most prominent expert in this
field in the 20th century was Bartol Zmajic. He was a baron, a descendant of
a reputable noble family. He spent his whole working life of forty years in
the Croatian State Archives in Zagreb as an archivist and a senior archivist,
mostly of earlier historic records and published the first detailed insight
into the development of Croatian heraldry.
Union of Hungary with the Twelve Croatian Clans
The twelve chief Croatian clans, presumably descendants of the original
tribes that had taken possession of the country in the sixth or seventh
centuries, were the Kacic, Svacic, Subic, Kukara, Gusic, Cudomiric, Mogoric,
or Muric, Karinjani-Lapcani, Polecic, Lacnicic, Jamometic or Jamonstic, and
Tugomiric or Tudomiric. Croatia had no male heir. It was with the head
families of these clans that the Hungarian king entered into discussions as
to the terms on which he was to ascend the throne of the Trpimirovici. In
1102 they recognized Koloman as their sovereign. The basic condition that the
clans appear to have laid down to the Hungarian ruler was that the Croatian
nation in general should retain full possession of Croatian territory and
national property; more particularly the twelve noble families or clans
named, who ruled were confirmed in their possession of this territory.
Turopolje Nobility
In mid winter of 1249 the Mongols rode across the frozen Danube river, and,
in pursuance of their usual tactic of following to the death the king of any
force which dared to oppose them in the field, part of their army set out to
run Bela to earth. The Hungarian king at this time ennobled the entire
community of Turopolje near Zagreb for its services in his defense and in
supplying him and his entourage with food and other necessities. But Zagreb
could not be held against the Mongol storm and the king made for the coast
with the Mongol ponies almost on his heels. Zagreb itself was largely
destroyed.
Free Communities
A certain number of plemina (clans) and bratsva remained free. They came to
constitute free communities which operated under the general aegis of the
lords of the surrounding territories. Sometimes these communities acquired
titles of group nobility, Plemenite opcine. Often, too, they had serfs of
their own. Communities of this kind such as those of Turopolje, Pokupje,
Draganic, Domagovic, Cvetkovic, and of the Korana region, occupied entire
villages and succeeded in conserving their privileges until 1848.
Books Available
Eterovich, Adam S. A Guide and Index to Croatian Coats of Arms. San Carlos: Ragusan Press, 2003. 70 pages. Soft Cover. Spiral Bound.
An index and guide to the Nobility of Croatia. Over 7000 names and variations. Press, 1995. 50 pages. Booklet. Includes Maps, Translations, Archives.
Eterovich, Adam S. Croatian Popes and Saints and the Croatian Checkered Arms. San Carlos: Ragusan Press, 1998. 60 pages. A booklet containing all forms of family and state arms with the Croatian checkered arms. Thirteen
Popes had similar Arms.
Adam S. Eterovich
2527 San Carlos Ave.
San Carlos, California 94070
USA
[email protected]
www.croatians.com
More Replies:
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Re: Bosnia-Hercegovina names
Genoveva Camacho-Fosa 3/08/03
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Re: Bosnia-Hercegovina names
Robert Jerin 3/08/03
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Re: Bosnia-Hercegovina names