Republic of Poljica

The Republic of Poljica ( kroat. Poljička republika, Italian Poglizza ) was a semi-autonomous community in Dalmatia, between Split, Omis and the Cetina River, which existed from the late Middle Ages to the beginning of the 19th century. The small, guided by the local aristocratic republic was first under the protection of the Hungarian kings, and since the mid-15th century under the sovereignty of the Republic of Venice.

Name

The name derives from the Slavic word Poljica polje (field, special significance Karst level) ago. Another explanation can not see the origin of the name from the Slavic idiom, but in altromanischen substrate, which was widespread in Dalmatia until well into the early modern period. After that Poljica derives from politia, the Latin form of the Greek πολιτεια and means communities. First described in 1774, the Italian scholar Alberto Fortis Poljica in Omis as a republic. My name was Poljička Knezija ( Principality of Poljica ).

Territory

The field of Poljica was within the loop of the river Cetina shortly before its confluence with the Adriatic Sea. In the southwest of the territory of the Republic lasted until shortly before Stobreč on the Adriatic. The Poljica stretching from northwest to southeast across approximately 37 km and comprised about 250 square kilometers. In the center of the landscape rises the mountain Mosor, with the peak of Veliki Kabal ( 1339 m ) as the highest elevation. In this area, the following villages are: Žrnovnica Donje and Gornje Sitno, Dubrava ( Poljica ) Tugare, Srinjine, Naklice Cisla, Gata, Podgrađe, Donji Dolac, Trnbusi, Podstrana, Seoca, Ostrvica and Kostanje. These were organized into 12 political communities. A capital city or a county seat did not exist.

Constitution

The Poljica was an aristocratic or ständisches community. The political power was largely in the hands of the nobility, was exceedingly numerous (more than 10 percent of the population ), and is divided into two classes. But the free peasants had political participation rights.

Each village community was led by a nobleman. The twelve elders and three elected by all free men judge formed the government of the Republic, at the top of Veliki Knez ( Prince, Colonel Landrichter ) stood. The higher class of nobility consisted of 20 families who derived their descent from the traditional Hungarian nobility. The prince came out of that " Hungarian " noble. The other nobles saw themselves against it as part of the aristocracy of the old Bosnia. The emergence of lineage legends of the two noble classes is related to the turbulent history of medieval Poljica, as the supremacy changed frequently. Whether there really were immigrants from Hungary and Bosnia in the noble families, can not be proved.

The political situation of the country was governed by a statute that was, first written in 1440 at the Venetian takeover and in its final form in the 17th century consisted of 116 items. This statute is thus one of the oldest written constitutions in Europe. It included the common law of the Republic and the collection of their offices with their responsibilities. Revisions of the statutes there were in the years 1485, 1515 and 1665th

History

In the Middle Ages the people of Poljica cultivated good relations with the town of Omis whose residents were notorious until the 15th century as pirates. The demand for food covered the corsairs through trade with the farmers of Poljica.

During the Venetian rule, the Republic was in steady defensive struggle against the Turks. The limit to the Ottoman Empire ran from the 16th to the 18th century directly on the Cetina. 1530 and 1686 was the banns of Poljica defeat together with Venetian troops the Turks in open battle and push back from the country.

After the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, and soon came the end of the Republic Poljica. The first Austrian rule in Dalmatia (1797-1807) brought no changes. 1806 were counted in the small Republic of 6,566 inhabitants. The following year, Napoleon's troops devastated the Poljica and integrated the Republic to the newly formed Illyrian provinces.

Today

The Republic of Poljica was re-established as a regional cultural association. The Chairman leads the traditional title of Veliki Knez.