Andrija Zmajevic
Encyclopedia
Andrija Zmajević was a distinguished Serbian
Baroque
poet and contributor to the Roman Catholic Church
from the Bay of Kotor
. He was also a prominent theologian and the Archbishop
of Bar
and "Primate of the Serbian Kingdom".
: when the last members of the Crnojević dynasty left Montenegro
, Nikola Zmajević and his cousins Ivaniš and Vučeta moved to Kotor
. Becoming appealed and somewhat wealthy, the family quickly abandoned Serbian Orthodoxy
in favor of Roman Catholicism, with the three marrying Catholic Christian girls and having their children baptized in the Latin Rite. Andrija's father was Nikola Milutin Zmajević. After Andrija's birth in 1628, soon came Andrija's brothers, Ivan and Krsto. Krsto would become a very famous person, on more than one occasion the Captain of Perast. Andrija remained very akin towards his family origin throughout his life.
The Franciscans held an elementary school since 1638 in the private home of the Mazarović family. After attending this poor school for a short time, Andrija moved to Kotor
to earn some better education. As the first man of the Congregation for Propaganda of Faith he travels to Rome to their Institution "Urbino", where he earned a PhD in Philosophy and Theology. Andrija quickly rose to prominence in Rome. In July 1651 at the request of Jeronim Pastrić of Split
, he was accepted into the Brotherhood of Saint Geronimo along with eight other young priests, all of whom come from Dalmatia
. Andrija begins his literal career there, as a student. When the ex-Swedish Queen Christine moved to Rome and paid an honorary visit to the College for Propagation of the Faith, Andrija was one the 42 young students that dedicated poems and speeches to her in 26 different languages.
On 15 April 1654 the Ottoman Turks from Herzegovina
under the leadership of Mehmed-pasa Rizvanbegović assaulted Andrija's hometown Perast; his brother Krsto heroically defended the city. Andrija wrote a poem Boj peraški (Battle of Perast) dedicated to celebrating this event. Some half a century ago the last remaining copy of this work was lost.
He returned to his home and became the abbot of the local monastery of St. George and the pastor of Perast (1656). In 1664 he became the vicar of Budva
bishopric and in 1671 the titular archbishop of Bar
and primate of the Kingdom of Serbia. As both Bar and the rest of Montenegro were under Ottoman control, Zmajević resided in Perast where he built a grand palace called Biskupija ("Bishop's palace"). The palace was frescoed by his protegé, the talented local painter Tripo Kokolja
. Biskupija also contained one of the most significant libraries in the eastern Adriatic. He also supervised the building of the high bell tower of the parish church and of many other churches round the Bay of Kotor
(Boka kotorska). Zmajević was interested as well in classical antiquities and collected Roman inscriptions and ruins. Although a high Catholic prelate Zmajević remained very tolerant and highly esteemed by both the Catholics and the Orthodox, among the latter by Arsenije Čarnojević, the Serbian patriarch
, also of the Njeguš clan.
He died in 1694 and was buried in the chapel by the palace that he erected.
. His only published work, the song "Od pakla" ("Hell") saw the light of day in Venice
in 1727. All of his other works remained in manuscripts. He wrote:
Zmajević wrote both in Cyrillic and in Latin
scripts. Zmajević called the language in which he wrote "Slavic" (slovinski). He justified his decision to write in "Serb letters" (Cyrillic script) since "the whole of our nation uses it" (kojim se služi čitava naša nacija). His inspiration comes both from current events and from Serbian history and epic so that he often mentions Nemanja
, Miloš Obilić
and other historical and legendary figures.
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
poet and contributor to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
from the Bay of Kotor
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor in south-western Montenegro is a winding bay on the Adriatic Sea. The bay, sometimes called Europe's southernmost fjord, is in fact a submerged river canyon of the disintegrated Bokelj River which used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen...
. He was also a prominent theologian and the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Bar
Bar, Montenegro
Bar is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has a population of 17,727...
and "Primate of the Serbian Kingdom".
Biography
The illustrious Zmajević family originates from the Njeguš Old Montenegrin clanSerb clans
Serb clans is a general term referring to what are known as plemena and bratstva , traditional geo-political units of the Western Balkans that now richly attest social anthropology and family history . The descendants of the clans are divided by regional and lately, national affiliation...
: when the last members of the Crnojević dynasty left Montenegro
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...
, Nikola Zmajević and his cousins Ivaniš and Vučeta moved to Kotor
Kotor
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....
. Becoming appealed and somewhat wealthy, the family quickly abandoned Serbian Orthodoxy
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
in favor of Roman Catholicism, with the three marrying Catholic Christian girls and having their children baptized in the Latin Rite. Andrija's father was Nikola Milutin Zmajević. After Andrija's birth in 1628, soon came Andrija's brothers, Ivan and Krsto. Krsto would become a very famous person, on more than one occasion the Captain of Perast. Andrija remained very akin towards his family origin throughout his life.
The Franciscans held an elementary school since 1638 in the private home of the Mazarović family. After attending this poor school for a short time, Andrija moved to Kotor
Kotor
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....
to earn some better education. As the first man of the Congregation for Propaganda of Faith he travels to Rome to their Institution "Urbino", where he earned a PhD in Philosophy and Theology. Andrija quickly rose to prominence in Rome. In July 1651 at the request of Jeronim Pastrić of 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...
, he was accepted into the Brotherhood of Saint Geronimo along with eight other young priests, all of whom come from 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....
. Andrija begins his literal career there, as a student. When the ex-Swedish Queen Christine moved to Rome and paid an honorary visit to the College for Propagation of the Faith, Andrija was one the 42 young students that dedicated poems and speeches to her in 26 different languages.
On 15 April 1654 the Ottoman Turks from 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...
under the leadership of Mehmed-pasa Rizvanbegović assaulted Andrija's hometown Perast; his brother Krsto heroically defended the city. Andrija wrote a poem Boj peraški (Battle of Perast) dedicated to celebrating this event. Some half a century ago the last remaining copy of this work was lost.
He returned to his home and became the abbot of the local monastery of St. George and the pastor of Perast (1656). In 1664 he became the vicar of Budva
Budva
Budva is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has around 15,000 inhabitants, and it is the centre of municipality...
bishopric and in 1671 the titular archbishop of Bar
Bar, Montenegro
Bar is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has a population of 17,727...
and primate of the Kingdom of Serbia. As both Bar and the rest of Montenegro were under Ottoman control, Zmajević resided in Perast where he built a grand palace called Biskupija ("Bishop's palace"). The palace was frescoed by his protegé, the talented local painter Tripo Kokolja
Tripo Kokolja
Tripo Kokolja was a Croatian painter. His name is sometimes given as Trifun Kokoljić or Cocoglia...
. Biskupija also contained one of the most significant libraries in the eastern Adriatic. He also supervised the building of the high bell tower of the parish church and of many other churches round the Bay of Kotor
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor in south-western Montenegro is a winding bay on the Adriatic Sea. The bay, sometimes called Europe's southernmost fjord, is in fact a submerged river canyon of the disintegrated Bokelj River which used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen...
(Boka kotorska). Zmajević was interested as well in classical antiquities and collected Roman inscriptions and ruins. Although a high Catholic prelate Zmajević remained very tolerant and highly esteemed by both the Catholics and the Orthodox, among the latter by Arsenije Čarnojević, the Serbian patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
, also of the Njeguš clan.
He died in 1694 and was buried in the chapel by the palace that he erected.
Work
He also collected epic and lyric folk songs and transcribed works of the poets of Dubrovnik, notably GundulićIvan Gundulic
Ivan Franov Gundulić is the most celebrated Croatian Baroque poet from the Republic of Ragusa. His work embodies central characteristics of Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation: religious fervor, insistence on "vanity of this world" and zeal in opposition to "infidels." Gundulić's major...
. His only published work, the song "Od pakla" ("Hell") saw the light of day in 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...
in 1727. All of his other works remained in manuscripts. He wrote:
- Hronika or Ljetopis crkveni (Church Annals or Church Chronicles) illustrated by himself and Tripo Kokolja
- Svadja Lazarevih kćeri, Brankovice i Miloševice ("The Quarrel of Lazar’s daughters, wife of Branko and wife of Miloš")
- Peraški boj ("The Battle of Perast").
- Slovinskoj Dubravi (Of Slavic 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...
") - Tripu Škuri ("Of Tripo Škura)
Zmajević wrote both in Cyrillic and in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
scripts. Zmajević called the language in which he wrote "Slavic" (slovinski). He justified his decision to write in "Serb letters" (Cyrillic script) since "the whole of our nation uses it" (kojim se služi čitava naša nacija). His inspiration comes both from current events and from Serbian history and epic so that he often mentions Nemanja
Nemanja
Nemanja is an old name of Serbian and a Slavic origin, most likely meaning meaning "stubborn" or "persistent" as a negative of a Serbian verb "maniti se" or "manuti se" which loosely translates as "to give up"/"to leave something alone". It first appears in 11-12th century and, thanks to the...
, Miloš Obilić
Miloš Obilic
Miloš Obilić was a medieval Serbian knight in the service of Prince Lazar, during the invasion of the Ottoman Empire. He is not mentioned in contemporary sources, but he features prominently in later accounts of the Serbian defeat at the Battle of Kosovo as the legendary assassin of the Ottoman...
and other historical and legendary figures.