Božidar Petranovic
Encyclopedia
Božidar Petranović was an outstanding Serbian
author, scholar, literary historian, and journalist of the 19th century. He is also mentioned as Teodor (Greek version of Serbian Božidar) Petranović in some publications.
, Dalmatia
, Božidar Petranović was one of the first Dalmatian Serbs to be educated in the newly-constructed Metropolitanate of Karlovci
's Gymnasium of Karlovci
. He was also educated in Graz
together with Ljudevit Gaj
.
Božidar Petranović was the founder and publisher of the first Serb literal and scientific paper in Zadar
, entitled the "Serbian-Dalmatian Magazine" . In 1838, Petranović claimed that the greater part of the population of the Kingdom of Dalmatia
was "of Serb name" and spoke "true Serbian dialect". He later hired the Dubrovnik Orthodox priest Djordje Nikolajević as an editor of Magazin, and the two promulgated Ljudevit Gaj-Vuk Karadžić's language reforms.
Petranović also wrote very interesting studies on Rousseau, Voltaire
and Matthias Bel in the Serbian Journal (Srpske novine) in 1838.
He is the author of Bogomili: Crkva Bosanska ("Bogomils: The Bosnian Church
", published by Demarki-Ruzier, Zadar), a book that received considerable attention from European and Russian scholars when it was first published in 1867. In it he claimed that the Bosnian Church was part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but with the advent, spread and influence of Bogomilism
, some members of the Serbian Orthodox Church
broke away and acquired heretical beliefs. With the ensuing Turkish invasions of the 15th Century, persecuted Bogomils were more apt to espouse Islam
than the rest of the Christian population, than to fight for their survival against the invading Islamic, Asiatic hordes.
His ambitious history of world literature, Istorija književnosti (published by Danilo Medaković in Novi Sad
, 1858), conceived at least fifteen years before its publication, proposed a radically different and more elaborate historical concept of literature -- a work on the influence of foreign literatures on the development of Serbian literature
. Petranović published Part I as a book, and fragments of Part II in literary periodicals; in an announcement of his book he stated that the national culture had neglected literary history (Petranović: Rukovodstvo). His overview included ancient Jewish, Chinese, Indian, Chaldean, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Paleo-Christian literature. He was a lonely figure, but by the end of the 19th century several historians of literature defended his universal approach, arguing that his approach to literature was necessary for a better understanding of the national literature, particularly Jovan Skerlić
, Bogdan Popović and Pavle Popović.
By the early twentieth century, this led to the founding of a Department of World Literature in the School of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade
; its first professor was Svetomir Nikolajević
, later Professor in the School of Philology at the University of Belgrade.
Petranović died in Venice
.
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
author, scholar, literary historian, and journalist of the 19th century. He is also mentioned as Teodor (Greek version of Serbian Božidar) Petranović in some publications.
Biography
Born in ŠibenikŠibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
, 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....
, Božidar Petranović was one of the first Dalmatian Serbs to be educated in the newly-constructed Metropolitanate of Karlovci
Metropolitanate of Karlovci
The Metropolitanate of Karlovci was a metropolitanate of the Orthodox Church that existed between 1691 and 1848. Between 1691 and 1706 it was known as the Metropolitanate of Sentandreja, between 1708 and 1713 as the Metropolitanate of Krušedol, and between 1713 and 1848 as the Metropolitanate of...
's Gymnasium of Karlovci
Gymnasium of Karlovci
The Gymnasium of Karlovci or the High School of Karlovci, located in the town of Sremski Karlovci in Serbia, is the oldest Serbian secondary school on the slopes of Fruška Gora. This type of school is comparable to U.S...
. He was also educated in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
together with Ljudevit Gaj
Ljudevit Gaj
Ljudevit Gaj was a Croatian linguist, politician, journalist and writer. He was one of the central figures of the Croatian national reformation, also known as the Illyrian Movement.-Origin:...
.
Božidar Petranović was the founder and publisher of the first Serb literal and scientific paper in Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
, entitled the "Serbian-Dalmatian Magazine" . In 1838, Petranović claimed that the greater part of the population of the Kingdom of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
The Kingdom of Dalmatia was an administrative division of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1815 to 1918. Its capital was Zadar.-History:...
was "of Serb name" and spoke "true Serbian dialect". He later hired the Dubrovnik Orthodox priest Djordje Nikolajević as an editor of Magazin, and the two promulgated Ljudevit Gaj-Vuk Karadžić's language reforms.
Petranović also wrote very interesting studies on Rousseau, Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
and Matthias Bel in the Serbian Journal (Srpske novine) in 1838.
He is the author of Bogomili: Crkva Bosanska ("Bogomils: The Bosnian Church
Bosnian Church
The Bosnian Church is historically thought to be an indigenous branch of the Bogomils that existed in Bosnia during the Middle Ages. Adherents of the church called themselves simply Krstjani...
", published by Demarki-Ruzier, Zadar), a book that received considerable attention from European and Russian scholars when it was first published in 1867. In it he claimed that the Bosnian Church was part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but with the advent, spread and influence of Bogomilism
Bogomilism
Bogomilism was a Gnostic religiopolitical sect founded in the First Bulgarian Empire by the priest Bogomil during the reign of Tsar Petar I in the 10th century...
, some members of the Serbian Orthodox Church
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...
broke away and acquired heretical beliefs. With the ensuing Turkish invasions of the 15th Century, persecuted Bogomils were more apt to espouse Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
than the rest of the Christian population, than to fight for their survival against the invading Islamic, Asiatic hordes.
His ambitious history of world literature, Istorija književnosti (published by Danilo Medaković in Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
, 1858), conceived at least fifteen years before its publication, proposed a radically different and more elaborate historical concept of literature -- a work on the influence of foreign literatures on the development of Serbian literature
Serbian literature
Serbian literature refers to literature written in Serbian and/or in Serbia.The history of Serbian literature begins with theological works from the 10th- and 11th centuries, developing in the 13th century by Saint Sava and his disciples...
. Petranović published Part I as a book, and fragments of Part II in literary periodicals; in an announcement of his book he stated that the national culture had neglected literary history (Petranović: Rukovodstvo). His overview included ancient Jewish, Chinese, Indian, Chaldean, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Paleo-Christian literature. He was a lonely figure, but by the end of the 19th century several historians of literature defended his universal approach, arguing that his approach to literature was necessary for a better understanding of the national literature, particularly Jovan Skerlić
Jovan Skerlić
Jovan Skerlić was a Serbian writer and critic. He is regarded as one of the most influential Serbian literary critics of the early 20th century, after Bogdan Popović.- Biography :...
, Bogdan Popović and Pavle Popović.
By the early twentieth century, this led to the founding of a Department of World Literature in the School of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
; its first professor was Svetomir Nikolajević
Svetomir Nikolajević
Svetomir Nikolajević was Serbian writer and politician, a professor of the Belgrade's Grande École , the Serbian Royal Academy, Prime Minister of Serbia Svetomir Nikolajević (September 21, 1844, Raduša – April 18, 1922, Belgrade) was Serbian writer and politician, a professor of the...
, later Professor in the School of Philology at the University of Belgrade.
Petranović died 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...
.