Frane Bulic
Encyclopedia
Frane Bulić was a Croatian
priest, archeologist, and historian.
Bulić was born in Vranjic near Split
and studied theology in Zadar
and then classical philology
and archeology in Vienna
. He became the curator of the archeological museum in Split, and was entrusted with the conservation of cultural and historical antiquities over all of Dalmatia
.
He was also active politically. He was elected the representative of the county of Split in the Dalmatian parliament and as representative of Dalmatia in the Imperial Council
in Vienna. He withdrew from politics during the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, after the Sixth of January dictatorship proclaimed by Aleksandar Karađorđević
in 1929.
His archeological discoveries provided great contributions to the understanding of early Christian
and Croatian
history in Dalmatia. Bulić led archeological expeditions in many locations, but especially in Solin. He discovered a basilica within the local monastery which contained the buried martyrs Dujam and Venancije from the time of the Roman Emperor Diocletian
.
In 1891, he discovered a piece of stone which contained an inscription of the early Croatian ruler, knez Trpimir. In 1898 he found the remarkable sarcophagus of queen Jelena
dating back to 976. Together with his associates, he succeeded in putting the writing on the damaged piece together to figure out the complete inscription. Historians consider this one of the most important documents of Croatian history in the Middle Ages because it provided information about the genealogy of Croatian kings.
Also near Solin, Bulić discovered the foundations of the Church of Saint Mary and the Church of Saint Stephen, in which members of the Croatian ruling houses were buried, including king Mihajlo Krešimir II
and his wife Jelena of Zadar
who was a benefactress of the churches.
In 1894 Bulić founded the Bihać organization for the preservation of history from the age of Croatian national rulers. His reputation helped Split and Solin host the first International Congress of Christian Archaeology in 1894. He was also a respected member of many local and international archeological organizations. Bulić published many articles and books, the most notable of which are: Hrvatski spomenici u kninskoj okolici uz ostale suvremene dalmatinske iz doba narodne hrvatske dinastije (Croatian monuments in the Knin area and Dalmatia from the age of Croatian national dynasties), Palača cara Dioklecijana u Splitu (Palace of Emperor Diocletian in Split), Stopama hrvatskih narodnih vladara (The steps of the Croatian national rulers).
Bulić died in 1934 in Zagreb. His funeral was conducted by bishops Kvirin Klement Bonefačić and Aloysius Stepinac
.
and he was awarded several orders and decorations, including Commander 2nd Class of the Royal Saxon Albrecht Order
23.03.1908
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
priest, archeologist, and historian.
Bulić was born in Vranjic near 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...
and studied theology 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...
and then classical philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
and archeology in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He became the curator of the archeological museum in Split, and was entrusted with the conservation of cultural and historical antiquities over all of 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....
.
He was also active politically. He was elected the representative of the county of Split in the Dalmatian parliament and as representative of Dalmatia in the Imperial Council
Reichsrat (Austria)
The Imperial Council of Austria from 1867 to 1918 was the parliament of the Cisleithanian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Herrenhaus and the Abgeordnetenhaus...
in Vienna. He withdrew from politics during the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, after the Sixth of January dictatorship proclaimed by Aleksandar Karađorđević
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
in 1929.
His archeological discoveries provided great contributions to the understanding of early Christian
History of Christianity
The history of Christianity concerns the Christian religion, its followers and the Church with its various denominations, from the first century to the present. Christianity was founded in the 1st century by the followers of Jesus of Nazareth who they believed to be the Christ or chosen one of God...
and Croatian
History of Croatia
Croatia first appeared as a duchy in the 7th century and then as a kingdom in the 10th century. From the 12th century it remained a distinct state with its ruler and parliament, but it obeyed the kings and emperors of various neighboring powers, primarily Hungary and Austria. The period from the...
history in Dalmatia. Bulić led archeological expeditions in many locations, but especially in Solin. He discovered a basilica within the local monastery which contained the buried martyrs Dujam and Venancije from the time of the Roman Emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
.
In 1891, he discovered a piece of stone which contained an inscription of the early Croatian ruler, knez Trpimir. In 1898 he found the remarkable sarcophagus of queen Jelena
Jelena
Jelena is the Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian variant of the female given name Helen. The Serbian Cyrillic version is Јелена.*Jelena of Zadar, wife of King Mihajlo Krešimir II, Queen of Croatia from 946 to 969...
dating back to 976. Together with his associates, he succeeded in putting the writing on the damaged piece together to figure out the complete inscription. Historians consider this one of the most important documents of Croatian history in the Middle Ages because it provided information about the genealogy of Croatian kings.
Also near Solin, Bulić discovered the foundations of the Church of Saint Mary and the Church of Saint Stephen, in which members of the Croatian ruling houses were buried, including king Mihajlo Krešimir II
Mihajlo Krešimir II
Michael Krešimir II was a King of Croatia from 949 to his death in 969. He was a member of the House of Trpimir. Krešimir II was a son of Krešimir I and the younger brother of Miroslav, who preceded him as King of Croatia in 945....
and his wife Jelena of Zadar
Jelena of Zadar
Helen I , also known as Helen of Zadar or Helen the Glorious, was the queen consort of the Kingdom of Croatia, the wife of King Michael Krešimir II. They jointly ruled from 946 to 969, a period which was allegedly marked by "peace, order and expeditious growth"...
who was a benefactress of the churches.
In 1894 Bulić founded the Bihać organization for the preservation of history from the age of Croatian national rulers. His reputation helped Split and Solin host the first International Congress of Christian Archaeology in 1894. He was also a respected member of many local and international archeological organizations. Bulić published many articles and books, the most notable of which are: Hrvatski spomenici u kninskoj okolici uz ostale suvremene dalmatinske iz doba narodne hrvatske dinastije (Croatian monuments in the Knin area and Dalmatia from the age of Croatian national dynasties), Palača cara Dioklecijana u Splitu (Palace of Emperor Diocletian in Split), Stopama hrvatskih narodnih vladara (The steps of the Croatian national rulers).
Bulić died in 1934 in Zagreb. His funeral was conducted by bishops Kvirin Klement Bonefačić and Aloysius Stepinac
Aloysius Stepinac
Aloysius Viktor Stepinac , also known as Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, was a Croatian Catholic cardinal and Archbishop of Zagreb from 1937 to 1960. In 1998 he was declared a martyr and beatified by Pope John Paul II....
.
Honours
Bulic was a Papal ChamberlainPapal chamberlain
Papal chamberlain was one of the highest honours that could be bestowed on a Catholic layman by the Pope, and was often given to members of noble families. It was mostly an honorary position, but a chamberlain served the Pope for one week per year during official ceremonies...
and he was awarded several orders and decorations, including Commander 2nd Class of the Royal Saxon Albrecht Order
Albert Order
The Albert Order was created 31 December 1850 by King Frederick Augustus II of Saxony to commemorate Albert III, Duke of Saxony and was to be awarded to anyone who had served the state well, for civil virtue, science and art....
23.03.1908