Hvar Rebellion
Encyclopedia
The Hvar Rebellion (1510 - 1514) was a popular uprising of the people and citizens of the Dalmatia
n island of Hvar
on the Adriatic Sea
against the island's nobility and their Venetian masters. It began on the island's largest city, also called Hvar
, but spread to the entire island.
and its majority South Slavic
population since 1420 and appointed a Venetian noble (called Count) to head the city communes, thus removing the most important autonomous right of the local population. The local noble councils of the cities, however, still held authority in governing most local matters.
As early as the 15th century, the citizens of the city of Hvar formed the so called citizen's councils and demanded some government offices as well as authority in the government. The blunt refusal of these repeated demands was the first cause that sparked the rebellion. The second was the appalling behavior of noblemen towards the citizen's women, which included rape. Their husbands and fathers were unable to prevent or punish the offenders. Another cause was the rise of wealthy citizens' families that desired greater influence.
In order to secure their power, Venetian and local nobles institute a law which prohibits the election
into the ruling council of anyone whose father or grandfather was not its member. This legalized oligarchy proclaimed itself a god's institution, and passed criminal laws that greatly discriminate the ordinary citizens. The nobility went by the Medieval
principle of intimidation, by which ordinary people are more likely to commit crimes, and that evil people, who are going to commit them anyway, can only be intimidated into obedience. This made it seem as though all ordinary citizens are potentially evil, and should be treated with that in mind. The legal discrimination
was another deciding factor in the Rebellion.
, a prominent citizen of Hvar
. With a contingent of armed citizens, Ivanić broke into the city and attacked the nobles. He executed some and burnt their houses, while incarcerating others. He demanded of the Hvar Prince equality in taxation and criminal law.
Having gathered 2,000 armed men and 30 galleys for patrolling the coast and preventing the escape of the nobles to Venice, he took control of the island. In the second year he issued a demand to the Venetian Republic, he asked for the permission to hold a council of all classes in Hvar, to create a more just government. The letter held 20 seals and signatures with 60 more prominent citizens voicing their support. At the same time, the citizens accused the nobles of the injustices and inhumanities and demanded their punishment.
At the beginning of the conflict, the Venetians kept an appearance of neutrality, probably due to their war against the League of Cambrai. They invited both sides to Venice, failing that, and due to the Rebellion's significant impact on the whole of Dalmatia, the Venetians decided to energetically pursue its conclusion. Giovanni Navagero (Zuano Navaiero in some documents) was consequently sent to Hvar, where he succeeded to pacify the uprising in 1511 by unknown means, while the rebels still held control over the island and did not allow the nobles to return.
However, by the end of the same year, there was unrest again against the Venetians in the whole of Dalmatia, which threatened to spread. Therefore, Venice sent Sebastiano Giustiniani, from Giustiniani
family, to Hvar in 1512, who tried to quell the uprising by brute force. He terrorized the citizens under his control, sentenced 69 to exile, and offered a bounty of 400 ducat
s on Matija Ivanić's head. He was thwarted, though, by a decisive defeat of his troops at the hands of Ivanić's forces near Jelsa
, another town on the island. Sebastiano Giustiniani (Sebastian Justiniano in some documents) was recalled, but the Venetians dispatched 15 war galleys under the command of Simone Capello to end the rebellion.
Upon his arrival, Capello managed to destroy all armed galleys of the rebels by October, 1514, overcoming their land forces only after a prolonged struggle. Subsequently he hanged 19 leaders of the Rebellion on his flagship, and cut off one hand and eye of 10 others.
The Hvar Rebellion was destroyed, while Matija Ivanić managed to get off the island and leave Venetian lands. He tried to return to Hvar several times without success, and later moved to Italy to the town of Vieste
, where he is mentioned in sources for the last time around 1519. The struggle for the citizens' equality was continued by non-violent means by his son, Ivan Ivanić
, and his offspring.
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....
n island of Hvar
Hvar
- Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7...
on the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
against the island's nobility and their Venetian masters. It began on the island's largest city, also called Hvar
Hvar (town)
Hvar is a city and port on the island of Hvar, part of Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. The municipality has a population of 4,138 while the city itself is inhabited by 3,672 people, making it the largest settlement on the island of Hvar...
, but spread to the entire island.
Background
The Venetian Republic ruled DalmatiaDalmatia
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....
and its majority South Slavic
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
population since 1420 and appointed a Venetian noble (called Count) to head the city communes, thus removing the most important autonomous right of the local population. The local noble councils of the cities, however, still held authority in governing most local matters.
As early as the 15th century, the citizens of the city of Hvar formed the so called citizen's councils and demanded some government offices as well as authority in the government. The blunt refusal of these repeated demands was the first cause that sparked the rebellion. The second was the appalling behavior of noblemen towards the citizen's women, which included rape. Their husbands and fathers were unable to prevent or punish the offenders. Another cause was the rise of wealthy citizens' families that desired greater influence.
In order to secure their power, Venetian and local nobles institute a law which prohibits the election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
into the ruling council of anyone whose father or grandfather was not its member. This legalized oligarchy proclaimed itself a god's institution, and passed criminal laws that greatly discriminate the ordinary citizens. The nobility went by the Medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
principle of intimidation, by which ordinary people are more likely to commit crimes, and that evil people, who are going to commit them anyway, can only be intimidated into obedience. This made it seem as though all ordinary citizens are potentially evil, and should be treated with that in mind. The legal discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
was another deciding factor in the Rebellion.
Rebellion
The immediate cause for the uprising was the inhumane behavior of several of the nobles, which included rape of the citizen's women. An all-out revolt quickly gripped the island, led by Matija IvanićMatija Ivanic
Matija Ivanić was a prominent 16th century citizen of the Dalmatian city of Hvar that led the Hvar Rebellion against the Venetian Republic. After the defeat of the Rebellion, Ivanić became a symbol of freedom in Venetian-controlled Dalmatia. Personifying defiance both against Venice and against...
, a prominent citizen of Hvar
Hvar (town)
Hvar is a city and port on the island of Hvar, part of Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. The municipality has a population of 4,138 while the city itself is inhabited by 3,672 people, making it the largest settlement on the island of Hvar...
. With a contingent of armed citizens, Ivanić broke into the city and attacked the nobles. He executed some and burnt their houses, while incarcerating others. He demanded of the Hvar Prince equality in taxation and criminal law.
Having gathered 2,000 armed men and 30 galleys for patrolling the coast and preventing the escape of the nobles to Venice, he took control of the island. In the second year he issued a demand to the Venetian Republic, he asked for the permission to hold a council of all classes in Hvar, to create a more just government. The letter held 20 seals and signatures with 60 more prominent citizens voicing their support. At the same time, the citizens accused the nobles of the injustices and inhumanities and demanded their punishment.
At the beginning of the conflict, the Venetians kept an appearance of neutrality, probably due to their war against the League of Cambrai. They invited both sides to Venice, failing that, and due to the Rebellion's significant impact on the whole of Dalmatia, the Venetians decided to energetically pursue its conclusion. Giovanni Navagero (Zuano Navaiero in some documents) was consequently sent to Hvar, where he succeeded to pacify the uprising in 1511 by unknown means, while the rebels still held control over the island and did not allow the nobles to return.
However, by the end of the same year, there was unrest again against the Venetians in the whole of Dalmatia, which threatened to spread. Therefore, Venice sent Sebastiano Giustiniani, from Giustiniani
Giustiniani
Giustiniani is the name of a prominent Italian family which originally belonged to Venice, but also established itself subsequently in Genoa, and at various times had representatives in Naples, Corsica and in the islands of the Archipelago, where they had been the last Genoese rulers of the Aegean...
family, to Hvar in 1512, who tried to quell the uprising by brute force. He terrorized the citizens under his control, sentenced 69 to exile, and offered a bounty of 400 ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s on Matija Ivanić's head. He was thwarted, though, by a decisive defeat of his troops at the hands of Ivanić's forces near Jelsa
Jelsa
Jelsa can refer to:*Jelsa, Norway, Suldal municipality, Rogaland, Norway*Jelsa, Croatia...
, another town on the island. Sebastiano Giustiniani (Sebastian Justiniano in some documents) was recalled, but the Venetians dispatched 15 war galleys under the command of Simone Capello to end the rebellion.
Upon his arrival, Capello managed to destroy all armed galleys of the rebels by October, 1514, overcoming their land forces only after a prolonged struggle. Subsequently he hanged 19 leaders of the Rebellion on his flagship, and cut off one hand and eye of 10 others.
The Hvar Rebellion was destroyed, while Matija Ivanić managed to get off the island and leave Venetian lands. He tried to return to Hvar several times without success, and later moved to Italy to the town of Vieste
Vieste
Vieste is a town and comune in the province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.thumb|Cathedral of ViesteA marine resort in Gargano, Vieste has received Blue Flags for the purity of its waters from the Foundation for Environmental Education...
, where he is mentioned in sources for the last time around 1519. The struggle for the citizens' equality was continued by non-violent means by his son, Ivan Ivanić
Ivan Ivanić
Ivan Ivanić was a diplomat of the Kingdom of Serbia and author of numerous works about ethnic groups in Serbia and the Balkans...
, and his offspring.
See also
- Croatian-Slovenian peasant revolt
- History of DalmatiaHistory of DalmatiaThe History of Dalmatia concerns the history of the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and its inland regions, stretching from the 2nd century BC up to the present....
- Padaj silo i nepravdoPadaj silo i nepravdo"Padaj silo i nepravdo" is a Croatian revolutionary song inspired by the Hvar Rebellion. The song was revived during World War II by Yugoslav Partisans from Dalmatia . The song gained its prominence after movie Battle of Neretva...
- Matija IvanićMatija IvanicMatija Ivanić was a prominent 16th century citizen of the Dalmatian city of Hvar that led the Hvar Rebellion against the Venetian Republic. After the defeat of the Rebellion, Ivanić became a symbol of freedom in Venetian-controlled Dalmatia. Personifying defiance both against Venice and against...