Korcula
Encyclopedia
Korčula is an island
in the Adriatic Sea
, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County
of Croatia
. The island has an area of 279 km² (107.7 sq mi); 46.8 km (29.1 mi) long and on average 7.8 km (4.8 mi) wide — and lies just off the Dalmatia
n coast. Its 16,182 (2001) inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk
. The population are mainly ethnic Croats
(96.77%).
peninsula by a narrow strait
of Pelješac, between 900 and 3000 m (2,952.8 and 9,842.5 ft) wide (illustration, right). It is the sixth largest Adriatic island with a rather indented coast. The highest peaks are Klupca, 568 m (1,863.5 ft) above sea level
and Kom, 510 m (1,673.2 ft) high. The climate is mild; an average air temperature in January is 9.8 °C and in July 26.9 °C; the average annual rainfall is 1,100 mm. The island is largely covered with Mediterranean
flora including extensive pine
forests.
The island also includes the towns of Korčula
, Vela Luka
and Blato and the coastal villages of Brna
, Lumbarda
, Račišće
, Zavalatica, Prižba and Prigradica and in the interior Žrnovo
, Pupnat
, Smokvica
and Čara
. The main road runs along the spine of the island connecting all settlements from Lumbarda on the eastern to Vela Luka on the western end, with the exception of Račišċe which is served by a separate road running along the northern coast. Ferries connect the city of Korčula with Orebić
on the Pelješac peninsula and Drvenik
on the mainland (near Makarska
). Another line connects Vela Luka with Split
and the island of Lastovo. Fast passenger catamarans connect those two ports with Split
and the islands of Hvar
and Lastovo
. The main Adriatic ferry line connects Korčula with Dubrovnik
, Split, Zadar
and Rijeka
and in summer there are direct ferries to Italian
Adriatic ports. The island is divided into Korčula, Smokvica, Blato and Lumbarda municipalities.
in the 12th century BC who is also famed as the founder of the city of Padua
.
The island was first settled by Mesolithic
and Neolithic
peoples. There is archaeological evidence at the sites of Vela Spila
(Big Cave) and at Jakas Cave near the village of Zrnovo. The finds of Vela Spila are on display at the Center for Culture in Vela Luka http://www.apartments-vela-luka.com/vela-spila.asp. The fate of these peoples is not know but the sites do provide a window into their way of life.
The second wave of human settement was by Illyrians
. It is believed that the Illyrians arrived in Balkans
approximately 1000 BC. They were semi-nomadic tribal people living from agriculture. There are numerous old stone buildings and fortresses (gradine) left behind by the Illyrians.
Melaina Korkyra was the ancient Cnidian Greek colony founded on Korčula. Greek colonists from Corcyra (Corfu
) formed a small colony on the island in the 6th century B.C. The Greeks named it "Black Corfu" after their homeland and the dense pine-woods on the island. Greek artifacts, including carved marble tombstones can be found at the local Korčula town museum. A stone inscription found in Lumbarda (Lumbarda Psephisma
) and which is the oldest written stone monument in Croatia (and, until recently, in former Yugoslavia), records that Greek settlers from Issa (Vis
) founded another colony on the island in the 3rd century BC. The two communities lived peacefully until the Illyrian Wars
(220 BC to 219 BC) with the Romans.
The island became part of the Roman province
of Illyricum
after the Illyrian Wars. Roman migration followed and Roman citizens arrived on the island. Roman villas appeared through the territory of Korčula and there is evidence of an organised agricultural exploitation of the land. There are archaeological remains of Roman
Junianum on the island and old church foundations. In 10 AD Illyricum was split into two provinces, Pannonia
and Dalmatia. Korčula became part of the ancient Roman province
of Dalmatia
. In the 6th century it came under Byzantine
rule.
The Great Migrations
of the 6th and 7th centuries brought Slavic
and Avar
invasions into this region. As the so-called barbarians began settling on the coast, the Romanised local coastal population had to take refuge on the islands. Along the Dalmatian coast the Croatian
Slavic peoples poured out of the interior and seized control of the area where the Neretva
River enters the Adriatic
, as well as the island of Korčula (Corcyra),which protects the river mouth. The Christianisation of the Croats began in the 9th century, but the early Slavic rural inhabitants of the island may well have fully accepted Christianity only later; in the early Middle Ages
the Croatian population of the island was grouped with the Neretvians of the coastal Principality
of Pagania (the land of the Pagans).
It is apparent that piracy on the sea emerged as the settlers of the coastal delta of the Neretva quickly learned maritime skills in their new environment. At first Venetian merchants were willing to pay an annual tribute to keep their shipping safe from the infamous Neretvian pirates of the Dalmatia
n coast (predating the Uskok pirates based further north in Senj). After the 9th century, the island was briefly under nominal Byzantine
suzerainty. In 998 the Principality of Pagania came under Venetian
control. Doge Pietro II Orseolo
launched a naval expedition along the coast and assumed the title Duke of Dalmatia. Afterwards Korčula came under the control of the Great Principality of Zahumlje
.
In the 12th century Korčula was conquered by a Venetian nobleman, Pepone Zorzi, and incorporated briefly into the Venetian Republic. Around this time, the local Korčula rulers began to exercise diplomacy and legislate a town charter
to secure the independence of the island, particularly with regard to internal affairs, given its powerful neighbors.
The brothers of Stephen Nemanja
, Miroslav and Stracimir, launched an attack on the island on 10 August 1184, raiding its fertile western part. The island's inhabitants called for help from the Republic of Ragusa
(Dubrovnik), which in turn captured all of Stracimir's galleys.
The Statute of Korčula was first drafted in 1214. This legal document is the second oldest example of legislation among Slavs, with only the Russkaya Pravda
of 11th and 12th Century Russia predating it. It guaranteed the autonomy of the island, apart from her outside rulers: the Grand Principality of Raška
, the semi-independent Great Principality of Zahumlje
and the Republics of Ragusa
and Venice
. Captains were created for each of the island's five settlements for organized defence. Korčula had fewer than 2,500 inhabitants at that time.
In 1221, Pope Honorius III
gifted the island to the Princes of Krka
(the Šubić
s). Then in 1222, the Serbian King
Stephen the First-crowned of Nemanja
gifted his monasteries and lands on the island, referring to it as Krkar, to his followers of the Benedictine
Monastic Order
on Mljet
.
During the 13th century the hereditary Count
s of Korčula were loosely governed in turn by the Hungarian crown and by the Republic of Genoa
, and also enjoyed a brief period of independence; but, in 1255, Marsilio Zorzi conquered the island's city and razed or damaged some of its churches in the process, forcing the Counts to return to Venetian
supreme rule. According to a local tradition, Marco Polo
was born at Korčula in 1254 to an established family of merchants, although there is no irrefutable proof of this claim.
What is more definite is that the Republic of Genoa defeated Venice in the documented Battle of Korčula off the coast of Korčula in 1298 and a galley commander, Marco Polo, was taken prisoner by the victors to eventually spend his time in a Genoese prison writing of his travels. However, some Italian scholars believe that he may have been captured in a minor clash near Ayas
(in sources from those times: Laiazzo). The controversy over the birthplace of Marco Polo between the Venetian and Korčulan theories is the subject of debate up to the present day.
After the writings of Pope Martin IV
in 1284 and Pope Honorius IV
in 1286 to the Archbishop of Dubrovnik, the Archbishop implaced a certain Petar as Bishop of Ston and Korčula - stacnensis ac Crozolensis. In 1291, Ivan Kručić was in Korčula's city as the Bishop
of Korčula. Bishop Ivan contested his overlord, the Archbishop
of Hvar
, and wanted to unite Ston
with his church domain. In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII
finally founded the Korčula Bishopric
under the Archbishopric of Dubrovnik
. In 1333, as the Republic of Ragusa purchased Ston
with Pelješac
from the Serbian Empire
, the suzerainty of Ston's Roman Catholic Church with the peninsula was given to the Bishopric of Korčula.
Curzola, as the Venetians called it, surrendered to the Kingdom of Hungary
in 1358 according to the Treaty of Zadar, but it surrendered to the Bosnian
King Stefan Tvrtko I
in the Summer of 1390. However the Kingdom of Hungary restored rule of the island. and in December 1396 Croatian-Hungarian King Sigismund
gifted it to Đurađ II Stracimirović of the Balšić
dynasty of Zeta
, who kept it up to his death in 1403, when it was returned under the Hungarian crown. In 1409 it again became a part of the Venetian Republic, purchased by the neighbouring Republic of Venice
in 1413-1417, it still declared itself subjected to Venice in 1420. In 1571 it defended itself so gallantly against the Ottoman
attackers at the Battle of Lepanto
http://www.korcula.net/history/rozanovice.htm that it obtained the designation Fidelissima from the Pope
.
Korčula had for years supplied the timber for the wooden walls of Venice, and had been a favourite station of her fleets. From 1776 to 1797 Korčula succeeded Hvar
as the main Venetian
fortified arsenal
in this region. According to the Treaty of Campoformio
in 1797 in which the Venetian Republic was divided between the French Republic and the Habsburg Monarchy
, Korčula passed on to the Habsburg Monarchy
.
The French Empire
invaded the island in 1806, joining it to the Illyrian Provinces
. The Montenegrin Forces of Prince
-Episcope
Peter I Njegos
conquered the island with Russian
naval assistance in 1807 during his attempt to construct another Serbian Empire
. However, the Great Powers decided to return the island to the Austrian Empire
in 1815, and it accordingly became a part of the Austria
n crown land
of Dalmatia
. From 1867, Korčula was in the Cisleithania
n part of Austro-Hungary.
During the First World War
, the island (among other territorial gains) was promised to the Kingdom of Italy
in the 1915 Treaty of London in return for Italy joining the war on the side of Britain and France. However, after the war, Korčula became a part (with the rest of Dalmatia) of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
in 1918. It was ruled by Italy from 1918 to 1921, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
, known from 1929 on as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
. In 1939, it became a part of the autonomous Croatian Banate
.
During the Axis
occupation of Yugoslavia from 1941, the Ustase
regime gave the island, together with most of Dalmatia, to Fascist
Italy
. After the Armistice between Italy and the Allied powers in 1943, it was briefly held by the Yugoslav Partisans who enjoyed considerable support in the region. Korčula was then occupied by the German Nazis and finally liberated in 1944. With the liberation of Yugoslavia in 1945, the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was formed, and Korčula became a part of the People's Republic of Croatia
, one of the six Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The state changed the name to Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1953, and so did the Republic into Socialist Republic of Croatia
. After 1991, the island became a part of the independent Republic of Croatia
, recognized in 1992.
architecture and has been described as a place in which a Contarini
might have lived. It has a bronze knocker adorning the door representing Hercules swinging two lions by their tails. In the courtyard there is a marble draw-well. It has three pears cut into it. This symbol is the arms of the family.
Andrew A. Paton an English
writer (19th century) spoke to Signor Arneri. Andrew Paton described him as a polite gentleman who had a white neck cloth and a broad-brimmed hat.
The original Patriarch of the clan was called Petar. He had a status of a minor nobleman (local Patrician status of the City of Korčula). The Clan's ancestors lived in the Republic of Ragusa
. In 1420 the family was mentioned in the charter of the town of Korčula as the Duke/Lord of Manor of Korčula. In 1558 the clan was awarded Venetian holdings on the Island of Hvar, thereby making them Counts there as well. Other noble famiies of Korčula were Kanavelić, Izmaeli, Gabrijelić and Nikoničić.
pirates set out to raid one of the provinces of the Republic of Venice, Dalmatia. It is well documented that the two empires had their fair share of conflicts between each other over the centuries. Sailing around Korčula in two of their galleys, they disembarked at the bay of Brna
and 260 of them went on to plunder the island. Firstly they set houses on fire in Smokvica
and took 23 of the villagers as prisoners.
When they set fire to the house of the parish priest, Don Marko Bono, a native of Žrnovo, Don Marko decided to fight back. In the process he killed two of them and wounded seven. The pirates took him in chains to Ulcinj
. There he was sold in public as a slave for 100 sequins. After two years of searching for him, his relatives found him and managed to buy him back for 141 sequins. Don Marko Bono returned to the village of Smokvica on the island of Korčula where he remained as pastor until his death in 1745. The other 23 Smokvica residents taken prisoner in 1715 remained in slavery, including the sister of Don Jakov Salecic (1678–1747), a noted theologian, poet and historian who was a native of Smokvica.
who wrote love songs, occasional epic poems and dramas. He also translated from Italian
the major poetic works of that time. He is regarded as one of the greatest Croatian writers of 17th century. In 1673 he became the representative of the Korčula community in Venice. There is a primary school named after him in the town of Korčula.
Moreška
is a traditional sword dance
from the town of Korčula. It is one of the many proud traditional sword dances that are performed on the island. It arrived in Korčula around the 16th century. Korčula has a rich musical history of Klape groups. Klapa is a form of a cappella
style of singing. The tradition goes back centuries, but the style as we know it today, originated in the 19th century. Oliver Dragojević
is a famous Croatian pop singer who comes from the island.
Korčula has a very old Stonemasonry
history, a tradition which reached its peak during the rule of the Venetian Republic (1420-1797). The island also has a very strong art tradition.
still exists although its importance to the local economy has diminished. Summer tourism has a long tradition on the island. Nautical and village agro-tourism have recently been developed.
. There are numerous other local ferry services including one linking Vela Luka
and Lastovo
. The main Croatian ferry operator Jadrolinija
runs a service linking Korčula Town with Rijeka
, Split
, Hvar
, Mljet
, Dubrovnik
and (from May to September) Bari
. An operator Linijska nacionalna plovidba runs a seasonal service linking Korčula with Drvenik.
There are also bus services that link the island to major cities on the mainland, which reach Korčula using the Orebić ferry service.
Korčula town also has mooring facilities. The western harbour gives shelter from wind though not against the ‘bora
’ and north-westerlies. Boat owners are advised to shift to the eastern harbour or to Luka Cove. The port is open to international seaborne traffic as a permanent Port of entry
; it offers all types of repairs to hulls and engines at the Brodograditelj Shipyard.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in 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...
, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County
Dubrovnik-Neretva County
The Dubrovnik–Neretva County is the southernmost Croatian county located in south Dalmatia. The county seat is Dubrovnik and other large towns are Korčula, Metković, Opuzen and Ploče...
of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The island has an area of 279 km² (107.7 sq mi); 46.8 km (29.1 mi) long and on average 7.8 km (4.8 mi) wide — and lies just off the 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....
n coast. Its 16,182 (2001) inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk
Krk
Krk is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county....
. The population are mainly ethnic Croats
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...
(96.77%).
Geography
The island of Korčula belongs to the central Dalmatian archipelago, separated from the PelješacPelješac
Pelješac is a peninsula in southern Dalmatia in Croatia. The peninsula is part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and is the second largest peninsula in Croatia...
peninsula by a narrow strait
Strait
A strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
of Pelješac, between 900 and 3000 m (2,952.8 and 9,842.5 ft) wide (illustration, right). It is the sixth largest Adriatic island with a rather indented coast. The highest peaks are Klupca, 568 m (1,863.5 ft) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
and Kom, 510 m (1,673.2 ft) high. The climate is mild; an average air temperature in January is 9.8 °C and in July 26.9 °C; the average annual rainfall is 1,100 mm. The island is largely covered with Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
flora including extensive pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forests.
The island also includes the towns of Korčula
Korcula (town)
Korčula is a historic fortified town on the protected east coast of the island of Korčula in the Adriatic. It is geographically located at 42°57′N, 17°07′E.-Population:...
, Vela Luka
Vela Luka
Vela Luka is a small town and a municipality in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in southern Dalmatia, Croatia. The town is located on the western side of the island of Korčula at the bottom of a wide bay which has many indented coves. Vela Luka developed at the beginning of the 19th century in a deep...
and Blato and the coastal villages of Brna
Brna
Brna is a village on the southern shores of the island of Korčula in Croatia, close to the village of Smokvica, as well as Prižba and Priscapac...
, Lumbarda
Lumbarda
Lumbarda is a small village and a municipality located on the Eastern Cape of the Island of Korčula in Croatia, 7 kilometers away from the town of Korcula. A road passing through a picturesque area of pine woods and olive groves connects these two places...
, Račišće
Račišće
Račišće is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korcula the island is part of the Dalmatian coast and it belongs to the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. It has a population of 477 residents. The village is situated 12 kilometers west of the old town of Korcula.Racisce was established in 17th...
, Zavalatica, Prižba and Prigradica and in the interior Žrnovo
Žrnovo, Korčula
Žrnovo is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korčula is an island in the on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea and administratively belongs to the Dubrovnik–Neretva County of Croatia. It has a population of 1,308 residents...
, Pupnat
Pupnat
Pupnat is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korčula, the island, is part of the Dalmatian coast and is situated within the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Inhabitants of Pupnat consist mostly of Croatians of Slavic roots. Pupnat has a population of 439 residents...
, Smokvica
Smokvica
Smokvica is a village on the island of Korčula and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. It has a population of 1,210 , in which the absolute majority are Croats . Smokvica is located in the centre of the island of Korcula, about 4 kilometers west of Čara, 13 kilometers east...
and Čara
Čara, Korčula
Čara is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korčula the island, is part of the Dalmatian coast and it belongs to the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. It has a population of 566 residents. The village is situated twenty-five kilometers west of the old town of Korčula and is just above a field...
. The main road runs along the spine of the island connecting all settlements from Lumbarda on the eastern to Vela Luka on the western end, with the exception of Račišċe which is served by a separate road running along the northern coast. Ferries connect the city of Korčula with Orebić
Orebic
Orebić is a port town and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county in Croatia. It is located on the Pelješac peninsula on the Dalmatian coast. Orebić is directly across a strait from the town of Korčula, located on the island of the same name. Ferries service the two towns frequently...
on the Pelješac peninsula and Drvenik
Drvenik
Drvenik may mean:* Drvenik - a village in southern Dalmatia, Croatia* Drvenik - a village on island Drvenik veli* Drvenik Veliki and Drvenik Mali - two islands in central Dalmatia, Croatia...
on the mainland (near Makarska
Makarska
Makarska is a small town on the Adriatic coastline of Croatia, about southeast of Split and northwest of Dubrovnik. It has a population of 13,716 residents. Administratively Makarska has the status of a town and it is part of the Split-Dalmatia County....
). Another line connects Vela Luka with 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 the island of Lastovo. Fast passenger catamarans connect those two ports with 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 the islands 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...
and Lastovo
Lastovo
Lastovo is an island municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. The municipality consists of 46 islands with a total population of 792 people, of which 93% are ethnic Croats, and a land area of approximately . The biggest island in the municipality is also named Lastovo, as is the...
. The main Adriatic ferry line connects Korčula with Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik 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...
, Split, 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 Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
and in summer there are direct ferries to Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Adriatic ports. The island is divided into Korčula, Smokvica, Blato and Lumbarda municipalities.
History
According to legend, the island was founded by Trojan hero AntenorAntenor (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Anthenor was a son of the Dardanian noble Aesyetes by Cleomestra. He is a counselor to Priam during the Trojan War.-History:He was one of the wisest of the Trojan elders and counsellors...
in the 12th century BC who is also famed as the founder of the city of Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
.
The island was first settled by Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
and Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
peoples. There is archaeological evidence at the sites of Vela Spila
Vela Spila
Vela Spila is a cave situated above the town of Vela Luka on the island of Korčula, in Croatia. Located above Pinski Rat at an elevation of approximately 130 metres. The cave consists of an elliptically shaped cavern that measures 40 metres in length, 17 metres in height, and is approximately 40...
(Big Cave) and at Jakas Cave near the village of Zrnovo. The finds of Vela Spila are on display at the Center for Culture in Vela Luka http://www.apartments-vela-luka.com/vela-spila.asp. The fate of these peoples is not know but the sites do provide a window into their way of life.
The second wave of human settement was by Illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
. It is believed that the Illyrians arrived in Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
approximately 1000 BC. They were semi-nomadic tribal people living from agriculture. There are numerous old stone buildings and fortresses (gradine) left behind by the Illyrians.
Melaina Korkyra was the ancient Cnidian Greek colony founded on Korčula. Greek colonists from Corcyra (Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
) formed a small colony on the island in the 6th century B.C. The Greeks named it "Black Corfu" after their homeland and the dense pine-woods on the island. Greek artifacts, including carved marble tombstones can be found at the local Korčula town museum. A stone inscription found in Lumbarda (Lumbarda Psephisma
Lumbarda Psephisma
Lumbarda Psephisma is a stone inscription telling about the founding of a Ancient Greece settlement on the island of Korčula, in modern-day Croatia. The Psephisma is from Lumbarda, a small village where it was discovered in 1877 by Božo Kršinić...
) and which is the oldest written stone monument in Croatia (and, until recently, in former Yugoslavia), records that Greek settlers from Issa (Vis
Vis (island)
Vis is the most outerly lying larger Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, with an area of 90.26 km² and a population of 3,617 . Of all the inhabited Croatian islands, it is the farthest from the coast...
) founded another colony on the island in the 3rd century BC. The two communities lived peacefully until the Illyrian Wars
Illyrian Wars
Illyrian Wars were a set of conflicts of 229 BC, 219 BC and 168 BC when Rome overran the Illyrian settlements and suppressed the piracy that had made the Adriatic unsafe for Italian commerce. There were three campaigns, the first against Teuta, the second against Demetrius of Pharos and the third...
(220 BC to 219 BC) with the Romans.
The island became part of the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Illyricum
Illyricum (Roman province)
The Roman province of Illyricum or Illyris Romana or Illyris Barbara or Illyria Barbara replaced most of the region of Illyria. It stretched from the Drilon river in modern north Albania to Istria in the west and to the Sava river in the north. Salona functioned as its capital...
after the Illyrian Wars. Roman migration followed and Roman citizens arrived on the island. Roman villas appeared through the territory of Korčula and there is evidence of an organised agricultural exploitation of the land. There are archaeological remains of Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Junianum on the island and old church foundations. In 10 AD Illyricum was split into two provinces, Pannonia
Pannonia
Pannonia was an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
and Dalmatia. Korčula became part of the ancient Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
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....
. In the 6th century it came under Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
rule.
The Great Migrations
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
of the 6th and 7th centuries brought Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
and Avar
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
invasions into this region. As the so-called barbarians began settling on the coast, the Romanised local coastal population had to take refuge on the islands. Along the Dalmatian coast the Croatian
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...
Slavic peoples poured out of the interior and seized control of the area where the Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
River enters the Adriatic
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...
, as well as the island of Korčula (Corcyra),which protects the river mouth. The Christianisation of the Croats began in the 9th century, but the early Slavic rural inhabitants of the island may well have fully accepted Christianity only later; in the early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
the Croatian population of the island was grouped with the Neretvians of the coastal Principality
Medieval Dalmatian principalities
The Medieval Dalmatian principalities were Early Medieval states that existed in what was roughly considered southern Dalmatia. The southern part of Dalmatia was ruled by the small Slavic Principalities of Pagania/Narenta, Zahumlje/Hum, Travunia and Duklja. Pagania was a minor duchy between Cetina...
of Pagania (the land of the Pagans).
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 coast (predating the Uskok pirates based further north in Senj). After the 9th century, the island was briefly under nominal Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
suzerainty. In 998 the Principality of Pagania came under Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
control. Doge Pietro II Orseolo
Pietro II Orseolo
Pietro II Orseolo was the Doge of Venice from 991 to 1009.He began the period of eastern expansion of Venice that lasted for the better part of 500 years...
launched a naval expedition along the coast and assumed the title Duke of Dalmatia. Afterwards Korčula came under the control of the Great Principality of Zahumlje
Zahumlje
Zachlumia or Zahumlje was a medieval principality located in modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia...
.
In the 12th century Korčula was conquered by a Venetian nobleman, Pepone Zorzi, and incorporated briefly into the Venetian Republic. Around this time, the local Korčula rulers began to exercise diplomacy and legislate a town charter
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
to secure the independence of the island, particularly with regard to internal affairs, given its powerful neighbors.
The brothers of Stephen Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from 1166 to 1196, a heir of the Vukanović dynasty that marked the beginning of a greater Serbian realm .He is remembered for his contributions to Serbian culture and...
, Miroslav and Stracimir, launched an attack on the island on 10 August 1184, raiding its fertile western part. The island's inhabitants called for help from the Republic of Ragusa
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
(Dubrovnik), which in turn captured all of Stracimir's galleys.
The Statute of Korčula was first drafted in 1214. This legal document is the second oldest example of legislation among Slavs, with only the Russkaya Pravda
Russkaya Pravda
Russkaya Pravda was the legal code of Kievan Rus' and the subsequent Rus' principalities during the times of feudal division.In spite of great influence of Byzantine legislation on the contemporary world, and in...
of 11th and 12th Century Russia predating it. It guaranteed the autonomy of the island, apart from her outside rulers: the Grand Principality of Raška
Raška (state)
Principality of Serbia or Serbian Principality was an early medieval state of the Serbs ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, that existed from ca 768 to 969 in Southeastern Europe. It was established through an unification of several provincial chiefs under the supreme rule of a certain Višeslav,...
, the semi-independent Great Principality of Zahumlje
Zahumlje
Zachlumia or Zahumlje was a medieval principality located in modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia...
and the Republics of Ragusa
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
and Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. Captains were created for each of the island's five settlements for organized defence. Korčula had fewer than 2,500 inhabitants at that time.
In 1221, Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III , previously known as Cencio Savelli, was Pope from 1216 to 1227.-Early work:He was born in Rome as son of Aimerico...
gifted the island to the Princes of Krka
Krka (Croatia)
Krka is a river in Croatia's Dalmatia region, famous for its numerous waterfalls. It is long and its basin covers an area of .Possibly the river called Catarbates by the ancient Greeks, it was known to the ancient Romans as Titius, Corcoras, or Korkoras.The river has its source near the border...
(the Šubić
Šubic
The Šubić were one of the twelve tribes which constituted Croatian statehood in the Middle Ages; they held the county of Bribir in inland Dalmatia.-Origins:...
s). Then in 1222, the Serbian King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Stephen the First-crowned of Nemanja
House of Nemanjic
The Nemanjić was the most important dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages, and one of the most important in Southeastern Europe. The royal house produced eleven Serbian monarchs between 1166 and 1371. It's progenitor was Stephen Nemanja, who descended from a cadet line of the Vukanović dynasty...
gifted his monasteries and lands on the island, referring to it as Krkar, to his followers of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Monastic Order
Monasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
on Mljet
Mljet
Mljet is the most southerly and easterly of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea belt 500 m wide from the most prominent cape of Mljet covering an area of...
.
During the 13th century the hereditary Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
s of Korčula were loosely governed in turn by the Hungarian crown and by the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
, and also enjoyed a brief period of independence; but, in 1255, Marsilio Zorzi conquered the island's city and razed or damaged some of its churches in the process, forcing the Counts to return to Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
supreme rule. According to a local tradition, Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
was born at Korčula in 1254 to an established family of merchants, although there is no irrefutable proof of this claim.
What is more definite is that the Republic of Genoa defeated Venice in the documented Battle of Korčula off the coast of Korčula in 1298 and a galley commander, Marco Polo, was taken prisoner by the victors to eventually spend his time in a Genoese prison writing of his travels. However, some Italian scholars believe that he may have been captured in a minor clash near Ayas
Ayas (city)
Ayas is a small town in Yumurtalık district, Adana Province, Turkey, located east of the mouth of the Ceyhan River. It was the ancient Aegea and medieval Ajazzo or Lajazzo. It passed between the Mamluks and the Armenians several times in the 13th and 14th centuries, and was definitively taken by...
(in sources from those times: Laiazzo). The controversy over the birthplace of Marco Polo between the Venetian and Korčulan theories is the subject of debate up to the present day.
After the writings of Pope Martin IV
Pope Martin IV
Pope Martin IV, born Simon de Brion held the papacy from February 21, 1281 until his death....
in 1284 and Pope Honorius IV
Pope Honorius IV
Pope Honorius IV , born Giacomo Savelli, was Pope for two years from 1285 to 1287. During his unremarkable pontificate he largely continued to pursue the pro-French policy of his predecessor, Pope Martin IV...
in 1286 to the Archbishop of Dubrovnik, the Archbishop implaced a certain Petar as Bishop of Ston and Korčula - stacnensis ac Crozolensis. In 1291, Ivan Kručić was in Korčula's city as the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Korčula. Bishop Ivan contested his overlord, 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 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...
, and wanted to unite Ston
Ston
Ston is a village and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula. The town of Ston is the center of the Ston municipality.- Demographics :...
with his church domain. In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII
Pope Boniface VIII
Pope Boniface VIII , born Benedetto Gaetani, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303. Today, Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for his feuds with Dante, who placed him in the Eighth circle of Hell in his Divina Commedia, among the Simonists.- Biography :Gaetani was born in 1235 in...
finally founded the Korčula Bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
under the Archbishopric of Dubrovnik
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dubrovnik
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dubrovnik is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southern Croatia. The diocese is centred in the city of Dubrovnik. It was first erected in 990...
. In 1333, as the Republic of Ragusa purchased Ston
Ston
Ston is a village and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula. The town of Ston is the center of the Ston municipality.- Demographics :...
with Pelješac
Pelješac
Pelješac is a peninsula in southern Dalmatia in Croatia. The peninsula is part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and is the second largest peninsula in Croatia...
from the Serbian Empire
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
, the suzerainty of Ston's Roman Catholic Church with the peninsula was given to the Bishopric of Korčula.
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
in 1358 according to the Treaty of Zadar, but it surrendered to the Bosnian
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
King Stefan Tvrtko I
Tvrtko I of Bosnia
Stjepan Tvrtko I was a ruler of medieval Bosnia. He ruled in 1353–1366 and again in 1367–1377 as Ban and in 1377–1391 as the first Bosnian King....
in the Summer of 1390. However the Kingdom of Hungary restored rule of the island. and in December 1396 Croatian-Hungarian King Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
gifted it to Đurađ II Stracimirović of the Balšić
House of Balšic
The Balšić was a noble house that ruled Zeta and the coastlands , from 1362 to 1421, during the fall of the Serbian Empire. Balša, the eponymous founder, was a petty nobleman that held only one village during the rule of Emperor Dušan the Mighty The Balšić was a noble house that ruled Zeta and...
dynasty of Zeta
Principality of Zeta
Zeta was a medieval state, which territory encompassed parts of present-day Montenegro and Northernwestern Albania. From 1360. to 1421. Zeta was independent state administered by local noble family Balšić. From 1185. to 1360. and from 1421. - 1451, Zeta was province of medieval Serbia...
, who kept it up to his death in 1403, when it was returned under the Hungarian crown. In 1409 it again became a part of the Venetian Republic, purchased by the neighbouring Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
in 1413-1417, it still declared itself subjected to Venice in 1420. In 1571 it defended itself so gallantly against the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
attackers at the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
http://www.korcula.net/history/rozanovice.htm that it obtained the designation Fidelissima from the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
Korčula had for years supplied the timber for the wooden walls of Venice, and had been a favourite station of her fleets. From 1776 to 1797 Korčula succeeded 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...
as the main Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
fortified arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
in this region. According to the Treaty of Campoformio
Treaty of Campo Formio
The Treaty of Campo Formio was signed on 18 October 1797 by Napoleon Bonaparte and Count Philipp von Cobenzl as representatives of revolutionary France and the Austrian monarchy...
in 1797 in which the Venetian Republic was divided between the French Republic and the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
, Korčula passed on to the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
.
The French Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
invaded the island in 1806, joining it to the Illyrian Provinces
Illyrian provinces
The Illyrian Provinces was an autonomous province of the Napoleonic French Empire on the north and east coasts of the Adriatic Sea between 1809 and 1816. Its capital was established at Laybach...
. The Montenegrin Forces of Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
-Episcope
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Peter I Njegos
Petar I Petrovic-Njegoš
Petar I Petrović Njegoš was the ruler of Montenegro, the Cetinje Episcop of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Exarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church throne. He was the most popular spiritual and military leader from the Petrović dynasty...
conquered the island with Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
naval assistance in 1807 during his attempt to construct another Serbian Empire
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
. However, the Great Powers decided to return the island to the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
in 1815, and it accordingly became a part of the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
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....
. From 1867, Korčula was in the Cisleithania
Cisleithania
Cisleithania was a name of the Austrian part of Austria-Hungary, the Dual Monarchy created in 1867 and dissolved in 1918. The name was used by politicians and bureaucrats, but it had no official status...
n part of Austro-Hungary.
During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the island (among other territorial gains) was promised to the Kingdom of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the 1915 Treaty of London in return for Italy joining the war on the side of Britain and France. However, after the war, Korčula became a part (with the rest of Dalmatia) of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was a short-lived state formed from the southernmost parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy after its dissolution at the end of the World War I by the resident population of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs...
in 1918. It was ruled by Italy from 1918 to 1921, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
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...
, known from 1929 on as 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...
. In 1939, it became a part of the autonomous Croatian Banate
Banovina of Croatia
The Banovina of Croatia or Banate of Croatia was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1939 and 1943 . Its capital was at Zagreb and it included most of present-day Croatia along with portions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia...
.
During the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
occupation of Yugoslavia from 1941, the Ustase
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
regime gave the island, together with most of Dalmatia, to Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. After the Armistice between Italy and the Allied powers in 1943, it was briefly held by the Yugoslav Partisans who enjoyed considerable support in the region. Korčula was then occupied by the German Nazis and finally liberated in 1944. With the liberation of Yugoslavia in 1945, the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was formed, and Korčula became a part of the People's Republic of Croatia
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...
, one of the six Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The state changed the name to Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1953, and so did the Republic into Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
. After 1991, the island became a part of the independent Republic of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, recognized in 1992.
Arneri Lords of Korčula
The Arneri family, since the 15th century, were one of the land proprietors of Korčula. The palace itself where the Arneri resided is of Venetian GothicVenetian Gothic architecture
Venetian Gothic is a term given to an architectural style combining use of the Gothic lancet arch with Byzantine and Moorish architecture influences. The style originated in 14th century Venice with the confluence of Byzantine styles from Constantinople, Arab influences from Moorish Spain and early...
architecture and has been described as a place in which a Contarini
Contarini
Contarini is an illustrious Venetian family, which furnished eight Doges to the Republic of Venice, as well as an array of eminent figures of the Church, statecraft, generalship, art, and letters.- Notable members :* Domenico I Contarini Contarini is an illustrious Venetian family, which furnished...
might have lived. It has a bronze knocker adorning the door representing Hercules swinging two lions by their tails. In the courtyard there is a marble draw-well. It has three pears cut into it. This symbol is the arms of the family.
Andrew A. Paton an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
writer (19th century) spoke to Signor Arneri. Andrew Paton described him as a polite gentleman who had a white neck cloth and a broad-brimmed hat.
- Signor Arneri: "These three pears you see on the wall," said he, "are the arms of my family. Piruzović was the name, when, in the earlier part of the 15th century, my ancestors built this palace; so that, you see, I am Dalmatian. All the family, fathers, sons, and brothers, used to serve in the fleets of the Republic (Republic of Venice); but the hero of our race was Arneri Piruzović, whose statue you see there, who fought, bled, and died at the Siege of CandiaSiege of CandiaThe Siege of Candia was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city and were ultimately victorious. Lasting from 1648 to 1669, it was the longest siege in history.-Background:...
, whose memory was honoured by the Republic, and whose surviving family was liberally pensioned; so his name of our race. We became Arneri, and ceased to be Piruzović "
The original Patriarch of the clan was called Petar. He had a status of a minor nobleman (local Patrician status of the City of Korčula). The Clan's ancestors lived in the Republic of Ragusa
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
. In 1420 the family was mentioned in the charter of the town of Korčula as the Duke/Lord of Manor of Korčula. In 1558 the clan was awarded Venetian holdings on the Island of Hvar, thereby making them Counts there as well. Other noble famiies of Korčula were Kanavelić, Izmaeli, Gabrijelić and Nikoničić.
Don Marko Bono of Žrnovo
On 10 June 1715, TurkishTurkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
pirates set out to raid one of the provinces of the Republic of Venice, Dalmatia. It is well documented that the two empires had their fair share of conflicts between each other over the centuries. Sailing around Korčula in two of their galleys, they disembarked at the bay of Brna
Brna
Brna is a village on the southern shores of the island of Korčula in Croatia, close to the village of Smokvica, as well as Prižba and Priscapac...
and 260 of them went on to plunder the island. Firstly they set houses on fire in Smokvica
Smokvica
Smokvica is a village on the island of Korčula and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. It has a population of 1,210 , in which the absolute majority are Croats . Smokvica is located in the centre of the island of Korcula, about 4 kilometers west of Čara, 13 kilometers east...
and took 23 of the villagers as prisoners.
When they set fire to the house of the parish priest, Don Marko Bono, a native of Žrnovo, Don Marko decided to fight back. In the process he killed two of them and wounded seven. The pirates took him in chains to Ulcinj
Ulcinj
Ulcinj is a coastal resort town and municipality in Montenegro. The town of Ulcinj has a population of 10,828 of which the majority are Albanians...
. There he was sold in public as a slave for 100 sequins. After two years of searching for him, his relatives found him and managed to buy him back for 141 sequins. Don Marko Bono returned to the village of Smokvica on the island of Korčula where he remained as pastor until his death in 1745. The other 23 Smokvica residents taken prisoner in 1715 remained in slavery, including the sister of Don Jakov Salecic (1678–1747), a noted theologian, poet and historian who was a native of Smokvica.
Culture
The 17th century saw the rise of Petar KanavelićPetar Kanavelić
Petar Kanavelić was a Croatian writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest Croatian writers of the 17th century. He signed himself as Pietro Canaveli or De Canavellis...
who wrote love songs, occasional epic poems and dramas. He also translated from Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
the major poetic works of that time. He is regarded as one of the greatest Croatian writers of 17th century. In 1673 he became the representative of the Korčula community in Venice. There is a primary school named after him in the town of Korčula.
Moreška
Moreška
Moreška is a traditional sword dance from the town of Korčula, on the Croatian island of the same name in the Adriatic. Dating back hundreds of years, the Moreška is an elaborate production involving two groups of dancers, engaging in a mock battle over the fate of a veiled young woman...
is a traditional sword dance
Sword dance
Sword dances are recorded from throughout world history. There are various traditions of solo and mock battle sword dances from Greece, the Middle East, Pakistan, India, China, Korea, England, Scotland and Japan...
from the town of Korčula. It is one of the many proud traditional sword dances that are performed on the island. It arrived in Korčula around the 16th century. Korčula has a rich musical history of Klape groups. Klapa is a form of a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
style of singing. The tradition goes back centuries, but the style as we know it today, originated in the 19th century. Oliver Dragojević
Oliver Dragojevic
Oliver Dragojević is one of the most popular Croatian pop singers. A native of Vela Luka from the island of Korčula, he emerged onto the music scene in the 1970s thanks to the popular Split Festival, one of several musical annual events which began in the former Yugoslavia and still is being held...
is a famous Croatian pop singer who comes from the island.
Korčula has a very old Stonemasonry
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
history, a tradition which reached its peak during the rule of the Venetian Republic (1420-1797). The island also has a very strong art tradition.
Notable residents
- Matko TalovacMatko TalovacMatko Talovac was ban of Slavonia from 1435 to 1445.He was from the island of Korčula and was also a citizen of the Republic of Dubrovnik. He held land in Toplovica , given to him by Emperor Sigismund from which he took the name Talovac...
(about 1400-1445), ban (viceroy) of Slavonia from 1435 to 1445, from the town of KorčulaKorcula (town)Korčula is a historic fortified town on the protected east coast of the island of Korčula in the Adriatic. It is geographically located at 42°57′N, 17°07′E.-Population:...
. - Jakov Baničević (1466–1532), Renaissance humanistRenaissance humanismRenaissance humanism was an activity of cultural and educational reform engaged by scholars, writers, and civic leaders who are today known as Renaissance humanists. It developed during the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, and was a response to the challenge of Mediæval...
, friend of Desiderius ErasmusDesiderius ErasmusDesiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
and secretary to Maximilian I of HabsburgMaximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
, from ŽrnovoŽrnovo, KorčulaŽrnovo is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korčula is an island in the on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea and administratively belongs to the Dubrovnik–Neretva County of Croatia. It has a population of 1,308 residents...
. - Nataša Cetinić (1940–2001), painter, from Blato
- Vinko Foretić (1901–1986), historian, from the town of KorčulaKorcula (town)Korčula is a historic fortified town on the protected east coast of the island of Korčula in the Adriatic. It is geographically located at 42°57′N, 17°07′E.-Population:...
- Frano KršinićFrano KršinićFrano Kršinić was a renowned Croatian sculptor. Along with Ivan Meštrović and Antun Augustinčić he is considered one of the three most important Croatian sculptors of the 20th century...
(1897–1981), sculptor, from LumbardaLumbardaLumbarda is a small village and a municipality located on the Eastern Cape of the Island of Korčula in Croatia, 7 kilometers away from the town of Korcula. A road passing through a picturesque area of pine woods and olive groves connects these two places...
. - Ivan Lozica (1910–1943), sculptor from Lumbarda
- Ivan Milat Luketa (1922–2009), painter, from Blato.
- Sir Fitzroy MacLean, (1911–1996), soldier, writer and politician, from ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. - Izvor Oreb (b. 1946), artist from Vela LukaVela LukaVela Luka is a small town and a municipality in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in southern Dalmatia, Croatia. The town is located on the western side of the island of Korčula at the bottom of a wide bay which has many indented coves. Vela Luka developed at the beginning of the 19th century in a deep...
- Blessed Marija PetkovićMarija PetkovicMarija Petković, also known as "The Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified Petković" , was the founder of the Catholic Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy...
(1892–1966), founder of the Daughters of Mercy Catholic order, from Blato. - Petar ŠegedinPetar Šegedin (writer)Petar Šegedin was a Croatian writer.Šegedin was born in Žrnovo, on the island of Korčula. He graduated from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb...
(1909–1998), writer, from Žrnovo. - Zvonimir ŠeparovićZvonimir ŠeparovicZvonimir Šeparović is a Croatian legal scholar and politician.Šeparović used to be professor of Criminal Law at the University of Zagreb. He was also known as the pioneer of victimology and very vocal opponent of death penalty....
(b. 1928), legal scholar, former diplomat, from Blato. - Dinko TomašićDinko TomašicDinko Antun Tomašić was a Croatian sociologist and academic. He was born in Smokvica on the island of Korčula in Croatia. He studied law at the University of Zagreb and the University of Paris and taught in Zagreb. After his immigration to the United States ca. 1943, he became a member of the...
(1902–1975), sociologist, from SmokvicaSmokvicaSmokvica is a village on the island of Korčula and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. It has a population of 1,210 , in which the absolute majority are Croats . Smokvica is located in the centre of the island of Korcula, about 4 kilometers west of Čara, 13 kilometers east...
. - Maksimilijan VankaMaksimilijan VankaMaksimilijan Vanka , also known as Maxo Vanka, was a Croatian-American artist.Maxo Vanka was born in Croatia in 1889. It is believed that he may have been the illegitimate child of Habsburg nobility. He was sent to live with peasants, but at the age of eight was discovered by his maternal...
(1889–1963), Croatian-AmericanCroatian-AmericanCroatian Americans are citizens of the United States of Croatian descent.-Numbers:According to the 2007 US Community Survey, there are 420,763 Americans of full or partial Croatian descent....
painter who had a house in Korčula
Economy
The economy, besides tourism, is based on agriculture, namely the cultivation of grape vines, olives and fruit, and fishing and fish processing. ShipbuildingShipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
still exists although its importance to the local economy has diminished. Summer tourism has a long tradition on the island. Nautical and village agro-tourism have recently been developed.
Transport
Korčula is linked to the mainland by a regular ferry service that runs between Dominče, just outside of Korčula Town and OrebićOrebic
Orebić is a port town and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county in Croatia. It is located on the Pelješac peninsula on the Dalmatian coast. Orebić is directly across a strait from the town of Korčula, located on the island of the same name. Ferries service the two towns frequently...
. There are numerous other local ferry services including one linking Vela Luka
Vela Luka
Vela Luka is a small town and a municipality in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in southern Dalmatia, Croatia. The town is located on the western side of the island of Korčula at the bottom of a wide bay which has many indented coves. Vela Luka developed at the beginning of the 19th century in a deep...
and Lastovo
Lastovo
Lastovo is an island municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. The municipality consists of 46 islands with a total population of 792 people, of which 93% are ethnic Croats, and a land area of approximately . The biggest island in the municipality is also named Lastovo, as is the...
. The main Croatian ferry operator Jadrolinija
Jadrolinija
Jadrolinija is a Croatian sea shipping company. It is a state-owned company and its main mission is connecting Croatian islands to the mainland by operating regular passenger and cargo transport services...
runs a service linking Korčula Town with Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, 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...
, 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...
, Mljet
Mljet
Mljet is the most southerly and easterly of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea belt 500 m wide from the most prominent cape of Mljet covering an area of...
, Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik 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...
and (from May to September) Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
. An operator Linijska nacionalna plovidba runs a seasonal service linking Korčula with Drvenik.
There are also bus services that link the island to major cities on the mainland, which reach Korčula using the Orebić ferry service.
Korčula town also has mooring facilities. The western harbour gives shelter from wind though not against the ‘bora
Bora (wind)
Bora or Bura is a northern to north-eastern katabatic wind in the Adriatic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, and Turkey....
’ and north-westerlies. Boat owners are advised to shift to the eastern harbour or to Luka Cove. The port is open to international seaborne traffic as a permanent Port of entry
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has a staff of people who check passports and visas and inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. International airports are usually ports of entry, as are road and rail crossings on a...
; it offers all types of repairs to hulls and engines at the Brodograditelj Shipyard.
See also
- CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
- Dubrovnik-Neretva countyDubrovnik-Neretva CountyThe Dubrovnik–Neretva County is the southernmost Croatian county located in south Dalmatia. The county seat is Dubrovnik and other large towns are Korčula, Metković, Opuzen and Ploče...
- DalmatiaDalmatiaDalmatia 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....
- Republic of VeniceRepublic of VeniceThe Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
- Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Croatia