Difference between revisions of "Croatian Identity"
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According to the Baska tablet from 1100 AD they spoke old Slavic Chakavian. [http://www.croatianhistory.net/glagoljica/baska.mp3 Baska tablet-mp3] <ref>Note ''Baska tablet'' was translated in 1875, it's language is Old Slavic Croatian Chakavian with elements of liturgical Church Slavonic.</ref> | According to the Baska tablet from 1100 AD they spoke old Slavic Chakavian. [http://www.croatianhistory.net/glagoljica/baska.mp3 Baska tablet-mp3] <ref>Note ''Baska tablet'' was translated in 1875, it's language is Old Slavic Croatian Chakavian with elements of liturgical Church Slavonic.</ref> | ||
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| + | ==Editors Note== | ||
| + | '''Duke Branimir''' 880s, spoke old Slavic Chakavian and was from the Dalmatian hinterland. Mr Branimir is, I believe is the first Croatian ''or'' the first Southern Slav to express himself as such (based on the current records that we have). His tribe, the old Slavic Chakavian speakers, are the first Croatians (Hrvati or more accurately ''Hrovati''). | ||
| + | |||
| + | The early medieval Western Balkans must had have multiple Slavic ethnic tribes. It appears that their history has not been recorded. From a Greco-Roman perspective they were all identified as Slavs. The Slavs found themselves living in a medieval multi-ethnic region and it was the most powerful chieftains (the main political players) who left a '''mark''' on history. The old language groups could which have become diluted (now refereed to as dialects and are becoming slowly extinct) may still reflect the many Slavic tribes who invaded Roman Dalmatia. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Old medieval Chakavian | ||
| + | * Old medieval Kajkavian dialect | ||
| + | * Old medieval Shtokavian dialect | ||
| + | (it is important to stress old medieval here) | ||
| + | |||
| + | Note after a period of time in the middle ages we have new identities of Southern Slavs that being Croatians, Bulgarians, Serbs, Narantani and others. It is true that some of these words can be traced further back in history however one does not need to carry ethnicity or national identities back in time. To my understanding there is no proof that they existed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | When the Serbian forces were annihilated in the ''Battle of Kosovo'' by the [[Directory:Turkey|Ottoman Empire]] in '''1389''' very large group of peoples stated to migrate westward. The Ottomans themselves got to Vienna itself, twice. The Western Balkans from that period started to acquire new people in its region (i.e., Croatians, Serbs, Albanians, Greeks, Turks & others), thus creating new ethnic mixes. Because of this during the 15th and 16 centuries the old Slavic tribal borders changed forever. | ||
| + | |||
| + | =====Politics of Language Standardisation, Nationalistic and Communist Ideologies ===== | ||
| + | In the 19th century language standardisation entered in the mix <ref>Lets not forget [[Latin]], Romance Dalmatian, Old Venetian, [[Hungary|Hungarians (Magyars)]] & Turkish.</ref>. The ''politics of language standardisation'' is the issue at heart here. The question should be ask did the 19th century scholars do their job properly or was it all about the politics of the future super 19 century Southern Slavic State. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Other important question to ask is '''how far''' back does one go in proclaiming Croatian nationhood? In the past the Yugoslav Communist party, Pan-Slavists and the Croatian Nationalistic movements have taken this to extremes. These Pan-Slaviic, Nationalistic and Communist ideologies have created so much pain, destruction and falsehoods by clinging to these false beliefs. | ||
| + | |||
| + | For example does a seventh generation [[Australia|Australian]] with English background start saying in modern Australia that he is a '''Saxon''' and starts a nationalistic movement to assert his beliefs upon others. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 09:00, 4 March 2013
The first primary source, factual to mention the Croatian (Hrvat)[1] identity in the Balkans was that of Duke Branimir (Latin: "Branimiro comite dux cruatorum cogitavit" c. 880 AD). [2] Duke Branimir was a Slav from Dalmatia.
- Dr Danijel Dzino - Macquarie University, Sydney Australia stated:
| “ | The first evidence of the Croat name, dux/rex Croatorum, does not appear until the ninth century. The Charter of Duke Trpimir is indeed the oldest text that mentions the Croat name, dux Chroatorum but its authenticity is disputed for good reason. The earliest certain evidence is the title dux Cruatorum from duke Branimir's inscription (c. 880), so that before this date we cannot assume with certainty that the Croat identity existed at all. [3] | ” |
A group of Slavic [4] tribes settled in the Dalmatian Hinterland (Roman Dalmatia). Ducatus Croatiae was created in the late 9th century which evolved from Dalmatian Ducatus which at the time was part of the Carolingian Empire (Franks). Later it became a independent kingdom which was called the Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102 AD).
The new Kingdom of Croatia (Regnum Chroatorum) was ruled by Slavic nobility from the Dalmatian hinterland. The kingdom was named after her ruling class, which in turn ruled a medieval multi-ethnic state. The term Slav was first used by the Byzantines-Eastern Roman Empire (i.e. Procopius-Byzantine scholar, Jordanes- 6th century Roman bureaucrat) and was recorded in the 6th century (cia. 550) in Greek (Σκλαβῖνοι-Sklabenoi). Later in Latin it was written Sclaveni.
Hrvat is a word of Sarmatian (Persian) origins. [5] In 1853 a Russian archaeologist Pavel Mikhailovich Leontjev discovered the Tanais Tablets. The Tanais Tablets mention three men: Horoúathos, Horoáthos, and Horóathos (Χορούαθ[ος], Χοροάθος, Χορόαθος). They are written in Greek and are from the 3rd century AD from the city of Tanais, today's Azov, Russia. At that time the region had a mixed Greek - Sarmatian population.
From the information above one can conclude that we are dealing with contact between Slavic and Sarmatian tribes from the late antiquity. From a modern day perspective the Sarmatian historical footprint is non existent. All traces of these people have disappeared other than Slavic terms surrounding the word or name Hrvat which translates to English as Croat. Radoslav Katicich a Croatian linguist (and a classical philologist, Indo-Europeanist, Slavist and Indologist) said that the names from the Tanais Tablet are personal and not national ones.[6] Furthermore it also could be said that these names are not related to any ethnic identity. Historically the term Croat became fully established as a constructed identity by the 19th century.
Recent DNA Studies
It is also very interesting to note that recent DNA studies have stated that more than three quarters of today's Croatian men are the descendants of Europeans who inhabited Europe 13 000-20 000 years ago.[7] From a DNA studies perspective, the peoples who were living in Roman Dalmatia (prior to the arrival of Slavic tribes) were genetically dominant and remain so to this day. The peoples who were living in Roman Dalmatia in that period predominately were of an Illyrian-Roman Latin population. [8]
Roman Dalmatia
Slavic tribes invaded the region of Roman Dalmatia in the early Middle Ages. Prior to the arrival of the Slavs, Roman Dalmatia was mainly inhabited by a Roman Latin-Illyrian population. Sections of the old Roman Dalmatian province became part of the Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102 AD).
Contemporary historian Danijel Dzino states that the 19 century theories of mass movements of people into the old Roman Province of Dalmatia are questionable. Modern Archaeological and Scholarly research seems to be saying that we are looking at much smaller groups of Slavs invading the region. According to historians Florin Curta and Danijel Dzino the term Slavs was first used by outside observers of the day (Greco-Roman) to describe the newcomers. The Slavs used the term to describe themselves at a later stage. Thus began the construct identity of the new arrivals. Later the Slavic peoples started to identify themselves and separated (or were separated by others) into different groups. There was also a good deal of interaction between the groups as shown by DNA studies.
The issue of dates is an interesting one. Historians from the 18th and 19th century place the settlement of the Slavs into the Western Balkans in the 7th century but the more modern research undertaken by scholars and archaeologists[9] cannot confirm this. The arrival and settlement of the Slavs in slightly larger groups by some has now been thought to be more in the region of the late 8th century or early 9th century.[10] The early sources must have reflected the raid activity of the Slavic tribes within Roman Dalmatia with minor settlement.
According to the Baska tablet from 1100 AD they spoke old Slavic Chakavian. Baska tablet-mp3 [11]
Editors Note
Duke Branimir 880s, spoke old Slavic Chakavian and was from the Dalmatian hinterland. Mr Branimir is, I believe is the first Croatian or the first Southern Slav to express himself as such (based on the current records that we have). His tribe, the old Slavic Chakavian speakers, are the first Croatians (Hrvati or more accurately Hrovati).
The early medieval Western Balkans must had have multiple Slavic ethnic tribes. It appears that their history has not been recorded. From a Greco-Roman perspective they were all identified as Slavs. The Slavs found themselves living in a medieval multi-ethnic region and it was the most powerful chieftains (the main political players) who left a mark on history. The old language groups could which have become diluted (now refereed to as dialects and are becoming slowly extinct) may still reflect the many Slavic tribes who invaded Roman Dalmatia.
- Old medieval Chakavian
- Old medieval Kajkavian dialect
- Old medieval Shtokavian dialect
(it is important to stress old medieval here)
Note after a period of time in the middle ages we have new identities of Southern Slavs that being Croatians, Bulgarians, Serbs, Narantani and others. It is true that some of these words can be traced further back in history however one does not need to carry ethnicity or national identities back in time. To my understanding there is no proof that they existed.
When the Serbian forces were annihilated in the Battle of Kosovo by the Ottoman Empire in 1389 very large group of peoples stated to migrate westward. The Ottomans themselves got to Vienna itself, twice. The Western Balkans from that period started to acquire new people in its region (i.e., Croatians, Serbs, Albanians, Greeks, Turks & others), thus creating new ethnic mixes. Because of this during the 15th and 16 centuries the old Slavic tribal borders changed forever.
Politics of Language Standardisation, Nationalistic and Communist Ideologies
In the 19th century language standardisation entered in the mix [12]. The politics of language standardisation is the issue at heart here. The question should be ask did the 19th century scholars do their job properly or was it all about the politics of the future super 19 century Southern Slavic State.
Other important question to ask is how far back does one go in proclaiming Croatian nationhood? In the past the Yugoslav Communist party, Pan-Slavists and the Croatian Nationalistic movements have taken this to extremes. These Pan-Slaviic, Nationalistic and Communist ideologies have created so much pain, destruction and falsehoods by clinging to these false beliefs.
For example does a seventh generation Australian with English background start saying in modern Australia that he is a Saxon and starts a nationalistic movement to assert his beliefs upon others.
See also
Notes and References
- ^ It is believed that Hrvat in medieval times was pronounced "Hrovat".
- ^ A History of the Croatian Language: by Milan Mogus (p.13)
- ^ Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat: New approaches in research of identities in post-Roman Illyricum by Danijel Dzino
- ^ Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat: Identity Transformations in Post-Roman and and Early Medieval Dalmatia by Danijel Dzino (p.195-p.196)
- "... region ruled by the dukes Mislav, Domagoj, Zdeslav, and Branimir, to whom is referred in the sources to as principes or duces Sclavorum."
- ^ Note: The Sarmatian tribes have been referred to as being Persian in origin (modern: Iranian people).
- ^ Two Public Inscriptions from the Greek Colony of Tanais at the Mouth of the Don River on the Sea of Azov by Ante Skegro (p.17)
- ^ Vecernji.hr: Preživjeli ledeno doba: Hrvati su prastanovnici Europe (Vecernji.hr: Surviving an Ice Age: the Croats are descendants of prehistoric Europeans)
- The article reports on the research work (12 years) of: prof. dr. Dragan Primorac, prof. dr. Pavle Rudan, prof. dr. Damir Marjanović, prof. dr. Peter Underhil and prof. dr. Richard Williams. Article released 14.06.2011
- ^ Note: Other peoples in the region were Liburnians, Greeks, Celts, Guduscani, Ostrogoths (the last two mentioned are Germanic tribes related to the Goths).
- ^ Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat: Identity Transformations in Post-Roman and Early Medieval Dalmatia by Danijel Dzino (p52).
- ^ Historians of this school of thought are D. Dzino, L.Margetic, Ancic, Rapanic and Sokol.
- ^ Note Baska tablet was translated in 1875, it's language is Old Slavic Croatian Chakavian with elements of liturgical Church Slavonic.
- ^ Lets not forget Latin, Romance Dalmatian, Old Venetian, Hungarians (Magyars) & Turkish.
External Links
- Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat (East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450) by Dr Danijel Dzino
- Dr Danijel Dzino - Macquarie University, Sydney Australia
- Brill Academic Publishers: "Founded in 1683, Brill is a publishing house with a rich history and a strong international focus."
- Government of the Republic Croatia - Official Web Portal
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