Republic of Ragusa

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Republic of Ragusa
Respublica Ragusina  (Latin)
Repubblica di Ragusa  (Italian)
Dubrovačka Republika  (Croatian)
Vassal state of :
Flag Coat of arms
Latin: Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro
Croatian: Sloboda se ne prodaje za sve zlato svijeta
Borders of the Republic of Ragusa, from 1426
Capital Ragusa (Dubrovnik)
Religion Roman Catholic
Government Aristocratic oligarchic republic (City-state)
Rector as Head of state
 •  1358–1370 Nicola de Sorgo
 •  1808 Simone de Giorgi
Historical era Middle Age, Renaissance, Early Modern Age
 •  City established c. 614
 •  Established 1358
 •  Fourth Crusade
(Venetian invasion)

 •  Treaty of Zadar 27 June 1358
 •  Ottoman tributary from 1458
 •  Joint protectorate from 1684
 •  Invasion by France 26 May 1806
 •  Annexation by Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy 31 January 1808
 •  1808 (?) 1,500 km² (579 sq mi)
 •  1808 (?) est. 30,000 
     Density 20 /km²  (51.8 /sq mi)
Currency Ragusa perpera and others
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Republic of Venice
Illyrian Provinces
Today part of  Croatia
Dubrovnik before the 1667 earthquake, Photogravure Kowalczyk 1909
Painting from 1667, kept today in Dubrovnik archives

The Republic of Ragusa was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (Ragusa in Italian, German and Latin, Raguse in French) in Dalmatia (today in southernmost Croatia) that existed from 1358 to 1808. It reached its commercial peak in the 15th and the 16th centuries, before being conquered by Napoleon's French Empire and formally annexed by the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy in 1808. It had a population of about 30,000 people, out of whom 5,000 lived within the city walls.[2] Its motto was "Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro", which translated from Latin means "Liberty is not well sold for all the gold".[3]


Originally named Communitas Ragusina (Latin for "Ragusan municipality" or "community"), in the 14th century it was renamed Respublica Ragusina (lat. for Ragusan Republic), first mentioned in 1385.[4] In Italian it is called Repubblica di Ragusa; in Croatian it is called Dubrovačka Republika (Croatian pronunciation: [dǔbroʋat͡ʃkaː repǔblika]).

The Slavic name Dubrovnik is derived from the word dubrava, an oak grove;[5] by a strange folk etymology, the Turks have corrupted this into Dobro-Venedik, meaning "Good-Venice". It came into use alongside Ragusa as early as the 14th century.[6] The Latin, Italian and Dalmatian name Ragusa derives its name from Lausa (from the Greek ξαυ: xau, "precipice"); it was later altered in Rausium, Rhagusium or Ragusium (Appendini says that until after 1100 CE, the sea passed over the site of modern Ragusa, if so, it could only have been over the Placa or Stradun) or Rausia (even Lavusa, Labusa, Raugia and Rachusa) and finally into Ragusa. The official change of name from Ragusa to Dubrovnik came into effect during Austria-Hungary. It is known in historiography as the Republic of Ragusa.[7]


Territory of the Republic of Ragusa, early 18th century

The Republic ruled a compact area of southern Dalmatia – its final borders were formed by 1426[8] – comprising the mainland coast from Neum to the Prevlaka peninsula as well as the Pelješac peninsula and the islands of Lastovo and Mljet, as well as a number of smaller islands such as Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan.


In the 16th century administrative units of the Republic were: the City of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), counties (Konavle, Župa dubrovačka - Breno, Slano - Ragusan Littoral, Ston, Island of Lastovo, Island of Mljet, Islands of Šipan, Lopud and Koločep) and captaincies (Cavtat, Orebić, Janjina) with local magistrates appointed by the Grand Council (Great Council). Lastovo and Mljet were semi-autonomous communities (lat. universitates) each having its own Statute.

Historical background[edit]

Origin of the city[edit]

According to the De administrando imperio of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, the city was founded, probably in the 7th century, by the inhabitants of the Roman city of Epidaurum (modern Cavtat) after its destruction by the Avars and Slavs in ca. 615.[9] Some of the survivors moved 25 kilometres (16 miles) north to a small island near the coast where they founded a new settlement, Lausa. It has been claimed that a second raid by the Slavs in 656 resulted in the total destruction of Epidaurum.[10] Slavs, including Croats and Serbs, settled along the coast in the 7th century. The Slavs named their settlement Dubrovnik. The Romance ("Latin") and Slavs held each other antagonistically, though by the 12th century the two settlements had merged. The channel that divided the city was filled creating the present-day main street (the Stradun) which became the city centre. Thus, Dubrovnik became the Croatian name for the united town.[8] There are recent theories based on excavations that the city was established much earlier, at least in the 5th and possibly to the Ancient Greek period (as per Antun Ničetić, in his book Povijest dubrovačke luke). The key element in this theory is the fact that ships in ancient time traveled about 45 to 50 nautical miles per day, and required a sandy shore to pull their ships out of the water for the rest period during the night. An ideal combination would have a fresh water source in the vicinity. Dubrovnik had both, being halfway between the Greek settlements of Budva and Korčula, which are 95 nautical miles (176 km; 109 mi) apart.

Early centuries[edit]

During its first centuries the city, known as Ragusium in Latin and Ra[g]ousion (Ῥα[γ]ούσιον) in Greek, was under the rule of the Byzantine Empire.[9] The Saracens laid siege to the city in 866–67; the siege lasted for fifteen months and was raised due to the intervention of the Byzantine Emperor, Basil the Macedonian, who sent a fleet under Niketas Oryphas in relief. Ooryphas' "showing of the flag" had swift results, as the Slavic tribes sent envoys to the Emperor, once more acknowledging his suzerainty. Basil dispatched officials, agents and missionaries to the region, restoring Byzantine rule over the coastal cities and regions in the form of the new theme of Dalmatia, while leaving the Slavic tribal principalities of the hinterland largely autonomous under their own rulers; the Christianization of the Serbs and the other Slavic tribes also began at this time.[11] With the weakening of Byzantium, Venice began to see Ragusa as a rival that needed to be brought under her control, but the attempt to conquer the city in 948 failed. The citizens of the city attributed this to Saint Blaise (Croatian: Sveti Vlaho), whom they adopted as the patron saint.[12]

The city remained under Byzantine domination until 1204, with the exception of periods of Venetian (1000–30) and later Norman (1081–85, 1172, 1189–90) rule.[9] In 1050, Croatian king Stjepan I, ruler of Croatia and Dalmatia, made a grant of land along the coast that extended the boundaries of Ragusa to Zaton, 16 km (10 mi) north of the original city, giving the republic control of the abundant supply of fresh water that emerges from a source vauclusienne at the head of the Ombla inlet.[12] Stephen's grant also included the harbour of Gruž, which is now the commercial port for Dubrovnik.[12]

Thus the original territory of the Ragusan municipality or community (District of Ragusa, ital. Distretto di Ragusa) comprised the city of Ragusa, Župa dubrovačka, Gruž, Ombla, Zaton, the Elafiti islands (Šipan, Lopud, and Koločep) and some smaller islands near the city.

The famous Arab 12th century geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi mentioned Dubrovnik and the surrounding area. In his work, he referred to Dubrovnik as the southernmost city of Croatia.[13][14][15]

In 1191, Emperor Isaac II Angelos granted the city's merchants the right to trade freely in Byzantium. Similar privileges were obtained several years earlier from Serbia (1186) and from Bosnia (1189). The Charter of Ban Kulin of Bosnia is also the first official document where the city is referred to as Dubrovnik.[8]

Venetian suzerainty (1205–1358)[edit]


In the middle of the 13th century the island of Lastovo was added to the original territory. On 22 January 1325, Serbian king Stefan Uroš III issued a document for the sale of his maritime possessions of the city of Ston and peninsula of Pelješac to Ragusa.[17][18] In 1333, during the rule of Serbian king Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–55), the two possessions were handed over to Ragusa.[19] In January 1348, the Black Death visited the city.[20]


Independence from Venice (1358)[edit]


In 1399, the city acquired the area between Ragusa and Pelješac, called the Primorje (Dubrovačko primorje) with Slano (lat. Terrae novae). It was purchased from Bosnian king Stephen Ostoja. A brief war with Bosnia in 1403 ended with Bosnian withdrawal. Between 1419 and 1426, the Konavle region, south of Astarea (Župa dubrovačka), including the city of Cavtat, was added to the Republic's possessions.[8]


A merchant from the Republic, 1708

Ottoman suzerainty[edit]


When in 1481 the city passed into Ottoman protection, it was to pay an increased tribute of 12,500 ducats. For all other purposes, however, Ragusa was virtually independent. It could enter into relations with foreign powers and make treaties with them (as long as not conflicting with Ottoman interests), and its ships sailed under its own flag. Ottoman vassalage also conferred special trade rights that extended within the Empire. Ragusa handled the Adriatic trade on behalf of the Ottomans, and its merchants received special tax exemptions and trading benefits from the Porte. It also operated colonies that enjoyed extraterritorial rights in major Ottoman cities.[24][page needed]


For their part, Ottomans regarded Ragusa as a port of major importance, since most of the traffic between Florence and Bursa (an Ottoman port in northwestern Anatolia) was carried out via Ragusa. Florentine cargoes would leave the Italian ports of Pesaro, Fano or Ancona to reach Ragusa. From that point on they would take the land route Bosnasaray (Sarajevo)–NovibazarSkopjePlovdivEdirne.[26][page needed]



Decline of the Republic[edit]


Charles VIII of France granted trading rights to the Ragusans in 1497, and Louis XII in 1502. In the first decade of the 16th century, Ragusan consuls were sent to France while their French counterparts were sent to Ragusa.[citation needed] Prominent Ragusans in France included Simon de Benessa, Lovro Gigants, D. de Bonda, Ivan Cvletković, captain Ivan Florio, Petar Lukarić (Petrus de Luccari), Serafin Gozze, Luca de Sorgo. The Ragusan aristocracy was also well represented at the Sorbonne University in Paris at this time.

Old map of the Republic of Ragusa, dated 1678

The fate of Ragusa was linked to that of the Ottoman Empire. Ragusa and Venice lent technical assistance to the Ottoman–MamelukeZamorin alliance that was defeated by the Portuguese in the Battle of Diu in the Indian Ocean (1509).

On 6 April 1667, a devastating earthquake struck and killed over 5,000 citizens, including many patricians and the Rector (Croatian: knez) Šišmundo Getaldić. The earthquake also levelled most of the city's public buildings, leaving only the outer walls intact. Buildings in the Gothic and Renaissance styles – palaces, churches and monasteries – were destroyed. Of the city's major public buildings, only the Sponza Palace and the front part of the Rector's Palace at Luža Square survived. Gradually the city was rebuilt in the more modest Baroque style. With great effort Ragusa recovered a bit, but still remained a shadow of the former Republic.


In 1683 the Ottomans were defeated in the Battle of Kahlenberg outside Vienna. The Field marshal of the Austrian army was Ragusan Frano Đivo Gundulić. In 1684, the emissaries renewed an agreement contracted in Visegrád in the year 1358 and accepted the sovereignty of Habsburg as Hungarian Kings over Ragusa, with an annual tax of 500 ducats. At the same time Ragusa continued to recognize the sovereignty of Turkey; which was nothing unusual in those days. After this even greater opportunities opened up for Ragusa ships in ports all along the Dalmatian coast, in which they anchored frequently. In the Treaty of Karlowitz (1699), the Ottomans ceded all of Hungary, Transylvania, Slavonia, Dalmatia and Podolia to the victorious Habsburgs, Venetians, and Poles. After this, Venice captured a part of Ragusa's inland area and approached its borders. They presented the threat of completely surrounding and cutting off Ragusa's trade inland. In view of this danger and anticipating the defeat of the Turks in 1684 Ragusa sent emissaries to Emperor Leopold in Vienna, hoping that the Austrian Army would capture Bosnia. Fortunately for the Republic, the Ottomans retained their control over their hinterland. With the 26 January 1699 peace agreement, the Republic of Ragusa ceded two patches of its coast to the Ottoman Empire so that the Republic of Venice would be unable to attack from land, only from the sea. One of them, the northwestern land border with the small town of Neum, is today the only outlet of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Adriatic Sea. The southeastern border village of Sutorina later became part of Montenegro, which has coastline to the south. Ragusa continued its policy of strict neutrality in the War of Austrian succession (1741–48) and in the Seven Years' War (1756–63).


In 1783 the Ragusan Council did not answer the proposition put forward by their diplomatic representative in Paris, Frano Favi, that they should establish diplomatic relations with America, although the Americans agreed to allow Ragusan ships free passage in their ports.


French occupation[edit]

The Battle of Austerlitz and the consequent peace treaty, having compelled Austria to hand over Dalmatia to France, put Ragusa in a dilemma. The nearby Bay of Kotor was a Venetian frontier against the Ottomans. But while France held the land, the United Kingdom and Russia held the sea; and while French troops marched from Austerlitz to Dalmatia, eleven Russian ship of the line entered the Bay of Kotor, and landed 6,000 men, later supported by 16,000 Montenegrins under Petar I Petrović-Njegoš. As 5,000 Frenchmen under General Molitor marched southwards, and took pacific possession, one after another, of the fortresses of Dalmatia, the Russians pressed the senators of Ragusa to allow them to occupy their city, as it was an important fortress – thus anticipating France might block the further progress to Kotor - as there is no way from Dalmatia to Kotor but through Ragusa, General Molitor was equally abundant in friendly professions, pressing instances, and solemn pledges, to respect the integrity of the Republic, in his passage to Kotor. Ragusa felt herself without the power of causing her neutrality to be respected, and long and anxious were the debates that ensued.[citation needed]


Ragusan ducat of 1753 with the effigy of the sitting Rector

Serious as the dilemma was, the senators were unprepared for so desperate a remedy. A large majority were for opening the gates to Russia, however, that would expose them to the vengeance of Napoleon, then in the zenith of his ambition and military power. So the occupation of the city was assigned to the French under General Jacques Lauriston. Soon thereafter, the Russian force moved to besiege the city, accompanied by the Montenegrins which was equipped to the standards of the Russian army, but the officers and generals of the army quite hated the Ragusans for their betrayal of Montenegro during Šćepan Mali's rule. The environs, thickly with villas, the results of a long prosperity, were plundered, including half a million sterling.

The city was in the utmost straits; General Molitor who had advanced within a few days' march of Ragusa, made an appeal to the Dalmatians to rise and expel the Russian–Montenegrin force, which met with a feeble response, for only three hundred men joined his standard; but a stratagem made up for his deficiency of numbers. A letter, seemingly confidential, was despatched to General Lauriston in Ragusa, announcing his proximate arrival to raise the siege with such a force of Dalmatians as must overwhelm Russians and the vast Montenegrin army; which letter was, as intended by Molitor, intercepted and believed by the besieging Russians. With his force thinly scattered, to make up a show, Molitor now advanced towards Ragusa, and turning the Montenegrin position in the valley behind, threatened to surround the Russians who occupied the summit of the hill between him and the city; but seeing the risk of this, the Russians retreated back towards the Bay of Kotor, and the city was relieved. The Montenegrin army had followed the order of Admiral Dmitry Senyavin who was in charge of the Russian troops, and retreated to Cetinje.

End of the Republic[edit]

Marshal Auguste de Marmont, Duke of Ragusa during French rule


The Ragusan nobility were disunited in their ideas and political behavior. Article "44" of the 1811 Decree abolished the centuries-old institution of fideicommissum in inheritance law, by which the French enabled younger noblemen to participate in that part of the family inheritance, which the former law had deprived them of. According to an 1813 inventory of the Dubrovnik district, 451 land proprietors were registered, including ecclesiastical institutions and the commune. Although there is no evidence of the size of their estates, the nobles, undoubtedly, were in possession of most of the land. Eleven members of the Sorgo family, eight of Gozze, six of Ghetaldi, six of Pozza, four of Zamagna and three members of the Saraca family were among the greatest landowners. Ragusan citizens belonging to the confraternities of St. Anthony and St. Lazarus owned considerable land outside the City.

Regardless of the events taking place in the City, it was besieged by a Habsburg force under Todor Milutinović helped by the British Royal Navy who had enjoyed unopposed domination over the Adriatic sea. Captain William Hoste joined the siege in late January 1814 with his ships HMS Bacchante and HMS Saracen. They hauled cannon up the hill and after a two-day bombardment the French with 500 troops under General Joseph de Montrichard settled the surrender of the City under honorable terms. With the aim of avoiding greater conflict, the Austrians agreed to the French conditions. General Milutinović promised that the victorious Montenegrin, Austrian, and British armies would not march into the city before the last Frenchman had left the city by ship.

The Great Council of the Ragusan nobility (as the assembly of 44 patricians who had been members of the Great Council before the Republic was abolished by France) met for the last time on 18 January 1814 in the Villa Giorgi in Mokošica, Ombla with the efforts to re-establish the Republic of Ragusa eventually failing. Although Miho Bona was the Ragusan representative on the forthcoming peace conference (the Congress of Vienna), he was denied to participate as Austria strongly opposed any attempt to restore the Republic.

On 27 January, the French capitulation was signed in Gruž and ratified the same day. It was then that Vlaho Caboga openly sided with the Austrians, dismissing the rebel army in Konavle. Meanwhile, Đivo Natali and his men were still waiting outside the Ploče Gates. After almost eight years of occupation, the French troops marched out of Dubrovnik on 27 and 28 January 1814. On the afternoon of 28 January 1814, the Austrian and British troops made their way into the city through the Pile Gates, denying admission to the Ragusa rebels. Intoxicated by success, and with Vlaho Kaboga's support, General Milutinović ignored the agreement he had made with the nobility in Gruž. The events which followed can be best epitomized in the so-called flag episode.[29]:141

The Flag of Saint Blaise was flown alongside the Austrian and British colors, but only for two days because, on 30 January, General Milutinović ordered Mayor Sabo Giorgi to lower it. Overwhelmed by a feeling of deep patriotic pride, Giorgi, the last Rector of the Republic and a loyal francophile, refused to do so 'for the masses had hoisted it'. Subsequent events proved that Austria took every possible opportunity to invade the entire coast of the eastern Adriatic, from Venice to Kotor. The allies did everything in their power to eliminate the Ragusa issue at the Vienna Congress of 1815. Ragusan representative Miho Bona, elected on the abovementioned last meeting of the Great Council, was denied participation in the Congress, while Milutinović, prior to the final agreement of the allies, assumed complete control of the city.[29]:141–142


At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Ragusa and the territories of the former Republic were made part of the crown land of the Kingdom of Dalmatia, ruled by the Habsburg Monarchy, after 1868 known as the Austria-Hungary, which it remained a part of until 1918.

After the fall of the Republic most of the aristocracy died out or emigrated overseas; around one fifth of the noble families were recognized by the Habsburg Monarchy. Some of the families that were recognized and survived were Ghetaldi-Gundula, Gozze, Kaboga, Sorgo, Zlatarić, Zamagna, Pozza, Gradi, and Bona.



The Rector's Palace (the seat of the Rector, the Minor Council, the Senate and the administration of the Republic from the 14th century to 1808), behind it the Sponza Palace

The Republican Constitution of Ragusa was strictly aristocratic. The population was divided into three classes: nobility, citizens, and plebeians who were mainly artisans and peasants (serfs, coloni and freemen). All effective power was concentrated in the hands of aristocracy. The citizens were permitted to hold only minor offices, while plebeians had no voice in government. Marriage between members of different classes of the society was forbidden.

The organization of the government was based on the Venetian model: the administrative bodies were the Grand Council (Great Council, Consilium maius, Maggior Consiglio), the Small Council (Minor Council, Consilium minus, Minor Consiglio) (from 1238) and the Senate (Consilium rogatorum, Consiglio dei Pregadi) from 1253. The head of the state was the Rector (also known as the Duke, ital. il Principe) elected for a term of office for one month (from 1358).


The Grand Council (Great Council, Consilium maius, Maggior Consiglio) consisted only of members of the aristocracy; every noble took his seat at the age of 18 (from 1332 when the council was "closed" and only male members of Ragusian noble (patrician) families had seat in it - Serrata del Maggior Consiglio Raguseo). It was supreme governing and legislative body which (after 1358) elected other councils, officials and the Rector (duke, principe, ceremonial head of state).

Every year, members of the Small Council (Minor Council, Consilium minus, Minor Consiglio) were elected by the Grand Council (Great Council). Together with a duke (Rector) the Small Council (Minor Council) had both executive and ceremonial functions. It consisted first of eleven members and after 1667 of seven members.

The main power was in the hands of the Senate (Consilium rogatorum, Consiglio dei Pregadi), which had 45 members over 40 years of age, elected for one year also by the Grand Council (Great Council). First it had only consultative functions, later (during the 16th century) the Senate became real government of the Republic. In the 18th century the Senate was de facto the highest institution of the Republic and senators became nobles of the nobility.

While the Republic was under the rule of Venice (1204 - 1358), the duke (comes, conte) was Venetian; but after 1358 the elected Rector was always a person from the Republic of Ragusa chosen by the Grand Council (Great Council). The length of the Rector's service was only one month, and a person was eligible for reelection after two years. The rector lived and worked in the Rector's Palace.

This organization was designed to prevent any single family, such as the Medici in Florence, from gaining absolute control. Nevertheless, historians agree that the Giorgi and Sorgo families generally had the greatest influence (especially during the 18th century).

Until the 15th century, judicial functions were in the hand of the Small Council (Minor Council), then separate Civil Court (Curia consulum causarum civilium) and Criminal court (Sex iudices de criminali) were established leaving the Small Council (Minor Council) and the Senate only supreme appellate jurisdiction. Judges of the Criminal and Civil Court had to be Ragusan patricians elected annually by the Grand Council (Great Council).

The officials (magistrates) known as provveditori (proveditores terrae) supervised work and acts of the councils, courts, as well as other officials. Known as the "guardians of justice", they could suspend decisions of the Small Council (Minor council) presenting them to the Senate for final deliberation. Provveditori were annually elected by the Grand Council (Great Council) among patricians above 50 years of age.

Statute (Liber statutorum civitatis Ragusii from 1272 with 1358 modifications), Liber omnium reformationum (1335 - 1410), Liber viridis (1358 - 1460) and Liber croceus (1460 - 1808) were main legislative books of the Republic (fontes iuris Ragusii - Republic's constitution). Important legislative acts, among others, include Liber statutorum doane Ragusii (the old customs statute) (1277), Capitolare della doana grande (the new customs statute) (1413), Ordo super assecuratoribus (maritime insurance) (1568), Regolamenti della Repubblica di Ragusa per la navigazione nazionale (national maritime regulations) (1745) ecc.

The government of the Republic was liberal in character and early showed its concern for justice and humanitarian principles, but also conservative considering government structure and social order. The Republic's flag had the word Libertas (freedom) on it, and the entrance to the Saint Lawrence fortress (Lovrijenac) just outside the Ragusa city walls bears the inscription Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro (Liberty can not be sold for all the gold of the world). The slave trade was forbidden in 1416. The Republic was a staunch opponent of the Eastern Orthodox Church and only Roman Catholics could acquire Ragusan citizenship.


Patrician families[edit]

Coats of arms of the Ragusan families
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The city was ruled by the aristocracy, and marriage between members of three different social classes was strictly forbidden. The nominal head of state was the Rector (known also as the Duke), while during the period of Venetian suzerainty the rector (comes, conte) held considerable influence. Real power, however, was in the hands of three councils that were held by the nobility.

The Ragusan archives document, Speculum Maioris Consilii Rectores, lists all the persons that were involved in the Republic's government between September 1440 to January 1808. There were 4397 rectors elected; 2764 (63%) were from "old patrician" families: Gozze, Bona, Caboga, Cerva, Ghetaldi, Giorgi, Gradi, Pozza, Saraca, Sorgo, and Zamanya.

  • in the 17th century, 50% of the dukes and senators were from the following families: Bona, Gondola, Gozze, Menze, Sorgo.
  • in the 18th century, 56% of senators were from these families: Sorgo, Gozze, Zananya, Caboga, Giorgi.
  • in the last eight years of the Republic, 50% of dukes were from the Sorgo, Gozze, Gradi, Bona, or Ragnina families.


An 1802 list of Dubrovnik Republic's governing bodies showed that six of the eight Small Council (Minor Council) and 15 of the 20 Great Council (Grand Council) members were from the same 11 families.

The Ragusan aristocracy[30] evolved in the 12th century through the 14th century. It was finally established by statute in 1332. New families were accepted only after the earthquake in 1667.

Original patriciate:

Families that joined the patriciate after the 1667 earthquake:

Relations among the nobility[edit]

Ragusan costumes


Coat of arms[edit]






The official language until 1472 was Latin. Later, the Senate of the Republic decided that the official language of the Republic would be the Ragusan dialect of the Romance Dalmatian language (as opposed to Croatian), and forbade the use of the Slavic (Croatian) language in senatorial debate. The gospari (aristocracy) held on to their language for many a century, while it slowly disappeared.

Although Latin was in official use until 1492, by the end of the 14th century inhabitants of the republic were mostly native speakers of Croatian.[1][32] Dalmatian was also spoken in the city. Italian, official since 1492, as spoken in the republic, was heavily influenced by the Venetian language and Tuscan dialect. Italian took root among the Dalmatian Romance-speaking merchant upper classes, as a result of Venetian influence.[33]

When Ragusa was part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, between 1808 and 1810, the Italian language was still in official use.

Ragusan literature[edit]

Ragusan dance


According to Graubard:




The Croatian language works from the Republic of Ragusa had a large role in the developing of Croatian literature, as well as modern Croatian language.

Ethnic groups[edit]

Women from Herzegovina with a view on Ragusa

The inhabitants of the Republic of Ragusa were[when?] Catholics and spoke the local variant of the Shtokavian dialect, the same dialect upon which modern Croatian, Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian are all based. Among the modern South Slavic nations, Ragusans are mostly attributed to Croats.[36][37] However, discussions on the subject of Ragusan ethnicity are mainly based on revised concepts which developed after the fall of the Republic; in particular, the time of Romantic Nationalism resulting from the French Revolution. Before this, states in general were not based on the contemporary unifying concepts such as nation, language or ethnicity; loyalty was chiefly to family, city, and (among Catholics such as the Ragusans) the Church. There was a Serb-Catholic movement in Dubrovnik.

The great cartographer, Muhammad al-Idrisi (in 1154), considered Dubrovnik a part of Croatia (Grwasiah) and mentions it as the last Croatian coastal city in his book Nuzhat al-Mushataq fi ikhtiraq al-afaq (English: Joy for those who wish to sail over the world).[13][14][38]



See also[edit]


  4. ^ Dubrovnik Annals. Zavod za povijesne znanosti Hrvatske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti u Dubrovniku. 2004. 
  5. ^ John Gardner Wilkinson (1848). Dalmatia and Montenegro, J. Murray
  8. ^ a b c d Peter F. Sugar (1983). Southeastern Europe Under Ottoman Rule, 1354–1804, University of Washington Press, ISBN 0-295-96033-7.
  9. ^ a b c Krekić, Bariša; Kazhdan, Alexander (1991). "Dubrovnik". In Kazhdan, Alexander. The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 665. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6. 
  11. ^ Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (1992). Byzantium and Venice: A Study in Diplomatic and Cultural Relations. Cambridge University Press. pp. 30–31. ISBN 0-521-42894-7. 
  12. ^ a b c A Short History of the Yugoslav Peoples, Cambridge University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-521-27485-0
  13. ^ a b Bresc & Nef 1999, p. 387.
  14. ^ a b G. Oman, Al-Idrīsī (1986) [1971]. Encyclopaedia of Islam. 3 (New ed.). Brill Publishers. pp. 1032–35. ISBN 90-04-03275-4. 
  17. ^ Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti 1908, p. 252
  18. ^ Istorijski institut u Beogradu, SANU 1976, p. 21
  19. ^ Miloš Blagojević (2001). Državna uprava u srpskim srednjovekovnim zemljama. Službeni list SRJ. p. 211. 
  22. ^ Harris 2003, p. 61.
  28. ^ Dalmatia and Montenegro: Volume 2 by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson
  30. ^ Patrick Doreian, Vladimir Batagelj and Anuška Ferligoj (1998) "Symmetric-Acyclic Decompositions of Networks" (PDF).  (130 KiB), to appear in Journal of Classification
  38. ^ See Tabula Rogeriana.


Further reading[edit]

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