Croatia

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

Croatia is a part of Illyricum towards Hungarie, which wee described in the beginng. Rufus and Volaterranus call it Valeria: others Liburnia. It joyneth to Istria on the East by the Fanatick Bay, and is situate betweene the Rivers Cuspa and Savus, and the higher Maesia. The Metropolis of this Country is now called Bigihon, and sometime Fumlum. It hath many other Citties at Zeng, Wackat, Turnaw, Modrish. But the Turk by his invasions made this Country knowne, having broken the league with the Christians, had a great desire to joyne this Country to his Kingdomes and Provinces, that so he might more conveniently invade Italy and Germanie, whereupon at the beginning of Summer in the yeare 1592. the great Turke sent an Army into Croatia, under the conduct of his Bashawes and Captaines. The Souldiers being terrified at the approaching of this army, the Bashaw of Bosnia tooke the stronge Fort Hrastovitza by treachery. And afterward the fury of his Souldiers being not appeas'd therewith, hee laid siege to Wyhitz, a strong walled Citty: the Souldiers having neither munition nor victualls, yeelded up the Towne by surrender, and the Turke afterward contrary to his promise put them all to the Sword, and many inconveniences follow'd after this surrender, which I omit. Moreover in the yeare following, which was 1593. The Turke glorying in his many victories, and Townes which hee had taken, had a great desire to get the strong Citty Sissegkum: and so raysing an army hee besieged it. But the Germanes considering what great detriment and losse, not onely Germanie but all Europe should sustaine, if the Turkes should take it, they levied an army, and so passing over the River Savus, they intended to relieve the Citty. The Turkish horse-men who were 8000. or some say 10000. made haste to possesse themselves of the other Banck of the River Savus by the Bridge which was built before, that so they might hinder the Christians approach, where joyning battell with the Christians, the Turkes were put to flight, and fled to the Bridge, which the Carolostadien Souldiers had first possessed. The Turkes were at last all cut off, and a great many drown'd in the Rivers Savus and Kulpa. The other part of the Turkish Army fled, the Bridge being cut downe, so that they could not retire to the rest of their army. And so on the 22. of Iune in the yeare 1593. this Citty was freed from this straite siege.

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

CROATIA.

The Country of CROATIA in particular, call'd Crabaten by the Germans, is suppos'd to be the same with that which was heretofore known by the name of Liburnia, and was made a Roman Province under the Emperor Nicetus, being bounded on the North by Sclavonia, on the South by Morlachia, on the East by Bosnia, and on the West by Windisch-March. The Emperor of Germany, among many other Titles, assumes that of King of Croatia; and, indeed, it was anciently a puissant Monarchy, but in the latter Ages hath been extreamly depopulated by the frequent Inrodes of the Turks, and the greatest part of it is at this day subject to the Grand Seignior's Dominion. The Croatians or Croates, are a valiant, hardy People, and good Soldiers, especially their Horsemen, so that they are entertain'd in most of the Courts of the German Princes as their Horse-Guards; some of them are also very swift, particularly the Ʋskokes running up and down Mountains like Bucks, with Shoes made of Cord for that purpose. As for their Manners and Customs, they partake of those of the Germans, Hungarians and Sclavonians, insomuch that their Gentlemen are said to share with the first in their Drunkenness, to imitate the second in their haughty Humour, and to be altogether as importunate as the last.

WIHITZ or BIGIHON, Vihitza, the Capital Town of Croatia, stands on one side of a small Lake made by the River Wana, at the distance of 45 miles from Segna to the East, as many from Zara to the North, and 84 nigh West of Posega. It was taken by Hassan Bassa of Bosnia, after an obstinate Defence, and the Garrison basely murder'd, contrary to the Articles of Capitulation in the year, 1592. having been for the space of 150 years the great Bulwark of Christendom against the Turks; so that this Conquest gave the Ottoman Family the first sure footing in these parts, and open'd them a passage into Sclavonia, the greater part of which was soon after forc'd to submit to their victorious Arms.

CASTANOVITZ, is a strong Castle, consisting of 3 Towers and a Wall, according to the ancient manner of Fortification, near the River Wana or Ʋnna and the Frontiers of Bosnia, 34 miles from Gradisca to the West. It formerly appertain'd to the Turks, but was taken by Prince Lewis of Baden, and submitted to the Emperor's Jurisdiction, A. D. 1688.

PETRINIA, Petrinia, is seated on a River of the same name, near its fall into the Kulp, about 8 miles from Zagarab or Agram in Sclavonia. It was made a regular Fort in imitation of Wihitz, not long after the Turks had subdu'd that place. But about three years after its Foundation it was recover'd out of the Grand Seignior's Hands by the Imperialists, who as yet retain it in their Possession.

CARLSTADT, on the mouth of the River Maresnitza, took its name from Charles Arch-duke of Austria, who first caus'd the place to be fortify'd, A. D. 1579. The Garrison is maintain'd and furnish'd with all sorts of Ammunition by the Carniolians, that esteem it the secure•t Bulwark of their Country; neither are any Persons allow'd to reside there excepting Soldiers, who receive Victuals and other necessary Provisions from Doboretz or Dabritz, a neigbouring Market-town.

SEGNA or ZENG, is situated on the Bay heretofore call'd Flanaticum, now of Quarnaw or Carnaro, over against the Island of Veglia, at the distance of 46 m. from Carlstadt almost to the South, as many from Zara to the North-west, and 52 from Wihitz to the West. It is the Metropolis of the Principality of Morlachia, and an Episcopal See under the Metropolitan of Spalatro. It is also well fortify'd both by Art and Nature, vast Woods and Mountains lying behind it toward the Land, so that an Army can scarcely come near, neither is its Harbour capacious enough for a considerable Fleet. This place being about 1539. in the possession of the Count de Frangipani, was claim'd by Solyman II. as a dependance of Hungary, a great part of which he had then subdu'd. Insomuch that the Emperor Ferdinand was oblig'd to take it under his peculiar Protection, and entertain'd therein for its defence the Ʋscokes, a Gang of Robbers like our Bucaniers. And indeed the adjacent Coasts are full of small Islands, Rocks and Creeks, and have been a Receptacle for Pyrates. These Bucaniers in process of time were encreas'd to the number of five or six hundred, and did much Damage to the Turks and Christian Merchants: Whereupon the former, to revenge those Injuries, rais'd a War against the Austrian Family in the year, 1592. which continu'd until 1602. and wherein were lost the Troops of Agria and Canisa in Hungary. We are inform'd by Father Paul, in his Continuation of the History of the Ʋschochi, That the Town of Segna was inhabited in 1613. by three sorts of People, viz. the Stipiendiarii or listed Men, being 200. under four Captains; the Casalini or Citizens, consisting of about 100 Families; and the Venturini, who were Renegadoes out of Turky, Dalmatia and Apulia, their whole number not amounting to above 2000. However this small Body of Men often plagu'd the State of Venice from 1537 to 1616. against whom the Arch-duke of Austria declar'd a War in 1615. on their account; but the Dutch having taken part with the Venetians, the Arch-duke was constrain'd the next year to suppress this Nest of Pirates, who were never heard of since.