Dalmatia

Sources from old books

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

It remaineth that wee should speake somewhat of Dalmatia, a part whereof is described in this Table. It was so caled from Deliminium the Metropolis of this Country. Heretofore Dalmatia was a potent Kingdome, and the Dalmatians were heretofore strong and rich, and confident in the situation of their Country. They lived for the most part in Woods, and so were much given to robbing. The Citties are Salanum, and not far from the borders of this Country, the Citty Apollonia is situated by the Sea side, neere unto which there is a Rocke which sendeth forth flashes of fire, and beneath it hot water and Brimstone doth boyle forth, especially when the Rocke blazeth and burneth. The Ecclesiasticall government according to Mercator is in this manner. There is the Archbishop Iadra, who they now call Zara. Under whom are Anzara, Vegla, Arbe: also the Archbishop of Spalato, nuder whom are the Bishops Tragurium, of Teniensis Tina, Sardona, Temnensis, Nenensis, Nonensis, Almisa, Sibinicensis, Farensis. The Archbishop of Ragusine, under whom are Stagnensis, Rossonensis, Tribuniensis, Bacensis, Rosensis, Bidnanensis, Budva. The Archbishop Antiberensis, under whom are the Bishops of Dulcinium, Suacinensis, Drinastensis, Polastrensis, Scodrensis, Sardensis, Surtanensis, or Acutarensis, Arbensis.

1685. Geographia universalis: the present state of the whole world by Pierre Duval.

Of the State of Ragusa.

THis is a small Republick, which has its Territories in Dalmatia, near those of the Turks, and upon the Gulph of Venice. It pays eighteen thousand Sequins of annual Tribute to the Grand Seignior for liberty of Commerce in the Levant. The City which seems to have succeeded to the ancient Epidaure, is pretty well fortify'd, and very populous. It has the Title of an Archbishoprick; its Inhabitants, who addict themselves for the most part to trade, are Roman Catholicks. In the year 1667. it received a great loss by an Earthquake. Its Principal Harbour is that of St. Croix, which is three Leagues distant from it. Its Ships are pretty numerous, well known in the Seas of the Levant, as its Caravans be in the Dominions of the Turks in Europe. He who commands the Republick of Ragusa, is called Doge or Rectour; he is assisted with the Councel of a hundred Senators, his Government lasts only a Month. The Governour of the Castle is changed every day, wherein one of the Nobles enters to command in his turn. Their Gentlemen must marry Gentlewomen, if they mean their Children should be acknowledged to be of the Ragusian Nobility. The Revenue of the Republick is five and twenty thousand Crowns. The Country above the Town is not over fertile, full of Rocks and Stones; if it bring forth any thing, it is by the means of the Forreign Earth which they cause to be brought thither, which is done with such care and such success, that the Coast makes a Beautiful Prospect of Vineyards, Orange Trees, Lemon Trees and Pomegranates. The Neighbouring Islands which are of the dependance of Ragusa, are also very pleasant. The Turks have some sort of inclination for the Ragusians, by reason they pay punctually their Tribute, and that by their means they are provided with all the Commodities of Europe, which they stand in need of. They give them Priveledges which they seldom grant to other Christians.

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

DALMATIA.

DALMATIA, Dalmatia, was heretofore a very large Province, but is now more contracted, having Bosnia and Croatia for its Northern Bounds, the Adriatick Sea or Gulph of Venice on the South, a Corner of Bosnia on the East, and Istria on the West. It was also for some Time a populous and flourishing Kingdom, first subdued by the Romans, under the Conduct of Publius Cornelius Nasica, a little before the third Carthagenian War. Afterward it recovered its former Liberty, and was govern'd for several Ages by certain Princes, who assum'd the Style and Dignity of Kings of Dalmatia. For the Pope having conven'd a Council, by two of his Legates, caus'd Duke Demetrius to be invested with a Sword, Scepter and Crown, A. D. 1076. Upon the Failure of their Line it devolv'd, together with the Croatian Monarchy, on the Kings of Hungary, in 1310. as a Member of which Kingdom it is still claim'd by the Emperor of Germany, although the Venetians are at present the chief Proprietors of the Country; and another Part is possessed by the Turks. The Language of the Dalmatians is the Sclavonick, and their Religion for the most part the Roman Catholick.

SCARDONA, Scardona, call'd Skardin by the Sclavonians, is a Place of great Antiquity, and was formerly the Metropolis of Dalmatia, the Episcopal See of Belgrade having been translated thither, A. D. 1120. It is situated on the River Kerka, and distant about 30 miles from Sebenico almost to the North, as also 7 miles from the Adriatick Sea. In the Year 1683. it was taken from the Turks by the Morlacks of Croatia, and General Valier put a sufficient Garrison into it for the Venetians.

ANTIVARI, Antibarum, a Town of Dalmatia, although joyned to Albania by the Turks, since it fell into their Possession, stands on a rising Ground, and the Coasts of the Adriatick Sea, about 18 miles from Dolcigno to the North-west, and 60 from Ragusa to the South-east. Pope Alexander II. of an Episcopal See erected it into a Metropolitan, and allotted thereto ten Suffragans, A. D. 1062.

NARENZA, Naro, is in like manner seated on the Gulph of Venice, 44 miles from Ragusa to the North, and appertains to the Turkish Jurisdiction. It was anciently a very considerable Town, and the Capital of Dalmatia, having been also for some Time the See of a Prelate, Suffragan to the Archbishop of Ragusa, but at present it is in a manner entirely ruined. The States of Venice made themselves Masters thereof, A. C. 987. and the Turks re-gain'd it in 1479.

Castel-Nuovo, a Town of the Dutchy of S. Saba, or the Province of Herzegovine, is advantagiously situated on the Canal of Cattaro, 3 leagues from its Mouth, over-against the Eastern Sea, being defended on the North Side by the Castle of Salimanega, which is built on a very rocky Ground, and commanded by the neighbouring Mountain of S. Veneranda, whence the Tower of Fastagick, founded partly on the Rock and partly on the adjacent Level, may be also battered. The Turks usually kept a Magazine of Powder in this large Tower. But the high Fortress of Goringral stands 650 Paces from the Town, and is liable to suffer Dammage from a Battery placed on the Top of Mount Slichi. This Town was attackt and taken in the Year 1538. by the Confederate Forces of the Pope, the Emperor and the State of Venice, when it was garrison'd with Spaniards, and three sorts of Standards were set up therein, viz. one for his Holiness, another for his Imperial Majesty, and a third for the Republick. However, they did not long enjoy their strong Hold, for the very next Year Barberossa the Turkish Commander arrived in the Channel with 90 Galleys and 30 Fustees, and having landed 80 Pieces of Cannon, together with some Soldiers, that were joyned by the Sanjac of the Province, he battered the Place, and carried it by Storm. The Venetians made an Attempt to retake Castel-Nuovo, in 1572. but were obliged to desist from their Enterprize: Nevertheless, at length, by the Assistance of the Pope's Troops and those of the Order of Maltha, they found means to get it in their possession, A. D. 1687.

CATTARO, or Catarro, Catharum aut Cathara, is taken by some Authors for the Ascrivium of Ptolomey and Pliny, and communicates its Name to the Gulph on which it lies, about 50 miles from Ragusa to the South-east. It is fenced with a Castle, built on a Hill, and dignified with a Bishop's See, under the Metropolitan of Ragusa. The Turks have often attempted to surprize this City, to no purpose, and it is still subject to the Dominion of the State of Venice.

BƲDOA, mention'd by Pliny, Pto•emey and Stephanus of Byzantium, under the Names of Butua, Bulua and Buthaer, is situated on the Sea-coasts between the Gulph of Cataro and the Town of Dolcigno, 8 miles from Antivari to the North-west, its Episcopal See depending on that Metropolitan. Alexandro Donato having yielded the same City to the Turks, through Cowardize, Augustin Pasqualigo, in like manner surrendred Budoa, of which he was Governour, but was not blamed by reason of the Weakness of the Place. But Zacharias Salomoni, who had obtained the Government of Cattaro, recovered it a little while after with the Land-Soldiers and Marine Regiments under his Command: Whereupon the Republick of Venice caused it to be regularly fortified. It suffered much Damage by an Earthquake in 1667. but extrordinary Care was taken to repair the Breaches and Ruins made by that Accident.

DOLCIGNO or Dulcigno, is an Episcopal City near the Adriatick Sea, under the Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Antivari, from whence it is distant 18 miles to the South East, and 27 from Scutari to the South-west.