Agenda

Zaratin public notaries of the mid 17th century as mediators in daily communication

Introduce Marija Bradaš

As a part of the larger Mediterranean space, the Adriatic basin undoubtedly reflects many characteristics of the Mediterranean as a whole, including those of the urban nature. Moreover, during the early modern period the majority of the eastern Adriatic coast, including largest and most important towns and cities, was uninterruptedly governed by the Republic of Venice, administratively organized as the Province of Dalmatia and Albania. That very fact that made the aforementioned space a constituent part of the Serrenissima as one of the most prominent sea powers, further contributed to its belonging to the Mediterranean world. Together with other characteristics of the space, the frequent usage of multiple languages was among the most noticeable ones. Consequently, Dalmatian urban space was also a theatre of multilingualism practiced on a daily basis, and exactly this topic will be in the focus of the proposed lecture.

In a form of a case study, the question of multilingualism will be analysed on the example of the city of Zadar in the mid seventeenth century. During Venetian governance over the Eastern Adriatic coast, Zadar was the capital of the Province of Dalmatia and Albania, representing therefore a paradigm for the proposed topic and seventeenth century experienced many demographic changes as a consequence of Venetian-Ottoman conflict known as the War of Candia. Taken its status into account, together with the local population, Zadar’s urban area was one of the most important and intensive Eastern Adriatic meeting points for foreigners of various professions and social statuses from all over Europe, some of them just passing through the city and some never to leave it again. Together with other indicators of diversity on the city streets, language was surely one of the most noticeable presenting both its richness and a potential barrier in communication. In daily circulation of information people ordinarily used more than one language, but sometimes assistance of different mediators was indispensable. In that respect, the role of public notaries as Venetian officials most directly involved in communication between the state authorities and ordinary people was of vital importance. Therefore, through the lenses of Zaratin public notaries, the aim of this lecture is to show the daily practices of communication within such multilingual and multicultural urban environment, to a certain extent impacted by predominantly Slavic surroundings of its hinterland.

Filip Novosel 1984 currently works as a senior research assistant at the Croatian Institute of History on the project Topics and Sources for the Research of Social and Military History of Early Modern Eastern Adriatic Coast. His field of interest is early modern history social, urban and military history of Venice, primarily its Adriatic possessions, which so far resulted with various publications, participations on conferences and public lectures in Croatia and abroad.