Croatia joined the EU beginning July 2013. Five books introduces the history of Medieval Croatia
On the first of July 2013 Croatia joined the EU. As part of the former Yugoslavia it might easily be overlooked that Croatia was in fact early on a distinct medieval state until 1102, when it became entwined with Hungary and later part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. To what extent and exactly how Croatia was ruled independently, has of course been a matter of contention among historians as well as politicians. A few recent books help the beginner navigate this very contentious and stormy sea…
Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)
By Florin Curta
Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press 2006
ISBN-10: 0521894522
ISBN-13: 978-0521894524
South Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages stood at a crossroads of trade and crusading routes and fell within the spheres of influence of both the Byzantine Orthodox Church and Latin Christendom. This authoritative 2006 survey draws on historical and archaeological sources in the narration of 750 years of the history of the region, including Romania, southern Ukraine, southern Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Greece. Exploring the social, political and economic changes marking the transition from late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages, this book addresses important themes such as the rise of medieval states, the conversion to Christianity, the monastic movement inspired by developments in Western Europe and in Byzantium, and the role of material culture (architecture, the arts and objects of daily life) in the representation of power.
Byzantium’s Balkan Frontier: A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900-1204
By Paul Stephenson
Cambridge University Press 2000
ISBN-10: 0521770173
ISBN-13: 978-0521770170
Byzantium’s Balkan Frontier is the first narrative history in English of the northern Balkans in the tenth to twelfth centuries. Where previous histories have been concerned principally with the medieval history of distinct and autonomous Balkan nations, this study regards Byzantine political authority as a unifying factor in the various lands, which formed the empire’s frontier in the north and west. It takes as its central concern Byzantine relations with all Slavic and non-Slavic peoples – including the Serbs, Croats, Bulgarians and Hungarians – in and beyond the Balkan Peninsula, and explores in detail imperial responses, first to the migrations of nomadic peoples, and subsequently to the expansion of Latin Christendom. It also examines the changing conception of the frontier in Byzantine thought and literature through the middle Byzantine period.
Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat: Identity Transformations in Post-Roman and Early Medieval Dalmatia (East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450)
By Danijel Dzino
Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers 2010
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9004186468
ISBN-13: 978-9004186460
Late antique identities from the Western Balkans were transformed into new, Slavic identities after c. 600 AD. It was a process that is still having continuous impact on the discursive constructions of ethnic and regional identities in the area. Building on the new ways of reading and studying available sources from late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, the book explores the appearance of the Croats in early medieval Dalmatia (the southern parts of modern-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The appearance of the early medieval Croat identity is seen as a part of the wider process of identity-transformations in post-Roman Europe, the ultimate result of the identity-negotiation between the descendants of the late antique population and the immigrant groups.
Croatia in the Early Middle Ages: A Cultural Survey (Croatia & Europe, Culture, Arts & Sciences)
By Ivan Supicic
Publisher: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd 2001
ISBN-10: 0856674990
ISBN-13: 978-0856674990
Since the mid-1990s, the republic of Croatia has taken its place among the independent nations of Europe, and its strong cultural identity is becoming better understood. As a result, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, based in Zagreb, has embarked on a five-volume history of Croatian culture, commissioning essays on the arts and sciences from over 100 leading specialists in the field. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the relationship between Croatia and Western Europe was very close, with many important artists moving freely between them. Visitors to Zagreb and the Dalmatian Coast have long enjoyed the opportunity of sampling the enormous wealth and variety of Croatian art and architecture, and these volumes seek to make the achievements of this ancient but often misunderstood area of Europe accessible. This is the first volume, presenting 30 essays charting the period from the seventh to the twelfth century. Illustrated with colour plates, maps, plans & diagrams, it provides a resource for all those seeking to gain a broad understanding of the medieval world in Central Europe and the Adriatic region before the Ottoman invasions.
Croatia: Aspects of Art, Architecture and Cultural Heritage
By Stjepan Cosic et al
Publisher: Frances Lincoln 2009
ISBN-10: 071122921X
ISBN-13: 978-0711229211
This volume is the first scholarly study in the English language of Croatia’s extraordinary artistic heritage. Leading specialists analyse the key cultural developments in this small country’s history, from the extensive Roman remains on the Adriatic coast, through the gothic splendour of the Dalmatian cities in the Middle Ages and intensive artistic exchange with Italy during the Renaissance, to the grand houses and art collections of continental Croatia. The essays address iconic monuments like Diocletian’s palace at Split and the walled city of Dubrovnik alongside more unfamiliar treasures, some never published before. This books sets Croatia’s cultural past in context, reflecting the country’s unique history at the crossroads between Italy, Central Europe and the Mediterranean. With contributions by leading British, American and Croatian writers and scholars, including John Julius Norwich, Timothy Clifford, Marcus Binney, Brian Sewell and Sheila McNally this book presents for the first time a portrait of the culture of this captivating and too little known country.
Croatia in the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance
By Ivan Supicic
Publisher: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd 2007
ISBN-10: 0856676241
ISBN-13: 978-0856676246
This volume presents forty essays charting the period from the thirteenth century to the beginning of the sixteenth century written by the most eminent specialists in Croatia under the auspices of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. This period, which is little known even in Europe, is one of the oldest European cultures dating from medieval times. Despite its geographical diversity, reaching across the Adriatic into Italy, and to the countries of Eastern Europe, Croatia retained its distinct ethnic and cultural identity. The book covers every aspect of Croatian culture: political, social, economic, religious, cultural, artistic and scientific. In an innovative and detailed analysis, the forty authors have created a balanced picture of what was happening during this most important period. Richly illustrated with colour plates, maps, plans, charts and diagrams, the book provides a major resource for all those seeking to gain a broader understanding of the development of European culture from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.