Directory:Historical Compendium of the Island of Korcula

Chapter One - Origin and Events

Some father historians, based on Diti, contemporary Cretan at the war of Troy, wish that Antenore as the first to land on the island should build a city, of the dark appearance of its woods called Corcira Melaena. Other followers of his in that position claim that they should not be exiles of Ilius, but, fugitives of Gnido. In turn the vernacularisation of Ditti, work of Cav. Compagnoni, no longer Antenore, who remained in Greece, but the said Aeneas, would like as leader of the colony and founder of the city of Curzola (Korcula), competing with the opinion of Darete, Phrygian, other contemporary.

The truth of this claim, considering the mythological chronology of the grammatical Alexandrian Heratostene, would oblige us to go back to approximately 1184 BC, at the time in which according to the Bible, Gideon judged Israel: 126 years prior to David coming to the throne. But the historian, more traditional than anything else, cannot rely on vague claims. Yet least of all when facing criticism and Diti and Darete did not know how to support their historical existence and truth, whether Antenore or Aeneas was the leader, or Gnidi or the Trojans the colonists, the study of local antiquities cannot unless to arouse Trojans the colonists, the study of local antiquities cannot unless to arouse.

Belief that Curzola (Korcula) in ancient times was not some Graeco-Phoenician post. Even though of this period there are inferences which are not at all unfounded, none are of a particular positive nature. The mystery clears then when the Illyrians becoming powerful lord the Adriatic, their king Agron, asserting his authority on the other neighbouring islands also occupied Curzola, in 250 B.C. On his death regaining its independence, the widow queen Teuta took control of it again until Demetrius Fario, appointed as its prefect, surrendered it to the Romans together with Lesina (Hvar) his homeland. Whether Agron and Teuta had forcefully occupied the island with the use of arms, cannot be affirmed; the Alexandrian Appiano says no more than: "Pharumque bello captum" ; which makes us think it occurred due to combined dedication. Only in the times of Caesar Octavian Augustus (42 B.C.) does the name in the history of human events appear clear. It is done now for the first time, that the Curzolani tried to seal the reacquired freedom with their own blood; they resisted with anguished courage to the arms of the triumvir who had come in person to conquer it, and equal to the resistance was the punishment.

The Alexandrian Appiano tells us of the severity of the punishment and the cause of the war:

“

Divus Augustus deficientes Melitenses et Corcyrenses qui Insulas incolunt; ingenti belli mole superavit, quoniam maria classe praedebatur. Puberes ad unum caesi cetera multitudo sub corona venit.

”

But if Octavian in the repression caused it damaged, he didn’t consider it unworthy of his attention for its benefit; sending Roman colonists to it to direct it for better understood and regulated habits, paving the way to a much greater cultivation lessening the original coarseness. If the gravestones which are being unearthed among the ruins scattered across the island bear witness to the existence of the Roman colonies, they explain their purpose.

Curzola (Korcula) from its origins to the present time has been in existence for 3,038 years, and history classifies its political life in the following phases:

• Free with her own independence until the occupation by Agron, and then for very short intervals by Teuta, by the Romans until Octaviano Augustus; and then at the time of the Veneti from 1180 to 1252, from 1254 to 1258, and from 1418 to 1420, on the whole.
• Subject to the Roman Emperors first from the west, then from the east, by Augustus at Heraclius until 642.
• Defeated and confederated by the Narantani from 642 to 999
• Conquered by the Veneti under the management of the doge Pietro Orscolo from 999 to 1100.
• Held by the Genoese from 1100 to 1129.
• Recaptured by Popone Zorzi, from the Veneto Region, and by the Republic subjected to this house from 1129 to 1180, from 1252 to 1254, and from 1258 until 1357
• Possessed on behalf of the king of Hungary from 1257 and with brief interruptions of the Genoese until 1418.
• Devoting itself of its own accord to the Republic of Venice in 1420, and held by it with exemption from any tax until 1797.
• Surrendered with the Veneto State to Napoleon I of France, and united with the Kingdom of Italy from 1806 to 1807, and later from 1808 to 1813 annexed with Dalmatian to the Illyrian provinces.
• Taken and held by the Russians in 1808
• Taken from the French by the English and guarded for themselves from 1813 to 1815.
• Occupied by Austria, first by obligation from 1797 to 1806, later by Vienna Treaty from 1815 to the present 1858.

Protected by the Roman eagles Curzola enjoyed peace and was well-off, nor due to the change of events did she try to claim freedom; and as at first was faithful to Rome, the Empire divided she obeyed Constantinople. But with the Caesars’ loss of power the days of pain were nearing;

From a very old report of not so long discovery, that we don’t consider apocryphal, is noted how frightening the invasion of the Narentani was for the island, and as to a certain king qui fugiens a persecution galearum Narentinorum construxit arcem in Siralievax, in which with one hundred of his followers he had stationed himself, succeeded to gather the surrounding defence to himself. This king would have built other fortresses there: maxima autem , says the report, arx fuit in domorio incolum quem locum appellant Bradat apud domum unius hominis probi, et sacnti quem incolae dicunt Sveti Visko – had the inhabitants of Curzola (Korcula) equip six prisons at his own expense, and thus also erect three shelters - in portu ad septentrionem montis sic dicti Gradinae ubi sistebant naves nostril regis clementissimi.....non longe maris interni Insulae aptus locus est ad debellandos piratas fortes Narentinos molestos valde. Of all this there are obvious ruins to date. Despite the relentless defence bravely sustained by the inhabitants, most from the Mattani in the fortress of Siralievaz, every effort was useless, the king was compelled to flee from the island; in fact he was almost taken by the Narentani in the sortie made from the last western promontory, if he had not been freed on the part of the islander. The reporter gives his name as Ristle, and declares himself minister of the king, after his death which occurred elsewhere with royal brother Ottoniero, states that he returned to the island, where he had a sister desponsata patron Spaho .... domino domorij Sitinitiani (Sitnizza) pulcherimi agri in quo habebat tentorio et capiebat aves ... et inveni, continues, Narentinos depopulasse multa. Omnes mee vires sestebant in conspectioneagrorum atque navium ... nos non possumus prodire nullibi, nisi in fortes hostes incurramus. In this hard aggression both towns of which the ruins can still be seen in Bradat and Potirna, inhabited also by Roman families, as the gravestones and many other ancient pieces not so long ago unearthed bear witness.

A battle took place on the island around the year 829. Exiled from the throne and for the Obeleiro State and Beato Antenonj, or Antonaj, doges, one after the other of Venice, to whom the Curzolani, already confederated of the Narentain, acknowledged friendship and partisan feelings, the latter fleeing to Curzola (Korcula), where he had correspondences and instruments to recover with the assistance of these in the ducal seat. But the doge Zuanne Partecipazio, being informed of these schemes, at the head of a strong army descended upon Curzola (Korcula), which despite powerful losing resistance, saw many of his own killed and the prisoners hanged; the ex doge Beato Antenonio had his head cut off. A reporter of the Veneto Region would like that as a result of this fact Curzola (Korcula) and Veglia, where even the Antenonj had partisans, remained subject to those of the Veneto Region. This could occur, but for a brief period with regard to Curzola, the resulting reunion being tough between her and the Narentani, that it however lasted a short time. There is on the island a sunny valley called Dughipod, neighbouring the inundating field known as Blato, in which one could see various and large masses of rocks, and among these the largest and widest, only one on the island, called Ducelova gomilla. From the previous matter and from the places, which embrace vast close plains suited even for manoeuvring an army in battle, it is probable that a battle be followed there and that under that impressive mass of rocks was buried the beheaded doge Beato Antenonio, and therefore to that the Slavic name of Ducelova gomilla, namely the doge’s partition wall.

The fourth battle was with the doge of the Veneto Region Pietro Orseolo in 999, from which, having defeated the Narentani, their ally, Curzola (Korcula), was also conquered. Some historians note that the Curzolani, determined to oppose the advances of the said doge, urged the Ragusei and the Lesignani to form an alliance, but pre-empted by the sudden appearance of a large army in the Curzola channel, which fruitlessly awaited on the nearby reef of S. Massimo, vulgo Massan, for negotiations for the surrender, were thus forced to withstand alone what they had planned to carry out with their friends. Of this fact Andrea Dandolo writes: Curzolae habitatores suis (of Orseolo) recusants parere jussionibus, valida manu acquisivit suaeque potestati subjugavit. The learned Marco Casotti with Lucio claim that the alliance of Curzola (Korcula) with the Narentani worked to even make Venice their inland revenue, after the death of the death of its doge Pietro Candiano in the battle of Pontamica, and that those of the Veneto Region were now avenging themselves of this by dismantling Curzola (Korcula) from the foundations.

The reports tell that the Venitians, distracted in the Holy Land undertaking, the Genoese allowed themselves in the year 1100 to occupy the island of Curzola (Korcula) and to keep it subjugated for some time. This subjection will not be followed with a fight, as the Curzolani with far greater powers fought to support their freedom, nor without shedding of blood would they be subjected.

Mirislao, Nemagna and Costantino, counts of Chelmo, broadened with significant conquests the fatherly encroachers and possessing the territories of Narenta, Macarsca and Stagno with the introduction of the Rassiani to the detriment of Catholicism, wanted to conquer also the nearby Curzola (Korcula), and therefore Constantine with a strong army, which some amount to twenty thousand men, in 1181 landed in a faraway part of the city and began to terrorise the island with fire and steel. But the Curzolani, cum se in unum conglobassent, as Farlati writes, took up the pursuit of enemies, of which they killed many, others they took as prisoners, among which the said Constantino, who to obtain his freedom was compelled, together with his brothers, under oath promise to never again to make an attempt to take any step towards the independence of the Curzolani. With this resounding victory they honourably regained their freedom and preserved/protected the professed Catholic religion. Being the end of the 1129 year Curzola (Korcula) subjected to the Zorzi house.

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