Jerusalem Pilgrims from the Iberian Peninsula in the Croatian Lands (1400-1650)

U radu su prikazani hodočasnici iz Španjolske, odnosno njezinih nekadašnjih kraljevstava Kastilje, Aragonije, Navare, te Portugala koji su prošli hrvatskim krajevima i gradovima na Jadranu tijekom plovidbe u Svetu zemlju. Kratko su prikazana politička i vjerska zbivanja na tom prostoru te stavljena u korelaciju s istovjetnim fenomenom u ostatku Europe. Opisani su njihovi motivi za odlazak, staleška pripadnost te doživljaji tijekom putovanja. Osim geografskih i političkih specifičnosti, koje su najviše utjecale na njihovu brojnost, primjetna je niska zastupljenost građanstva. Relativno dobru zastupljenost pisanih svjedočanstava ne prati razmjeran broj kontakata s osobama iz hrvatskih krajeva, a od toga odstupaju pripadnici franjevačkoga reda glede pojedinih zaslužnih članova zajednice u Jeruzalemu. Ukupan dojam govori da su španjolski i portugalski hodočasnički zapisi u usporedbi s djelima drugih hodočasnika kasnoga srednjeg vijeka i ranoga novog doba najviše usmjereni na Jeruzalem i ostala sveta mjesta, pa su tranzitni krajevi ostali zakinuti u tekstovima.
Pilgrims from the Iberian Peninsula, from the kingdoms of Castile, Aragon, Navarre, and Portugal, were an indispensable part of European pilgrimages from Venice to Palestine from the very beginning of travels to the Holy Land (a total of 85 persons have been recorded from the lands of the Spanish Crown and 68 of those have been identified; 60 of them came from Portugal, 32 of them known by name). This is evidenced by Venetian state and chronicler records, but above all by the relatively numerous travelogues (6 Spanish and 3 Portuguese authors have been analyzed). Motivated by deep and sincere religious feelings, of which one finds confirmation in their writings as well as in general biographies, they set out from all parts of their countries on this expensive, tiresome, and too often perilous sea voyage. Very similar to the German or French pilgrims, they came from all walks of life, but persons from ecclesiastical circles prevailed from the mid-16th century. Somewhat surprising is the large number of women, which generally differs from the situation in other ethnic groups. Due to their choice of Venice as the port of departure, they had to sail along the Croatian Adriatic coast. Some, however, used new geographical discoveries and came to Jerusalem from the east, visiting the Adriatic cities only on their return. Depending on the type of vessel (galley or one of the proper sailing ships – koka, nava, or galijun) and the official or business tasks of the ship owner, they docked in various ports from Poreč to Dubrovnik. And while members of the nobility recorded secular curiosities, with a noticeable liking for “miracles”, the clergy placed considerable emphasis on the religious situation. In this respect, what united them was their surprise at the encounter with Glagolitic liturgy (the question is what impressed them more – the Mass in Zadar or the singing in Jerusalem). St Jerome was recognized as a strong link between his native Dalmatia and the distant Iberian lands. The political reality was quite astutely perceived and the pilgrims knew about all various changes – the attitude of Dubrovnik towards the Holy Roman Empire, the Venetian territories from Istria to Boka, and the intolerance between Venice and the Dubrovnik Republic – but the political Croatia escaped their observations. The rise of the Ottoman Empire as a deadly threat to the Christian world, which they were also aware of in their own homeland, became evident to them in the Adriatic. There are two realistic accounts, albeit contradictory, of Dubrovnik’s military prowess and its reliance on the power of Spain. As for the other cities, Pula seems to have been especially interesting to them due to its monumental ancient monuments (the amphitheatre and the theatre), where the pilgrims recalled various characters from stories and books whose themes were pan-European and present also with the Germans, the French, and others. But they also experienced the dark images of decay in the city. Contacts with the Croatian folk and individuals were not numerous, but the travellers remained impressed by the exceptional hospitality of the poor inhabitants of Ilovik, as well as the knowledge and skills of Croatian sailors, among whom Petar Fazanić from Hvar excelled. One should also mention an impressive account of the activities of Fr Boniface of Lopud, a multiple custodian of Jerusalem, for which his Franciscan brethren were credited, an opinion that our pilgrims shared with those from other countries. As is only to be expected, Spanish and Portuguese travelogue writers also left numerous notes on the weather conditions in the Adriatic. This paper ends with the outbreak of the Candian War (1645), which roughly coincides with the end of the Thirty Years’ War (1648). These two armed conflicts marked the final demise of the Venetian Republic and pushed Spain and Portugal in the background, while at the same time pilgrimages became more of a private matter and travelling to the Levant (and incidentally to Palestine) was completely secularized, acquiring adventurous or scientific features.