Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.21857/yrvgqtw709
Parish Books of Baptized of Catholic Parish of Miholjac as Source for History of Population of Donji Miholjac in the Eighteenth Century
Monika Bereš
orcid.org/0000-0002-0008-4246
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska (doktorandica studija povijesti)
Sažetak
The article deals with the analysis of the baptismal registers of the parish of Miholjac serving as the source for study of demographic history of the population of Donji Miholjac in the eighteenth century. The aim of the research is to establish and analyse demographic data recorded in the parish registers – annual and monthly distribution of baptisms, interval between birth and baptism, gender structure of the baptised, proportion of the twins, tripples and illegitimate children within the baptised. The article covers the period between 1722 and 1800.
In the parish registers of the Miholjac Parish of the period are recorded 14.621 baptism in total. If the number of baptisms is studied on the level of decades, it may be seen that the number of baptisms continuously growth from the decade 1731-1740 to 1761-1770. The initial increase of the number of baptisms is in line with the general increase in the number of inhabitants, because the liberation of Slavonia from the Ottoman rule started the process of the immigration in that area. The reason for the decrease of the number of baptisms since 1781 is connected to the administrative and territorial division of the Miholjac Parish.
When the gender structure of the baptised is discussed, more male children is baptised, which follows the trends characteristic for continental Croatia and human population in general. Even though the date of the birth is recorded for only 3,08% of the baptism, it may be seen that there was the custom of baptising children quickly after the birth. If it is assumed that the same was usual also in other cases, it may be concluded that the greatest number of conceptions happened during the winter – in December and January. That confirms the fact that social and religious norms, cycles of great agricultural works, climatic conditions as temperature, periods of rains, periods of longer daily light and energetic factors had the greatest influence on the number of conceptions in the particular part of the year.
By the analysis of the parish registers of the baptised of the Catholic parish of Miholjac, hitherto non researched demographic characteristics of the population of Donji Miholjac in the eighteenth century have been determined and presented. The research opens other research questions regarding the history of Donji Miholjac such as issue of family structure or comparative research demonstrating similarities and dissimilarities of the population of Donji Miholjac to those of other areas in the eighteenth century.
Ključne riječi
historical demography; parish registers; parish Miholjac; population; baptism; the eighteenth century
Hrčak ID:
281698
URI
Datum izdavanja:
13.9.2022.
Posjeta: 519 *