Review article
https://doi.org/10.21857/ypn4oc4l59
The Population of Gorski kotar in the Early Modern Period and the 19th Century: From Pre-Modern Society to the First Changes Caused by Modernisation
Robert Skenderović
; Croatian Institute of History, Department for Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Abstract
In the Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, the impassability and climatic inhospitality of the area of Gorski kotar did not make it possible for this area to experience
a stronger demographic development. It was not before the High Middle Ages that the
connection of coastal ports with the Pannonian area led to the development of significant settlements on important traffic routes. This traffic position continued to play an
important role in later centuries. Hence, the members of the Frankopan and Zrinski
families, our prominent nobility, tried to maintain the territory of Gorski kotar under
their rule. At the end of the 16th century, due to the reduction of the danger of Ottoman
attacks, the stabilization of the population began. Major settlement waves occurred at
the beginning of the 17th century, when the Orthodox Vlachs (Serbs) and the Catholic
Bunjevci (Croats) immigrated to the area of Gorski kotar. As early as in the 18th century, the trade in grain, wood, cattle and ores continued to enhance the importance of this
area, which enabled the continuation of the construction of transport infrastructure
and the development of settlements. In the period of the 19th century, the importance
of Gorski kotar on the road between the hinterland and the Croatian coast increased.
However, the construction of the railway network and the appearance of steamships
led to a sudden globalization of market relations. The importance of the settlements in
Gorski kotar declined at that time due to the traffic having been transferred to the railway. Moreover, the opening of the overseas countries for European immigrants led to
large-scale emigration from the area of Gorski kotar, mostly to the USA and Canada. In
addition, the population of Gorski kotar became increasingly affected by the process of
general deruralisation, and by people moving to nearby and distant urban centres; this
process continued throughout the 20th century.
Keywords
Gorski kotar; demographic processes; modernisation; migrations; emigration.
Hrčak ID:
317117
URI
Publication date:
2.5.2024.
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