Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21857/mwo1vc42qy
On preservation of (In)dependence: Dubrovnik Republic and its Patrons in the Modern Age
Lovro Kunčević
; The Institute for Historical Sciences in Dubrovnik, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Abstract
This article examines the reasons for the centuries-long survival of the Republic of Dubrovnik, seeking to answer how this small polity managed to preserve its independence, despite being situated at the borderlands of three empires (the Ottoman, Venetian and Spanish). The text begins by analysing Dubrovnik's specific international position, i.e., the fact that it enjoyed the simultaneous patronage of several major powers—Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and the Papacy. As the article demonstrates, it was precisely this multiplicity of patrons that enabled Dubrovnik to ensure space for its own independent policy. More specifically, the Republic skilfully used the ambitions of one great power to shield itself from those of another (or others), exploiting the differing, even conflicting, interests of its patrons to carve out space for its own independent policies. However, this multiple patronage also raises the question of why the great powers consistently supported and protected the Republic throughout the Early modern age. The answer lies largely in the valuable services which Dubrovnik provided to them, supplying intelligence, manpower, resources, acting as a commercial intermediary, and assisting in the redemption of captives. Taking into account this "utility" of Dubrovnik to the major powers, the article rethinks the conventional explanation for the Republic's prolonged
independence—namely, the oft-cited claim regarding its exceptionally effective diplomacy—suggesting that it should be complemented with the considerations of its usefulness to the great powers.
Keywords
Dubrovnik Republic; diplomacy; modern age; international status; Spanish Empire; Ottoman Empire; Papacy
Hrčak ID:
337493
URI
Publication date:
5.11.2025.
Visits: 762 *