Pro tempore, No. 20, 2025.
Review article
History or Myth in Cultural Memory and in Service of the Nation? A Contribution to the Anniversary of 1100 Years of the Kingdom of Croatia (Summary)
Marija Bišćan
Ivan Mrnarević
Abstract
Considering this year (2025) is the 1100th anniversary of the First church council of Split and also the first mention of Tomislav, the first Croatian ruler with the title of rex mentioned in one papal letter, it is only appropriate for this to be commemorated in the Pro Tempore student journal by problematizing the historiographical discourse and public narrative regarding king Tomislav. This can also encourage the exploration of cultural and collective memory of a nation. Tomislav is not alive only in our past, but also in our present. Our streets and squares, cultural societies and associations carry his name. Of all the rulers of the Early Middle Ages, Tomislav truly stands out, not only in the names of institutions, but also in popular culture in general. The authors will present a short overview of the myth of Tomislav’s crowning, its uses and functions, along with a focus on the contemporary state of things, posing questions about the cultural and collective memory of the modern Croatian nation. Finally, the authors will provide us answers to the questions about the contemporary importance of anniversaries and commemorations of our “glorious past”, which accompany them, as well as the myths and narratives which enable them.
Keywords
King Tomislav; the Kingdom of Croatia; anniversary; cultural memory; narrative; history and myth; contemporary views of the Middle Ages
Hrčak ID:
349428
URI
Publication date:
20.9.2025.
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