Original scientific paper
KRSTJANIN VLATKO TUMURLIĆ AND HIS AGE (1403-1423)
Pejo ĆOŠKOVIĆ
Abstract
After Tvrtko 's death in 1391. the medieval Bosnian state was seized by the process of decentralization of royal power and by disintegration of the state territory which resulted in separation of spacious regions under the control of »rusaška gospoda« (lords of the kingdom) and in their independentization. Those changes substantially influenced upon the attitude of the »Bosnian Church«, so that, parallel with these changes a gradual ascendance of its followers can be followed up on to the courts of district lords - where they were beginning to discharge various duties and do various jobs, mainly of secular character. Alongside whith the territorial disintegration of the country and independentization of Bosnian magnates essentially were changing either the circumstances in which Bosnian »krstjani« (Patarins) found themselves, too. Their presence, mainly in the function of warrantors, arbitrators, mediators, negotiators and envoys was more and more often asked for, at which a spiritual character of their occupation remained imperceptible. In accordance with the above mentioned changes and practical needs, the most eminent nobles such as vojvoda Hrvoje Vukčić, »tep;ija« Batalo, knez Pavao Radinović, vojvoda Pavao Kleši’, and somewhat later vojvoda Sandalj Hranić were also maintaining close ties whit Bosnian »krstjani« and were served by them as members of their court. Krstjanin Vlatko Tumurlić is the first, known by name representative of the »Bosnian Church«, who emerged as diplomat, at service to Bosnian nobles, respective knez Pavao. There are no traces and data about the life of this member of Bosnian »krstjani« before his beginning a service for knez Pavao, so that this period of his life futhermore remains unknown to us and hidden to our curiosity. Maybe we could note here that his childhood and boyhood did not essentially differ from the life of persons of the same age, whereas he himself; as candidate for the »order of the church« Bosnian »krstjani« had to pass the prescribed educational procedures, so he spent about the first twentyfive years of his life in these days. Regarding the days when he lived, Tumurlić represents the link between the »krstjani« from the age of »our lord Rastudije« and »the days of the episcopacy of djed (bishop) lord Radomir«, who were primarily oriented to spiritual aspect of their occupation, and later generation of members of the »Bosnian Church«, contemporaries of »djeds« Mirohna, Miloje and Ratko who accepted the challenge of time, who, owing to this fact, became better known for the functions and duties they were holding at the courts of their district lords rather than by their spirituality. Tumurlić appears for the first time in source materials as one of envoys who was sent by knez Pavao Radinović and vojvoda Sandalj Hranić in the middle of September, 1403. to Dubrovnik to offer in their name peace negotiations to the other side. At that chance Tumurlić stayed in Dubrovnik about ten days (13-22 Septemper) but, nevertheless, he did not get his job done, which did not bother the people of Dubrovnik to let him by some oil, fabric and other things for his needs. At the end of November and at the beginning of December of the same year krstjanin Vlatko was again in Dubrovnik for some time, where, incidentally, he had to set forth a peace offer in the name of king Ostoja. Nevertheless, the normalization of the state relations of the two warring countries still had to be waited for. Due to ignorance of the chronology of historical events the above mentioned Vlatko's appareance in the existing historiographic literature was mis interpreted as a peace mission, so that the time term was retained from the first one, while from the second one the particular was taken over according to which it was done in the name of king Ostoja. In seems that internal overturns and clashes among the quarrelling Bosnian magnates during the course of the following twelve years were not convenient for the members of the »Bosnian Church« to begin a duty and service to district lords, who were striving in these clashes, to definitely fiorm their territory. Consequently, troughout this time, for instance, neither krstjanin Vlatko Tumurlić was mentioned in available source materials, though it could asserted with some certainly that he furthermore remained in the vicinity of knez Pavao, whom he escorted to Sutjeska in the second half of August 1415, to a scheduled meetting with the king and nobles, having become so a witness of his master's destruction. As a knez Pavao's man, who saved himself by flight to a nearby Franciscan monasterry in front of mortal danger, Vlatko carried over a dead body of his lord to Vrhbosna for the sake of the funeral. Neither did his master's death induce krstjanin Vlatko to leave his service at his master's court, although the years of Pavao's inheritors' bloody conflicts with their filmily enemies were not in the least convenient for such an activity. Only when hostilites, to which the Radinović – Pavlović family had been exposed, were suspended immediately after vojvoda Peter's death in 1420. (Pavao's elder son) krstjanin Vlatko was given a chance again to place his abilities at disposal and at service to vojvoda Radosav, as one of his diplomats and courtiers. Within the time from 1420 to 1423 in available source materials he was mentioned several times as mediator, councelor and negotiator while he was carrying out the entrusted jobs. Tumurlić was undoubtely one of the most important Radosav's people who was most often mentioned in the quoted period, accompanied by one or more secular persons in various diplomatic missions, for instance with knez Aleksa Paštrović, chamberlain Brailo Tezalović, merchant Bogdan Muržić; and princes Budisav and Vukašin. It should be pointed out here that at that time he was not the only member of this sect at service to the Pavlović's, for in the source materials in similar situations, besides him there were mentioned gost Miaša and krstjanin Radin Butković. In the majority of known cases krstjanin Vlatko, together with other Radosav's deputies negotiated with representatives of Dubrovnik about the normalization of relations between two countries, about the confirmation of the before achieved agreement about selling of the part of Konavle which vojvoda Sandalj Hranić had sold to Dubrovnik in 1419, and about the aspirations of the Dubrovnik Republic to acquire as well the other part of the Konavle disctrict in his lord's possession. In this connection it is interesting to mention that negotiations on the purchase of Radosav's part of Konavle did not end successfully, and Vlatko Tumurlić together whit chamberlain Brailo Tezalović was designated as the main person to blame for it. This particular at the same time represents the last known piece of information about this member of the »Bosnian Church« who was better known to his contemporaries as diplomat rather than clerical person at the court of knez Pavao and his inheritors.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
77621
URI
Publication date:
14.6.1995.
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