Original scientific paper
RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS IN THE CHARTERS OF KOSAČA FAMILY SENT TO DUBROVNIK
Dijana KORAĆ
Abstract
Author analyzes religious expressions within the Cyrillic charters of Kosača family members that were sent to Dubrovnik in the period between 1407 and 1487. Moreover, author compares these expressions and diplomatic formulas with the correspondent formulas
from the Latin charters issued by the rulers and noblemen of Bosnia and Hum. Namely, the analyzed charters of the Kosača family contain the same biblical and theological topics as in the diplomatic formulas of the analyzed Latin charters. The only difference is within
diplomatic formula of greeting (salutatio). The most obvious similarities are diplomatic formulas of devotio, which is in both cases
part of the superscription (intitulatio), placed right after the invocation (invocatio), and expressed mostly with the words Dei gratia, i.e. „Božjom milošću“ (with the grace of God). The arenga is not common formula in the analyzed charters neither Cyrillic nor
Latin ones. Moreover, in both types of analyzed charters formula of subscription (subscriptio) sometimes is used instead the superscription. Scribes who wrote these charters mostly were not clerics, and the date of the charter in both cases is given at the end of the document. Still, these two types of analyzed charters differ greatly regarding the invocation. Namely, in the Cyrillic charters of the Kosača family the invocation formula is always present,
while the analyzed Latin charters usually do not have this formula. The invocation is often inscribed with the simple sign of the cross, and the most common verbal invocation begins with appeal to three Divine Persons. Still, in the analyzed charters author could not trace
examples of the invocation that begins with appeal to Jesus Christ. Moreover, it seems that scribes of the Kosača family charters gave significant attention to the formulas and expressions of the sanction (sanctio), and regarding these formulae the oaths of the Kosača
family members are especially interesting. Namely, they often solemnly swear on Cross, Gospel, four evangelists, twelve apostles, 318 fathers of Nicea, as well as upon their own souls, and Blessed Virgin Mary. Besides that, Kosača’s charters often include, so called,
spiritual sanctions related to condemnation to Hell, absence of the God’s grace on the Judgment day, fate of Judas Iscariot, absence of angels on the Judgment day, condemnation of the Church fathers, and condemnation of all the saints. Moreover, these charters
of the Kosača family addressed to Dubrovnik do not contain date determined according to any specific feast day, while contemporary Latin charters include such dating methods. Similarly, it seems that the scribes of the Kosača family played more important role in the
process of writing the charters than it was case in the analyzed Latin charters.
Keywords
The Kosača family; charters; religious elements; dipomatics formulae; biblical-theological content
Hrčak ID:
144052
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2015.
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