Povijesni prilozi, Vol. 37 No. 55, 2018.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.22586/pp.v55i0.68
Who is rebelling at Susedgrad and Stubica? Contribution to the research of the 1565 – 1573 peasant revolts
Branimir Brgles
Abstract
Notorious violent peasant disturbances on the Susedgrad and Stubica estates started in 1565, shortly after the ascendance of the new lord of the manor, Franciscus Thahy. The peasant uprising reached the pinnacle in the winter of 1572. During the eight-year period, three different violent uprisings were started by the rebellious serfs. The article aims at finding answers to several unanswered questions: who were these individuals, who were responsible for starting the insurgent actions against the landlord of Susedgrad and Stubica in 1565, 1567, and 1571? What had been the causes and inducements that lead towards one of the largest pre-modern peasant revolt in south-eastern central Europe, the so-called Croatian–Slovenian Jacquerrie of 1573? In the second half of the 16th century, the manor was in quite extraordinary circumstances, which had previously been researched in Croatian and Yugoslav historiography, from various methodological and theoretical standpoints. There are three principal research strands. First of all, historians tried to counter the problem concerning the leadership of the rebellion. The question of leader(s) and instigators of the rebellion was intensively debated. The article finds that certain social groups have been neglected in previous research and discussions. The most important social groups whose dissatisfaction led to the rebellion were the privileged class of serfs and free man (liberi). As far as other causes of the uprising are concerned, many historians discussed significant augmentation of feudal rent, and especially corvée labour. The article shows, through extensive use of pre-statistical quantitative data that causes for the rebellion should be sought elsewhere. Hindering of peasant trade was also often discussed in historiography, as well as the specific structure of the manor, which was sufficiently acknowledged in the research.
The article presents the conclusions that have been reached through quantitative, qualitative and (partly) prosopographical analysis. The author offers a new insight into the source material, introducing sources, methodologies and techniques that have not been used in previous research. Most important conclusions acknowledge that processes that led to social disturbances during 1560’s and 1570’s can be linked to economic changes affecting South-eastern Central Europe in 16th c. (such as re-feudalisation, second serfdom, strengthening of the feudal classes). However, quantitative data does not confirm the dualistic model of agrarian structure of early modern estates, and looks for more nuanced view concerning these structural models. One of the most important causes of social unrest was set off by lords’ attempts to take over the monopoly in the wine-trade, which has previously been accessible to serfs and other social groups.
Keywords
1573 peasant uprising; Susedgrad; Donja Stubica; 16th century; economic history; micro-history
Hrčak ID:
214648
URI
Publication date:
14.12.2018.
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