Original scientific paper

Why did M. Sorkočević Travel to Paris in 1796?

Žarko Muljačić

Abstract

The author analyses the known and new data about the travelling of the Croatian writer Miho Sorkočević - Sorgo (1739—1796) and the Italian scientist and writer Albert Fortis (1741—1803) to Paris in the autumn of 1796. Sorkočević did not come back from this travelling because he died during the night between the 23rd and 24th of November.
He concludes that M. Sorkočević, the Senator, did not go to Paris only to improve his education, to be cured and to amuse himself but also he had the order of the Dubrovnik Government to investigate the political situation there and to try to find out in what direction the new French Government was going. It was formed of five — member Directory a year ago.
The troubles he had in Paris could not be imputed only to not clearly defined status of the Dubrovnik diplomatic official, F. Favi, who had not new credentials. The author thinks that when the French Government had looked over the letters of the travelers they suspected the truth of their motives, especially Fortis's who always said what he thought. There were critical opinions, especially a lot of them in Fortis's letters, against the French civil and military authorities. They could only do harm to Sorkočević. And the recommendations of the two French ambassadors maybe did the opposite effect. One of the ambassadors later was sentenced.
It is clear out of the documents that neither Fortis nor Sorkočević, although they were friendly toward France, intended to support at all every action of the French regime.

Keywords

Miho Sorkočević; Paris

Hrčak ID:

244711

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/244711

Publication date:

30.6.1978.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 631 *