Povijesni prilozi, Vol. 20 No. 20, 2001.
Original scientific paper
The structure of society in medieval Trogir
Zdravka Jelaska
; Hrvatski institut za povijest, Zagreb, Republika Hrvatska
Abstract
Trogir was a small town in terms of town area and the number of its inhabitants. The population of Trogir during the late Middle Ages can be estimated at 2000 to 3000 inhabitants, and the commune to 5000 to 6000 inhabitants. The oldest indicators of the number of inhabitants of Trogir contain the ratios of economic and demographic
power among individual communes. They are found in the Agreement on Alliance with Split from 1239, and with Zadar and Split from 1290. According to these agreements, the ratios of Zadar, Split and Trogir were: 3:2:1. There are two main characteristics of development of Trogirian medieval society: a strong idea of unity among the individuals and uniformity in relation to the outside
world from one side, and from the other side, every individual had aspirations to secure better material and social position for himself and his family, which leads to social disintegration. The idea of unity must have developed very early and it lead to the establishment of a commune. The disintegration of Trogirian society was a longlasting
process, and the final relations were established in the 16th century. There are sufficient data of a social structure from the period of commune, when the population consisted of free individuals ranked into three main social classes: noblemen, plebeians and districtuals. The members of the clergy were closely connected to all three social classes, but also separated from them. Before this communal period,
the society of Trogir included only the inhabitants of Trogir, and a small number of persons living at its outskirts and on the island of »iovo. The picture of social changes that took place from the late ancient times to the formation of commune, can be only seen from the indicators of the conditions marking the beginning and the end of that period. Since the social classes of ancient cities were mainly closed and isolated, and at the beginning of communal period they were opened, and it can be assumed that some factors of development influenced the disappearance of gaps between social classes. At the end of protocommunal era, we see the separation of
noblemen from plebeians, and the differences between these classes were later more and more obvious, what can be seen from the economic situation, the differences in property and legal rights, and the situation when the General assembly was taken over by the noblemen’s Great Council.
The disintegration of the society was influenced by economic factors, which were often closely connected to legal and political factors as well. The social status and reputation is based on property rights, certain knowledge and skills, legal authorities and origin. As long as there is an equilibrium of criteria for gaining particular social
status, the society itself can have a dynamic nature. In case of Trogir, the dynamics of medieval society is present only until the first half of the 16th century, when the criteria for higher social status became disrupted, as the origin became the main criteria for reputation in a society, and only this was the prerequisite for gaining political power. This was the time when basic social classes, noblemen and plebeians were divided into real social ranks.
Small number of individuals was marginalized and some were pushed even further beyond the margins. The society itself, because of its moral values, was to some extent taking care of the persons who were deprived of their social status because of economical, proprietary, psychological or physical reasons, but it could not considerably improve their position. The threat of this kind of isolation was especially characteristic for lower social classes, or the poor. Total excommunication was also possible in cases ideological and religions grounds, but it could only be applied to individuals,
and was a potential threat to all members of the society. In cases when someone tried to apply this kind of excommunication to the whole community, it had no value, and in the end it turned against those individuals who initiated it. This was the case when Lampridije, the bishop of Trogir, tried to excommunicate the entire commune. The excommunication also possible in cases of criminal acts. It depended on the type of a crime and was especially dangerous for lower social classes.
On the other side, the noblemen and wealthy citizens could be also excommunicated for political reasons, and in those cases it included the entire family. The punishments for severe crimes was instantaneous, and in cases of banishment the return was always an option that happened later. The disorders in social development (caused by wars, conflicts within commune, lack of food and diseases) were limiting factors of possible prosperity, and they were
specially dangerous when they combined with one another. However, the society used all its powers to fight against these disasters. In cases of wars, the commune organized the defence system and used its diplomacy, trying to place the same burden on all members of society. In cases of their individual conflicts, they used to excommunicate those members who were the threat to the safety of the whole society, they traded in cases when they faced severe food shortages, and in cases of diseases they organized medical services.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
28804
URI
Publication date:
13.8.2001.
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