Original scientific paper

The Population of the Dubrovnik Repulic in the 15th, 16th and 17th Century

Nenad Vekarić ; Institute for Historical Sciences of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Abstract

According to tax evidence in the Dubrovnik littoral and census performed for the occasion of reducing surplus vineyards in Konavli, the Dubrovnik Republic had almost 90.000 inhabitants by the end of the 15th century and war rather overpopulated. From then on to the end of the 17th century the population started to decrease: in the first half of the 16th century the Republic numbered more than 60.000 inhabitants, in the second, half of the 16th century between 50 — 60.000, in the 3os of the 17th century about 40.000 and in 1673/4 only 26.000 inhabitants. In the second half of the 15th century due to Turkish expansion, the Dubrov­nik Republic gave shelter to a large number of Christian refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina offering them the less fertile land. Numerous pestilences, Candian war, the 1667 earthquake and migrations reduced the population immensely. It ne­ver managed to regain the previous value as there was no actual need for it.

Keywords

population; Dubrovnik Republic; 15 century; 16 century; 17 century

Hrčak ID:

240892

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/240892

Publication date:

30.6.1991.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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