LIK KRSTE FRANKOPANA U ANONIMNOM TALIJANSKOM EPU SAVORGNANIDE

Abstract

An epic poem in the Italian language by an unknown author from the second half of the 18th century, which, in addition to the generic title Poem, suggests a possible title Savorgnanide on its cover, is preserved in the manuscript collection of the Scientific Library in Zadar. The author presents the centuries-long rise of the Savorgnan family in the chronological order, devoting more poetic space to its most powerful members. One of these is Girolamo Savorgnan (1466–1529) due to his leading role in the Venetian defence of Friuli in the war of the League of Cambrai. On the other hand, Krsto Frankopan (ca. 1482–1527) became famous in the aforementioned war for his military skills in the army of the Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg. The essay analyses the ideological conditioning of the representation and function of Krsto’s character in the epic heroization of a member of the Savorgnan family. The poet emphasises Krsto’s military prowess to lend Girolamo’s victory more glory. However, the author attributes hypocrisy, levity, and recklessness to Krsto, which he contrasts with Girolamo’s sincerity, generosity, and patience. Due to the antithetical relationship between these two
characters, the author fulfils one of the main characteristics of the epic poem: the narration of the conflict between two communities, where the hero, the author and the reader share the same, in this case, pro-Venetian ideologue.