COLUMBUS AND CROATIANS
By Adam S. Eterovich
INTRODUCTION
A
Croatian traveling west In Europe or to the New World from 1300-1700 could have
been identified in documents as Hungarian, Venetian, Austrian, Turkish,
Italian, Slavonian, Illyrian, Dalmatian or from the Republic of Ragusa
(Dubrovnik).
The
merchant class and nobility in Croatian-Dalmatia used two versions of their
name such as Florio-Cvjetkovich, Mladineo-Miadinich, HetoreoEterovich; others
were recorded as Mateo de Lesina (Hvar), Pero de Brazza (Brac), Bozo de Ragusa
or as a Slavonian (Italian-Schiavoni), (Spanish-Esclavon). All Croatian
geographical place names were in Italian, Hungarian or German.
In
2001 to state or assume that Croatians participated in discovery of new lands
and were with Columbus would not be believed and probably questioned In many
cirrAes. The 1400's-1650's were in fact a golden age for Croatia
disporportionate to her size in territory and population, considering the
Ottoman Turk invasion and conquest up to Croatian-Dalmatia and the Republic of
Ragusa.
Previous,
during and after the discovery of America Croatians participated in mercantile
and diplomatic activities in Spain, Portugal, England, France, Florence,
Venice, Genoa and in India, America, Canada, Central and South America.
Their
presence in Spain at the time of discoverv was neither accidental nor luck.
RAGUSA-RAGUSAN AS USED IN
THE WEST
The
Republic of Dubrovnik was known in the Middle Ages as the Republic of Ragusa.
For the purpose of this study we will use Ragusa and Ragusan. Variations of
Ragusa and Ragusan Included:
Rhagusi,
Rhagusei, Arragosie, Raugia, Aragucesas, Aragose, Ragouze, Arragowze, Aragoso,
Aragosee, Arause, Rogaoso, Aragujo, Araguz, Ragoza, Aranguren, Ragusee,
Argosine, Rauseo, Ragusien, Arragosy, Ragason, Aragus, Ragus, Araguses,
Ragusies, Ragusei, Aragosia, Arragouse, Sarragouse, Argosy, Argose, Argosie,
Aragouse, Arguze, Ragusye, Arragouese, Ragozine, Rausa.
Shakespeare
used Ragozine in one of his plays. The above variations were found In many
books published in the west during the 1500's-1600's.
KOLOMBO
My companions capable and trustworthy,
who for eternal honor,
ready to sail with me
the waves of the ocean!
Courageous Hercules whose pride
beneath the bright sun shines,
whose great honor till the end of time
the dark sky will not hide.
Past companions once haughty
surrounded by ill comradery,
and all oceans our surrounding
further sailed without fear.
In the deep blue ocean
his heart forbidding him to enter,
the ocean marked
to pass no further.
But no boundaries however grand
can stop our determination,
stronger than all else, and
all together short our voyage seems.
Celebrated honorable and courageous,
afraid of no challenges,
from various parts of the world
has brought us together,
to humbly follow
Hercules path,
to dance with clear minds
upon the powerful ocean.
Spanish and Latin lands
knights are here chosen,
the flower of the Slavic land
celebrated in all the people of Dubrovnik.
This youth, this army
with sharp knowledge, with fierce strength,
against the force of angry waves
is capable of conquering.
I see, I see my dear companions,
the eternal voice over the world
voices of our worthy honor
and our noble courage;
every one of us recalls
the old Greek knights,
in discovery of
new lands and new worlds;
where holy Christian religion
spreads as part of our rule
.and the world over
is embraced with much honor.
Beside the brightness of our light,
the darkness of evils weak and pale;
none of us will be afraid
to follow in the footsteps of Kolombo.
This celebrated voyage
for the furtherance of said goodness;
will rejoice to the heavens
and all nations will celebrate,
evil wish for gold
like with earlier knights,
is not the reason for our striving
nor for our voyage:
For spreading of the faith
every one of us strives and hurries
to find new lands,
we sail across the good and moody ocean.
Therefore chosen companions
humbly go forth
toward unknown ends of the world
to achieve eternal honor.
Let us go on the ship, good hope
gather all our wishes;
heaven always helps those
who rightly think and work.
Junije Palmotic, 1607-1675, Dubrovnik
Translated by Ivanka Nikolich
RAGUSA AND VENICE
At
the time of discovery by Columbus. Magellan. Cabot. and Verrazano, the merchant
fleets of the Republic of Venice, the citv states of Italy and the mercantile
Croatian Republic of Ragusa were larger in fleet tonnage but were distant from
the New World and did not command large armies or territory. Their trade
operations were oriented toward the East. They were effectively excluded by the
Spanish, English, Portuguese and French from competIng in trade and
colonization in the New World. One thing they did have was centuries-old
experience of captains, pilots, mariners, merchants, bankers, and shipbuilders
in the 600-1000 ton class of galleon.
Commentary
In the Mariner's Mirror, Vol. IV, 1914, states that it is unlikely that any
well known picture of an Argosy (Ragusan ship) exists. Crescentio, an Italian
naval historian of the 1500's, states that the Ragusans were the best builders
of galleons in the Mediterranean and that the Argosy was a galleon of Ragusa.
Dubrovnik-Ragusa
was the leader in the 700-1200 ton galleon and quality of shipbuilding. Venice
and Ragusa commanded the largest fleets. Croatian-Dalmatia was approximately
70% of the land - island territory of the Republic of Venice at that time and
Dalmatian ships, captains, pilots and mariners contributed at least 60% to the
fleet strength of Venice.
Croatians
participated in Venetian and Ragusan fleet operations. A substantial number of
Dalmatians also operated directly out of Naples.
CROATIANS IN SPAIN AND
PORTUGAL
Mercantile
and diplomatic relations between Spain and Ragusa were well established in the
15th century. Spremic in his book Dubrovnik and Aragon, 1442-1495, elaborates
quite thorouqhly on trade and diplomatic relations. At the beginning of the
1500's Kinq Ferdinand of Spain confirmed all old privileges of Ragusa
pertaining to trade and diplomacy.
In
a studv on the Discovery and Colonization of the Amazon in Brazil during the
1540’s the Spanish Crown best expressed the attitude towards Raqusan ships,
captains and mariners and their acceptance in Spanish fleet operations:
“Your
Highness will probably have to make some special dispensations (in Orellana's
favor] because he is very seriously handicapped by a shortage of pilots and
masters, for the reason that, since it [i.e. the expedition) is for an
unfamiliar country, he can not find any competent pilots or masters, particularly
any who are natives of these realms, and he has a Ragusan as master of the
flagship, and with him. a few more seamen from his country, and some
Levantines, and the majority of the remainder of the seamen that he has are
Flemings and Germans and [only] a few Spaniards; he did have a few Englishmen
and Portuguese, whom we compelled him to discharge.
But
these explanations did not convince the royal officials, particularly as they
could plainly see that pilots and shipmasters were still lacking; that the majority
of the sailors still available, after they (the officials) had caused to be
discharged those who turned out to be Englishmen and Portuguese, were Flemings
and Germans; that the master of the flagship was a Ragusan, with whom they did not dare to use the same procedure,
aware as they were that if they did so there would not remain on the ships a
single person capable of keeping them under. control."
Another
author comments on Spanish crews in the Indies:
"All
of the officers and royal officials serving on all the ships in the Indies
navigation, with the exception of navigators-who were often either Portuguese
or Italian, were Spanish citizens by birth. On the other hand, the crews on
these ships were made up of men and boys of every European country. Although
this was prevalent throughout the history of the Indies navigation with
Spaniards sometimes making up less than 20 percent of the crew it was contrary
to royal regulations, but due to the shortage of seafaring Spaniards, the
officials of the House of Trade turned a blind eye. At times on a single
merchant nao there were as many as twelve different European nations
represented among the men in the crew, all of whom spoke different languages,
resulting in a great deal of confusion and constant fighting between the
seamen.".
Two
excellent studies done by Luetic and
Villari cover Ragusan Ships and Seaman
in the Service of Spain and Ragusan Ships and Captains in Spanish Service. One
of the most famous admirals in Spanish service was Don Pedro Ivella or Petar
Ohmucevich of Slano. Dubrovnik. He commanded twelve Raqusan galleons in the
famed Spanish Gold and Silver fleets. Don Pedro also chased and almost caught
Sir Francis Drake in the Caribbean.
Wormwood
was destroyinq Spanish ships in the Americas and caused great concern to the
Spanish admiralty. Olivio Nadalin and Vincent Paletin from the Island of
Korcula in Croatia were sent to the New World to treat the wormwood disease.
Emperor Carlos V awarded them the order of Santo Domingo.
Magellan's
voyage around the world from 1519-1522 included five ships and 237 men. A
written report of the voyage was sent to Carlos V. The Venetian ambassador sent
a translated copy to Venice to inform his government. Jakov de
Banissis-Banicevich of Korcula, Croatia then in Trent made the onIy other known
translation. This letter is in Dubrovnik. Jakov Banicevich reqularly reported
on all important events to the Ragusan qovernment.
The
Spanish crown contracted Ragusa to transport Moors to Africa in 1491. Ragusa under
command of Nikola Kaboga, provided 20 qalleons.
Ragusan
ships in the service of Spain participated in the Conquest of Portuqal and
subseqenflv served in fleet operations in Portuguese waters and ports.
At
least 15% of the ships in the Spanish Armada that attacked England were Ragusan
and Dalmatian. Author J. de Courcy Ireland did an exceflent paper in the
Mariner's Mirror on this subiect.
Hispanic
American Research in Croatian Archives bv S. Gavrilovich is an excellent source
for further research.
The
loss of Ragusan galleons in Spanish service contributed to the maritime decline
of Ragusa. Many authors and sources indicated that at least 170 ships were lost
over a period of time during the age of expansion and discovery.
RAGUSA AND SAINT VLAHO
IN
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
The
Caribbean and the central and south American coast were the first areas
discovered in the New World. Ragusa and Saint Vlaho did appear in oommentary,
sea charts and maps.
In
Sebastian Cabot's voyage to the Rio De La Plata in 1526-30, his map has a bay,
Mime Ragoso, or "Just like Ragusa". Some of the mariners and officers
in this voyage were Bozo de Araguz, Stephan de Lezna-Lesina or the Island of
Hvar, an Esclavon, Stephen de Arva-Arbe or the Island of Rab and Matias Mafrolo-Esclavon.
Panama
became the transfer point of silver and gold to Spain. On various maps of
Panama of that period are San Bias Point, Bay, Mountains and Islands.
In
the same general area are Otoque Island, Otok In Croatian is island; Punta Mala
In Croatian is small point although mal in Spanish means bad; Golfo de Vraba is
mentioned in The First Three English Books on America, It also comments as a
place of many birds; Vrabac-Vraba means sparrow in Croatian; I can find no
meaning to Vraba or Otoque in Spanish, Italian or French. Saboga Island could
mean S Boga or "'with God" in Croatian,
CROATIANS WITH COLUMBUS
Columbus’ Crew Lists
A
comparison was made of the crew lists of Berwick, Gould and Fuson. The lists
were compiled from ship lists, pay lists and testimony over a period of time.
I
eliminated all persons listed as of or from a place not in Croatia such as Juan
de Sevilla, Juan do Xeres. Juan de Villar. I then Identified all persons listed
with no place names and obviously Spanish.
The
remainder I submit as being Croatian for the reasons outlined In the next
several paragraphs.
All
researchers and historians acknowledge omissions, duplications, errors In
transcription and corruption of names due to legibility and age of the original
documents. In fact, some compilers of lists simply changed place names under
the assumption that the place name should have been a Spanish place name as It
was similar to the name recorded on the original document.
Croatian
scholars with a knowledge of Spanish, Italian and Croatian should review all
original crew list documentation. I am convinced they will uncover new material
pertaining to Croatians In the age of exploration. Attention should be paid to
the pronounciation in Spanish of the letters G, J, H, and as they relate to
Croatian and English.
Croatians and Columbus
Stories
for hundreds of years have persisted in Croatia of pilots and mariners with
Columbus. The historian Appendini speculated that Martolosich was a pilot with
Columbus. No documentation exists.
Milan
Savic in his study of Kaboga claimed that Columbus sailed to Ragusa in 1491 on
Spanish state business.
Columbus
was born in Genoa. Ragusan merchants and mariners organized a chapel of Saint
Vlaho in the Church of Santa Maria di Castello in Genoa in the 1400's. The
Ragusan consul and merchants in Genoa also organized a cemetery for those that
died. Ragusans organized and supported chapels and cemeteries in almost all
communities where they regularly traded. Croatians were well known and accepted
in Columbus' birthplace, Genoa, and other maritime communities.
Identification
of individuals was the problem. The most obvious would be from Ragusa or de
Ragusa such as:
Miguel de Aragoces
de Ragusa-Venecia
Rio de La Plata 1535,
A New Esp. 1537
Filipinas 1556
Lucas Aragozes
Guardian Capitana de Legazpi
A Filipinas 1565
Aragus
Is. de Havana A Mexico 1536
Isabel Aragus
New Spain 1536
or
Bozo de Araguz
Native of Araguz in Hungary
Rio de La Plata 1526
Lucas Ungaro
Native of Hungary
Traitor with Pizarro
Peru 1548
Joan Mateos
Native of Hungary
Traitor with Pizarro
Peru 1548
Many
records or entries would state a native of a place, but what was not generally
understood was a Vecino of a place
meant a person formally admitted to citizenship of a community.
El
Viscaino or the Biscayman was Juan de la Cosa, He was the owner and master of
Columbus' flagship during his first voyage.
The
historian Mendoza-Tores in his commentary of El Viscaino and Columbus lists:
Martin de Araguis
Vecino de Bilbao
Marinero Armada Vizcaina
Columbus 1492
Pedro de Arague
Vecino de Aratia
Marinero Armada Vizcaina
Columbus 1492
Both
of these mariners were not listed in the crew lists of Berwick, Gould or Fuson.
Gould lists Martin de Arcos-Pilot, but in other commentary questions "de
Arcos". Martin de Arcos, was also not on the regular lists. Was Martin de
Araguis and de Arcos one and the same? Is Arcos, Arcosy?
Pedro
de Arague, not listed In the crew lists, also appears with some probability as
follows:
Pedro de Arague
Vecino Aratia
Marinero Armada Vizcaina
Columbus 1492
Pero Arraes
Marinero
Columbus 1492
Pedro de Arcos (Arcosy?)
Marinero
Columbus 1492
Pedro Arraez
Marinero
Columbus 1492
The
above four are probably one and the same. Gould questioned Arraes and de Arcos.
Arraes appears on the Berwick and Gould lists. Pero is not Spanish or Italian.
Pedro Arraez is listed by Gould as (de Palos?). Gould and Berwick also have:
Juan Arraez
Marinero
Columbus 1492
Juan Arraes
Marinero
Columbus 1492
Berwick
lists Juan Arraes as Juan Quintero. Gould lists Juan Quintero de Algrita,
Contra Maestre de la Pinta. Fuson lists Juan Quintero from Palos.
Gould
has listed and commentary:
Juan de Umbria
Marinero
Columbus- 1492
Harrisse
has listed and commentary:
Juan de Umbria or de Ungria (Hungary)
Pilot
Jorge de Sosa 1495
De La Umbria or De Ungaria (Hungary)
Pilot
Cortes 1519
Umbria
is in central Italy in the mountains. I believe we have a Ragusan from
Ungria-Ungaria (Hungary).
MATIAS MAFROLO--SLAVONIAN
Mafrolo
was with Cabot on the Rio De La Plata as a ship's officer. He was called Second
Mate Matias which position he held on the ship Trinidad. Some individuals in
the army said he was a Slavonian. John Cabot had him swear his loyalty in the
Church of San Francisco Sanlucar de Barrameda and from the events that took
place aboard ship, it can be established in reality that oath referred to the
espionage in respect to Rojas, on whose side he was. He gossiped to Cabot about
the comrnander under whose orders he was placed. Cabot did not err in this
docision.
It
seems Mafrolo did not go back to Spain as his orders were to go into the
interior on a mission of discovery and when the army returned to Castilla, he
did not return.
Ponce
and others had difficulty with their wages and stated that Mafrolo was still up
in the River of Solis (Rio de la Plata) .
The
footnote refers to Mafra who was with Columbus. Was Mafra Mafrolo or an error?
The
ship Trinidad was also on Magellan's Voyage of Circumnavigation, 1519-1522. Was
our Slavonian (Croatian) also with Magellan as a ship's officer? 61
Berwick
and Gould list on the crew lists:
Juan de Mafra
Marinero
Columbus 1492
Harrisse
has Mafra in commentary as follows and states he is a citizen of Palos:
Juan de Mafra
Vecino de Palos
Pilot
Columbus 1498
Probable
Croatians from Venetian - Dalmatia were:
Juan Vecano
Marinero
Columbus 1492
Francisco de Levant
Grumete
Columbus 1505
Estefano Veneciano
Marinero
Columbus 1494
Bernardo Veneciano
Marinero
Columbus 1495
COMMENTARY
The
term Maestre or Contramaestre is normally a First or Second Mate on a ship.
Juan Nino-Maestre de la Nina, Pero
Nino-Pilot, Pero Alonso Nino-Piloto,
Maestre Juan and Francisco Nino were all mentioned in Crew Lists but without
commentary as of or from a place. Why ? All important positions such as Mates,
Masters or Pilots were always elaborated upon in detail.
Pedro
Tegero also questioned (?) as maybe from Tejero-Terreros could have also been
identified as was Jorge Gonzalez from Trigueros. Could this be from Trogir in
Dalmatia ? A good example is Hernando de Araguz, Natural de Trigueros, New
Spain, 1536.
Anton
Calabres was identified as from Calabria but in Dalmatia there is a well known
Clan name of Calabrese. Antonio is used in Italy and Spain. Anton-Antun is used
in Dalmatia.
Adam
S. Eterovich
Amerikonac
Bracanin
croatians@aol.com
www.croatians.com