CROATIANS IN THE NEW WORLD

Adam S. Eterovich

Mercantile and diplomatic relations between Spain and Ragusa-Dubrovnik were well established in the 15th century. Spremic in his book Dubrovnik and Aragon, 1442-1495, elaborates quite thoroughly on trade and diplomatic relations. At the beginning of the 1500's King Ferdinand of Spain confirmed all old privileges of Ragusa pertaining to trade and diplomacy.

In a study on the Discovery and Colonization of the Amazon in Brazil during the 1540’s the Spanish Crown best expressed the attitude towards Ragusan 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 (Dalmatian?), 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 Ragusan 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 government.

The Spanish crown contracted Ragusa to transport Moors to Africa in 1491. Ragusa under command of Nikola Kaboga, provided 20 galleons. Ragusan ships in the service of Spain participated in the Conquest of Portugal 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 excellent paper in the Mariner's Mirror on this subject. 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-SAN BLAS

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 (Slavonian), 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 Blas 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,

ARAGOCES

Croatian ships, captains and mariners were in the Pacific Fleets of Spain in the 1500’s and participated in the colonization and discovery of the Philippines. Miguel de Aragoces or de Ragusa (Venecia) was a mariner in South America, 1535; New Spain in 1537; and in the Philippines in 1556. Lucas Aragoces was a Marine Guardian to the Capitana de Legazpi a Filipinas in 1565. Nicola Aragores was a mariner with Villalobos a Filipinas in 1542. Ragusa means Dubrovnik or the Croatian Republic of Ragusa. Other Croatians were within the Republic of Venice. They were known as Aragoces, Schiavoni, Veneciano and other corruptions of their identity.

ARAGUZ, BOZO Mariner-THE “HUNGARIAN”

Bozo de Araguz means Christian or Chris of Ragusa (Dubrovnik). This is the first and earliest recording of a Croatian name, Bozo, found in the New World.

He was on Sebastian Cabot’s Voyage of 1526-1530 to the Rio De La Plata in South America.

Spanish Commentary

“ARAGUZ (Bozo de). Su nombre y apellido aparecen en los documentos escritos de varias maneras: Bojo de Aragujo, Bozo de Ragoza, etc. Habia nacido en Araguz, en Hungria, en 1503 o 1504 y se embarco como grumete o marinereo en la nave capitana. Regreso a Espana, y en 1530 era, estante en la corte, esdecir se hallaba en Madrid. No sabia escribir.”

Translation

His first and last name appears in documents written in various ways: Bozo de Raguza, Bojo de Aragujo etc. He was born in Araguz, Hungary in 1503-1504 and came aboard the “Capitana” (Santa Maria de la Concepcion) as a mariner or sailor. He returned to Spain in 1530 and was placed under court protection for testimony. He was in Madrid. He could not write.