CROATIAN LANGUAGE in ENGLAND, EUROPE and TURKEY

Adam S. Eterovich

www.croatians.com

In 1555 the first three English books about America were published (1511-1555) Arber, Edward (1511-1555). The books included the writings of Sebastian Cabot, Pietro Matire, Sebastian Munster and others. An inquiry was made of the Austrian and Spanish Crowns about Moscow in Russia, John Faber wrote: Page 290

'Theyr language agreeth much with the toonge of the Bohemians, CROATIANS, and SCLAVONS: so that the Sclavon dooth playnly understande the Moscovite. although the Moscovian toonge be a more rude and harde phrase of speach. The historiographers wryte that the Sclavons toonge the name of the confusion whiche was in Babell in the tyme of that stowt hunter Nemroth of whome mention is made In the Genesis. But I can not enowgh marveyle at this thing. that betwene DALMATIA (now cauled Sclavonia) and Moscovia, both the Pannonies are situate, yet this notwithstandynge, the Hungarians toonge nothynge agreeth with the Moscovites. Wherby wee may conjecture that these nations were sumtymes divided by legions, and that they came owt of DALMATIA thyther: whiche thynge also Volateranus affirmeth, sayinge that the language of the Ruthenians (whiche are the Moscovites) is Semidalmatica (that is) halfe Sclavone. Howe so ever It bee, this Is certyne that the Bohemians, CROATlANS, SCLAVONS, and Moscovites. agree in language as wee perceaved by the interpretours which yowre MAJESTIE had then in yowre courte. For whereas the sayde interpretours were borne amonge the CROATIANS and SCLAVONS and none of them had ever byn in Moscovia, or beefore that tyme had any conversation with them, yet dyd they well understande the ambassadours woordes."

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'Besyde the bookes that they have of the ancient Greeke doctours, they have also the commentaries and homelles of saynt Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, and Gregorie, translated Into the ILLIRIAN or SLAVON tounge which agreeth with theyrs. For they use bothe the SLAVON tounge and letters. as do also the SCLAVONS. DALMATES, Bohemes. Pollones, and Lithuanes.

This tounge is spredde further then any other at this day. For it is familyar at Constantinople in the courte of the Emperours of the Turkes: and was of late harde in Egypte amonge the Mamalukes In the courte of the Soltane-of Alcayre otherwyse cauled Memphis or Babilon in Egipte.

Croatian Language at Turkish Court

Marco Pigafeta in his Itinerario published in London in 1585 states: "In Istanbul it is customary to speak Croatian, a language which is understood by almost all official Turks, especially military men."

Francis Eterovich in his book Croatia, Land, People, Culture, 1970, states: "During that century Croatian was the second language in the Porte, and all principal military experts spoke both Turkish and Croatian."

Vatro Murvar in his study of Muslims in Bosnia-Hercegovina comments: In 1531, Ferdinand's ambassador to negotiate a permanent peace treaty was the Croat military defense hero Nikola Jurisich from Senj, who was royally received in Istanbul where the brave man were cordially welcomed. His large staff, including Benedict Curipetschitz, a famous Slovenian writer who carefully described this trip, was instructed to speak and record for security reasons only In German. Refusing it, Ibrahim-pasa insisted that all the negotiations be conducted In the Croatian language. Sabanovich quotes Truhelka that since the fifteenth century Croatian was the diplomatic language at the Sublime Porte (Istanbul).  Consequently, Nikola Jurisich delivered his long presentation to the great vizier lbrahim Pasa in their own common mother tongue. Eight days later, Jurisich repeated his speech to sultan Suleiman the Magnificent again in the Croatian language which Suleiman not only understood but used in his conversations with Jurisich.

Antun Vrancich, Roman cardinal, and Franjo Zay. a diplomat. traveled to Istanbul in Turkey as envoys of the Croat-Hungarlan king to discuss a peace treaty. On August 27, 1553, they met the great vizier Rustem-pasa Hrvat (Croatian) with an official Interpreter. During the initial ceremonial greetings, perhaps too elaborately long, Rustem-pasa impatiently interrupted the conversation between the interpreter and Vrancich and turned directly to Zay, inquiring in Croatian if he and Vrancich spoke the Croatian language? The interpreter was then dismissed and they proceeded In the Croatian language during the entire process of the negotiations for peace.

S. Basagic in his book Prominent Croatians, Bosnians and Hercegovinians in the Turkish Empire, 1931, Sarajevo, lists 20 Croatian Grand Viziers of the Turkish Empire and many military and naval commanders.

During the age of discovery it was common knowledge or became so to travel east or west. Western Europeans going east knew they must pass through Slavic lands. As documented above, Croatian (Austrian territory) and Dalmatian-Croatian (Venetian territory) was the language utilized. Were Croatians used in Spain, England and France?