Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Vasiljević, Ratko
• Fabijanec, Sabine Florence

Titel

L’exploitation et le commerce des metaux en Croatie & Slavonie médiévales– esquisse d’une recherche

Ist Teil von

• Ekonomska i ekohistorija, 2016 (12), p.65-100

Ort / Verlag

Society of Croatian Economic- and Ecohistory - Meridijani Publishing House

Erscheinungsjahr

2016

Quelle

EZB Electronic Journals Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Although on the territory of today’s Republic of Croatia there is no significant mining activity and, as such, could not be classified as »mining country«, it should be noted that the mining and metallurgical traditions reach far into the past. The first traces of copper casting in Croatia were recorded nearly 6,000 years ago, and they are related with Vučedol civilisation artefacts in surroundings of City of Vinkovci. The Celts gave significant contributions since they founded Sisak in the Pannonian part of the Croatia, started with production of iron, and after the Roman conquest, significant development of mining and metallurgy started. In the area of Western Bosnia and Zrinska Gora (Banija) they mined iron, copper and lead (silver) ore, and smelters and mints were also in operation. Iron probably came from a mine in the area of Žumberak Mts nearby Krašić and areas of Medvednica Mountain. Mining activities along the Carpathian areas significantly developed during the XIth and XIIth century (silver mines in the area of Banská Štiavnica - Slovakia and the extraction of gold from the alluvial deposits in Transylvania), and Germans (Saxons) in what is now the Czech Republic developed metallurgy in XIIIth century. In County of Zvolenska, present-day Slovakia, King Bela the IVth encouraged by privileges arrival of Saxons, for the purpose of re settlement the kingdom after the Mongol invasion in 1242, and to provide income for the royal treasury. In the same time on Croatian territory in XIIIth century, the Saxons exploit vascular deposits of lead and copper sulphides in the area of Maidan (Majdan - tur. mine), Srebrnjak (Srebro – cro. silver, srebrnjak, cro. silver coin) and Tomašica, and iron ore was exploited in the area of Zrinska Gora in Banija Area. Predecessor of research on the history of mining in Croatia was Emil Laszowski. His two volumes on Mining in Croatia cover the period from Medieval to the beginning of XXth Century. After him, the other geologists have published several papers about some Croatian regions with natural resources, while the medieval period historians dedicated to the study of mining in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo. Since these areas (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo) are rich in mineral resources and consequently mining activities are better documented, this paper represents the first synthesis of data on exploitation, smelting and trading of metals in Croatia and medieval Slavonia - the two territorial entities of the former Hungarian-Croatian crown (since 1102). Medieval Slavonia stretched along the Sava River to the mouth of the river Vrbas and covered the part of north western Bosnia. The medieval Croatian coast covered area of Kvarner bay, Lika and Krbava. Determination of the areas of mining activities was performed on the basis of toponymy, geological settings, data on large estates of noble families and by following trade routes through the Croatian Hungarian kingdom, Dalmatia and Italy. The fifteenth century is a period of expanding metallurgical activities (exploitation and smelting of metal ores). In the late fifteenth and the beginning of XVIth century are estimated that in the Kingdom of St. Stephen lives between 3 and 4 million people in nearly 20,000 settlements. This area has huge reserves of mineral resources, including gold and silver. Exploration and exploitation of gold in the XVth and XVIth century again raised mining activity in the whole of Europe. These activities, in 1470-ies were funded by entrepreneurs, such as János Thurzó, associated with Polish and Bavarian merchants, who also operated in Croatia. Toponymy may indicate mineral resource or activity in a given area eg. Srebrenica (Srebro – cro. silver), Olovo (cro. lead), Rude (cro. Ore), Majdan (tur. Mine), Gvozd (Gvožđe - serb. iron), Železnica, Železno (Željezo - cro. Iron), etc. Following toponymy in Banija (Zrinska and Trgovska mountains) and Kordun, by geological survey in XIIth century, in this area were identified deposits of iron, limonite ore, which contains 89% of limonite (F2O3) and galena (PbS), lead sulphide mineral which contains between 0.01 and 3.30% of silver (Ag). Veins of galena in the Xth and XIth century were exploited for the purpose of obtaining silver. Streams between cities of Zrin and Čatrnja are abound with silver bearing galena, while in the Tomašica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are veins of galena and copper ore. Veins of iron ore are found in the area around Gvozdansko and nearby, the veins of copper ore as well in the area around the hill Majdan. In the area Svinica (Svinec - lead), there are veins of galena which gained between 180 to 483 grams of silver per tonne of the ore. Deposits of iron ore in the area of Petrova Gora are located in the Permian sediments which extend in a north-south. These deposits consist of quartz sandstone, conglomerates and breccias. Layers usually contain barite, quartz and siderite, and in northern part, sulphates (gypsum). In the area of Samobor Hills is the most famous village Rude, and in the literature is also known as Rovi (Rov – pit), Fodina, ie. Latin for »mine«. In the area of the village Rude Saxons in XIVth century exploited iron ore from Permian sandstone. The excavation of copper veins started at the beginning of the XVIth century. According to data from 1785 they obtained over 13 tons of pure copper from the copper ore (lump of Malachite contained 8.38% of copper, with a little lead, iron, nickel and zinc). Zagreb Mountains contains lead (galena) and zinc (sphalerite) ore. During the XVIth and XVIIth centuries, mines »Zrinski« were active, and paragenesis contains of galena - the most abundant mineral, sphalerite and pyrite, and the ore contained about 0.05% of silver. Over the centuries, the Croatian-Hungarian kings were regularly issued concessions for the exploitation of mineral resources for the benefit of various ecclesiastical and aristocratic landowners. Approval of the charter for the mining industry can be traced back to the XIIIth century, when Arpadović dynasty encouraged establishing their own mining towns in Upper Hungary and Transylvania. The great wave of legal and economic benefits begins with King Charles Robert (1308-1342) A year 1325 provides Baia de Aries free exploitation of gold, in November 1328, Kremnica gets privileges, in March 1337, the king granted the right to exploration of mineral resources in cantons Dobročna, Nevidzdany and Ružomberok. King Ludwig the Ist (1342 - 1382), in November 1357, recognized the same rights to the Zlatna (zlato – gold) and other mining towns, and in 1376 sets standards that some families receive benefits for exploration and exploitation of mineral resources (gold and silver and other metals) on their properties, for example Abraham’s son from the family of Hontpazmany, in 1339. On Croatian territory, the first laws related to the exploitation of mineral resources were related to customary law and dating back to the XIIIth century and refer to the Templars. In XIVth century, the concession was granted in 1327 by King Charles Robert, these rights were valid through the entire area of the Crown of St. Stephen, and since 1342, and the country was divided into ten tax units. In this system, the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia has its own tax office and an independent monetary system. The first foundry and mint was active in Pakrac (Pucruch), and is mentioned in 1256. Mint was later (1260) moved to Zagreb (Officina monetáris Zagrabiensis). In XIVth century nobles were holders of the rights of minting money. The introduction of fees on mining occurs by decree of King Louis the Ist in 1351. On the whole area of the Croatian-Hungarian Kingdom, exploitation was prescribed for gold, silver, copper, iron and other. Two-thirds of their taxes were sold directly to the king. The level of fees is dependent on the fact whether the tray in the area under someone’s property or without. This tax (feudal) was between the fifth and tenth extracted ore or metal. In XVth century, charters and royal grants allow an increase in activity. In 1405, by order of King Sigismund (1387-1437), ores of gold and silver in the kingdom were a public good that was forbidden to export except in the form of coins. In 1486, King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490) determined that the deposits discovered in the possession of royalty and other owners paid feudal royal governor for mining and coins (kammergraf), and in 1492, King Vladislav the second (1470-1516) iterates that every owner of areas where there are ores of gold, silver, copper, iron is entitled to mining and processing of a fee to the king - as prescribed by the common law. In XIVth and XVth century, Croatian lords Morović (of Maroth) and Gorjanski (Gara) has the privilege of exploitation of minerals. In 1471, Counts Keglević have the right to exploration and mining in Banija. The three largest medieval Croatian noble families, Frankapans Šubić - Zrinski and Babonić held significant lands with mineral deposits in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Family Babonić ruled on political stage of medieval Slavonia. In 1272 Babonić received fortress town of Samobor as a gift from Croatian Hungarian King Ladislaus the IVth (1272-1290). They increase its area by acquiring works Steničnjak in 1278 which became their stronghold, and in 1280, the territory of southern Slavonia between the Sava, Kupa and Una. During the 1320’s Babonić family increased territory and the area up to the river of Glina (Banija) to Kranjska and up to the north-western areas, between the river Sava, Una, Sana and Vrbas with the city of Blagaj in central Bosnia that present a significant mineral area. Several rulers arose from this family, and this feature gives them the right to the king’s account at mintage (silver coins Banaovac). In Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina), thirteen silver coins Banovac were found. In the village of Rude was discovered 267 pieces of silver co