Šubić
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The Šubić were one of the twelve tribes which constituted Croatian statehood in the Middle Ages; they held the county of Bribir (Varvaria) in inland Dalmatia.
Today Bribir is an archaeological site in inland Dalmatia. It is located on a flat hill about fifteen kilometres northwest of Skradin, nearby the old Zadar road which goes through Benkovac to Šibenik. Under the steep rocks of its western side there is the source of the Bribirčica stream and from here the rich and fertile Bribir-Ostrovica field spreads out. The hill of Bribir, an ideal place to control the surrounding territory, was perfect for human habitation during all ages. The one who held it had control over all roads and approaches from the sea to the hinterland and so man has dwelled here since the Old Stone Age. There was a settlement as early as the beginning of the older Iron Age, expanding and developing during the Liburnian period, continuing during the Roman domination, and lasting to the end of the Middle Ages. During the Roman period Bribir, known as Varvaria, had the status of municipium and was the centre of one of the fourteen Liburnian counties.
The Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus writing in the X century about the Croats settling in Dalmatia in the VII century describes how this people had organised their country into eleven counties (zupanias) one of which was Breberi, centred on site of the old Varvaria. The county stretched between the Zrmanja river to the W and Petrovo polje to the E, straddling the Krka and Čikola rivers. A line of hills separated it from the territory of Knin to the N and to the S it bordered on Skradin. It was held by a clan that in coeval documents is referred to as nobiles, comites or principes Breberienses. These Breberienses belonged to the Šubić tribe, one of the twelve which composed Croatian statehood in the Middle Ages and one of the six from which the Ban, or viceroy, was chosen. The original coat of arms of this clan of nobles is a wing argent on a shield gules. Argent and gules were the colours of the papal party (guelfs) and still are those of Croatia. The coat of arms could be derived from the winged shield standard of the royal chamberlain, a post held by Budez postelnic berberensis jupanus (1069).
In recent history books whenever members of this clan are mentioned in relation to their prominent role in the XIII and XIV centuries the surname of Šubić is conferred upon them by the historian. This was not the way, however, that the members called themselves at the time. During the Middle Ages every man in Croatia bore four names: the name given at baptism, the patronym, the name of the clan which was also the name of the settlement in which it lived, and the tribal affiliation. In the period between 1069 to the destruction of the county by the Turks in 1520, the many personages of the clan that emerge from the original Latin documents qualify themselves as de Breberio preceded by their Christian name and patronym; only rarely do they add their tribal affiliation. The seal of Paul (Pavao) (+1312), the greatest figure of the clan, has the following lettering on it: + S(igillum). PAULI BREBERIENSIS BANI TOCIUS SCLAVONIE. Thus, in the vulgar the surname would be Breber or some variant (Brebir, Bribirski, Breberić, Brebrić). The XIX century erudite Croatian historians who wrote the first history books for the public opted for Šubić which, in the ardent nationalistic spirit of the time, sounded reassuringly Slavic as compared to Breber.
During the reign of Dmitar Zvonimir (1075-1089), the mythical golden age of the kingdom of Croatia, the highest court offices of postelnik (comes camerarius) and tepizo (comes palatinus) are held by Budez and Dominicus, both of the lineage. During the XIII and XIV centuries Brebers are many times called to cover the post of count in the townships of Split, Trogir, Skradin and Omiš. In the documents which have come down to us it is possible to identify six different branches of the Breber clan. The most illustrious of which is the one descended from iupanus Miroslaus Brebriensis, filius Bogdanizi (1184). His great-grandson Paul, mentioned above, reaches the peak of power towards the end of the XIII century. He is Ban of Croatia and Dalmatia, his rule extends to Bosnia, and with his brothers he controls the maritime cities of Dalmatia. In these regions he is the champion of the Pope and is instrumental in placing Charles, the firstborn of the King of Naples, on the throne of Hungary and Croatia. He is related to the King of Naples, the King of Serbia, the Da Camino lords of Treviso, and the Tiepolo and Dandolo patricians of Venice. When he dies (1312) his eldest son Mladen tries to keep the hold over the other Croatian clans but is unsuccessful and bit by bit loses lands, castles and towns.
In 1347 King Louis I of Hungary confers on this branch of the Brebers, in the persons of Count Gregory and Count George, respectively son and nephew of Ban Paul, the castle of Zrin in exchange of the strategically important castle of Ostrovica, their last holding outside of ancestral Breber. This branch will be thenceforth known with the surname of Zrin (a Zrinio, Zrinsky, Zrinyi, Zrini, de Serin, Sdrin) and will again rise to heights of fame and glory with Count Nicholas IV, the hero of Szigetvar (1566), and with Count Nicholas VII (1616-1664), the Scourge of the Ottomans.
Marcus Forstall, the secretary of the latter, compiled a history of the Zrins, tracing it back to the Brebers, to the tribe of Šubić, and from here to the Roman gens Sulpicia which, according to Suetonius, sprang from the love of Zeus for Pasiphaë. A feeling for classical antiquity was a cultural feature of the Renaissance and the wish to establish a link with the great tradition of Rome was a common vanity of those times. The claim of the Zrins, however, is not totally groundless. During the times of the Roman Empire, Dalmatia was a senatorial province and would have affiliations with the patrician families of the capital. Varvaria was, in fact, a Roman municipium under Italic law. P. Sulpicius Rufus was governor of Illyricum around 45 b.C. and could have established a settlement of clientes here, as was the general custom during Roman rule. Other clans in Dalmatia like the Karin, the Gusić and some of the patrician families from the maritime cities also claimed similar links.
The greatness of the house of Zrin ended with the famous trial of Vienna (1671) regarding the Zrinski-Frankopan plot. Of the last counts, Adam fell in the cavalry charge against the Turks at Salankemen in 1671 and Antun, after having brilliantly fought against the French, fell in disgrace and died in prison in 1703.
Another branch of the clan, descended from a Petrus living at the beginning of the XIV century, owes its rise to having remained unshakeably loyal to Sigismund of Luxemburg, the future Holy Roman Emperor (1411), in his struggle for the crown of Hungary-Croatia against Ladislas of Durazzo. Nicholas, James and John, nobiles de Breberio, are confirmed in their possessions, James is nominated Viceban, and they receive the castle of Perna with all the appurtenances. This family from now on known as Perenyi (Peransky, de Perén, a Pernya) will be numbered amongst the magnates of Hungary up to the XX century. Gabriel Perényi and bishop Francis Perényi fell fighting in the fateful Battle of Mohács (29th August, 1526).
Also destined to wealth and power are the descendants of Ugrinus (died 1335). Known under the nickname of Melić, then Melith, which later became their surname, they obtained vast estates in Transylvania.
Besides these particular offshoots which went their separate ways, a numerous kin continued to abide by the ancient holding of Breber. In 1324 when the citizenship of Zadar was conferred on the "nobiles domini de Briberio", 190 members of the clan presented themselves for the investiture. In 1353 the Ottoman Turks crossed the Dardanelles and began their invasion of Europe. In the XV century Bosnia was already a pashalik from where raids would be carried into Croatia-Dalmatia. The feudal levies and the clan warriors had no hope against the Turkish war machine and met their fate in the battle of Krbavsko Polje (1493). The castle of Breber was caught on the front between the Turkish, Hungarian and Venetian armies and by 1520 had become a desolate waste of rubble. Last news giving the comites Breberienses still in their ancient seat is in the diocesan synod of Skradin held at the time of bishop Archangel (1490-1502). The Turkish terror displaced large portions of the population of Dalmatia-Croatia. Some sought refuge in the cities of the coast, some crossed the sea to Italy, others, especially those belonging to the nobility, resettled to the north in that part of Slavonia still under the crown of Hungary-Croatia. Their clan organisation definitely disrupted, the single Breber families settled in various places in the county of Zagreb (Turopolje, Beryzlawcz, Draganoscz, Chernkowcz, Threm, Jezenowcz, Koruscy, Zthobycza). Many Breber families are still living there to this day.
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[edit] Famous members of Zrinski family
Count Martino Zrinski or Sdrigna, was born on 1462 and was the son of Count Pietro II and brother of Nikola III, father of Nikola IV, the one who is referred to in history as Nikola the Great Zrinski of Sighed. Martino Zrinski was the first of the Zrinski family who lived since then in Cefalonia Greece, by the name of Sdrin, Sdrinia.
Count Nikola Zrinski, (born 1508) the ban of Dalmatia, Slavonia and Croatia, the commander of Szeged (since 1561) and the Habsburg commander in western Hungary (since 1563); the most courageous and prominent member of the Zrinski family, which together with the Frankopans was the most distinguished and famous noble family in the Croatian history. He established his reputation as a fearless warrior in the defense of Vienna in 1529, and in the victory over the Turks at Budapest 1529. As Croatian Ban, he persistently advocated Croatian interests. He acquired immortal fame for himself and Croatia in the Battle of Szigetvár in 1566. More than 100.000 well-armed Turks, headed by the famed Suleiman the Magnificent and Grand Vezier Mehmed-Pasha Sokolović, besieged the fortress of Szeged from August 7th to September 7th, 1566. Zrinski, with "two thousand three hundred and a few more" warriors defended it, until the charge from the fortress, in which he was killed. The Sultan offered Nikola Zrinski the crown of Croatia in vain. The destiny of Europe was at stake then, and Zrinski and his company of Croatian knights chose to defend the interests of the Christian West. Sultan Suleiman died during the battle, so the Grand Vezier abandoned that military expedition and returned to Constantinople.
The Zrinski era lasted for whole 145 years The Zrinskis were not only distinguished warlords famous after their heroism in fighting the Turks, but also poets and book-lovers. The Zrinski family is considered to have played the most important role in the cultural history of Međimurje (northern part of Croatia, near the border of Slovenia and Hungary). In order to understand the Zrinski epoch better, it is necessary to get to know the Zrinski family better.
Nikola's IV son, Giorgio V (Juraj) inherited his father's property, but he more interested in books than in chivalry. He became enthusiastic about Lutheranism which he did not accept, but forced the people to turn Protestant as well. He persecuted Catholic priests and devastated a number of the churches, especially the famous Paulist monastery at Sveta Helena, which did him no credit, of course. But, on the other hand, he founded the first printing office at Nedelišće (near Čakovec) in 1574, when there was no other printing office in Croatia.
His son, Giorgio VI (Juraj Jr.) turned back to Catholicism and "purified" Međimurje from Lutheranism. He was in complete succession to the famous warlord Nikola Sdrin - he was a brave and fearless warrior famous for fighting the Turks at Palanka. Unfortunately his chivalry and rapier-tonguedness were a thorn in his superior's, general Albrecht von Wallenstein's side and von Wallenstein had Giorgio poisoned after a verbal duel in 1626.
