Caboga

The Caboga (in Italian; known as Kabužić or Kaboga in Croatian) was one of the patrician families of the Republic of Ragusa. Their considerable family size, economic power, and social and political status mark them as among the better-off noble families. Originating from the 8th century, they are one of the most recognized and oldest in Ragusa. Many of its members were Rectors (Serbo-Croatian: knez) of the Republic and the Austrian Empire recognized its long-standing nobility in 1818 and 1833 with the grade of Count.

History

Marin Caboga
Bernard (Brno) Count Caboga-Cerva
Vlaho Filip Count Caboga
Henrik Count Caboga
Hugo Seyffertitz

The Caboga family first appears in the late 13th century. Džore Dišić, who died before 1282, appears to be the patriarch though he is not personally mentioned in sources. Frequently mentioned in the records of the Dubrovnik chancellery in 1281 and 1282, however, are Dzore's wife Draga and their sons Mihael (Miho), the cleric Dživo, as well as Marin and Vlaho. In addition, Draga is mentioned exclusively as the "Uxor quondam Georgii de Disica," and her sons primarily as the "filii qu. Džore Dišić." At the same time, her sons Mihajlo, Dživo (the priest), and Marin are mentioned under the name Kaboga. Mihajlo is explicitly mentioned several times as the son of Džore Kaboga.[1]

Vlaho, the youngest brother, is mentioned in the books of Dubrovnik's chancellery later, after the name Caboga took hold while the name Dišić was no longer being used. In 1297, he is also explicitly named as Vlaho Džore Caboga. Tomasina filia qu Džore Dišić, who in 1283 married Palma Bisti Getaldić, appears again in 1325 in the last will and testament of Džono Caboga. Therefore, it appears that the Caboga and Dišić families of 1281 and 1282 are the same. Miho Džore Caboga (1280–1286) appears to be the oldest brother. In 1281 he received a part of the money that belonged to him from his father's estate. At the same time, Marin and Dživo, as well as the minor Vlaho, continued to live together with their mother and Marin took care of the business. FN 5, p. 167. Among other things, Miho defined his brother, the priest Johannes, as his procurator.

Three branches of the Caboga family derive from the brothers Mihael (Miho), Marin and Vlaho. All three existed in the second half of the 15th century. Of all of them, Marin's descendants, including his son Jure (1310–1368) and his grandson Nikola Jurov Caboga (1348–1373), carried on an energetic public life during the 14th century. Vlaho (1282–1333) had two sons, Dživo (1330–1340) and Mihael (1332–1366). They were regularly members of the Vijeće Umoljenih, especially Vlaho, but also Jure, Niko and Miše. Many times they were chosen to be the "sapientes," while almost every other year during the middle of the century one Caboga in the Malo Vijeće, was an iudex. From around 1360, Nikola carried out diplomatic assignments several times: in 1360 and 1363 he went to visit the King of Hungary. In 1362, he took part in peace negotiations in Kotor. Until his death in 1373, he was regularly an iudex and four times rector." (Note that this means he was influential during Dubrovnik's final break with Venice.)[1]

Vlaho and his descendants occupied themselves primarily in the grain trade. In 1292, Vlaho appears as a witness in Ancona. In 1313, he appears in Durrës. In 1329, a certain amount of oats were taken from him in Ulcinj. In 1330, together with this son Dživo, he accepted 100 salmaa of wheat from one Florentine commercial company. From these same Florentines, he received three months later a credit of 450 perperas. His sons continued in the grain trade. Dživo was sent in 1330, together with M. Cerva, as the Općinski sinkik(?) to Constantinople for the purchase of wheat. In September 1335, Džive sold 670 "stara ječma" from the new harvest to a merchant from Bar. At the end of October of the same year, he took on an obligation to supply Dubrovnik with at least 500 "stara" of wheat by January or February. On January 28, 1336, he delivered 673 stara of wheat. It appears that at the beginning, he did not have exceptional wealth. When, for example, he invested money in some commercial societas (corporation?), he did so in quite small amounts.[1]

In 1335, together with Orsat Cerva, he became an associate(?) (socius) of Džono Giorgi when the latter undertook a zakup (commission) the doana maior for 10,000 perperas. Dživo Caboga and Orsat Cerva took on the obligation to Džono Giorgi "cum eorum personis stare et servire" to the end of the year. For this they would receive the right to half of the profit while undertaking only 20% each of the potential loss. Dživo Bona's brother, Petar (1318–1346) also bought wheat on order of the Općina (in 1326, 1339, 1340, 1345). In 1345 he went as an emissary "ad regem Cicille". In December 1328 he accepted a sum of 60 "salmi" of beans from Barleta.

The third brother of Miho, Vlaho Caboga (1322–1366) was sent by the government in June 1361 to Apulia (Manfredonia, Barleta and other places) to purchase grain. He was explicitly told that he was to remain in Apulia until the Općina told him to return and that he was not to undertake any business affairs on anyone else's behalf. Only when he was personally in question was he permitted to leave; "de quibus tuis denariis possis facere omnes mercationes, que tibi placuerint, dalvo de blado." He was allowed to buy wheat for himself only "pro usu domus tue".[1] In another set of orders that related to the same, it was said "quod possit vendere de pannis suis." Only in March 1362 did they call him to return. In the meantime, the government several times sent him money for purchases, as well as letters with a wide variety of orders. He had to purchase barley, then "100 salme de fave nove, 200 staria de biscoto." On another occasion he had to purchase 1000 libre "de carne de porco salata"; then "salme mille de frumento"; besides this he had to attempt to get to Barleti, to "lo imperador de Bulgaria" and to him to "recomendar li fatti del comun ed deli merchatanti de Ragusa." In 1382, after his death, there were in the basement of his house 1260 Dubrovnik modija of salt.[1]

During the military operations of the 1380s, Mihail's son Marin (1363–1409) was often named as the supplier of bread and melba toast (rations) for the galleys as well as the official responsible for the preparation of melba toast (rations). He apparently dealt in oil, cheese and tallow candles (lojanica). In 1394, Marin lived in Venice as a "factor" of Dubrovnik. Among other things, this Marin was married a second time to Margarita Nikole Caboga (1383–1423), the daughter of his second cousin (or second first-cousin, orig: drugi bratić) (the grandfather of Džore Marinov Caboga), who was married a first time with Lampret Zrijev. She was the mother of Marin's son Danijel and carried the nickname "Colona biancha". At the beginning of the 1380s, Marin was a candidate for the Malo Vijeće, but he was not elected. From 1397, however, he was selected to be rector several times. Mihael (Miho) Marin Kaboga (1397–1428), Marin's son from his first marriage, became the protovestijar of Herceg Hrvoje.[1]

There are bits of information about the descendants of the other branches of the family. In 1350, Jure Caboga received oil valued at 322 perpera from Romaldus de Bari. In 1356, his son Nikola (1348–1373) delivered Albanian wheat to Džore Jače Giorgi. Several times he had to resort to the legal system to pry payments from his debtors and the amounts were at times relatively large. Nikola Jure Caboga was married for a second time with Dechussa, the daughter of the Venetian Andrea Dulfina. Her mother, Rada (orig. Rade), was a citizen of Dubrovnik, and through her she was related to the Menče, Giorgi, and Gundula families. On the basis of various facts about relations in the last will and testament, her mother Rade may have been the daughter of Džono Damjan Gondola and Deje Medozi Drago from Kotor. If that is the case, she, before entering into a marriage with the Venetian Andrea Dulfina or after that marriage, was at one time married to Džono Sorgo. (Note that the plague took hold at this time.)[1]

In relative terms we know the least about Mihael's descendants, many of whom died young. Džono Dživo Caboga (1341–1363) as well as his wife died in 1363, during a plague epidemic; we know that they were dealers in cloth and leather. Džono Dživo Caboga left behind a minor son, Dživo Džono Caboga (1372–1396). At the beginning of the 1380s, he was nominated to the Malo Vijeće, but was never elected. For that reason, he shows up only in positions of minor importance. In 1380, he received a license to export 2.5 miljara of iron; but to receive this he had to take on the obligation to import into Dubrovnik 100 stara of wheat (pšenica).

Around 1400 this branch becomes for us especially interesting. The record books of two sons of Dživo Džono Caboga, Nikola and his brother Luka (1396–1437), survived. With Nikola and his descendants this branch of the Caboga family continued on. His brother Luka Caboga was a bastard son of Dživo Džono Caboga. Nikola and Luka worked together in business. Their accounting records are the oldest documents of their time to be preserved in Dubrovnik.[1]

Famous members

The Bunić-Kabužić summer retreat house in Rijeka Dubrovačka near Dubrovnik

See also

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Mahnken, Patricijat, Vol. 1 (pg. 167)
  2. ↑ notes Tr.d. Klemens Grafen C. u. d. Magdalena Ghetaldi; Dubrovnik (9 Jun.1834, – Wien....1916)

Bibliography

External links