Authored by Teuta Shala Peli. Translated by Petrit Latifi.
Summary
In the documentary sources produced in Ragusa during the XIV-XV century, we have found evidence for the Albanians who lived, worked or were in contact with Ragusians either on trade relations or even beyond. From the data we have found for the Albanians, we highlight those that refer to how they were identified in the documentary sources of that time.
Referring to the fact that Albanians we have noted that we encounter in the Middle Ages in Ragusa, in a significant number of documentary sources, when data lacked about the family name (surname), or the country from which they came, were identified as Albanesi. Cases where the family name Albanensis is mentioned, which we have outlined in this paper, we started with a document drafted on the 5th of January 1302 in Ragusa, where Albanese Stefanus is mentioned.
Other important documents in which we encountered the surname Albanensis, are testaments developed during the Middle Ages in Ragusa. Always referring to the source documents produced in Ragusa, many are also cases which refer to matters that have to do with aspects of a judicial nature, like beating, various confusions, evidence of contention, etc., in which the family name Albanensis indicates the Albanian ethnicity of those persons.
Documentary sources mentioned in this paper, in addition to the problem posed, store data of interest to many issues related to the activity of Albanians in Ragusa during the Middle Ages, including different areas of integrating themselves in the economic, political, secular and religious life. We can also conclude that there are no rare cases, when we encounter in the documents the surname Albanensis which showed about the Albanian ethnicity of the person or persons designated to be mentioned in those documents.
Relying on documentary sources drawn up in Ragusa during the 14th-15th centuries, we also come across data on Albanians who lived, worked or were in contact with the people of Ragusa, either for relationships commercial or even beyond. From the many data we encounter about Albanians, we are highlighting those that refer to how they were identified in the documentary sources of that time.
Referring to this fact, we noticed that the Albanians we encountered in Ragusa during the Middle Ages, in a considerable number of documentary sources, when there was no information about the family name (surname) or the country they came from, were identified as Albanians. there are rare cases when in documents we encounter the term Albanensis, which as a surname indicated the Albanian affiliation of the person or certain persons mentioned in those documents.
The cases where the surname Albanensis is mentioned, we begin with a document of the year 1302 drawn up on January 5 in Ragusa, which it has to do with the testimonies of the people of Durrsak in documents from Ragusa, which incidentally mentions Stefanus Albanese. The surname Albanensis is also found in the following documents drawn up in Ragusa:
On May 5, 1360, Tomasius Dominici Arbanensis obtains Ragusa citizenship. On Nicola Albanensis we come across a document drawn up in Ragusa, which talks about the mistreatment of Ragusa residents by Gjergj Balsha in his house in Shkodër. On October 5, 1377, according to a document which talks about the inhabitants of Albania returning to Ragusa as slaves, Jançe Albanesi is mentioned.
On December 11, 1388, in a document drawn up in Ragusa, which talks about how the inhabitants of Albania rent their jobs of Ragusa, Maria the daughter of Menschumani (!) Albanensis is mentioned. Meanwhile, in 1402, Bozitik Albanensis from Stanjo is mentioned, who brought a boat of salt to Ragusa. Likewise, on November 21 of the same year, Bozitik Albanensis is mentioned again as the owner of a boat which carried salt from Stanjina Ragusa (Un de ceux-ci est le “valet de Bositichus albanensis patron de la dite griparea”, lequel declara que Bositichus albanensis ne se trouva pas fans cette griparea).
In 1403, NikolëAlbanensisi let out some vineyard lands that are found in the district of Ragusa, with the corresponding obligations assigned to them. In Ragusa, on January 27, 1408, the procurators of the friars of the province of Bosnia testify that they received for a monastery of Kurcola “eighteen perper spent on the purchase of wheat that Bostik Albanensiska sent to Stanjo”.
In addition to ordinary citizens, in the documentary sources with the surname Albanensisi we also find many clerics who operated in Ragusa. We find such a case in a notarial deed from the year 1400, according to which the authenticity of a document is witnessed by two clergy, one from Sofia.
The other is Dom Pjetër Albanensis, former sacristan of the Church of Saint Mary the Great of Ragusa. Also, in 1404, there is talk of two Albanian clergy in Ragusa, Dom GjonAlbanensis and Dom Nikolë Albanensis. In this case, Zviku, the tellal of the municipality, testifies that by superior order he seized a furnished bed from domGjonAlbanensis and dom Nikollë Albanensis and Zviku, and gave an order not to give it to anyone until the right comes to the square.
Other important documents in it in which we encounter the surname Albanensis are also the wills drawn up during the Middle Ages in Ragusa. Below we mention some of them: in the will of “Stepe de Silliuestro”, from the year 1337, among the other persons mentioned is a “filius Nicole Albanesis” ; in 1363 Dobre Neptis albanensis is mentioned, during the execution of a will.
On October 25, 1400 in Ragusa, during the distribution of some of the money and spoils left in Stanislava’s will, dom Nikollë Albanensi is mentioned, who, together with dom Theodorin from Pulti and dom Pjeter Verdemir, received 2 perperto and 2 groshas each, for the 12 masses sung for Stanislava and her husband. On September 24, 1401, again in Ragusa, dom TheodorAlbanensis is mentioned as a witness to a will (Le testament depribna vxor doburich a comme témoin aussi dompnus Theodorus Albanensis), 15 while, on February 19, 1403 in Ragusa, dom Gjon Albanensis, chaplain of Saint Vlaši Church, who testifies that he received a sum from Mrs. Nuce’s will for Masses.
This year, on December 10 in Ragusa, from the distribution of Zvjetka’s will, Dom Gjon Albanensis is also mentioned, who testifies that he received five for mass. On January 17, 1405, in Ljube’s will drawn up in Ragusa, the merchant Gen (John) Albanensis is mentioned, to whom she says she pledged an enameled silver ring for.
On October 6, 1406, in Ragusa, from the execution of the will of Nicholas, son of Mikel de Bodazia, the priests: “Nikola Albanensis…, Andrea Gjergji from Tivari…, Marku from Pulti.20 Meanwhile, on August 9, 1407 in Ragusa, Pribil Nigocevic testifies in his will that he has several hostages taken by Gjon Albanensis from Tivari.
Meanwhile, on May 12, 1408 in Ragusa, an Albanian priest from Propati testifies that he received a quantity of money for religious services. Always referring to the documentary sources drawn up in Ragusa, in addition to the data mentioned above, there are also many cases that refer to issues related to aspects of a judicial nature, such as beatings, various confusions, evidence of quarrels etc., in which the surname Albanensis indicates the Albanian affiliation of the persons included in them.
The following examples are of this nature. On May 15, 1401 in Ragusa, Nicholas Albanensis is accused of having participated in a beating (Est accuso Nichola albanensis por avoir pris part á une rixe), while on February 21, 1402, Johan (Gjon) Albanensis is mentioned in a lawsuit in Ragusa. According to the lawsuit, we understand that the Jew Isaac tried the tailor Johan Albanensis, that he was beaten by him.
The tailor Johan Albanensis also complains against the Jew Isaac who did not pay, but forcibly wanted to take a jacket that he had made for him (Ixach Ebreus cite justice Johannem albanensem sartorum, sodium magistri Ricardo. Sartoris por s’être fait malmener par lui. Johanes albanenses artor). On November 5, 1402 in Ragusa, John Albanensis is mentioned as a witness in a trial for a dispute (Jon albanassin figure comme témoin fans un procés de conflit). Again, on December 30, 1402, in Ragusa, Johan Albanensis, a tailor, is mentioned as a witness to a lawsuit made by the maid of another dressmaker from France (Johannes albanensis artor figure comme témoin d’un plaid que fait la domestique d’un tailleur de la France).
On April 26, 1403, in Ragusa, Gjin Albanensem is among the witnesses of a case in Ragusa (Gin albanensem figure du nombre des témoins por une affaire à Ragusa. On October 13, 1403 in Ragusa, Nicholas Albanensis appears as a witness in a quarrel (Nicholla albanensin figure comme temoins fans un plaid). On November 8, 1403, in Ragusa, a durrsak accused of having taken on board Stefan Albanensis, who had escaped from the port of Prapatona (un de ceux-ci était Stefanus Albanensis).
On December 11, 1403, in Ragusa, Johan Albanensis sued Bogiç kovači, saying that: “yesterday evening, while I was doing the watch at ten at night, the said Bogich hit me with a piece of wood”, (Johannes albanenssicite en justice Bogich fabrum dicens quod eri de sero dum essem ad custodiam pro decenia noctis dictus bogich cum una macia ligne percusit me).
On April 28, 1405, in Ragusa, there is also talk about John Albanensis (Dans un plaid por conflit figure également un Gion albanensem de Vmbla). Again in June of 1405, in a trial for a quarrel, Johani Albanensis and Andrea, his brother, were also witnesses (Dans un plaid por conflit, sont appelés comme témoins Jon albanensis perlaput et Andreas krater Jon albanensis perlaput). On February 20, 1406, in Ragusa, Nikola Albanensis kovaç is mentioned in a quarrel.
On March 17, 1406 in Venice, Pjetri Albanensis, a baker from Lezha, speaks against Venetians and for this he is tortured by the Republic of Venice. On July 8, 1408, in Ragusa, Nikola Albanensis appears as a witness in the case of a complaint made against “Radsla Balsiq”. On September 5, 1409 in Ragusa, Andrea Albanensis appears as a registered witness, together with some others for a lawsuit filed by “Pribio Bratinovic” against “Miro Skrobotivic”.
On November 21, 25, 1409, in Ragusa, “Pal Albanensis” was registered as a witness to a lawsuit filed by “Zvetko Suniqi” against “Radasim Osegovic.
Conclusion
In conclusion of this paper, we can say that the above-mentioned documentary sources, in addition to the problem that we posed in this paper, preserve data of interest for many issues related to the activity of Albanians in Ragusa during the Middle Ages, including spheres different from their integration in economic, political, secular and religious life.
Reference
Balkan Academia 