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The Rise and the Fall of one Croatian noble Family – Castles of the Frankopan Counts of Krk in Historical and Territorial Context

The Frankopan counts of Krk (comes de Vegliae) were one of the most eminent noble families of medieval Croatia since their emergence in early 12th century until the extinction of their dynasty in late 17th century. The power of the family grew progressively in the course of five centuries and spread from their native island of Krk to the adjacent mainland, reaching its height in mid-15th century, when they were present in the major part of medieval Croatia between northern Adriatic and the river Sava.Their lineage has not been decidedly traced but it is presumed that they originate from the area around Vrbnik, on the island of Krk As vassals of the Hungarian-Croatian king, the Frankopans were granted estates on the neighbouring mainland very early, first at the beginning of 13th century they had obtained Vinodol (terrae, comitatus ) then, deeper in the inland, Modruš which by that time become the centre of their entire mainland dominion. At the same century Counts of Krk had succeed to “close the circle.” In mid-13th century they obtained Senj very important port and trade centre, then vast region of Gacka County with fortress town Otočac and strategically important Brinje with castle (castrum) Sokolac. Using (again) favourable circumstances Counts of Krk very soon had expanded their feudal dominium to the north and to the north-east, so Before the end of 14-th century they possessed castles and market places in its suburbium: Drežnik, Slunj and Tržac on the river Korana, Cetin and, and even more northwards, Ribnik Bosiljevo and Novigrad on the Dobra River This new acquisition very clearly illustrates the intention of controlling almost all northern part of medieval Croatia (area between Dalmatia and Slavonia), by securing all important north- south traffic routes. This also testify that the territory of present–day Croatia was shaped by a network of “non-agrarian” settlements. The family member who takes most credit for the rise of the family was. He managed to get confirmation from Pope Martin V (1430) that his family descended from the Roman patrician Ancius, and gain the right to use new coat of arms with two lions. Through his financial transactions, marriage and clever political moves Nikola IV Frankopan (1393-1432) further extended the family's estates. Taking advantage of King Sigismund's financial troubles, not long before his death in 1432 he acquired numerous old towns and large areas of eastern Croatia and Dalmatia. Some of them were on the border of his territories - as Dubovac Ozalj and Okić, who is away just 30 km from Zagreb, and Bihać on the river Una (today in Bosnia and HerzegovinaThis immense fortune Counts of Krk had gained almost entirely by of custom taxes, and all kinds of other “administrative revenues”, so it is very clear why they never show interest to obtain vast lend properties. Trade and transportations brought to the Frankopans important revenues from the very beginning, so they supported the development of castles and marketplaces issuing new privileges or confirming the old ones, similarly as their rivals on the north – Counts of Celje. If we takes a closer look at the location of these new castles, it becomes clear that he didn’t choose them haphazardly – they were strategically distributed so not only to protect and secure main medieval traffic route (via Magna, via regis, via publica) that led from Senj, via Toplica, Gora a to Zagreb, and then off towards Hungary, but all other north-south traffic routes which led towards Hungary and Bosnian Kingdom (through the river Una valley), as well as those who led to the Holy Roman Empire -today Republic of Slovenia. Little by little, Counts of Krk had obtained not only possessions, and all mayor castles located along one leg of the Via Magna, but almost all territory between north Adriatic and river Sava become part of their family estates. In this area, south of Kupa river, 25 marketplaces mentioned in the 15-th century, which usually emerged under the castles in Frankopas hands, and no one was granted the status of a free royal town. Beside, on those immense territory only Modruš and Otočac are called civitates in the documents, and this is only because in 15-th century they become Episcopal centres.

Castles of the Frankopan Counts of Krk, (comes de Vegliae), Medieval architecture,

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