Размисли: Изток и Запад в хърватската история
Reflections: East and West in Croatian History

Summary/Abstract: The article, the result of many years of the author’s work in the field of the history of Croatia, makes an attempt to provide an answer to the much discussed and complex question about the presence and influence of East and West in the historical existence of the Croatian people during a very long portion of time — since the Croats’ settlement in their today’s lands in the 7th century until the present day. Against the background of the centuries-old rivalry between East and West for predominance in the Croatian historical area, the periods of their increased or tempered influence are delineated, the bearers of that influence are indicated, and its consequences are defined. Proceeding from the objective position that in regard to Croatia neither the influence of the West was solely positive, nor the influence of the East was solely negative, it is revealed that their unchangeable concurrent presence formed the regionalism (unsurmounted completely until today), specific to the historical development of the Croatian people. It is indicated that, in the final analysis, it was that regionalism which predetermined the extremely hard historical fate of Croatia. In the author’s opinion, in actuality life in the divided between East and West and situated at a crossroads Croatia, allowed the Croats to build in themselves that worldly national steadfastness which not long ago allowed them to revive their independent state.

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