Criminality: Terminology and Interpretation (An Introduction)

Author(s): Blanka Szeghyová / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

This issue examines some theoretical questions and concerns related to the study of criminality in the past. The categories and boundaries of what is considered criminal depend on circumstances determined by both power and religion. An act was not considered a crime until generally recognized as such, or made illegal by those with the power or authority to do so. Each era and society maintained its own scale and hierarchy of crimes. Some forms of behaviour were criminalised, others decriminalised. To understand and correctly interpret criminality of the past on the basis of surviving sources, it is impossible to avoid terminological issues and language usage. How the sources name criminalised behaviour, or whether it is named at all, the terms and descriptions used are indicative not only of the level of legal awareness and standards in judicial practice, but also of the personal attitudes of judges towards the offenders themselves. Just as no strict boundary between private law and criminal law existed for a long time, there was also no clear deviation between crime and sin. In medieval and Early modern periods, judges frequently referenced the Bible and spoke of a breach of the divine or natural laws. The journey from sin to crime was a longer process, beginning as late as the era of the Enlightenment. Based on a qualitative content analysis of historical sources, their language and terminology, the authors here present crime not only as a form of social pathology, but also as an important indicator of changes in society.

The Capture and Trade of Captives by Hungarian Soldiers during István Koháry’s General-Captaincy in Szécsény and Fiľakovo

Author(s): Štefan Szalma / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

The trade of captives was part of everyday life on the Ottoman-Hungarian borderland during the 17th century. Despite the peace between the Habsburgs and Ottomans in the years 1606–1663, frequent looting expeditions and constant skirmishes occurred between the two empires. The local trade of captives also flourished, which included raiding expeditions for the sole purpose of acquiring captives, negotiations regarding ransom and standards for keeping and redeeming captives. Interest was so great on both sides such that in the 17th century, an extensive system of customs and unwritten rules existed, largely accepted by both Ottoman and Hungarian rulers. The focus of this article is on the involvement of Hungarian soldiers in the field of captive trading during the time of the general captainships of István I. Koháry Cases examined concern primarily the garrisons of Fiľakovo, Szécsény, Balassagyarmat and to a lesser extent, other surrounding castles, all sourced from the fund of the Koháry family archive located in the Banská Bystrica State Archive. Attention is centered on cases where people were taken captive from the ranks of the civilian population (mostly subjects of Ottomans), and not explicitly Ottoman soldiers or dignitaries. The aim here is a study of the behavior of soldiers towards the general population in the abovementioned territories, and an observation of the application of specific customs connected with the trade of captives in practice.

Moșiile Mănăstirii Neamțului din Braniștea Bohotinului (secolele XV-XVIII). Documente inedite

Author(s): Costin Clit / Language(s): Romanian Issue: L/2021

The princely branch of Bohotin, documented from the 15th century, is mainly the space where the rulers of Moldova grant gifts and mercies to Orthodox monasteries or trusted people. In the present study we capture synthetically and documentary the evolution of the estates of Neamț monastery for the duration of four centuries (XV-XVIII), using the documentary testimonies published over time, especially those in the academic space, but also numerous original documents preserved in The National Archives - royal orders, testimonies, written in Cyrillic script, which we publish for the benefit of researchers.

Деятели и ползватели. Влашките търговци и търговията им в Източна Европа (края на XVII–XVIII век)

Author(s): Gheorghe Lazăr / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2025

Situated north of the Danube, in the contact zone between Western and Eastern Europe, Wallachia was a tributary principality of the Ottoman Empire from the early 15th century to the mid-19th century. It benefited from administrative and judicial autonomy. The Wallachian economy was predominantly agrarian, with most of the population engaged in farming and animal husbandry. These products were primarily exported to Western Europe and Constantinople, while luxury goods were imported from the Ottoman Empire, Venice, Austria, Poland, Russia, and even England to meet the needs of the princes, great boyars, and their families. In this socio-political context, the article first examines the role of merchants in the luxury trade in Wallachia, highlighting the key consumers and most loyal clients of such goods. In a society where “being” and “appearing” were closely intertwined, the purchase of expensive clothing by the local elite represented not only a “prestige expense” but also a means of asserting their social status. To secure access to luxury goods, Wallachian merchants developed trade networks with partners in major commercial centers in Central and Western Europe, such as Vienna, Venice, Budapest, and Sibiu. These networks expanded significantly towards the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century, particularly under the rule of the Phanariot princes. Representative examples of prominent merchants include the Pepano brothers, Apostol Lazarou and his son Manu Apostol, the moneylender Nica Papa, Hagi Constantin Malache, and Nicolitza Iovipalis, the latter two being particularly active during the second half of the 18th century.

DOUĂ CATAGRAFII ALE MĂNĂSTIRII BISERICANI DIN 1839 ȘI 1841

Author(s): Costin Clit / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 2/2023

Located in the commune of Viișoara in Neamț County, two kilometers from the village of Scaricica, where the access is via a serpentine road, of impressive beauty, at an altitude of 650 m, the Bisericani Monastery was built of wood by the hieromonk Iosif in the first half of the 15th century on the places where many schimnics lived, a reality demonstrated by the local toponymy: Mount Simion, Mount Averchie, Mount Methodie, Mount Varvara, Mount Pir, Mount Grecu and Mount Chiriac (from the 17th century th). Built of brick by Ștefăniță voivod (1517-1527), completed by Petru Rareș, with the outer wall, the church, the porch and the refectory erected by Dumitru Buhuș in 1626- 1632 and repaired in 1786, with an unfortunate fate after secularization, the Biserani Monastery was to the attention of historians. We are publishing two original documents from which the researcher can determine the situation of the material and spiritual goods in the monastery church in 1839 and the names of the residents from 1841.

Osvjetljavanje Bosanskog ejaleta

Author(s): Romeo Knežević / Language(s): Bosnian,Croatian,Serbian Issue: 1/2004

Srećko Matko Džaja, doktor povijesti, političke filozofije i slavenske filologije, izvanredno je značajan autor s područja historiografije a da bih se smio upustiti u kritičku raspravu i ocjenu ovog njegovog djela s izrazito stručnog stajališta. Ali ono što je osim ovoga također moguće to je politologijska procjena implikacija historiografskih stavova ovoga autora izraženih u ovome djelu. S takvim pristupom, doduše, njegov autor sigurno ne bi bio oduševljen ali, uvjeren sam, ne bi bio suviše niti protiv, pogotovu, ako bi to bilo korektno i minuciozno izvedeno s obzirom na utvrđene činjenice i njihove značenjske implikacije.

Bibliotečki fond Ahmed-aginog vakufa u Mostaru iz sredine 17. stoljeća

Author(s): Adnan Kadrić,Muamer Hodžić,Madžida Mašić / Language(s): Bosnian,English Issue: 29/2024

Goal: The paper will present the library collection of the Babusaade Ahmed Agha based on one of the three existing waqfiyas of this benefactor, preserved in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul (TS.MA.d. 6927). The waqfiya describes the establishment of a madrasa and its accompanying library in Mostar in the mid-17th century. The work will also offer a comparison of this collection with the Gazi Husrev-beg Library collection in Sarajevo, as the majority of the preserved titles from the mentioned collection can be found in this central heritage institution. Approach/Methodology: Using the identification method, we determined the exact titles and authors of the endowed books and manuscripts, for which numerous lexicographical dictionaries and manuscript catalogs were consulted. The classification of works by subject areas was based on the Flügel and Ahlwardt models. Regarding the presence of works from the original collection established by the Babusaade Ahmed Agha, the main research base was the Gazi Husrev-beg Library collection in Sarajevo, which provided direct access to works from the mentioned collection, as well as published catalogs of manuscripts in Oriental languages from this institution. Results: The paper highlights data related to the titles and authors of works from the library collection that was part of this educational institution. Based on this informa tion, insight was provided into the thematic and content diversity of the mentioned library. Particularly interesting is the fact that this waqfiya contains the oldest mention of a librarian (1653) in Mostar, along with his duties and responsibilities regarding the preservation of the manuscript collection. In addition to this, the paper discusses the current state of the collection, aiming to determine the extent of preservation of the manuscript holdings from this 17th-century Mostar library. Originality/Value: In scientific and expert circles, it was known that there was a waqf established by the Babusaade Ahmed Agha, but it was not widely known what he left behind as a legacy for his fellow citizens in Mostar. This paper specifically discusses his legacy in Mostar based on primary sources, as well as the provisions he established to specify how this waqf would function. The waqf of Ahmed Agha was very important for the cultural life of Mostar in the second half of the 17th century.

Волпа. Старая и новая

Author(s): Leonid Smilovitskii / Language(s): Ukrainian Issue: 9-10/2020

Artykuł poświęcony jest historii społeczności żydowskiej w Wołpie. Do 1939 miasto było centrum gminy powiatu grodzieńskiego województwa białostockiego, a obecnie wchodzi skład rejonu wołkowyskiego obwodu grodzieńskiego Republiki Białorusi. Artykuł opisuje życie gospodarcze, religijne, kulturalne i narodowe Żydów, którzy w naturalny sposób uzupełniali życie Białorusinów i Polaków w Wołpie, dając przykład wzajemnego zrozumienia i współpracy. Szczególną uwagę zwrócono na losy unikatowej drewnianej synagogi z XVII wieku oraz działalność grup i klubów syjonistycznych. Osobne miejsce zajmuje historia tragicznej śmierci społeczności w czasie Holokaustu oraz próby zachowania pamięci o ich małej ojczyźnie przez współczesne pokolenie mieszkańców Wołpy. Artykuł powstał po wizycie autora w Wołpie w 2018 roku i opiera się na rzadkich danych archiwalnych, publikacjach naukowych w języku hebrajskim, angielskim, polskim i rosyjskim, czasopismach oraz wywiadach z mieszkańcami.

Седемнадесетото столетие и бариерите на времето: нахия Кара Лом пред икономическа и демографска криза

Author(s): Nevena Nedelcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2024

The present research is a kind of attempt to present all those barriers that appeared before the population living in the empire in the 17th century and that could reflect on its economic stability. Based on unpublished Ottoman documents, in combination with other types of data, the study presents indicators of a crisis experienced by the population in the empire during this century. The reasons that give rise to them (political, epidemiological, climatic) are marked, as well as the consequences they bring, brought out through the particular case of a territory limited in its scope (Nahiya Kara Lom). Although they are brought out through the particular case of a small territory of the Ottoman Empire, they are a clear marker of what was happening to the population in the empire in this century and are a starting point for the study of issues such as migration, Islamization and economic life.

O POVESTE FĂRĂ SFÂRȘIT. ARHEOLOGIA DOBROGEI OTOMANE

Author(s): Aurel-Daniel Stănică,Daniela STĂNICĂ / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 55 Supp IX/2022

The history of the land between the Danube and the Black Sea, which includes the chronological interval between the 15th-19th centuries, did not enjoy the due attention. The Ottoman presence was defined as harmful, not very popular idea, with an arid and devastated landscape and it was deeply rooted in the political ideologies of the communist romanticized. Thus, misjudgements, information that is not based on documentary sources found their place in history textbooks, providing an image not exactly in line with the data extracted from the documents of the time. Despite the appreciable number of excavations targeting habitat structures, necropolises, religious monuments, as well as occasional concerns for some categories of archaeological material from the Ottoman period, the results are far from providing a detailed picture of this period. For a space that has been under Ottoman administration for four centuries, one can speak of Ottoman archaeology, which, according to documentary sources, can reduce the information gap when we want to deepen the history of Dobruja. In this paper, we make a synthesis of the findings, which highlights a representative segment for the Ottoman archaeology of Dobruja. At the end of the 14th century, the Ottomans reached the Danube line, directly threatening the Romanian Countries. During the same period, the territory between the Danube and the "Great Sea" - Dobruca-Eli, "The Land of Dobruja" - part of the medieval state Wallachia, was occupied by the Ottomans following the 819 campaigns after Hegira (23 March 1416-17 February 1417). According to another point of view, the Ottomans managed to extend their actual domination over Dobruja only during the reign of Michael, the successor of Mircea the Elder, in 1419 or the spring of 1420, the empire's boundary being established on the line formed by the Enisala (Yeni-Sale) and Isaccea (Isakci) fortresses, which become sherds (edge castles). Regarding the history of Dobruja, the documentary sources, here referring to Turkish chronicles and foreign travellers’ accounts, always have the same limitations: either too few or their information is truncated or incomplete. Archaeological research in turn has supplied the lack of documentary information, with notable results regarding habitat structures, necropolises, religious monuments, as well as some point concerns for certain categories of archaeological materials (pipe, Ottoman ceramics, belt elements, ornaments etc.). The results are far from giving a detailed picture of the settlements and communities in Ottoman Dobruja. The concerns about the archaeological approach of this period are at the beginning, and in recent years there has been an increase in the number of studies that capitalize on newer or older research. Through this paper, I set myself to present the results provided by the archaeological researches concerning the Ottoman period in which Dobruja (15th- 19th centuries) was under the administration of the Ottoman Empire.

Relacje pomiędzy wspólnotami komunikatywnymi nierównorzędnymi (XVI–XVIII w.) na materiale dokumentów cechowych

Author(s): Iwona Pałucka-Czerniak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 12/2024

This article has been devoted to the mechanisms of influencing superior communities on language behaviour in subordinate communities, as part of official, formal, including legal and legislative behaviour. The texts preserving these simple and complex speech acts were created in a small urban communicative community over a period of about two centuries. It refers to the creation, transfer, consolidation and modification of patterns of linguistic behaviour produced for the needs of the craftsmen’s community, exemplified by preserved official documents of the Krakow brewers’ guild from the 16th–18th centuries. The analysis was based on the theory of communicative communities and communicative needs. Selected lexis and phraseology as well as genre determinants of the preserved texts, conditioned by the socio-historical context, were subjected to observation. The conclusions from the analysis present a direct relationship between the hierarchy of the social structure and the text, genre and language of the preserved documents.

Pjetër Budi: Vepra II Speculum Confessionis / Pasëqyra e t' Rrëfyemit (1621)

Author(s): Evalda Paci / Language(s): Albanian Issue: 02/2024

Review of: Pjetër Budi: Vepra II Speculum Confessionis / Pasëqyra e t' Rrëfyemit (1621), Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipërisë, Tiranë, 2024. Riprodhim anastatik i botimit kritik të Gunnar Svane-s (1986), përgatitur dhe pajisur me faksimilet e tekstit burimor nga Bardhyl Demiraj

Епистоларното наследство на Павел Дуванлията (Гайдаджийски), католически епископ на Никопол

Author(s): Keti Mircheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 49/2024

Scrinia Slavonica: godišnjak Podružnice za povijest Slavonije

Author(s): Marija Kanižaj / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 66/2024

Review of: Scrinia Slavonica: godišnjak Podružnice za povijest Slavonije, Srijema i Baranje Hrvatskog instituta za povijest 23 (2023), 465 stranica

Politica fiscală a domnilor fanarioți față de așezămintele religioase. Studiu de caz: mănăstirile Cotroceni, Radu Vodă și Mihai Vodă

Author(s): Mariana Lazăr / Language(s): Romanian Issue: XLII/2024

The history of medieval Romanian taxation was a complex one, not yet enough understood. In what the monasteries are concerned, whereas they initially benefited from tax immunity, over time certain contributions began being imposed on them. After 1720, in direct relation to the growing financial needs of the Phanariot rulers, the taxes imposed on the monasteries were both diversified and increased. The documents regarding the budgets of the monasteries Cotroceni, Radu Vodă and Mihai Vodă contain detailed information about the taxes personal, real and extraordinary that were paid not only by these monasteries, but also by all other similar institutions between 1730 and 1740. Thus, taxes that had previously been only exceptional, became annual taxes under the Phanariot reigns, some being even collected twice in a year, whenever there was a change of ruler or when the demands of the Turks became pressing.The quantum of these taxes paid by the monasteries to the country’s treasury demonstrates the excessive taxation of that era. The serious consequences on their situation determine Prince Constantin Mavrocordat to give them exception from the taxes (1741). Later, due to increased financial needs, the successors of Constantin Mavrocordat reimposed the monasteries to pay the taxes. In 1775, Prince Alexandru Ipsilanti exempted the monasteries from paying taxes, instead asking them to pay a contribution proportional with their wealth in order to finance the schools. Although the monasteries were exempt from paying taxes by a number of princely charters, nevertheless at later dates they were asked to contribute towards the wellbeing of the country, whenever the need required it.

Din istoria mănăstirii Slobozia lui Enache de la întemeiere până la mijlocul secolului al XIX-lea

Author(s): Petronel Zahariuc / Language(s): Romanian Issue: XLII/2024

This study is based on the documentary treasure of the monastery Slobozia lui Enache (Ialomița county), preserved in the Docheiariou monastery on Mount Athos. The author co-edited a volume comprising the Romanian documents from the Docheiariou archives, published in 2019. In addition to the Athonite sources, he also considered the documents from the Romanian National Historical Archives in Bucharest, found in the archival fond of Slobozia lui Enache monastery and Apostolache skete. Based on this corpus of sources, the author investigates the history of the Slobozia lui Enache monastery, starting from its foundation and continuing until the mid-nineteenth century. The studythrows new lights on the early history of both Slobozia lui Enache monastery and Apostolache skete, with respect to their foundation and architecture. Incidentally, the study also invalidates a series of false historiographical assumptions and hypotheses.

Addenda et corrigenda

Author(s): Petronel Zahariuc / Language(s): Romanian Issue: XLII/2024

More than a quarter of a century ago, Florin Marinescu published a partial photograph (missing the last three lines) of a Slavic-Romanian document issued by the ruler of Moldavia, Petru II. Two years after the last edition, in 1998, the document was transcribed and translated by Valentin Constantinov, being "collated together with Professor Dr. Ioan Caproșu."

PRILOG PROUČAVANJU HERCEGOVAČKIH STAMBENO-FORTIFIKACIONIH OBJEKATA (KULA) IZ OSMANSKOG PERIODA SA POSEBNIM FOKUSOM NA PODRUČJE MOSTARA

Author(s): Faruk Taslidža,Ahmet Kurt / Language(s): Bosnian Issue: 23/2024

As early as the 17th century, due to deteriorating security conditions, the construction of residential and fortification buildings (towers) began in Herzegovinian sandžak. This practice, which continued during the 18th and 19th centuries, was particularly pronounced in the rural areas west of the Neretva River, as well as in the fertile regions of the Trebinje Nahija. New research indicates that in this regard, the city of Mostar and its wider surroundings are no exception, where we recorded 49 such towers, which is certainly not a final number. The towers (mostly on two floors) were built according to plan, in strategic places and with quality materials. In addition to housing, they served as strong defensive fortifications in wartime conditions. They belonged to respectable and wealthy Bosniak families, and were raised on their estates. Unfortunately, the demolition of these buildings was a continuous phenomenon, accelerated in the era of modernization. As for the Mostar area, most of the towers are completely destroyed today, without any remains. It is certain that the competent institutions should finally show interest in what is still left of these significant historical monuments from the Ottoman era. It is necessary to take concrete steps in order to rehabilitate, protect and culturally affirm them.

Sugrįžusi atmintis: Kauno bernardinių istorija ir vienuolyno ansamblis XVI a. pab. – XIX a.

Author(s): Mindaugas Paknys / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 22/2024

Review of: Vaida Kamuntavičienė, Aušra Vasiliauskienė. Sugrįžusi atmintis: Kauno bernardinių istorija ir vienuolyno ansamblis XVI a. pab. – XIX a. Kaunas: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, 2023, p. 432 p

Bekenntnis und Diaspora

Author(s): Dirk Schuster / Language(s): German Issue: 1/2025

Review of: Bekenntnis und Diaspora. Beziehungen und Netzwerke zwischen Deutschland, Mittelund Südosteuropa im Protestantismus vom 16. bis 20. Jahrhundert. Hrsg. Von Angela I l i ć. (Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für deutsche Kultur und Geschichte Südosteuropas an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Bd. 142.) Verlag Friedrich Pustet. Regensburg 2021. 244 S., Ill. ISBN 978-3-7917-3227-5. (€ 29,95.).