KRK

Grb kr~kih knezova
The coat-of-arms of the Dukes of Krk
Put koji je ova obitelj ostvarila
da bi od kr~kih knezova
postali Frankopani zorno
nam oslikava vje{to `ivotno
snala`enje jedne kr~ke obitelji
koja se u magli pro{losti
postepeno izdi`e toliko visoko
da je uz [ubi}e odnosno
Zrinske postala najpoznatija,
najslavnija i najmo}nija
hrvatska loza. Jedina je to
obitelj na jadranskim otocima
koja se razvila do mo}i u europskim
razmjerima. Vi{e pripadnika
obitelji bili su i hrvatski potkraljevi
- banovi. U povijesnoj znanosti prevladava
mi{ljenje da su porijeklom s otoka
Krka iz vrbni~kog podru~ja, gdje su imali
Gradec, ka{tel s nasljednim dobrima na
Rovozniku. Po~eci njihove vlasti na Krku nisu dovoljno
poznati. U povijesti se prvi put javljaju u 12. stolje}u
kao imu}ni mleta~ki zakupnici otoka Krka - Kr~ki
knezovi. Prvi je poznat knez Dujam I. iz 1118., a
posljednji je u hrvatskim zemljama knji`evnik Fran II.
Krsto Frankopan. Kr~ki knezovi postupno su oja~ali i
osilili se do te mjere da ih Mle~ani i Kr~ani, iako nerado,
moraju priznati za feudalne gospodare otoka. Bili
su vrlo pronicljivi i poduzetni te su svojom uspje{nom
politikom pro{irili vlasni{tvo i preko mora. Osim {to
su bili knezovi kr~ki postali su i knezovi modru{ki,
vinodolski, bra~ki, brinjski, cetinski, dre`ni~ki, hvarski,
kor~ulanski, po`e{ki, rapski, senjski, slunjski i
tr`a~ki, markizi di Nemi, kapetani Ra{pora i Krasa te
Postojne i Biha}a, na~elnici Splita, Milja (Muggia),
Trogira te trajniji ili povremeni gospodari mnogih
imanja u Hrvatskoj, Bosni, Ugarskoj, Sloveniji, Austriji,
Italiji pa ~ak i u [vedskoj. Obitelj je dala vi{e
banova, generala, kapetana i zapovjednika te biskupa
i nadbiskupa. Raspar~anost ogromnih posjeda, pa
turski nasrtaji na Hrvatsku koji su {irili strah, krv i
smrt uz obiteljske nesloge i sukobe oslabili su ih i
pogodovali da se Veneciji ispuni vi{estoljetni san –
domo}i se zlatnog otoka Krka. Nakon {to je osvojila
otok, dana 25. studenog 1480. venecijanski Senat
odlu~io je da Krk ne}e vi{e vratiti Frankopanima, a
knezu Ivanu zabranio je povratak na otok.
Iako je kroz povijest Ivan postao voljen u narodu i
za njim se je stolje}ima tugovalo, neki suvremenici o
njemu nisu imali ba{ najbolje mi{ljenje, obzirom da je
svojim vladanjem vi{e puta “ogor~io silno svoje
podanike”. Ljetopisac i pjesnik, tajnik vije}a desetorice
Antonio Vinciguerra, koji je lukavstvom u pregovorima
s Ivanom uspio oteti otok Frankopanima i postao prvi
mleta~ki providur na Krku, opisao je kako su Kr~ani
sa svim po~astima ispratili posljednjeg kr~kog kneza
Ivana VII. Frankopana na galiju “Polo da Canal”
kojom je otplovio u “vje~ni izgon” u Veneciju {to su
“slavili zvonjavom zvona i drugim slavljem, koje se
neda opisati”. Po odlasku kr~kog kneza u Veneciju
Vinciguerra je naredio ru{enje “omrznute frankopanske
110
The path crossed by this
family in the course of which
the dukes of Krk became
Frankopans vividly portrays
the life’s ingenuity of a Krk
family which in the mist of
the past gradually rose so
high that, along with the
[ubi}s and the Zrinskis, it
had become the best known,
most famous and powerful
Croatian family. Several
members of this family also
served as Croatian viceroys –
bans. In history it is prevailing
belief that the family originated
from the Vrbnik area of the island
of Krk where they held Gradec, a fort
with hereditary estates at Rovoznik. The
origins of their rule on the island are not well
known. They are first mentioned in historical
records in the 12 th century as wealthy Venetian lessees
of the island of Krk, the dukes of Krk. The first known
duke is Dujam I from 1118, and the last in the Croatian
lands is the writer, Fran II Krsto Frankopan. The
dukes of Krk gradually gained strength to such an
extent that both the Venetians and the residents of
Krk, albeit unwillingly, had to recognize them as feudal
lords of the island. They were quite astute and
enterprising so thanks to their successful policy they
succeeded in expanding their property overseas as well.
In addition to being the Dukes of Krk, they also became
Dukes of Modru{, Vinodol, Bra~, Brinje, Cetina,
Dre`nica, Hvar, Kor~ula, Po`ega, Rab, Senj, Slunj and
Tr`ac, Marquis of Nemi, Captains of Ra{por, Kras,
Postojna and Biha}, Prefects of Split, Muggia and Trogir,
as well as permanent or occasional lords of
numerous estates in Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovenia,
Austria, Italy and even Sweden. The family bore
several bans, generals, captains and commanders, as
well as bishops and archbishops. The fragmentation of
huge estates, Turkish attacks on Croatia which spread
fear, blood and death, coupled with family discord
and conflicts weakened the family and aided in the
fulfillment of Venice’s centuries old dream – to capture
the golden island of Krk. Having previously occupied
the island, on November 25, 1480, the Venetian Senate
took the decision that Krk would no longer be returned
to the Frankopans and Duke Ivan was forbidden from
returning to the island.
Although in the course of the history Ivan become
beloved by the people and he was mourned for centuries,
some contemporaries did not hold him in very
high regard since his rule had on several occasions
“greatly embittered his subjects.” Chronicler and poet,
secretary of the council of the ten, Antonio Vinciguerra
who through cunning negotiations with Ivan succeeded
to capture the island from the Frankopans and became
the first Venetian governor on Krk, described how the
residents with every honor saw off the last Duke of Krk
Ivan VII Frankopan to the Polo da Canal galley aboard
which he sailed off to “eternal exile” which was “cele-