Porga of Croatia
| Porga | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Croatia | |
| Reign | Second half of the 7th century |
| Father | Unnamed Croatian duke |
Porga or Porin (Iranian pouru-gâo, translated as "rich in cattle")[1] was one of the first dukes of the Duchy of Croatia.
History
De Administrando Imperio
According to Constantine VII (r. 913 to 959) in De Administrando Imperio during the reign of Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), the White Croats settled in the province of Dalmatia after being expelled by the Avars.[2] The 31st chapter has 1.4: "These same Croats had the father of Ποργα (Porga) for their archon at that time".[1] and 1.5: "The Emperor Heraclius ordered and brought priests from Rome, and made of them an archbishop and a bishop and presbyters and deacons, and baptized the Croats; at that time these Croats had Porga for their archon".,[3] while the 30th chapter has 2.10. "From that time they remained independent and autonomous, and they requested holy baptism from Rome, so bishops were sent to baptize them in the time of their archon Πορίνου (Porinou)".[4]
Research history
Early scholars, such as amateur historian Henry Hoyle Howorth in The Spread of the Slaves (1878), believed that Porga was the son of one of five brothers who had left White Croatia.[5] He also noted that his name was uncommon and not of Slavic origin. Czech historian Pavel Jozef Šafárik compared the name to Purgas, which was the name of a Mordvins chief mentioned in 1229. Howorth considered that the Croats were subject to "alien princes, perhaps of Avar descent."[5] Franjo Rački considered that Porga could have been a foreign transcription of the Slavic name Borko.[6]
According to the tradition included in DAI, the White Croats were led by five brothers Kloukas (Κλουκας), Lobelos (Λόβελος), Kosentzis (Κοσέντζης), Mouchlo (Μουχλώ), Chrobatos (Χρωβάτος), and two sisters Touga (Τουγά) and Bouga (Βουγά).[7] The exact origin and derivation of their names are not completely known, but it is certain that these names are not of Slavic origin. It could have been transcribed from the Slavic name Borko. [8]
The change of noble personal names, which shifted from Iranian (or another language of different origin), to Slavic, simply could not have happened in a mere few generations.[9] As such, the chronology of arrival is estimated to be in the 7th, and not 9th, century.[9] Porga/Porin could not be Borna (r. 810–821) or Branimir (r. 879–892), with whom some scholars tried to identify him.[10]
Croatian historian Ivo Omrčanin believed that Porga would have ruled in ca. 660–ca. 680, while his father would have ruled ca. 635–ca. 660.[11] However, Živković noted that the earliest possible date of Croat arrival is ca. 630,[12] and baptism 638, when Heraclius was still on good terms with the pope. This would mean that the Croats had two archons at the time of Heraclius, and would rule for six or seven years, which is unlikely.[12] According to him, and Constantine VII's writing, it appears that the Croats' baptism is connected to Constans II (r. 641-668), as the event that clearly distinguishes the father of one Porga (Heraclius I) and the other Porga (Heraclius Constantine).[13]
Recently, Croatian historian and archaeologist Ante Milošević proposed a new thesis that the differences in names between the 31st and 30th chapters are due to differences in folk tradition. According to Milošević, the 30th chapter resembles the tradition of the Longobards, whose first legendary rulers Godin, Peron and Klafon were not actual historical figures, but deities, Norse Odin and Balto-Slavic Perun. Thus in the 30th chapter tradition, Porin, like Longobard Peron, although probably intended Porga – wasn't an actual ruler name, yet Slavic deity Perun.[14][15]
References
- 1 2 Živković 2012, p. 54.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 49-50.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 56.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 140.
- 1 2 Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, JSTOR (Organization) (1878). Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 7. p. 331.
Their prince at this time was named Porga, the son of one of the five brothers already named. Porga is a curious and uncommon name, apparently not Slavic ; and Schafarik compares it with Purgas, the name of a Mordwin chief mentioned in the year 1228 (op. cit., ii, 280, note), a fact which makes it probable that the Croats were at this time subject to alien princes, perhaps of Avar descent.
- ↑ Franjo Rački, Documenta historiae Croaticae periodum antiaquam illustrantia, p. 291
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 113-114.
- ↑ Živković 2012, pp. 114-115.
- 1 2 Živković 2012, p. 55.
- ↑ Živković 2012, pp. 54, 142-143.
- ↑ Ivo Omrčanin (1972). Diplomatic and political history of Croatia. Dorrance. pp. 247–.
- 1 2 Živković 2012, p. 59.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 60-61.
- ↑ Milošević, Ante (2013). "Tko je Porin iz 30. glave De administrando imperio?" [Who is Porin in the 30th chapter of De Administrando imperio?]. Starohrvatska prosvjeta (in Croatian). Split: Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments. III (40). Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ↑ Igor Brešan (8 August 2014). "Dr. Ante Milošević: Porin nije povijesna ličnost! On je bog, a ne knez!" [Dr. Ante Milošević: Porin isn't historical figure! He is a god, not knez!]. Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). Retrieved 24 March 2016.
Sources
- Constantine Porphyregonitus (1967). Moravcsik, Gyula, ed. De Administrando Imperio. R.J.H. Jenkins transl. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies.
- Živković, Tibor (2012), De Conversione Croatorum et Serborum: A Lost Source, Belgrade: Institute of History, ISBN 978-86-7743-096-2
| Preceded by |
Duke of Duchy of Croatia 7th century |
Succeeded by Budimir |
|  | |
See also: Dukes of Pannonia | ||