Porga of Croatia
| Porga | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Croatia | |
| Reign | In the second half of the 7th century |
| Father | Unnamed Croatian duke |
Porga or Porin (Iranian pouru-gâo, rich in cattle[1]) was one of the first dukes of the Duchy of Croatia.
History
De Administrando Imperio
In the work De Administrando Imperio by Constantine VII (r. 913 to 959), it is mentioned that during the reign of Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641) the White Croats settled in the province of Dalmatia after they had expelled the Avars.[2]
In the 31st chapter:
1.4. These same Croats had the father of Ποργα (Porga) for their archon at that time.[1]
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]
In the 30th chapter:
2.10. From that time they remained independent and autonomous, and they requested holy baptism from Rome, and bishops were sent and baptized them in the time of their archon Πορίνου (Porinou).[4]
Research history
The early scholars, like amateur historian Henry Hoyle Howorth in The Spread of the Slaves (1878), believed that Porga was the son of one of the five brothers who had left White Croatia.[5] He also noted that the name is uncommon and not of Slavic origin. Czech poet Pavel Jozef Šafárik compared the name to Purgas, which was the name of a Mordvins chief mentioned in 1229, by which Howorth considered that the Croats were subjects to foreign princes who were descended from the Avars.[5] Franjo Rački considered that Porga could have been a foreign transcription of a Slavic name Borko.[6]
According to the tradition preserved in the 30th chapter, the White Croats were led by five brothers Κλουκας (Kloukas), Λόβελος (Lobelos), Κοσέντζης (Kosentzis), Μουχλώ (Mouchlo), Χρωβάτος (Chrobatos), and two sisters Τουγά (Touga) and Βουγά (Bouga).[7] The exact origin and derivation of their names is not completely solved, but is certain that these names are not of Slavic origin.[8]
The change of personal names of the nobility, which shifted from Iranian or another language of different origin, to Slavic, could not happen in just one or two generations.[9] As such, besides also the chronology of arrival in the 7th and not 9th century,[9] Porga/Porin could not be Borna (r. 810 to 821) or Branimir (r. 879-892), with whom some scholars tried to identify with.[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 as the earliest possible date of Croats arrival is c. 630,[12] and baptism best fits 638, when Heraclius was still on good terms with the pope, it would mean that the Croats had two archontes at the time of Heraclius, and their rule would last six of seven years, which is unlikely.[12] According to him, and the reading of Constantine VII's writing, it appears that the Croats baptism should be connected with Constans II (r. 641-668), as the source clearly distinguish the father of Porga (Heraclius I) and Porga (Heraclius Constantine).[13]
Recently Croatian historian and archeologists Ante Milošević proposed a new thesis according which the difference in name between 31st and 30th chapter is due to different folk tradition. According to him in the 30th chapter is seen a resemblance to the tradition of the Longobards whose first legendary rulers Godin, Peron and Klafon were not actual historical figures yet deities, Norse Odin and Balto-Slavic Perun. Thus in the 30th chapter tradition Porin, like Longobard Peron, although probably intended Porga - it 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 1229 (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, p. 114-115.
- 1 2 Živković 2012, p. 55.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 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 |
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