Hrvoje's Missal

History

This liturgical book was written in Split by the resident calligrapher and Glagolitic scribe Butko in 1407 or later for Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić (Kotor around 1350–1416) who was a Grand Duke of Bosnia, Knez of Donji Kraji, and Duke of Split. Hrvoje Vukčić was the most prominent member of the House of Hrvatinić and the strongest of the three main feudalists of the medieval Bosnian state, who in addition held lands and titles in Croatia and Hungary.

Description

This document is dedicated to Hrvoje Vukčić, and is of great significance to Croatian and Bosnian history. Hrvoje's Missal found its way to Istanbul and is currently kept at the Topkapı Palace Museum Manuscript Library. The knowledge of its existence was lost, until it was mentioned by linguists Vatroslav Jagic, L. Thallóczy and F. Wickhoff in the 19th Century. The book's location in the Topkapi Palace was determined by the art historian Mara Harisijadis in 1963.

Once bound in precious covers, from 19th century Hrvoje's Missal is in leather binding. It contains 247 folios, which includes 96 miniatures and 380 initials and many more small initials. Some details are made of golden leaves. It is written in two columns on 488 pp (22.5x31 cm), and contains also some music notation. Some initials contain architectural elements of the Dalmatian city of Split. The peculiarity and particular value of the Hrvoje's Missal lies in its combination of eastern and western principles in terms of composition and contents, thus making it a truly invaluable work with a place in the regional and transregional history of art.

References

Bibliography

• V. Jagić - L. Thalloczy - F. Wickhoff: Missale glagoliticum Hervoiae ducis Spalatensis, Wien, 1891.
• Glagoljski misal Hrvoja Vukčića (fototipsko izdanje), Staroslavenski institut-Mladinska knjiga-Akademische Druck - u. Verlagsanstalt, Zagreb-Ljubljana-Graz, 1973.

References

1. (30 November 2012). "Novac Hrvoja Vukčića Hrvatinića". Numizmatičke Vijesti.
2. (2010). "When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans: A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early-Modern Periods". University of Michigan Press.
3. (1994). "The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest". University of Michigan Press.
4. (1994). "The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest". University of Michigan Press.
5. (1994). "Bosnia and Hercegovina: A Tradition Betrayed". Hurst.
6. [https://archive.org/stream/vojvodahrvojevu01igoog#page/n104/mode/2up Ferdo Šišić, Vojvoda Hrvoje Vukcic Hrvatinic i njegovo doba. (1350-1416) s jednim tlorisom i zemljovidom te s cetiri redoslovne table] pp. 92-