Porga of Croatia
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| 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
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 they had been expelled 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, and bishops were sent and baptized them in the time of their archon Πορίνου (Porinou).[4]
Research history
Early scholars, like 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 tradition, 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 is not completely known, but it is certain that these names are not of Slavic origin.[8]
The change of personal names in 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, 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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Živković 2012, p. 54.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 49-50.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 56.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 140.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Franjo Rački, Documenta historiae Croaticae periodum antiaquam illustrantia, p. 291
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 113-114.
- ↑ Živković 2012, pp. 114-115.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Živković 2012, p. 55.
- ↑ Živković 2012, pp. 54, 142-143.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Živković 2012, p. 59.
- ↑ Živković 2012, p. 60-61.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Sources
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| Preceded by | Duke of Duchy of Croatia 7th century |
Succeeded by Budimir |
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See also: Dukes of Pannonia
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