Croats

Croats or Croatians are a South Slavic ethnic group from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and nearby parts of Southeastern Europe. They share a common heritage, culture, and language.

Many Croats moved to North and South America, New Zealand, and Australia after World War II. They built communities with help from earlier groups and the Catholic Church. Croats are mostly Catholics. The Croatian language is official in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is a minority language in countries like Austria, Italy, Romania, and Serbia. It is also used in the European Union.

Etymology

Main article: Names of the Croats and Croatia

The name "Croats" comes from the native name "Hrvati." It started in old Latin as Croāt. This came from an old Slavic word. This word might have meant "guardian" or "protector." The oldest writings using this name date back to the 8th and 9th centuries. They are found in old stones and documents in Croatia. The oldest known writing in the Croatian language using this name is from around the year 1100.

History

Further information: History of Croatia

Arrival of the Slavs

Main articles: Origin hypotheses of the Croats, White Croatia, White Croats, and Slavic migrations to the Balkans

Early Slavs, including Sclaveni and Antae, settled in Southeastern Europe in the 6th and 7th century.

Early medieval archaeology

Archaeological evidence shows people lived in coastal Dalmatia and Istria. Much of the Dinaric hinterland appears to have been empty, as hilltop settlements were abandoned in the early 7th century. Recent data shows Slavs/Croats settled in late 6th and early 7th century.

Croat ethnogenesis

There is much uncertainty about their appearance due to few sources from the 7th and 8th century Middle Ages. Traditionally, scholars thought White Croats arrived from Eastern Europe in the early 7th century. The name Croat may be Iranian, suggesting a link to the Sarmatians.

Other polities in Dalmatia and Pannonia

Other groups existed around the Croat duchy, including Guduscans, Pagania, Zachlumia, Bosnia, and Serbia. Also prominent was Prince Ljudevit who ruled between the Drava and Sava rivers.

The Croats became a major power in northern Dalmatia. In the south, the Naretines later merged with Croats. Croatia absorbed other areas between the Frankish, Bulgarian and Byzantine empires.

Early medieval age

Main articles: Duchy of Croatia and Principality of Lower Pannonia

The lands of modern Croatia were influenced by the Byzantines, Avars, Magyars, Franks and Bulgars. Two Slavic dukedoms emerged in the 9th century: the Duchy of Croatia and Principality of Lower Pannonia.

Pannonian Principality ("Savia")

Lower Pannonia became part of the Carolingian Empire around 800. The Franks took control from the Avars. After Charlemagne died in 814, Frankish influence decreased, allowing Prince Ljudevit Posavski to rebel in 819. The Franks defeated him with help from Borna the Guduscan.

For much of this time, Savia was ruled by the Carinthian Duke Arnulf. Frankish control was weak. Later, the expanding power of Great Moravia threatened the region. The Franks allied with the Magyars and elevated Braslav as Duke over lower Pannonia in 892.

In 896, his rule stretched from Vienna and Budapest to the southern Croat duchies. He died around 900 fighting the Magyars. The history of Savia becomes unclear, but Tomislav, the first crowned King, likely controlled the area.

Dalmatian Croats

The Dalmatian Croats were under the Kingdom of Italy since 828. Prince Mislav built a navy and made peace with Pietro Tradonico, doge of Venice. The Bulgarian king Boris I also waged war against the Dalmatian Croats.

Prince Trpimir I succeeded Mislav. In 854, Trpimir fought the Bulgars. Trpimir consolidated power and instituted counties. The first known written mention of the Croats dates from 852 in a statute by Trpimir. He started the Trpimirović dynasty, which ruled Croatia until 1091.

Prince Domagoj built up the navy again. After Domagoj's death, his son ruled briefly. Zdeslav deposed him in 878 with Byzantine help. Zdeslav was killed in 879 by Branimir, who became Duke. Branimir affirmed loyalty to the Roman Papacy.

Branimir's actions moved Croatia away from Byzantium towards Rome. Duke Branimir was recognized as Duke of the Croats. During his reign, Croatia kept its sovereignty from both the Holy Roman Empire and Byzantine rule.

After Branimir's death, Prince Muncimir took control. Duke Tomislav succeeded Muncimir. Tomislav united Pannonian and Dalmatian Croats into one state.

Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)

Main article: Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)

Tomislav became king of Croatia by 925. Tomislav became king by 925. He repelled Magyar invasions and united Pannonian and Dalmatian Croats.

Tomislav was succeeded by Trpimir II and Krešimir I. Miroslav was killed in a power struggle. Krešimir II kept good relations with Dalmatian cities. His son Stjepan Držislav established better relations with the Byzantine Empire.

Krešimir IV managed to get Byzantine confirmation as ruler of Dalmatian cities. He was succeeded by Dmitar Zvonimir, who was crowned in 1076.

After Zvonimir's death, civil war broke out. In 1102, the Hungarian king Coloman took control, joining Hungarian and Croatian crowns.

Personal union with Hungary (1102–1918)

Main articles: Croatia in personal union with Hungary and Croatian-Ottoman Wars

In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Croats were not unified under a strong government. They lived in different areas, sometimes ruled by kings but often controlled by Byzantium, Venice and Hungary.

In the union with Hungary, Croatian institutions like the Sabor and the ban were kept. Coloman kept the Sabor and relieved Croats of land taxes. The Hungarian king introduced a feudal system. Powerful noble families like the Šubić and Frankopan emerged.

The Šubić family became very powerful under Paul I Šubić of Bribir. After his death, his son Mladen II Šubić was Ban of Bosnia and Croatia. The kings from the House of Anjou tried to reduce noble power. Charles I and Louis the Great ruled without Parliament.

In 1386, Charles III of Naples was assassinated. His supporters imprisoned Queen Elizabeth of Bosnia. Magyars crowned Mary's husband Sigismund of Luxembourg.

King Sigismund's army was defeated at the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396 as the Ottoman invasion neared. The Ottoman invasion began, and Croatia became a border area. Croatian troops fought in many battles under leaders like John Capistrano and John Hunyadi.

The Battle of Mohács in 1526 ended the Hungarian-Croatian union. The Croatian sabor elected Ferdinand I Habsburg as king in 1527.

However, the Ottoman Empire expanded further in the 16th century. Areas of Croatia and Slavonia became a Military Frontier ruled from Vienna. Migration occurred, and the area was settled by Serbs, Vlachs, Germans and others.

Croats stopped the Ottoman advance at the battle of Sisak in 1593.

Croatian national revival (1593–1918)

Main articles: Habsburg Croatia and Austria-Hungary

In the 17th century, Croats fought in the Thirty Years' War. Croatian Ban Juraj V Zrinski died after a dispute with general Albrecht von Wallenstein.

In 1664, the Austrian army won against the Turks, but Emperor Leopold signed the Peace of Vasvár, preventing Croatia and Hungary from regaining lost territory. This caused unrest. Nikola Zrinski was involved in a conspiracy but died, and the rebellion continued under his brother Petar Zrinski, Fran Krsto Frankopan and Ferenc Wesselényi. In 1671, four nobles were executed.

In the 18th century, Croatia supported Emperor Charles VI and Empress Maria Theresa. Changes were made to the feudal system and administration. However, Croatia was given only one seat in the Hungarian governing council.

In the 19th century, Croatian romantic nationalism emerged to oppose Germanization and Magyarization. The Illyrian movement began in the 1830s, led by Ljudevit Gaj, who reformed the Croatian language.

In 1848, a petition called "Zahtijevanja naroda" included principles like Croatian independence and freedom from Hungary. During the revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire, Croatian Ban Jelačić led a campaign into Hungary.

Croatia later came under Hungarian control. Ban Jelačić abolished serfdom, reducing the power of landowners and changing society.

Modern history (1918–present)

Main articles: State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs; Kingdom of Yugoslavia; Independent State of Croatia; SFR Yugoslavia; and Republic of Croatia

After World War I and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, most Croats joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In 1939, the Banovina of Croatia was created, giving Croats autonomy.

In World War II, the Axis forces created the Independent State of Croatia. After the war, Yugoslavia became a federation, and Croats lived in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After the democratization of society, ethnic tensions emerged, and the Republic of Croatia declared independence, leading to war. Many Croats were displaced during the conflict. After the war, many refugees returned home.

Genetics

Main article: Genetic studies on Croats

Scientists have studied the DNA of Croats to learn about their past. On one type of DNA from the father’s side, most Croatian men share two main groups: I2 and R1a. On another type of DNA from the mother’s side, most Croats share three main groups: H, U, and J. These DNA patterns show that Croats share ancestors from long ago, when Slavic people moved into areas now known as Croatia, Poland, and Romania-Bulgaria over 1,500 years ago. Recent studies also found that Croats have a mix of ancestry from early Slavic people, local Romans, and a small amount from West Anatolia.

Language

Further information: Croatian language, Shtokavian dialect, Chakavian dialect, Kajkavian dialect, and Bunjevac dialect

Speech example

An example of Old Croatian used in Baška tablet.

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Croats mainly speak Croatian, which belongs to the South Slavic language family. It is very similar to Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin.

There are different ways of speaking Croatian. For example, people near the coast often use the Chakavian way of speaking, while those in the northwest part of Croatia use the Kajkavian way of speaking. The Croatian language has been written down since the 9th century. One of the oldest known examples is the Baška tablet from the 11th century, found on the island of Krk. It shows how people wrote and spoke Croatian long ago.

Religion

Main article: Catholic Church in Croatia

See also: Slavic Native Faith § Southern and Western Slavic nations

Most Croats are Catholics and follow the Latin Church. Before they became Christians, they practiced Slavic paganism or Roman paganism. Leaders from Rome, like the Pope of Rome, helped the Croats starting in the 7th century. A Pope named Pope John IV sent a helper named Martin to visit places like Dalmatia and Istria.

The change to Christianity began in the 7th century, starting with leaders, and was mostly finished by the 9th century. Some Croats still used their own language in services instead of Latin.

Besides Catholicism, some Croats follow other religions such as Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, or Islam. There are also smaller groups with other Christian beliefs.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Croatia

The land where Croats live has many influences because of its history and place. Areas near the coast, like Dalmatia and Istria, were ruled by the Roman Empire, Venetian, and Italian leaders. Other parts, like Lika and western Herzegovina, have strong storytelling traditions. In the north, Austro-Hungarian rule left its mark.

Croatian traditions include special music groups called klapa in Dalmatia and tamburitza orchestras in Slavonia. Folk arts are shown at festivals, such as the Alka competition in Sinj. People also sing old songs with an instrument called gusle, and dance in circles called kolo.

Main articles: Croatian art, Architecture of Croatia, and Croatian literature

Croatian architecture shows influences from nearby countries. In the north, buildings often look Austrian or Hungarian. Along the coast, towns have Venetian styles, with big squares and nice parks.

Croatian art goes back a long way. Writers such as Marko Marulić, Ivan Gundulić, and Ivo Andrić are important parts of Croatian literature.

Symbols

Main articles: Flag of Croatia, Coat of arms of Croatia, Coat of arms of Dalmatia, and Croatian checkerboard

The flag of Croatia is red, white, and blue, placed in a row. In the center is the Coat of Arms of Croatia. These colors were picked to honor a movement from the 1800s that helped unite Slavic peoples.

The Coat of Arms of Croatia shows a red and white pattern called the Croatian checkerboard. This pattern has been a symbol of Croatia for many years. It first appeared in 1495 in Innsbruck, Austria, and later became an official symbol.

The coat of arms also has five small shields on top, showing parts of Croatia’s past. The pattern is used in designs for airline logos and sports shirts because it looks nice and is easy to use. Another symbol in Croatia is the Croatian interlace, which comes from old monasteries and is used in military and police symbols today.

Communities

In Croatia, about 3.9 million people are Croats. They make up about 90% of the country’s population. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 553,000 Croats live mainly in Western Herzegovina, Central Bosnia, and Bosnian Posavina. Smaller groups of Croats live in Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.

Croats have many subgroups based on where they live, such as Dalmatians, Slavonians, and Istrians. Other groups include Šokci, Bunjevci, Burgenland Croats, Molise Croats, and Janjevci.

Autochthonous communities

Croatia is the home country for Croats. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croats make up about 15% of the population. In Montenegro, they are a small minority, especially in the Bay of Kotor. In Serbia, Croats live mostly in Vojvodina, where Croatian is one of the official languages. In Slovenia, Croats are not officially recognized as a minority but still have communities in regions like Slovene Littoral.

Croatian communities with minority status

Croats have minority status in several countries. In Austria, around 30,000 live in Burgenland, and about 15,000 are in Vienna. In the Czech Republic, a small number live in Moravia. In Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia, Croats also have minority status, living in various regions and villages.

Other regions with Croat minorities

Small Croat communities exist in Bulgaria, New Zealand, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. In New Zealand, there is a unique mixed group called the Tarara people, combining Croatian and Māori traditions.

Diaspora

Main article: Croatian diaspora

Today, about 4–4.5 million Croats live outside their home countries. Many moved for economic reasons, especially to the Americas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After World War II, many left for political reasons, heading to the Americas and Oceania. In the 1960s and 1970s, some moved to work in places like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The biggest waves of migration happened during and after the Yugoslav Wars in the early 1990s.

The United States has the largest number of Croatian descendants, especially in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. Australia and Canada also have big communities. Many Croats also moved to South American countries like Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.

Maps

The maps show where Croats live. One map shows Croats in different parts of Croatia in 2021. Another shows Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013. There are also maps for Croats in Vojvodina, which is in Serbia, and in Romania.

Ethnicities by municipality in Croatia in 2021

Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013

Croats in Vojvodina, Serbia

Croats in Romania

Historiography

See also: List of Slavic studies journals

This section talks about how people study the history of the Croats. It looks at the different ways writers talk about their past and the sources they use. There are special journals where experts share their ideas about this topic.