Page 177 - Panjek, Aleksander. 2016. Krvavi poljub svobode: upor na galeji Loredani v Kopru in beg galjotov na Kras leta 1605. Založba Univerze na Primorskem, Založništvo tržaškega tiska, Koper - Trst
P. 177
summary: the bloody kiss of freedom
time studies and the history of the Mediterranean (since the classical works of
Braudel and Chaunu). The Medieval and Early-Modern maritime history of
the Mediterranean at the Adriatic-sea scale has mostly focused on the Repub-
lic of Venice, which dominated the Adriatic and the Eastern Mediterranean
for some centuries, along with the history of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), and that of
the Uskoks of Senj (Bracewell). In the maritime, economic and social history
of Venice the role of the galleys (as typical military and trading ships) and the
struggle against piracy represent relevant topics, too (Tenenti).
On the other hand, a great deal of attention is dedicated to the mul-
titude of actors in the story and its aftermaths, the names and words of the
same, in order to give back an identity and a role to the members of unprivi-
leged social groups, such as peasants, and even marginal ones, such as the gal-
ley-rowers, who very rarely act in the first person in historical works. In do-
ing so, the book gains the contours proper of the micro-historical approach,
which developed in the 1970-ies and gained a wide international echo that
reaches until the present day. In fact, the microhistory addresses limited phe-
nomena, such as a single community, a family, or an individual, mainly from
the lower social strata. It uses names, and seeks to reconstruct the “real life”,
defining itself as the science of the experienced. However, while dealing with
the micro level, this approach always looks up and questions anew the mac-
ro historical level (Levi, Ginzburg). The micro-historical approach is adopt-
ed to address themes in the field of rural history, while conceptual tools and
interpretative frames derived from historical anthropology and social histo-
ry (Scott, Muir, Bianco) are applied in interpreting the dynamics of the muti-
ny and deeds of the rebels.
Following below is a brief summary of the book’s contents in more de-
tail.
The Prologue
On April 30th 1605 around midnight three galleys left Venice, carrying mo-
ney, clothes, and arms to reinforce the Serenissima’s fleet engaged in the fight
against pirates and corsairs in the Eastern Mediterranean. Their destination
was Corfu, while their meeting point was designated about half way along the
route, on an island in Dalmatia – but, upon reaching that point, two galleys
waited in vain for the third one.
The Mutiny Under the White Flag of Freedom
In fact Antonio Loredan, chief of the galley Loredana, headed towards Is-
tria instead of Dalmatia and paid a visit to his father, the local Venetian po-
destà in Koper. In the morning, while most of the leading officers and armed
177
time studies and the history of the Mediterranean (since the classical works of
Braudel and Chaunu). The Medieval and Early-Modern maritime history of
the Mediterranean at the Adriatic-sea scale has mostly focused on the Repub-
lic of Venice, which dominated the Adriatic and the Eastern Mediterranean
for some centuries, along with the history of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), and that of
the Uskoks of Senj (Bracewell). In the maritime, economic and social history
of Venice the role of the galleys (as typical military and trading ships) and the
struggle against piracy represent relevant topics, too (Tenenti).
On the other hand, a great deal of attention is dedicated to the mul-
titude of actors in the story and its aftermaths, the names and words of the
same, in order to give back an identity and a role to the members of unprivi-
leged social groups, such as peasants, and even marginal ones, such as the gal-
ley-rowers, who very rarely act in the first person in historical works. In do-
ing so, the book gains the contours proper of the micro-historical approach,
which developed in the 1970-ies and gained a wide international echo that
reaches until the present day. In fact, the microhistory addresses limited phe-
nomena, such as a single community, a family, or an individual, mainly from
the lower social strata. It uses names, and seeks to reconstruct the “real life”,
defining itself as the science of the experienced. However, while dealing with
the micro level, this approach always looks up and questions anew the mac-
ro historical level (Levi, Ginzburg). The micro-historical approach is adopt-
ed to address themes in the field of rural history, while conceptual tools and
interpretative frames derived from historical anthropology and social histo-
ry (Scott, Muir, Bianco) are applied in interpreting the dynamics of the muti-
ny and deeds of the rebels.
Following below is a brief summary of the book’s contents in more de-
tail.
The Prologue
On April 30th 1605 around midnight three galleys left Venice, carrying mo-
ney, clothes, and arms to reinforce the Serenissima’s fleet engaged in the fight
against pirates and corsairs in the Eastern Mediterranean. Their destination
was Corfu, while their meeting point was designated about half way along the
route, on an island in Dalmatia – but, upon reaching that point, two galleys
waited in vain for the third one.
The Mutiny Under the White Flag of Freedom
In fact Antonio Loredan, chief of the galley Loredana, headed towards Is-
tria instead of Dalmatia and paid a visit to his father, the local Venetian po-
destà in Koper. In the morning, while most of the leading officers and armed
177
