The role and position of military orders in the structure of the mediaeval society
It is generally believed that the military orders arrived in the territory of Croatia to guard the routes to the Holy Land and provide assistance and protection to the travellers. It is also known that they were brought to some places to join the fight against “infidels”, whereas in other places they managed the acquired estates to earn income for their orders.
Recent research has also ascertained their role in the defence of the borders of the Kingdom of Hungary-Croatia against the German Empire, and their presence has also been noted at the holy “stages” of the pre-Christian Slavs. Does that mean that the military orders were brought to these specific places with the purpose to supress paganism, in the similar way as they were “used” in the Baltic countries?
Individual locations of military orders are investigated by archaeological methods as an attempt to clarify the role and position of military orders in the structure of the mediaeval society.
Sites:
- Ivanec – Castle
- Gradišče near Margečan
- Prozorje (Martin-Breg) – St. Martin's Church
- Gora – Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Bela
Bibliography:
- Belaj, J. 2012, Arheološka istraživanja lokaliteta Stari grad u Ivancu (2007. – 2010.), Izdanja Hrvatskog arheološkog društva, Vol. 28 (= Arheologija varaždinskog kraja i srednjeg Podravlja), 215–225.
- Belaj, J. 2011, Prikaz arheoloških istraživanja crkve Uznesenja Blažene Djevice Marije u Gori tijekom 2008. i 2009. godine, Antiquam fidem. Zbornik radova sa znanstvenog simpozija o Sisačkoj biskupiji, Tepert, D., Jurić, S. (ur). Sisak, 3. – 4. 12. 2010., Sisak, 121–147.
- Belaj, J. 2010, Arheološka istraživanja u Ivancu na lokalitetu Stari grad. Izdanja Hrvatskog arheološkog društva, Vol. 25 (= 100 godina Arheološkog muzeja Istre u Puli: Nova arheološka istraživanja u Hrvatskoj), 225–244.
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