Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić is definitely the most distinguished Croatian nobleman from the 14th century. His father Vukac Hrvatinič was grandson of Stjepan (Stephen), progenitor of the princely family the Hrvatinić. Hrvoje was born around 1350 presumably in Kotor.grad his father patrimony. Through his marriage to Jelena, the daughter of Ivan Nelipić, duke from Omiš, he entered the ranks of the Croatian nobility. The house of Hrvatinić was highly esteemed by Stjepan Tvrtko, king of Bosnia and on March 12 1380, he made Hrvoje Grand Duke in high royal court in Mouštra, near Visoko.
After deats of Karlo Dračku, king of Naples, Hrvoje joined king Tvrtko in his struggle against the Croatian Hungarian king Sigismundus of Luxemburg with the intention to secede from Budim and unite Croatian lands Slavonia, Croatia, Dalmatia and Bosnia. He was an ally to Ladislavus, konkg of Naples, who, in 1393 made him Vice – Roy of Croatia and Dalmatia and shortly after gave him the title of Duke of Split. This title included the donation of the islands of Hvar, Brač, Korčula and Vis. In the documents from 1403 on the history of Split, Hrvoje was called Duke of Split , Vice.Roy of Dalmatia and Croatia, Grand Duke of Bosnia and Prince of the Lower Lands (Donji Krajevi) the region around Jajce and Banja Luka.
At the beginning of the 15th century Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić was the greatest potentate in Croatia, Dalmatia and Bosnia. In his historical writings Ivan Lučić wrote that Hrvoje used to enthrone and depose the kings as he pleased. In Croatia and Dalamtia he ruled not as a Vice-Roy, but as if he were the king himself (non come vicario, ma come se fosse lo stesso re).
Not only did the Bosnian rulers endeavour to win his favour, but so did the king Ladislavus, the king Sigismundus, Venice and Dubrovnik(Ragusa).
Should duke Hrvoje, after deposing king Ostoja, have taken the royal insignia himself, instead enthroning Tvrtko II, son of king Tvrtko I for the king of Bosnia? Would he , thus feel stronger to fight his enemy king Sigismundus, who provoked a cycle of hostilities against Hrvoje on the pretext of fighting the Patarines?
After Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić had joined forces with his new ally the Turkish military leader Ishak-beg Ishaković, he defeated the king Sigismundus in 1416 near Doboj, but he died shortly after, in spring 1416. The place of his burial is unknown.
Under the region of Hrvoje Vukčić, the Croatian Catholic church attained prosperity, which can be seen in one of the most beautiful pieces of illuminated art from that period- the so called Hrvoje Missal from 1405, written by the Glagolitic priest Butko from Omiš and the Patarine Hval. The Missal was written on 247 piece of parchment for St. Michael’s church in Split.
This richly illuminated Missal was probably commissioned by the citizens of Split. It contains the famous portrait of Hrvoje on horseback dressed in the style of the Italian nobleman of the 14th century and is one of the finest illuminated Missals from the late Gothic period.
(R. Dodig)
