A RESPONSE OF THE DUBROVNIK SENATE CHAMBER TO THE LETTER OF KING SIGISMUND FROM 9 NOVEMBER 1427: TRANSLATION AND LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

If the later transcripts of the original documents could be trusted, the agreement in Tati, from May 1426, which was reached between Stefan Lazarević and Sigismund of Luxembourg, obliged the Serbian despot to promise, among other things, to confer Belgrade to the king of Hungary after his death, in order to recognize Đurađ Branković for his legal heir and the future landlord of rather big despot’s territories in Hungary. After taking over the city, which was the future important military stronghold and rampart for the further progress of Turks, Sigismund tried to inhabit it with the Catholic population, transferring it to an important trade center. With that purpose, he sent the letter to the Dubrovnik Senate Chamber on 9 November 1427, urging the local merchants and artisans to come in large numbers with their goods to Belgrade. The paper presents a genuine text of the letter-response of the Senate Chamber to the Hungarian king, and its translation into Serbian. It was found out that Dubrovnik inhabitants were not able to immediately respond to Sigismund 's requirements: most merchants and artisans were isolated, being in danger within the walls of Novo Brdo and Prizrenac, where they defended the mentioned villages of persistent Turkish invasion together with Serbs since the beginning of 1427. The paper contains a detailed lexical, and morphological and syntax analysis of the text as a typical sample of Latin influence in the late middle age, with all the very specific characteristics of the Dubrovnik area.