Nikola Cimelić

Nikola Cimelić or Nikola Zadranin {{post-nominals|list=OFM}} (died {{circa|1470}}; {{langx|la|Nicolaus de Iadera}}) was a Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Duvno from 1460 until he died in {{circa|1470}} and the vicar general of Bosnia from at least in 1450 to his episcopal appointment in 1460.

Family

Cimelić, a Franciscan, was born in Zadar.{{sfn|Mandić|1936|p=27}}{{sfn|Škegro|2002|p=176–177}} Cimelić's parents were Ivan and Agnezina, and his paternal grandfather was Ostoja. He comes from the Cimelić family, whose surname is written in various forms, such as Cmelich, Zimelich, Cimel, Cmel, and Cimelich. His father, Ivan, first mentioned in 1435, was a reputable citizen of Zadar. Nikola had a brother, Petar, who was a wealthy merchant, and at least four sisters: Klara (married Krizančić), Katarina, Perucia (married Budačić), and Nikoleta (married de Mediolano).{{sfn|Runje|2006|pp=156–159}}

Vicar General of Bosnia

A document from Dubrovnik from 1465 mentions a writing from 1450, in which Friar Nikola is mentioned as a vicar general of Bosnia. Another document from 1451 mentioned Nikola Zadranin as a vicar general of Bosnia, where he appointed representatives of friars and friaries of St. Jerome in Ugljan, St. Domnius in Pašman, and St. Catherine in Novigrad and the whole territory of the Diocese of Bosnia. The appointment occurred in St. Francis Church in Zadar.{{harvnb|Runje|2006|p=152}}: Venerabilis Religiosus frater Nicolaus de Jadra ordinis minorum de observantia ut asseruit tamquam vicarius tocius vicarie Bosne dicto nomine non revocando nec cassando alios procuratores in partibus Dalmacie hactenus constitutos se pocius confirmando omnibus modo via jure usui et forma quibus melius scivit potuit et debuit tam de jure quam de consuetudine fecit constituit et solemniter ordinavit egregios nobiles viros Ser Paulum de Georgijs absentem sed tamquam presentem et Ser Lodovicum de Georgijs eius fratrem … in partibus Dalmacie monasteriorum sanctorum Jeronimi de Ugliano Sti Doimi de Pismano et Ste Catarine de Novigradi nec non tocius vicarie Bosne et fratrum .. Actum Jadre in ecclesia Sti Francisci de Jadra.... In 1452, Friar Nikola Cimelić appointed Father Krešul his representative before knyaz of Split, Vittore Delfino regarding a takeover of books for Bosnian friars.{{harvnb|Runje|2006|p=152}}: Venerabilis Religiosus frater Nicolaus Zmelich de Jadra ordinis minorum de observantia omnibus modo via jure et forma quibus melius scivit et potuit fecit et solemniter ordinavit constituit dompnum presbiterum Cresolum Luce de Jadra ibi presentem et sponte huius onus procurationis asumentem suum verum certum et legitimum nuncium missum .. occasionem quorumdam librorum et rerum mobilium dicti constituentis per prefatum dominum Comitem Spaleti intermisarum ad instantiam fratrum de Bosna. Et ab eodem domino Comite Spalati petendum recipiendum et recuperandum dictos libros et res mobiles... Actum Jadre in domo habitationis Ser Johannis Ostoie patris dicti constituentis... In 1453, Cimelić's sister Klara mandates him in a will to enable saying of Masses.{{harvnb|Runje|2006|p=153}}: Item voluit quod dentur ducati decem auri de bonis suis venerabili religioso fratri Nicolao Zmelich eius fratri, ad hoc ut ipse frater Nicolaus faciat celebrare missas et adimplere vota pro dictam testatricem factam prout ipse frater Nicolaus scit et sibi revelavit dicta testatrix eius soror... In 1459, he received approval from Rome to receive a benefit, as observant Franciscans weren't allowed to.{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=153}}

Episcopate

Cimelić's designation as a bishop is evident from a contract dated 17 October 1459, in which he accepts the appointment as the bishop of Duvno and obliges himself to support Jeronim Trogiranin, a bishop preceding him, with thirty golden ducats. The contract was signed in the residence of the bishop of Nin in Zadar.{{harvnb|Runje|2006|p=153}}: Reverendus pater et dominus frater Nicolaus ordinis minorum filius q. Johannis Ostoye ex una et presbiter Jacobus dictus Halustich tamquam procurator Reverendi patris et domini fratris Jeronimi Dei et apostolice Sedis gratia episcope Dumensis ex altera... Cimelić was appointed the bishop on 2 January 1460, as evident from the consistorial minutes from that period.{{sfn|Mandić|1936|p=27}}{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=153}}{{sfn|Škegro|2002|p=176}} Petar Runje writes that Zadranin's consecration probably took place shortly after his appointment.{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=153}}

The circumstances of his appointment were complicated, as the territory of the diocese was a domain of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, a nobleman who was a member of and the protector of the Bosnian Church, in conflict with the Catholic King Thomas. Stjepan's domains were at the time ravaged by the Ottomans, the allies of his son Vladislav Hercegović, with whom he was also in conflict.{{sfn|Škegro|2002|p=176}} A letter dated in 1460, where Cimelić was also mentioned, talks of the vacancy in the Diocese of Makarska and a great fear of Turkish intrusions at the Bosnian borders.{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=153}}

During 1461, Cimelić sent the Pope several requests, granted to him with the intercession of the archbishop of Zadar Maffeo Valaresso.{{sfn|Mandić|1936|p=27}}{{sfn|Škegro|2002|p=176}} The same year, in June, Cimelić was a judge delegated by Rome, in a case regarding the enforcement of a papal bull about Jelena, a citizen of Zadar.{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=153}} Due to the Ottoman incursions, Cimelić, like the local knyaz Pavao Klešić and many influential people from the area, fled. For some time, Cimelić resided in his native Zadar. At the end of July and early August 1463, Cimelić was in Venice with the papal delegate Cardinal Bessarion, with a task to convince the Republic of Venice to go to war against the Ottomans. Bessarion appointed Cimelić to preach for the Crusade in the areas of Furlania and Istria. Cimelić went preaching in August 1463 and, at the same time, tried to get his transfer in Gemona, in the region of Friuli. On 3 April 1464, the Gemona city council accepted him as their bishop; however, whether the Pope confirmed the appointment or was relegated to his episcopal duties in Duvno remains unknown.{{sfn|Škegro|2002|p=176–177}}{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=154}} Dominik Mandić wrote that the Holy See probably didn't allow the transfer and forced him to either to return to Duvno or the nearby Dalmatian town from where he could administer the diocese.{{sfn|Mandić|1936|p=29}}

In 1465 and 1470, Cimelić was a judge in two civil proceedings in Zadar. The first was between Petar Cimelić and Jeronim Krizančić, and the second was about a divorce between Marta and her husband from Perljan.{{sfn|Runje|2006|p=154}}

Although a friar, Cimelić, as a bishop, had the right to own property. On 7 September 1470, Cimelić wrote his will, which shows that he was bedridden in his brother Petar's house. In his will, he grants his books to the friary in Zadar and a boat to the friary in Pašman. Friar Jakov, his confessor, was given a breviary. The money and valuables would be given to his nephews, Friar Juraj's nephews, and the friaries in Zadar, Pašman, Ugljan, and Novigrad. His land was given to his nephew Ivan, and the vineyard to the friars of St. John's friary outside of Zadar. He wished to be buried in St. Francis' Church in Zadar.{{sfn|Runje|2006|pp=155–156}}

Footnotes

References

= Books =

{{cite book |last=Mandić |first=Dominik |author-link=Dominik Mandić |date=1936 |title=Duvanjska biskupija od XIV.–XVII. stoljeća |trans-title=The Diocese of Duvno from 14th to 17th century |language=hr |location=Zagreb |publisher=Tisak nadbiskupske tiskare}}
{{cite book |last=Škegro |first=Ante |date=2002 |title=Na rubu opstanka: Duvanjska biskupija od utemeljenja do uključenja u Bosanski apostolski vikarijat |trans-title=On the verge of existence: the Diocese of Duvno from its foundation till inclusion in the Vicarate of Bosnia |language=hr |location=Zagreb |publisher=Dom i svijet |isbn=9536491850}}

= Journals =

{{cite journal |last=Runje |first=Petar |date=2006 |title=Nikola Cimelić – Zadranin: duvanjski biskup i bosanski vikar? |trans-title=Nikola Cimelić of Zadar: the bishop of Duvno and the Bosnian vicar? |language=hr |journal=Bosna Franciscana |issue=22 |pages=151–160}}

{{succession box

|title = Vicar General of Bosnia

|before = Unknown

|after = Unknown

|years = {{circa|1450}}–1460

}}

{{succession box

|title = Bishop of Duvno

|before = Jeronim Trogiranin

|after = Vid Hvaranin

|years = 1460–{{circa|1470}}

}}