English Translation
The Ragusan family Menčetić, from which the poet Šiško Menčetić descended, can be traced far back. This family included the sons of a certain Marinus: Antonius Marini and the aforementioned court chancellor Franciscus Marini de Menze. The progenitor of the Menčetić line was Blasius de Menze in the 14th century. Hence, this line was also called “
Vlahovići” in Slavic, as “Vlaho” was the common Ragusan form of the name of the city’s patron saint, St. Blasius (San Biagio). According to 18th-century Ragusan literary historians, Šiško Menčetić himself bore the surname Vlahović. This name was inherited from his great-grandfather, Joannes Blasii de Menze, who is mentioned from 1395 to 1442 (serving as rector multiple times from 1408) and appears in Slavic documents as Živko, Živan, or Žive Menčetić, though twice as Živko Vlahović.
Šiško’s grandfather, Damianus, is frequently mentioned between 1442 and 1466 and served as rector several times, for example, during the registration of Duke Stipan’s will in June 1466. Damianus’ brother, Thebaldus Joannis, is referred to by Šiško’s father, who inherited his house in Ragusa, as an uncle (Slavic: “barba”). Thebaldus’ widow, Slavusa (Slavuxia), was captured by Maltese pirates in 1485 and is still mentioned in 1497.
Šiško’s father, Simeon (or Simon) Damiani de Menze, first appears on August 22, 1446, in a lawsuit against Petrus Vite de Goze: “While Ser Simeone was playing chess with Ser Natale Marini de Bona, the said Ser Petrus came, forcibly took Ser Simeone’s chessboard, and attempted to strike him.” Later, Simeon conducted trade in Serbia. On November 5, 1450, Nicola Zuietchouich, a tailor, complained that he had been imprisoned by Simeon de Menze in Serbia near Bela Rieka, likely as a debtor, with the involvement of the despot’s officials. From 1477, Simeon is recorded in Ragusa as “caput judicum de criminali” and a member of the Consilium Minus. His wealth, which included properties in Ombla and Gravosa, and his pious character are evident in his will, dated May 7, 1506. Simeon died that year, shortly before December 30, when the will was registered.
Latin Terms Explained
The text contains several Latin terms, typical of Ragusan (Dubrovnik) archival records, which were often written in Latin due to the city’s administrative traditions. Below, I clarify the Latin terms used:
Rector: In Ragusa, the “rector” was the chief magistrate or head of the republic’s government, elected for short terms (often monthly) to lead the city’s administration.
Consilium Minus: The “Small Council” (Consilium Minus) was a key governing body in Ragusa, responsible for executive and judicial functions, typically composed of prominent citizens.
Caput Judicum de Criminali: This translates to “Head of the Criminal Judges” or “Chief Justice for Criminal Matters.” It refers to Simeon’s role as a high-ranking judicial official overseeing criminal cases in Ragusa.
Barba: A Slavic term (not Latin, despite its use in the Latin-heavy Ragusan context), meaning “uncle” in this case, used to describe Thebaldus Joannis’ relationship to Šiško’s father.
Ser: A title of respect (from Latin “senior” or Italian “ser”), equivalent to “Sir,” used for noblemen or distinguished individuals in Ragusa.
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https://archive.org/stream/archivfrslavis19berluoft/archivfrslavis19berluoft_djvu.txtMenčetić (Mence, Mençe, Menze, Mentius), hrvatska plemićka obitelj iz Dubrovnika. U izvorima se spominje od XIII. st., kada su već postojale dvije obiteljske grane – potomci Marina de Mençe i potomci braće Lampredija (zabilježen 1266), Dimitrija (1246–86) i Marka (1266–81). Po nadimku Markova sina Lovre (1280–1324) jedan se ogranak obitelji nazivao Gallo, dok je prema nadimku drugoga sina Nikole (1281–1304) drugi ogranak obitelji nazvan Presliça. Neki su potomci Marina Lampredijeva (1280–1319) nosili nadimak Chiachio. Od njegova praunuka Vlaha (1345–74) potječe ogranak s nadimkom
Vlahovićihttps://www.enciklopedija.hr/clanak/mencetic
