Croatian Bishop to Pope: Boys Ransomed for Oats Amid Ottoman Raids

In 1516, Croatian Bishop Šimun Kožičić Benja addressed Pope Leo X in Rome, not with tales of Christian defense, but with a stark account of the human cost of Ottoman incursions on the Croatian frontier. He revealed that two boys captured in a recent raid on Modruš were ransomed for six measures of oats, a third for one measure, and a fourth for a loaf of bread.

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Two boys – so help you God Almighty – from the recent Modruš plunder were ransomed from the Turks for a full six measures of oats, a third boy for one measure, and a fourth for a loaf of bread.

Kožičić used these harrowing examples to underscore the devastating impact of decades of Ottoman attacks. Villages lay in ruins, and populations were taken into captivity. He questioned the value of European rulers' titles as defenders of Christianity when real people were dying and enslaved on the Croatian border. He argued that many captives could have been saved with very little expense, if only the will had been present.

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While European rulers bear the titles of defenders and protectors of Christianity, Kožičić reminds us that real battles are fought on the Croatian frontier, and real people are dying and ending up in captivity.

The bishop's speech was more than a plea for aid; it was a grim assessment of the situation. He warned that if assistance continued to be withheld, the impoverished and war-weary Croatian population might be compelled to seek agreements with the Ottomans or even join their ranks. This was not a political threat but a realistic projection from someone intimately familiar with the harsh realities of the Croatian borderlands.

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What is gold, luxury, and wealth if they cannot be used to save people?

Kožičić's address is considered one of the most significant Croatian political speeches of the early 16th century. The bishop's words powerfully illustrate how little the lives of the most vulnerable on the Croatian frontier were valued. The article notes that these events left profound demographic, civilizational, and psychological scars that continue to resonate today.

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If assistance continues to be withheld, the Croatian population, due to poverty and constant war, may be forced to make agreements with the Ottomans or even fight on their side.