The State of Children of Children in Early Modern Age

Položaj djece u srednjem vijeku i ranom novovjekovlju, kako u svjetskoj, tako i u hrvatskoj povijesti, još je i dalje relativno nepoznata, ali i slabo istražena tema. Prisustvo djeteta u porodici u tom vremenu nije budilo veća osjećanja. Tadašnja porodica ne shvaća prisustvo djeteta kao malog čovjeka, a razlozi tomu su vrlo hladna osjećanja i sam način života u to vrijeme. Cilj je ovog rada predstaviti istraživanje o položaju djece, od njihova rođenja, pa sve do smrti. U prvom ću se dijelu osvrnuti na pojam obitelji u tadašnjem vremenu te ukratko prikazati suodnos muža i žene. Meritorni dio ovog rada posvećen je samoj djeci, pa će u poglavlju O djeci biti prikazan položaj djece, a i prikaz poimanja djetinjstva, tako će rad osvijetliti položaj djece u kasnom srednjem i novom vijeku. Sljedeći dio će prikazati položaj djece na prostoru današnje Hrvatske, eksplicite u Dubrovniku i Istri. U ovom su završnom radu konzultirana klasična djela europskih pisaca poput Philippea Ariesa Vjekovi djetinjstva iz 1973, djelo Johanna Huizinge Homo ludens iz 1992. te Grijeh i strah: stvaranje osjećanja krivice na Zapadu od XIV. do XVIII. vijeka Jeana Delumeaua iz 1986. Od tuzemnih djela konzultirane su studije: Rod i grad: dubrovačka obitelj od 13. do 15. stoljeća Zdenke Janeković Romer iz 1994., Djeca milosrđa – Napuštena djeca u Dubrovniku od 17. do 19. stoljeća Rine KraljBrassard iz 2013., Dijete i djetinjstvo u starijoj hrvatskoj književnosti iz 2008. Dunje Fališevac te dva djela Marije Mogorović Crljenko Nepoznati svijet istarskih žena iz 2006. te Druga strana braka iz 2012.This paper explores what means to be a child in the Early Modern Age. Through the paper, we can see that children and childhood attracts so little attention from writers through decades, even though times are changing now. The child had a challenging time in a world of misunderstanding and perception of what a human being is. Being part of a family is a fundamental part of society. Families faced with difficulties, such as poverty or inability of taking care of children, often sought help and different perception of life for them. Many children were either murdered or abandoned. Women often took that second part, they decided to abandon a child, so they often left them in visible places, so other people can find them. On the other hand, women also had a big tendency to commit infanticide. The church had a great deal in decreasing infanticide, making it a serious punishable crime but also in taking care of abandoned children. Records are showing more and more opening orphanages, from the early 13th century to the present time. Records from orphanages in Dubrovnik show us quite a numbers of death of children within just a few days. Orphanages or hospitals took care of the wards temporarily or permanently. But during this mortality was increased due to different reasons, such as high temperature or diarrhea, or only the inability of the child to survive the first days of life. Particular attention was given to Croatian writer Mavro Vetranović and his poem Pjesanca spurjanom. He dedicated this poem to illegitimate children whom he considered to be made by the devil himself. After some time, in the 18th century, child and childhood gain a significant understanding, only to make a child in the 20th and the 21st century, most loving person in the family