Biograd na Moru (), shortened to simply Biograd () (Italian: Zaravecchia), is a town in northern Dalmatia, Croatia and is significant for being another capital of the medieval Kingdom of Croatia. Biograd is administratively part of the Zadar County. It is located on the Adriatic Sea coast, overlooking the island of Pašman, on the road from Zadar and Sukošan towards Vodice and Šibenik.
Etymology
The town's native croatian name fully translates as "the white town on the sea" in the local Ikavian dialect. The name Biograd is a compound literally meaning "white city" and etymologically corresponds to several other toponyms spread throughout the Slavic-speaking world: Beograd (Belgrade), Belgorod, Białogard, Belogradchik etc. The name was mentioned in the mid-10th century as a town founded in Kingdom of Croatia. It was rendered in Latin as Alba Maritima, meaning "the white maritime (one)".
Geography
Biograd na Moru is located 28 km south from the county capital, Zadar. It is located on small peninsula between two small bays: Soline to the south and Bošana to the north. To the west are the islands Planac and Sveta Katarina. Average temperature in January is 7.3 °C and 23.9 °C in July. The only settlement in the Town is Biograd na Moru itself.
History
Early medieval
A three naved basilica was built on the basis of an older 6th century church during the reign of duke Branimir in the 9th century. The building later became the cathedral of the Bishop of Biograd. One of the very significant characteristics of this building are the semi-circular buttresses, found only on the buildings in Croatia at that time.
The city is first mentioned as Biogradon in the mid-10th century chronicle De Administrando Imperio as one of the populated towns in "christened Croatia". It was the centre of the county (županija) of Sidraga. There are allegations that the bishopric was founded during this time based on a charter whose authenticity is disputed. Thus, this is not universally accepted by historians.
During the wars between Kingdom of Croatia and the Republic of Venice in 1000, the town was captured for a brief time by the Venetians. During this time the Biograd na Moru was mentioned as a castle, and its citizens subsequently swore an oath of fealty to the Doge, who installed Vitale Michiel as a governor.
During the 1050s, it is for the first time mentioned as the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alba Maritima, a suffragan of Salona, until its 1226 suppression, when its territory was merged into the nearby Diocese of Skradin. The city flourished during this time. King Peter Krešimir IV founded the monasteries of St. John the Evangelist and St. Thomas in 1059 and 1066, both of them being three-naved basilicas. The nearby 9th century Cathedral was also expanded with a belltower and by adding the southern part of the walls. The function of prior (head of city elected by its commune in Dalmatia) is attested. The city was also a major port during the latter half of the 11th century. During the succession crisis in 1096, the Norman princess Felicia of Sicily disembarked in the port of the city to marry the Hungarian king Coloman.
It was the city where Coloman of Hungary was crowned in 1102 by the Biograd bishop Bono, as the crown of Croatia was passed to the Hungarians. In the subsequent years its rule was exchanged between Venice and the Árpád family. At this point, the city is mentioned as a "royal city" (urbe regia) for the first time in surviving documents. The expanded name Belgradum supra mare (Biograd na Moru) is also for the first time attested during this period.
Around the year 1115, the city was acquired by the Republic of Venice, which then tore down the city walls towards the sea, so it would "for all times (per tutti tempi) remain in the possession of the Serenissima". It was eventually reconquered by Stephen II of Hungary in 1124.