Kačić family

The family derives from the Slavic kača (snake). Based on etymology, it is likely that the Hungarian Kačićs (Kacsics) are originally of Slavic rather than Hungarian origin. Latin sources also refer to the name as de genere Chacittorum, generatione Cacich, genus Chacittorum, nobiles de Cacich, Caçici, Cacicii, Cacicli, Caciki, Cazethi, Cazichi, Cazziki, Chacichi and Kazzeti. The Kačić name is distinct from the similar-sounding name of another noble family, Kašić (Chasich), and its derivations (Kasig, Kasige). ==History==

The Kačić's family can be traced to the Pacta conventa, an agreement dating from 1102 (or later), according to which the Kačićs were one of the twelve Croatian noble tribes (genus) who accepted the Hungarian king Coloman as the new king of Croatia. They were represented by comes Juraj Kačić (Comittem Gurram de genere Chaçittorum). According to the Supetar Cartulary, they were one of six tribes which selected bans who, in turn, elected a new king in a case where the prior king died without leaving heirs. Some historians argued that the Croatian rex Slavac and other nobles with the title of Marianourm and Morsticum, often argued to be related to the Narentines, mentioned in the cartulary were originating from the tribe of Kačić. The first mention of Kačićs is considered 1165, when the Byzantine chronicler John Kinnamos said that 57 cities in Croatia and Dalmatia as well the "nation Kačićs" came under the Byzantine rule. The Kačićs were mostly recorded in the scope of sales contracts and lands disputes, or as witnesses. In 1182, the first explicitly mentioned noblemen as members of the genus Kačić are Miroš Kačić (1166–82) and his son Dobroš, previously also Miroš's father Toljen (1164–66), the judge of Tinj, Toliš Kačić with sons Juraj and Deško, Premko Kačić with sons Dragoš and Pribislav, and likely Otra with his son Dragoslav. The Kačić family originated in the Zadar hinterland near the Krka river, and when King Petar Krešimir IV mastered the Pagania, some members of the family likely relocated to the area between the Cetina and Neretva rivers. The social distinction between noble Kačićs in the Zadar-Biograd hinterland and the princely (knezes) Kačićs from Omiš remains uncertain, but the two families are considered to be related. The clearest established connection is the noble Hodimir, mentioned in 1207 in a charter of St. Peter's Church in Bubnjani near Tinj, whose son Nikola was an Omiš knez. In the 12th and 13th centuries Kačićs possessed lands in the Zadar hinterland, in the wider area of Tinj, Nadin, Kačina Gorica, Kokićani and Kamenjani. From the mid-14th to 15th century, their holdings expanded to include Podnadin, Bistrovina, Butina, Kačina Gorica, Suhovaram, Grguricavas and Krneza, and the wider area around those villages. The center of the genus was in Nadin, for some Zadar, Nin and possibly Pag, where "dominum Caçigh" is mentioned. According to M. Marković, in the early 11th century, the lands West of Nadin were ruled by the tribe Lapčan, while in the East by family Kašić. The family name of the Kačićs can be found in the toponyms Kačina Gorica, Kačišćina (alleged second name for Bistrovina), Kačićić (Chacichich) and Kačić (Cacich). In the 14th century the family members began to identify themselves by family names with the adjective "de generatione Cacich". In the next period the Kačićs can be traced through three families. In the 15th to 17th centuries a branch settled in the wider area of Cazin and Bosanska Krupa, where in 1487 there was a dispute between them and the Babonić noble family. The last mention of Nadin Kačićs dates back to 1527, when Šimun (Simon) was in the citadel of Zadar, after pressure from the Ottoman conquest. ==Omiš branch==

, where the Kačićs and pirates of Omiš had their main hideout. The first known knez of Omiš, Nikola, was mentioned, along with his relatives and everyone under his lordship, in a peace treaty with Kotor from 1167. Knez Nikola's power and independence was strong enough to have Rogerije, the Archbishop of Split, executed in 1180. Family political influence at that time included Brač and Hvar, Breueco (Brenti, Brevko, Brečko)also of genus Kačićas well as the previous Šibenik iupanus (župan). Archbishop Rogerije, who also served Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos as representative governor of Croatia, had become involved in a dispute about an estate around Mosor. A conte Nicola Aprico, who was identified in two dispute settlements of Split during 1178–79, is considered to be the same knez Nikola. In 1190, Nikola established a peace treaty with Dubrovnik. Like the 1167 treaty with Kotor, the 1190 treaty granted safe and free navigation to Dubrovnik ships from Molunat to Orebić (Trstenica). The area of Omiš principality seems to have included the islands of Brač, Hvar and Vis, and probably at some point Korčula, but it is uncertain whether the land included coastal Poljica and Žrnovnica to the North and Makarska coast to the South. In the 13th century the center of the principality was Omiš, and with the title of Omiš knez (comes) the sources also mentioned the title of knez for the islands. In the 13th century the terms Kačićs (Kačići) and residents of Omiš (Omišani) are both mentioned, making it sometimes more difficult to reliably identify members of the genus. However, it seems that the princely titles were held only by the Kačićs. They achieved a large degree of independence from the central government and imposed the name of Omiš and Kačić family over the entire region. ==Makarska branch==

is naturally protected by Biokovo mountain, making it mainly accessible by the sea. In 15th-century sources, Kačićs appear in the Makarska Riviera (Krajina), most likely as the descendants of Omiš branch Kačićs. Descended from Baran's son Vukić, in Kotišina, were Terzić, Šimunović (extinct in the 17th century), Marković, and probably Begić. From Baran's son Andrijaš emerged Šiljić (Šilje), Perić, Klarević (Čavelić), Baše (Bašić) and Filipčević. Kačićs from Makar divided into Andrijašević and Mitrović. Descended from Baran's son Baran was the family of Baranović. Notable members • Bartul Kačić-Žarković (1572–1645), bishop of Makarska between 1615 and 1645 bishop of Makarska between 1646 and 1660 provincial of Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena between 1693 and 1696 bishop of Trogir between 1722 and 1730), and archbishop of Split between 1730 and 1745 canon and poet bishop of Split-Makarska between 1829 and 1837 Franciscan and ethnographer ==Hungarian branch==

Castle Castle. Several scholars considered that Hungarian Kacsics may have been descendants of Omiš Kačićs. They are mentioned in the early 13th century, in Northern counties Nógrád, Salgó and Hollókő. The first mentioned noblemen are brothers Michael Kacsics and Simon Kacsics, the Voivode of Transylvania (1209–1212; 1215) and Ban of Slavonia (1212; somewhere 1213–1218). Simon took part in the murder of Queen Gertrude of Merania (24 September 1213); therefore, King Andrew II of Hungary confiscated his possessions. Supporters of Andrew II in his rebellion against the elder brother and then king Emeric may have included the noble family Kačić. With the new king's intention of spreading his circle of supporters, some members of the family were probably gifted with estates in Hungary. A relationship between Hungarian and Omiš Kačićs is identified primarily in the mention of Šimun Kačić in a document from 1178, with father Nikola and brother Jakov, and with brothers Borislav, Bogdan and other family members in a document from 1190. In the next two or three generations, the genus branched into several lineages and families. First the Zagyvafői, Libercsei, and later Libercsei Tomposi, Libercsei Radó, Füleki, Ozdini, Etre, Kecsői/Berzencei, Hollókői, Salgói, and Bejei. Michael's son Falkos (1255) held properties at Szécsény and Nógrád, and was the founder of genus Libercsei, from which emerged powerful Szécsényi, Geréb of Vingárta, and Farkas of Szeszárme. To the Szécsényi belonged Kónya, Ban of Croatia (1366–67), while to the Geréb belonged Matthias, also Ban of Croatia (1483–92). The members of the genus accepted the supremacy of Máté Csák III, one of the most powerful oligarchs of the kingdom, around 1300; only one of them, Thomas Szécsényi became the partisan of King Charles I. Consequently, the king granted him his relatives' possessions following victories over the oligarch. Notable members • Michael Kacsics (died after 1228), Voivode of Transylvania between 1209 and 1212, Ban of Slavonia 1212 • Simon Kacsics (died after 1228), Voivode of Transylvania in 1215, Ban of Slavonia in 1213 • Farkas, Master of the cupbearers for the Queen in 1298, father of Thomas Szécsényi • Simon Kacsics (died after 1327), Count of the Székelys between 1321 and 1327 • Kónya Szécsényi (died after 1367), Ban of Croatia between 1366 and 1367 • Matthias Geréb (died 1489), Ban of Croatia between 1483 and 1489 == See also ==