According to the
Catholic Encyclopedia (1913): The oldest chronicle of Venice, known as the
Chronicon Sagornini, was compiled by deacon John, the chaplain and perhaps a relative of the Doge
Pietro II Orseolo (991–1009). John enjoyed the confidence of this doge, and was often sent as his ambassador to
Holy Roman Emperors
Otto III and
Henry II. In the first part of his chronicle, which deals with the early period of the republic, the narrative is often confused and deficient; later it becomes more accurate and complete, and for the time in which the writer himself lived it is particularly valuable. He carries the narrative to 1008 and treats in detail of the reign of Pietro Orseolo. John's chronicle is a key primary source for the history of Slavic peoples and polities in
Dalmatia during the 9th and 10th centuries, for which he probably drew on earlier documents. He distinguishes between the
Narentines, who lived about the mouth of the
Neretva River, and another, more northerly group that would give rise to the
principality of Croatia and later still, the
kingdom of Croatia. John reports on the troublesome dealings of
Doge John (829–836) and his successor
Peter (836–864) with the Neretva Slavs; the
Pactum Lotharii of 840 and the Venetian-Frankish alliance against Slavic piracy;
Domagoj and the wars about the Istrian region; the coup of the Slavic principality by
Zdeslav; the usurper
Branimir; and naval warfare against the Narentine Slavs in 887 and 948. For his own time, John reports on the successes of his master,
Doge Peter (II) Orseolo (991–1009), against the "Slav Croats", his clashes with both Croats and Narentines over the possession of
Zadar, and the submission of Dalmatian rulers (except the "king of the Croats") to Venice. John has also been erroneously credited with the
Chronicon Gradense, which is in the manuscripts usually given with
Chronicon Venetum. ==Notes==