The Imprisonment of Nikola Modru？ki (Nicolaus Modrusiensis) by the Counts of Krbava in 1462

Sa？etak The author describes the kidnapping, imprisonment and blackmailing of the Modru？ bishop Nikola Kotoranin (Nicolaus Machinensis de Catharo, 1461-1480) - better known as Nikola Modru？ki (Nicolaus Modrusiensis) - the actions which were undertaken in 1462 by the count of Krbava Karlo Kurjakovi？ (the younger) with the assent of his cousin german the count Ivan Kurjakovi？ and with the help of some of his confidants. With the exception of casual notes, these events have not received proper attention in historical researches yet. The afflictions undergone by one of the most eminent and renowned Croatian humanistic intellectuals, writers, prelates and diplomats of his time can today be partially comprehended owing to the contents of two letters known in scholarly circles from the epistolary of the Zadar archbishop Maffeo Vallaresso (1450-1495) which is kept in Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana as a part of the Barberiniana library. These letters bear witness to his intercession in this unusual case concerning which we have additional knowledge owing to a report written at the Venetian Consilium Rogatorum and as well to a bull issued by the pope Pius II (1458- 1464) from Archivum Secretum Vaticanum directly connected with these events. As can be seen from the two Vallaresso's letters dated July 10th, 1462, discontent that two years previously the center of the Krbava diocese together with the title had been moved from Krbava to the town Modru？, which was at the time within the dominion of their opponents the Frankapan family, the counts had seized the opportunity to kidnap and then blackmail the imprisoned bishop of Modru？, a man in the confidence of the Frankapan family, and force him to make pope Pius II return the bishop's seat and title to Krbava or to establish the new diocese within their dominion in proportion to the profit from local estates. The kidnapping took place around the middle of May at the earliest or perhaps a bit later during May or June, since we know from one preserved bishop's document that he was still free on May 14th, 1462 within his seat in Modru？. In addition to the main demand mentioned above, the counts forced the bishop to take upon himself the whole blame for these events and to make pope Pius II give them absolution from the ecclesiastical punishments they had fallen into because of the great sin they had committed in imprisoning him. They also demanded that the Zadar archbishop Vallaresso personally guarantee that everything that the bishop under oath promises to be carried out before his liberation will be accomplished.