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The aim of the paper is to examine the family genealogy as a mechanism of self-presentation of the noble families in the early modern period. More specifically, I will focus on the Oršić family and the belief of their eleventh century origin, from the Lapčani (Lapsanovich) kindred located in eastern Lika, corroborated in a number of eighteenth century sources, both textual and visual. In light of this, my lecture does not intend to determine the authenticity and historical accuracy of literary and visual material, which is credible only for the period starting from the sixteenth century onwards. Rather, I shall examine these records as the means that mirror the very concept of Oršić’s self-fashioning: the primary aim of these genealogies was to devise the continuous family history by accentuating the most important alleged ancestors, their heroic events and deeds. Therefore, by focusing on the simple, yet crucial question: ‘What makes the nobility noble?’ (T. Reuter), I will discuss the importance of blood relations and family lineage amongst other mechanisms of power, such as political and military functions, education, possessions, and social connections, as one of the most important distinctions between the nouveau riche and the old noble families in the 18th century. |
