Summary: Whereas the socio-political conditions in Baranja and Eastern Slavonia in the Middle Ages have been relatively well studied and described, little is known about the landscape and the economy. What was happening to forests and forest game, did landowners have expert management or was there chaos in this respect? There are currently very few available written documents dating from this period.We had less difficulty with the description of the landscape and the plant and animal world because very few changes had taken place from the Quaternary (and from earlier periods).The focus was put on the representatives of individual groups of animals recorded by travel writers and naturalists of the late Middle Ages and the early New Age. The territorial distribution of species and groups (zoo and phytocoenoses) is still unclear, and so are the disappearance and appearance, the migrations from one area to another, including a larger territorial distribution and migrations that might have taken all directions.From the standpoint of modern ecology, the Middle Ages were a superlative period; ecosystems functioned autonomously with hardly any interference of man. The vastness of river flood areas was outstanding and was characterised by high organic production.In terms of ecological conditions in Baranja, the prime place was taken by flooding of the rivers Danube, Drava and Karašica (in Baranja). The renowned “corner” of the Danube and the Drava, presently known as Kopački Rit, and the flood area of the river Karašica played the most important role in the fishing industry in this part of the Pannonian Plain. Later, the flood area of the Karašica disappeared following extensive hydro-ameliorative activities in the 18th and the 19th century.Forests were utilised in a haphazard manner. Their cutting down depended on the needs of landowners. There was a permanent conflict between serfs and landowners about cattle grazing. Apparently, the sources of conflicts were oak forests which bore rich crops of acorn. Acorn was collected and sold as the best quality food. Forest owners sold wood at fairs either as standing timber or as the whole coupes. The forests in Baranja were divided into “insular” forests – flood forests, and “land” forests – those out of reach of floods. A tripartite Code of Common Law of the Kingdom of Hungary ... (Tripartitum opus iuris consuetudinari inclyti regne ...) dating from this period protected forests; it dealt with the rights of owners and banned cattle grazing. Hunting was exclusively the privilege of landowners. The caught game was used as food and its fur was processed into various garments.Fishing was an important branch of economy. Fish was merchandise which was sold both processed and fresh. It was transported to Hungary and Austria and to other countries of the Kingdom by rivers. Live fish was transported by special fish boats (tikvara). Of fish products, beluga (Huso huso L.) was particularly appreciated. The fishermen of Osijek were well known for the two specialities locally called “trakanac” and “loparac”. In the Middle Ages fishermen were organised in guilds. Guilds had a certain religious status in religious feasts. They had their insignia, flags, uniforms, coats of arms, guild niches, statutes and other legal books.
Key words: the Middle Ages; forest and water ecosystems; forestry; fishing |
