A Traveller's History of Croatia

by Benjamin Curtis

Anyone who has glimpsed the long, mountainous, island-studded Dalmatian coast would surely agree that its beauty is little short of divine. Croatia, quite simply, is blessed with some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, and its history is equally captivating. A Traveller's History of Croatia offers tourists and travellers an inside look at how the country's cultural fusion of Mediterranean, Central European and Balkan influences has given it a tumultuous past. The book's narrative begins with Croatia's astounding Greek and Roman legacy, and then explains how the early blooming of the Croatian state in the 9th century was thwarted by the ambitions of its powerful neighbour, Hungary. In the Middle Ages much of the coast came under the control of Venice, which over centuries left its indelible stamp on many charming, historic towns. Croatia became a battlefield as the Ottoman Turks invaded during the 1500s, until they were finally repulsed by the Habsburgs, who ruled the country right up until the First World War. The twentieth century brought new solutions in the founding of Yugoslavia, problems with Croatian nationalism and the horrors of invasion in World War II. Under Tito a stability came to the region until the battles of the 1990s, which were finally resolved with the international recognition of an independent state in 1992. Croatia today is independent, peaceful, and as beautiful as it has taken its place as one of the world's most coveted travel destinations.

Genres: Travel, History, Nonfiction

277 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2006

Reviews

[Paul Haspel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Croatia is an astonishingly beautiful country with an amazingly turbulent history, as Benjamin Curtis chronicles in A Traveller's History of Croatia. This book is part of Interlink Books' "Traveller's History" series of brief, country-specific histories directed toward travellers who are planning a trip to a particular nation. In this volume, the history-minded and Croatia-bound traveller gets a brief and effective summation of Croatia's history, complemented with slightly more elaborate descriptions of prominent tourist sites (e.g., the ancient Roman amphitheatre at Pula, a painting of which appears on the cover of this book) than would be the case in a conventional work of history. The parts of the book dealing with the Roman Empire, the influx of Slavic peoples from the north and east, and the Middle Ages make for pleasant enough reading for the history buff. Similarly, when Curtis chronicles how the Ottoman Empire, the Serene Republic of Venice, and the Hapsburg Empire all sought to exert influence in Croatia, one is reminded of how long the self-declared Great Powers of the world have been interfering in the affairs of weaker, developing nations. The Yugoslavia chapters (dealing with both the first, royalist Yugoslavia born after World War I, and Tito's Yugoslavia of the Cold War era) made for very interesting reading, especially considering how some citizens of the six now-independent republics of the former Yugoslavia now harbor feelings of "Yugostalgia" for that lost time. Be warned, however, that the chapters that deal with the World War II Ustasha (a fascist movement that committed acts of mass murder against Croatia's Serb, Jewish, and Roma citizens, as well as Croat anti-fascists), and with the bloody wars that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, are a painful read. If you don't want such grim subject matter with your gin-and-tonic while you're reading at beachside or poolside in Split or Dubrovnik, you may want to look elsewhere. The book is illustrated with line drawings that are satisfactory (would photographs have made the book too expensive?), and with maps that are quite good. Not a conventional travel book of the kind that one uses to find, say, a good hotel or restaurant near the main square in Zagreb; but, as mentioned above, if you are planning a trip to Croatia and want to learn something of the country's history before you go, this book may be for you.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

"And, as the saying goes, for all the changes in the last several decades of Croatian history, much remains the same. . . The palmshaded cafes on Split's romantic waterfront still buzz with the chatter of beautiful people no matter what time of day or night. Ships from around the world still dock at Dubrovnik's wondrous harbor...."

[Tomislav · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical overview of Croatia is one of a “Traveller’s History” series featuring many different nations, although there is none for any of the other former Yugoslav Republics. My family is American Croat (We say “Croatian-American” here), and so when I saw this at a Friends of the Library sale, I thought it might add some details to what I already know of the subject. I have no particular travel plans, although certainly I have been to Croatia in the past.

The book is far more informative than a typical travel guide, but less detailed than an academic textbook – probably about perfect for my purposes. It is chronologically arranged, and while it emphasizes things and places a traveler might see, it also provides analysis of the forces that shaped events, presumably some sort of consensus view. As we all know, the history of this part of the world is very complicated, and the thread that the author traces is the inhabitants of the land, be they Roman or Slavic or other, and the governing empires based outside of Croatia itself. It bogs down in the medieval centuries, after the Roman Empire and before the Ottoman Empire, but probably that is the nature of the highly fragmented period itself. The book ends with the current status of Croatia, as an EU member state.

The author was educated in the US and resides in the UK. While this book was published in the US, it does contain British spellings (such as “traveller”). Not a big deal; there is not a British-specific perspective. I read the second edition, with latest events in the chronology being 2016. Benjamin Curtis has also written a related book The Habsburgs: The History of a Dynasty (2013).

[Rusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does exactly what it sets out to do, and for the size, does it very well.

[Michael Dutchak · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a classic Croatian proverb that refers to only looking to the future and not the past. Now I know why. The peoples of Croatia have been attacked and subjugated by outsiders for over 2,000 years going back to early Greek and Roman empires. Not until the start of the 21st century did they break free from the final remnants of their dysfunctional history. It is amazing that they have been able to get to where they are as a country in twenty years.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

readable but very thorough history of the region

[Gregory Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year, friends, and I rented bicycles and trekked from Trieste Italy, down the coast of Croatia to Pula. It was a very memorable trip, so much so that my wife and I decided to take a cruise down the Dalmatian coast this year. I read this book before and during our time in this interesting country.

I knew that there had been a lot of turmoil in the history of this region, but I had no idea just how much there has been. Sandwiched between the east and the west, this region has been under the rule of empires such as the Venetians, the Ottoman and Austria-Hungarian Empires, Yugoslavia (parts one and two), until finally, as of 1991, it became its own independent state.

None of those developments came easily. In fact, as I was walking through the Temple of Augustus in Pula, I encountered a man who had spent many years in prison as a political prisoner in the most recent conflict. As he stated, each generation seems to want to “feel with its own skin” the struggle for its own autonomy.

This book is called a traveler’s history of Croatia, but it’s more thorough than I anticipated. It does sag a little bit during some early periods of history, but the author does a very respectable job giving you each of the successive historical struggles that citizens in this region have had to endure. He concludes that, for Croatians, “this is the best time in all of Croatian history.” From what I’ve just read, I’d have to agree.

[Zhermen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty well structured. I am pleasantly surprised by how solid this book is. It is definitely not your typical “traveller’s guide”. It is more like a compact crash course in Croatian history.

Finishing it right after watching The Death of Yugoslavia this weekend, and the final 30% of the book adds even more depth to the whole Yugoslav breakup, reinforcing just how complicated that period was. The author manages to keep things readable without oversimplifying, which I appreciate.

One thing this book made me think about is nostalgia in the region. Yugonostalgia, which is mostly cultural and social, seems very different from the nostalgia some Bulgarians have for the Zhivkov era, which is political - at least on the surface. But I can’t help wondering if the root is similar - a longing for stability and predictability, even if the systems themselves were completely different and not necessarily better. I am pretty sure people express it in a different way also.

Overall, a surprisingly rich and accessible introduction to Croatia’s past. If you want to understand why a region is the way it is, reading about its history is a good place to start.

[Ken Lindholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that fits its purpose - A Traveller's History of Croatia provides a good background for understanding the country without bogging down the reader too much. If you're planning a visit, and don't know much about country, this will help a lot. The first part of the book is relatively dry, but the story is more interesting as you approach the last two centuries. Unfortunately, Croatia has a rather sad history -- it historically sits between neighbors which are much larger powers (Rome, Venice, Austria, Hungary, the Ottoman Empire). Croatia and it neighboring ethnic groups get squeezed between the larger powers, with their lands becoming the contested battlefields. Recent history (World War II through the 1990's) may be even worse as we see ethnic cleansing killings between a number of the ethnic groups residing in the area. Clearly not a "feel good" history, but one might hope for a better future now that ethnic groups largely control their own fates, and some stability exits. Perhaps the best history will be in coming years.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this as research for a novel and it provided me exactly what I was looking for. The early parts of the book get a bit too into the weeds on medieval Croatia, requiring many flips to the map pages to picture the old regions superimposed over the modern country. But the history of the 20th Century is solid and enlightening, describing how various groups if Croatians viewed the various events and personalities. And the explanation if the Balkan wars in the 1990s finally gave me the perspective I needed to understand the conflicts. I lived through that time, but never understood the history or reasons for the hatreds.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite parts of this condensed but comprehensive history of Croatia were from World War I onward, especially starting with Tito's Yugoslavia through Croatian Independence and the battles of the 1990s into contemporary Croatia. I had a hard time getting through the long parts about medieval Croatia, but I did find interesting the constant struggles for power over Croatia by the Ottomans, the Venetians and the Habsburgs. In all, I learned a lot and found illuminating parts of the country's history that before seemed to me impenetrable, such as the wars in the 1990s. I learned much from this compact book.

[Banbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect amount of information for a "traveller" (tourist) to Croatia. I knew nothing about Croatia before reading the book, other than it had been a part of Yugoslavia, and that there had been a complicated war involving the entities (countries? ethnic groups? territories?) Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Herzegovina in the 1990s, which I had tuned out the news about. This book provided a clear, if not deep, history of the region, from ancient times up to the very recent past--including a comprehensible (as much as war can be comprehended) explanation of the causes and results of the wars at the end of the 20th Century.

[Bob Finch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this before my first trip to Croatia in 2019. It is a great resource that really helped me understand the complex history of that remarkable country and its people, from settlement by the Greeks in the 4th century BCE through the 1990s “Homeland War” and the present (to about 2015). Engagingly written and remarkably easy to read despite being jam packed with information, I can heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in Croatia and the former Yugoslavia. It is part of a series, and I intend to read others.

[John Cruise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book before I took a Rick Steve’s’ tour through Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia. Rick’s website recommended this book for those taking the trip who were interested in the region, and it was a very worthwhile investment. It helped me understand the complicated history of this region where east meets west. The book is thorough, but it is also well written and very readable. Coincidentally, Ben also ended up being our tour guide, and I’m still not sure whether he’s a better author or tour guide, as he’s excellent at both! Highly recommend!

[Sarah]

I brought this with me on a trip to Croatia, and found that it made the trip so enjoyable! I loved having a sense of the region's history and it made everything around me take on greater meaning. Alas, I should've read it before I went because I didn't have enough time to actually finish it on the trip. Once I got home I lost the motivation to continue, so abandoned it. But that doesn't reflect the quality of the book!

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a concise history of Croatia since I was to be traveling there in August. Although Croatian history goes waaaaay back before Roman times and has been significant up until yesterday, I didn't have the time to read analyses; hence the "Traveller's History" series! I know it's not fair to a country's history to just read the Cliff notes, however, this book did a super job of getting me up to speed so I could enjoy my trip on multiple levels.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many facts and so much history- a little overwhelming actually. Starting in ancient times and covering all the kingdoms that dominated Croatia over the centuries, it really provides a ton of information. I was most interested in the recent past, as I remember Yugoslavia falling apart and the wars in the 90s, but I was not quite old enough to really know what was going on.

[Rich Stiglic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Croatia's history, especially around World War 2, was fascinating. Then post World War 2 and how Marshal Tito played both USA and USSR to Croatias advantage. It wasn't until the 1990s that Croatia became part of the E.U.
The ports of Split and Dubrovnik look spectacular. I can't wait to visit!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect travel read to help give context to Croatian sightseeing. I found it especially helpful for visiting the Dalmatian Coast (Split-Dubrovnik)

[Marni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A LOT of detail in 270 pages. I'll be visiting a country that had independence in the 1100's and then not again until 1992.

[Tomaso Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book years ago after Croatia officially joined the European Union. Now years later after having found the book and finishing it, I think the effort was well worth it.

[Jessica Mlinaric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful overview of a long and complicated regional history.

[Nallasivan V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise yet comprehensive history of Croatia

[Kari Coll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read complicated history before our trip.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive and readable survey of the history of Croatia.

[Nicholas Grummon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cultural and geographical fault lines are what have largely determined Croatia's history. The country uneasily straddles three worlds.
Tito, much like the Habsburg rulers, was autocratic but not despotic, and he ruled over his disparate collection of peoples by playing them off each other, just as the Hapsburgs had.
- This was supposed to be my prep for traveling to Croatia, but I procrastinated until I was actually in Croatia to read it. It kind of worked out really well though because reading this book in the places mentioned made it real. The history itself was wild. Maybe it’s just Curtis’s style, but every single sentence would have been a country-ending scandal anywhere else, yet Yugoslavia/Croatia just kept going.
B

[Riq Hoelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one great book, simultaneously covering Croatia's entire history with pinpoint accuracy, but never getting overly bogged down. This is far from easy to achieve! Really it's more than travel guide, but could serve in an introductory history course. Maybe we could have had more maps and pictures, but the web is so much better for things like that these days anyway that it's better to have the extra text.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually surprised that this book doesn't have a higher rating, because it does exactly what it sets out to do - educate the traveler about the country's history - very well. Certainly this is no academic history; how can it be in 250 pages? But I feel very well prepared to visit Croatia and appreciate its different regions and peoples, from the Roman amphitheater in Pula to Diocletian's palace in Split, to the "Habsburg Riviera" of Opatija to the Balkan War Museum just outside the walls of Dubrovnik. The length and level of detail were perfect for me, and I will definitely carry this small volume on my travels; it is well highlighted and will remind me along the way of the 3000 years of history I've learned.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very detailed researched book of history of Croatia and how it has survived multiple governing countries throughout it's history. It does not cover-up it's involvement in 20 century ethnic cleansings. Certainly learned a lot about an area of the world I have been apparently totally ignorant.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick history of Croatia. It was a little dry, but I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of the country as a result of reading this book. I definitely recommend this book if you're traveling there.