About the History of the Chiprovtsi Genus Soimirovich in Dubrovnik and Italy

Abstract

The present article provides some information about the history of the influential Soimirovich family in Dubrovnik and Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries. This family originates from the Catholic town of Chiprovtsi in North-western Bulgaria and it was known until now with Franciscus Soimirovich (1614 – 1673), who held important positions in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the Balkans. The article is dealing with the relocation of some of them to Dubrovnik and subsequently to different parts of Italy and with their marriages with various local families. They have integrated successfully into the societies of their new homelands as respected and wealthy merchants. However, they didn't cut their ties with Bulgaria which can be seen from the testament of one of the representatives of the family, called Demetrio Serratura from Dubrovnik, translated at the end of the article.