Declaratory Rescript of the Illyrian Nation ( lat, Rescriptum Declaratorium Illyricae Nationis; sr-cyr, Деклараторни рескрипт илирске нације, Деклараторија) was issued on 16 July 1779 by
Maria Theresa, Dowager-Empress and
Queen of Hungary
The King of Hungary ( hu, magyar király) was the ruling head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 (or 1001) to 1918. The style of title "Apostolic King of Hungary" (''Apostoli Magyar Király'') was endorsed by Pope Clement XIII in 1 ...
(1740-1780). It was a royal
rescript
In legal terminology, a rescript is a document that is issued not on the initiative of the author, but in response (it literally means 'written back') to a specific demand made by its addressee. It does not apply to more general legislation.
Over ...
, issued in response to a series of petitions made by
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
subjects of the
Habsburg monarchy, regarding the regulation of their religious freedom and ecclesiastical autonomy. The document was the result of a process, initiated by previously issued ''Regulamentum privilegiorum'' (1770) and ''Regulamentum Illyricae Nationis'' (1777), both of them replaced by the royal rescript of 1779.
The Rescript
The Rescript contained detailed regulations on the organization of the
Metropolitanate of Karlovci
The Metropolitanate of Karlovci ( sr, Карловачка митрополија, Karlovačka mitropolija) was a metropolitanate of the Eastern Orthodox Church that existed in the Habsburg monarchy between 1708 and 1848. Between 1708 and 1713 ...
, an autonomous ecclesiastical province of
Eastern Orthodox Christians
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
in the
Habsburg monarchy, who were mainly
Serbs
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language.
The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
and
Romanians
The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym '' Vlachs'') are a Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Romanian culture and ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they live primarily in Romania and Moldova. The 2011 Roman ...
. Since the end of the 17th century, the
archaic term ''Illyrians'' was used by the state administration in a classicizing manner, at first as a designation for Serbs, and later for all Eastern Orthodox subjects, including Serbs, Romanians and some other minor groups.
During the reign of
Maria Theresa (1740-1780), several assemblies of Habsburg Serbs were held, with royal consent, sending their grievances and petitions to the Habsburg court. In response to that, the Rescript of 1779 regulated, on some issues restrictively, many important questions, from the procedures regarding the elections of Eastern Orthodox bishops, to the management of dioceses, parishes and monasteries. With small changes, the Rescript was upheld in force until it was replaced by the "Royal Rescript" issued on 10 August 1868.
See also
*
Great Migrations of the Serbs
The Great Migrations of the Serbs ( sr, Велике сеобе Срба), also known as the Great Exoduses of the Serbs, refers mainly to two large migrations of Serbs from various territories under the rule of the Ottoman Empire to regions u ...
*
Arsenije III Crnojević
Arsenije III Crnojević ( sr-cyr, Арсеније III Црнојевић; 1633 – 27 October 1706) was the Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch from 1674 to his death in 1706. In 1689, during the Habsburg-Ottoman War (1683–1699), he side ...
*
Arsenije IV Jovanović Arsenije ( sr-cyr, Арсеније; ) is a Serbian given name, a variant of the Greek name '' Arsenios''. Diminutives of the name include '' Arsen'', ''Arsa'' and '' Arso''. It may refer to:
* Arsenije Sremac (d. 1266), second Archbishop of the Se ...
*
Metropolitanate of Karlovci
The Metropolitanate of Karlovci ( sr, Карловачка митрополија, Karlovačka mitropolija) was a metropolitanate of the Eastern Orthodox Church that existed in the Habsburg monarchy between 1708 and 1848. Between 1708 and 1713 ...
References
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1779 documents
1779 in law
1779 in religion
Habsburg Serbs
History of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Vojvodina under Habsburg rule
18th century in Serbia
Habsburg Transylvania
History of the Romanians