The Principality of

Krk Krk (; it, Veglia; ruo, Krk; dlm, label= Vegliot Dalmatian, Vikla; la, Curicta; grc-gre, Κύρικον, Kyrikon) is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of Primorje-Gorski Kot ...

was a semi-independent

principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under ...

on the

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...

island of Krk that existed from 1451 to 1480 during the

Late Middle Ages The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the Periodization, period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Eur ...

. Previous to the principality's foundation, Krk and the surrounding lands were ruled by several Frangipani (

Frankopan The House of Frankopan ( hr, Frankopani, Frankapani, it, Frangipani, hu, Frangepán, la, Frangepanus, Francopanus), was a Croatian noble family, whose members were among the great landowner magnates and high officers of the Kingdom of Croati ...

) counts. In 1451, count Ivan VII, who ruled parts of Krk and parts of the nearby mainland, in a dispute with his brother, traded all his land on the mainland for his brother's land on the rest of the island, forming a Krk under the single ruler Ivan VII. During Ivan's reign (1451–1480) many religious structures and monuments were formed, improving the towns on the island greatly. The island's semi-independence came to an end when the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

invaded in 1480, when they tricked Ivan VII into leaving the island. The Frangipani family never had the title of Prince but only of Counts. During Ivan VII Frankopan's reign, a group of

Romanians The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Culture of Romania, Romanian culture and Cultural heritage, ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they l ...

who later diverged into

Istro-Romanians The Istro-Romanians ( ruo, rumeri or ) are a Romance ethnic group native to or associated with the Istrian Peninsula. Historically, they inhabited vast parts of it, as well as the western side of the island of Krk until 1875. However, due to se ...

settled in the island and survived until 1875, when the last speaker of the Istro-Romanian dialect of Krk, which has been referred to as "Krko-Romanian" by some Croatian scholars, died.

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Krk, Principality of Former principalities States and territories established in 1451 1480 disestablishments Frankopan family