View source for Dalmatia

{{Short description|Historical region in Croatia and Montenegro}}
{{other uses}}
{{redirect|Dalmatian coast|the type of coastline|Concordant coastline}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Dalmatia
| native_name        = {{native name|hr|Dalmacija}}<br>{{native name|it|Dalmazia}}<br/>{{native name|vec|Dalmàssia}}
| native_name_lang   = hr
| settlement_type    = [[Regions of Croatia|Historical region]]
| image_flag         = Flag of the Kingdom of Dalmatia.svg
| flag_size          = 115px
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Dalmatia (Dalmatinski Grb).png
| shield_size        = 90px
| image_map          = Dalmatia (Kotor).svg
| map_caption        = {{plainlist | style = padding-left: 0.6em; text-align: left;|
*{{legend inline|#2e80bc|Dalmatia}}{{Ref|box2|2}}
*Sometimes regarded as Dalmatia:
{{legend striped|#ffffff|#2e80bc|up=yes|[[Gračac]] Municipality}}
*{{legend|#9278b8|[[Rab Island]]}}
*{{legend|#559a7a|[[Bay of Kotor]] area in [[Montenegro]]}}
}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{HRV}}<br>{{MNE}}
| seat_type          = Largest city
| seat               = [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
| area_footnotes     = {{Ref|box3|3}}
| area_total_km2     = 12190<!-- 3646-958+2984+4540+1781+76+26-->
| population_footnotes = {{Ref|box3|3}}
| population_total   = 803,930<!-- 159766-3136+96381+423407+115564+3680+7161+1107-->
| population_as_of   = 2021
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = Dalmatian
| footnotes          = {{note|box1}} Dalmatia is not designated as an official subdivision of [[Croatia]]; it is a [[Regions of Croatia|historical region]].<ref name="Frucht 2004">{{cite book|last=Frucht|first=Richard C.|title=Eastern Europe: An Introduction to the People, Lands, and Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lVBB1a0rC70C&q=Croatia+proper&pg=PA413|access-date=15 August 2012|edition=illustrated|volume=1|year=2004|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=1576078000|page=413}}</ref> The flag and arms below are also unofficial/historical; none are legally defined at present.
----{{note|box2}} The map represents modern-day perception: historical boundaries of Dalmatia varied over centuries.
----{{note|box3}}The figures are an approximation based on statistical data for the four southernmost [[Counties of Croatia|Croatian Counties]] ([[Zadar County|Zadar]] without [[Gračac]], [[Šibenik-Knin County|Šibenik-Knin]], [[Split-Dalmatia County|Split-Dalmatia]], [[Dubrovnik-Neretva County|Dubrovnik-Neretva]], [[Novalja]], [[Rab (island)|Rab]] and [[Lopar, Croatia|Lopar]]).<ref name="census2011-counties">{{Croatian Census 2011|S}}</ref><ref>{{Croatian Census 2011|S|13}}</ref>
| official_name      = 
| elevation_max_point = [[Dinara]]
| elevation_max_m    = 1831
| elevation_max_ft   = 6007
}}

'''Dalmatia''' ({{IPAc-en|d|æ|l|ˈ|m|eɪ|ʃ|ə|,_|-|t|i|ə|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Dalmatia.wav}}; {{langx|hr|Dalmacija}} {{IPA|hr|dǎlmatsija|}}; {{langx|it|Dalmazia}} {{IPA|it|dal'mattsja|}}) is a historical region located in modern-day [[Croatia]] and [[Montenegro]], on the eastern shore of the [[Adriatic Sea]]. It is a narrow land belt stretching from the island of [[Rab (island)|Rab]] in the north to the [[Bay of Kotor]] in the south. The [[Dalmatian Hinterland]] ranges in width from 50 kilometres in the north, to just a few kilometres in the south; it is mostly covered by the rugged [[Dinaric Alps]]. [[List of islands of Croatia|Seventy-nine islands]] (and about 500 islets) run parallel to the coast, the largest (in Dalmatia) being [[Brač]], [[Pag (island)|Pag]], and [[Hvar]]. The largest city is [[Split, Croatia|Split]], followed by [[Zadar]], [[Šibenik]], and [[Dubrovnik]].

The name of the region stems from an [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] tribe called the [[Dalmatae]], who lived in the area in [[classical antiquity]]. With the expansion of [[Roman Empire|Rome]], the province of [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyricum]] was established, and in the early 1st century it was reorganised into the province of [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]], which stretched over a vast territory. Consequently, a Romance culture emerged, and the indigenous Illyrian population became romanised. Following the [[fall of the Western Roman Empire]] and the [[Migration Period]], many different peoples passed through Dalmatia. While the local [[Illyro-Roman|Illyro-Romans]] organized themselves around [[Dalmatian city-states|their city-states]] under [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] protection, the [[Croats]] arrived in the early 7th century and established the [[Duchy of Croatia]], later becoming vassals of the [[Francia|Franks]]. With the [[Christianization|Christianisation]] of the Croats, [[Slavs|Slavic]] and Illyro-Roman elements began to intermingle in both language and culture. The [[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Kingdom of Croatia]] was founded in 925, and it later incorporated the [[Dalmatia (theme)|Theme of Dalmatia]]. 

After Croatia [[Croatia in personal union with Hungary|entered into a personal union with Hungary]] in 1102, Dalmatian cities were frequently conquered or shifted their allegiances during the [[Middle Ages]]. The [[Republic of Venice]] controlled [[Venetian Dalmatia|parts of Dalmatia]] from 1000 to 1358 and from 1420 to 1797, while the [[Republic of Ragusa]] existed from 1358 to 1808. The [[Ottoman Empire]] conquered much of the Croatian-Hungarian kingdom between the late 15th and late 17th century, reducing the territory that had been considered Dalmatia until then. Venice subsequently reconquered the [[Dalmatian Hinterland]], shaping the borders of what is today considered Dalmatia. These borders were further consolidated during [[Napoleon|Napoleon’s]] [[Illyrian Provinces]] and the [[Austrian Empire|Austrian]] 19th-century [[Kingdom of Dalmatia]]. At the end of [[World War I]] in 1918, as a part of unified [[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia|Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia]], Dalmatia became part of the [[State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs]]. Its official name use was abolished in 1922, until a resurgence as [[Split-Dalmatia County]] in 1993 following [[Independence of Croatia|Croatia’s independence]]. 

Modern Dalmatia has inherited a layered historical and linguistic heritage, which has in turn shaped [[Dalmatian identity|its distinct cultural identity]], evident in the region’s [[Klapa|music]], [[Croatian cuisine|cuisine]], traditions and lifestyle. The [[Shtokavian]] dialect of the [[Serbo-Croatian language|Croatian language]] is mainly spoken on the mainland and in the hinterland, while [[Chakavian]] is spoken on the islands. While the number of native Italian and Venetian speakers has fallen over time, especially after the [[Istrian–Dalmatian exodus|Istrian-Dalmatian exodus]] (1943–1960), these languages have left a deep and lasting impact on the vocabulary and prosody of modern Chakavian.

==Definition==
[[File:REmpire Dalmatia.svg|thumb|right|Province of Dalmatia during the Roman Empire]]
In [[ancient history|antiquity]], the [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Roman province of Dalmatia]] was much larger than the present-day region of Dalmatia, stretching from [[Istria]] in the north to modern-day [[Albania]] in the south.<ref name="Stallaerts2009">{{cite book|author=Robert Stallaerts|title=Historical Dictionary of Croatia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NSjRbIz4iDkC&pg=PA89|date=22 December 2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7363-6|pages=89–}}</ref> Dalmatia signified not only a geographical unit, but was an entity based on common culture and settlement types, an eastern [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] coastal belt with a [[Mediterranean climate]], [[sclerophyll]]ous vegetation of the [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] province, and a [[carbonate platform]].

===Modern area===
[[File:Dalmatia (Kingdom).svg|thumb|right|The extent of the [[Kingdom of Dalmatia]] (blue) which existed within Austria-Hungary until 1918, on a map of modern-day Croatia and Montenegro.]]

Today, Dalmatia is a [[Regions of Croatia|historical region]] only, not formally instituted in [[Croatia]]n law. Its exact extent is therefore uncertain and subject to public perception. According to Lena Mirošević and Josip Faričić of the [[University of Zadar]]:<ref name=Mirosevic>{{cite book|last1=Mirošević|first1=Lena|last2=Faričić|first2=Josip|year=2011|title=Perception of Dalmatia in Selected Foreign Lexicographic Publications|publisher=Geoadria|volume=XVI|page=124}}; Department of Geography, [[University of Zadar]].</ref>

<blockquote>...the modern perception of Dalmatia is mainly based on the territorial extent of the [[Austrian Empire|Austrian]] [[Kingdom of Dalmatia]], with the exception of Rab, which is geographically related to the [[Kvarner Gulf|Kvarner]] area and functionally to the [[Croatian Littoral|Littoral]]–[[Gorski Kotar]] area, and with the exception of the [[Bay of Kotor]], which was annexed to another state ([[Montenegro]]) after [[World War I]]. Simultaneously, the southern part of [[Lika]] and upper Pounje, which were not part of Austrian Dalmatia, became part of [[Zadar County]]. From the present-day administrative and territorial point of view, Dalmatia comprises the four Croatian littoral [[Counties of Croatia|counties]] with seats in [[Zadar]], [[Šibenik]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]], and [[Dubrovnik]].</blockquote>

"Dalmatia" is therefore generally perceived to extend approximately to the borders of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Dalmatia, which inherited these borders from the preceding border treaties between the [[Republic of Venice]] and the [[Ottoman Empire]], notably defined by the 'Linea [[House of Mocenigo|Mocenigo]]' in the [[Treaty of Passarowitz]] (1718). However, due to territorial and administrative changes over the past century, the perception can be seen to have altered somewhat with regard to certain areas, and sources conflict as to their being part of the region in modern times:

* The Bay of Kotor area in Montenegro. With the [[subdivisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia|subdivision]] of the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]] into [[Oblasts of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes|oblasts]] in 1922, the whole of the Bay of Kotor from [[Sutorina]] to [[Sutomore]] was granted to the Zeta Oblast, so that the border of Dalmatia was formed at that point by the southern border of the former [[Republic of Ragusa]].<ref>[[Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts]], ''Anali Zavoda za Povijesne Znanosti Hrvatske Akademije Znanosti i Umjetnosti u Dubrovniku'', p.405, Volume 38</ref> The ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' defines Dalmatia as extending "to the narrows of [[Kotor]]" (i.e. the southernmost tip of continental Croatia, the [[Prevlaka]] peninsula).<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.britannica.com/place/Dalmatia| title = ''Encyclopædia Britannica'': Dalmatia| access-date = 2019-03-09| archive-date = 2019-06-26| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190626022612/https://www.britannica.com/place/Dalmatia| url-status = live}}</ref> Other sources, however, such as the ''[[Treccani]]'' encyclopedia and the ''[[Rough Guides|Rough Guide]] to Croatia'' still include the Bay as being part of the region.<ref name="Dalmatia on the Rough Guide to Croatia">{{cite book|author=Bousfield, Jonathan|year=2010|title=The Rough Guide to Croatia|publisher=Penguin|page=[https://archive.org/details/roughguidetocroa0000bous/page/263 263]|isbn=978-1-84836-936-8|url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetocroa0000bous|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Dalmatia on Enciclopedia Treccani|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/dalmazia/|access-date=2012-10-09|archive-date=2021-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423011305/https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/dalmazia/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The island of Rab, along with the small islands of [[Sveti Grgur]] and [[Goli Otok]], were a part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia and are historically and culturally related to the region, but are today associated more with the Croatian Littoral, due to geographical vicinity and administrative expediency.
* [[Gračac]] municipality and northern [[Pag (island)|Pag]]. A number of sources express the view that "from the modern-day administrative point of view", the extent of Dalmatia equates to the four southernmost counties of Croatia: Zadar, [[Šibenik-Knin County|Šibenik-Knin]], Split-Dalmatia, and [[Dubrovnik-Neretva County|Dubrovnik-Neretva]].<ref name=Mirosevic/><ref name=Frommers>{{cite book|last1=James|first1=Ryan|last2=Mastrini|first2=Hana|last3=Baker|first3=Mark|last4=Torme Olson|first4=Karen|last5=Charlton|first5=Angela|last6=Bain|first6=Keith|last7=de Bruyn|first7=Pippa|year=2009|title=Frommer's Eastern Europe|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0470473344|url=https://archive.org/details/frommerseasterne00bake_0|url-access=registration|quote=dalmatia borders counties.|page=[https://archive.org/details/frommerseasterne00bake_0/page/120 120]}}</ref><ref name=Turnock>{{cite book|last=Turnock|first=David|year=2003|title=The Human Geography of East Central Europe|publisher=Routledge|page=[https://archive.org/details/humangeographyof0000turn_j5u4/page/318 318]|isbn=1134828004|url=https://archive.org/details/humangeographyof0000turn_j5u4/page/318}}</ref><ref name=Heenan>{{cite book|last1=Heenan|first1=Patrick|last2=Lamontagne|first2=Monique|year=1999|title=The Central and Eastern Europe Handbook|publisher=Taylor & Francis|page=168|isbn=1579580890}}</ref><ref name=nacional>{{cite news|date=2008 |title=Gorilo u nekoliko dalmatinskih županija |trans-title=Fire in several Dalmatian counties |url=http://www.nacional.hr/clanak/49268/gorilo-u-nekoliko-dalmatinskih-zupanija |language=hr |newspaper=[[Nacional (weekly)|Nacional]] |location=Zagreb |access-date=2014-05-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531124016/http://www.nacional.hr/clanak/49268/gorilo-u-nekoliko-dalmatinskih-zupanija |archive-date=2014-05-31 }}</ref><ref name=regionministry>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrrfeu.hr/default.aspx?id=1484|title=Za 29 dalmatinskih malih kapitalnih projekata 14.389.000 kuna|trans-title=14,389,000 kuna for 29 Dalmatian capital projects|language=hr|website=Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds|publisher=Republic of Croatia: Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds|access-date=2014-05-30|archive-date=2020-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217040704/http://www.mrrfeu.hr/default.aspx?id=1484|url-status=dead}}</ref> This definition does not include the Bay of Kotor, or the islands of Rab, Sveti Grgur, and Goli Otok. It also excludes the northern part of the island of Pag, which is part of the [[Lika-Senj County]]. However, it includes the Gračac municipality in Zadar County, which was not a part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia and is not traditionally associated with the region (but instead the region of Lika).

==Etymology==
[[File:Delmatae in Illyricum 40BC.png|thumb|[[Delmatae]] in [[Illyria]], {{circa}} 40 BC.]]
The regional name Dalmatia originates from [[Dalmatae]], the name of the [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] tribe who were the original inhabitants of the region, and from which the later toponym, [[Delminium]], is derived.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wilkes|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Nv6SPRKqs8C|title=The Illyrians|date=1996|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-0-631-19807-9|pages=188|language=en|quote=The coast and hinterland of central Dalmatia up to and beyond the Dinaric mountains was inhabited by the Delmatae, after whom the Roman province Dalmatia was named, their own name being derived from their principal settlement Delminium near Duvno.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Stipcevic|first1=Aleksandar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLcWAQAAIAAJ&q=Delminium|title=The Illyrians: History and Culture|last2=Stipčević|first2=Aleksandar|date=1977|publisher=Noyes Press|isbn=978-0-8155-5052-5|pages=197|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Šimunović|first=Petar|author-link=Petar Šimunović|date=2013|title=Predantički toponimi u današnjoj (i povijesnoj) Hrvatskoj|url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/118625|journal=Folia onomastica Croatica|language=hr|volume=|issue=22|pages=164|issn=1330-0695|archive-date=2020-10-24|access-date=2021-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024094206/https://hrcak.srce.hr/118625|url-status=live}}</ref> It is considered by various academics to be connected to the [[Albanian language|Albanian]] ''[[:wikt:dele#Albanian|dele]]'' and its variants which include the [[Gheg Albanian|Gheg]] form ''[[:wikt:delmë#Albanian|delmë]]'', meaning "sheep", and to the Albanian term ''delmer'', "shepherd".<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilkes|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l8q0QgAACAAJ&q=Wilkes%20the%20illyrians|title=The Illyrians|publisher=Wiley|year=1996|isbn=9780631146711|pages=244|quote=The name of the Delmatae appears connected with the Albanian word for 'sheep' (delmë)}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Duridanov|first1=Ivan|url=https://eeo.aau.at/wwwg.uni-klu.ac.at/eeo/Illyrisch.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706113053/https://eeo.aau.at/wwwg.uni-klu.ac.at/eeo/Illyrisch.pdf |archive-date=2020-07-06 |url-status=live|title=Lexikon der Sprachen des europäischen Ostens|date=2002|publisher=Wieser Verlag|isbn=978-3-85129-510-8|editor1-last=Bister|editor1-first=Feliks J.|pages=952|language=de|chapter=Illyrisch|quote=Δάλμιον, Δελμίνιον (Ptolemäus) zu alb. delmë|editor2-last=Gramshammer-Hohl|editor2-first=Dagmar|editor3-last=Heynoldt|editor3-first=Anke}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Šašel Kos|first=Marjeta|year=1993|title=Cadmus and Harmonia in Illyria|url=https://www.academia.edu/489633|journal=Arheološki Vestnik|volume=44|pages=113–136|quote=In the prehistoric and classical periods it was not at all unusual for peoples to have names derived from animals, such that the name of the Delmatae is considered to be related to Albanian delme, sheep|archive-date=2021-07-30|access-date=2021-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730203930/https://www.academia.edu/489633|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite book|last=Schütz|first=István|url=https://mek.oszk.hu/03500/03577/03577.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224231005/http://mek.oszk.hu/03500/03577/03577.pdf |archive-date=2009-02-24 |url-status=live|title=Fehér foltok a Balkánon|publisher=Balassi Kiadó|year=2006|isbn=9635064721|place=Budapest|pages=127|language=hu|quote=A dalmata/delmata illír törzs, Dalmatia/Delmatia terület, Delminium/Dalmion illír város neve, továbbá a mai Delvinë és Delvinaqi földrajzi tájegység neve az albán dele (többese delme) ‘juh’, delmer ‘juhpásztor’ szavakhoz kapcsolódik. Strabon Delmion illír város nevéhez ezt az éretelmezést fűzi „...πεδιον µελωβοτον...”, azaz „juhokat tápláló síkság”}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Morić|first=Ivana|date=2012|title=Običaji Delmata|url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/169386|journal=Rostra: Časopis studenata povijesti Sveučilišta u Zadru|language=hr|volume=5|issue=5|pages=63|issn=1846-7768|quote=danas još uvijek prevladava tumačenje kako korijen njihova imena potječe od riječi koja je srodna albanskom delë, delmë odnosno „ovca“|archive-date=2021-05-12|access-date=2021-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512165910/https://hrcak.srce.hr/169386|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Duridanov|first=Ivan|url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/12037585.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111162100/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/12037585.pdf |archive-date=2017-11-11 |url-status=live|title=Die Hydronymie des Vardarsystems als Geschichtsquelle|publisher=[[Böhlau Verlag]]|year=1975|isbn=3412839736|pages=25}}</ref> [[Vladimir Orel]] argues that the Gheg form ''delmë'' hardly has anything in common with the name of ''Dalmatia'' because it represents a variant of ''dele'' with ''*-mā'', which is ultimately from [[Proto-Albanian language|proto-Albanian]] ''*dailā''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Orel|first=Vladimir|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yJQYAQAAIAAJ&q=Albanian+Etymological+Dictionary|title=Albanian Etymological Dictionary|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|year=1998|isbn=978-9004110243|pages=58–59|quote='''dele''' f, pl dele, dhen, dhën ‘sheep’. The Geg variant delme represents a formation in *-mā (and hardly has anything in common with the name of Dalmatia pace MEYER Wb. 63 and ÇABEJ St. I 111). The word is based on PAlb *dailā ‘sheep’ < ‘suckling’ and related to various l-derivatives from IE *dhē(i)- ‘to suckle’ (MEYER Wb. 63, Alb. St. Ill 29 operates with *dailjā < IE *dhailiā or *dhoiliā), cf., in particular, Arm dayl ‘colostrum’ < IE *dhailo-.}}</ref> According to Danilo Savić, an argument against that connection is the lack of compelling evidence in ancient literary sources that Delmatae is derived from a word meaning "sheep".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Savić |first=Danilo |date=2022 |title=Some Illyrian Ethnonyms and Their Supposed Albanian Cognates: Taulantii , Delmatae , Dardani |url=https://hal.science/hal-04057012 |journal=BeLiDa 1 - Thematic Collection of Papers |language=en |volume=1 |pages=449–463 |doi=10.18485/belida.2022.1.ch18 |isbn=978-86-6153-695-3 |doi-access=free |hdl=21.15107/rcub_dais_13349 |hdl-access=free |archive-date=2023-05-15 |access-date=2023-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515204506/https://hal.science/hal-04057012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The ancient name ''Dalmana'', derived from the same root, testifies to the advance of the [[Illyrians]] into the middle [[Vardar]], between the ancient towns of [[Bylazora]] and [[Stobi]].<ref name=":3" /> The medieval [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] toponym [[Ovče Pole]] ("plain of sheep" in [[South Slavic languages|South Slavic]]) in the nearby region represents a related later development.<ref name=":3" /> According to István Schütz, in Albania, [[Delvinë]] represents a toponym linked to the root ''*dele''.<ref name=":2" /> 

The form of the regional name ''Dalmatia'' and the respective tribal name ''Dalmatae'' are later variants as was already noted by [[Appian]] (2nd century AD). His contemporary grammarian [[Velius Longus]] highlights in his treatise about orthography that the correct form of ''Dalmatia'' is ''Delmatia'', and notes that [[Marcus Terentius Varro]] who lived about two centuries prior to Appian and Velius Longius, used the form ''Delmatia'' as it corresponded to the chief settlement of the tribe, ''Delminium''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kos|first=Marjeta Šašel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=opBpAAAAMAAJ|title=Appian and Illyricum|date=2005|publisher=Narodni muzej Slovenije|isbn=978-961-6169-36-3|language=en}}</ref> The toponym [[Tomislavgrad|Duvno]] is a derivation from ''Delminium'' in Croatian via an intermediate form ''*Delminio'' in late antiquity.<ref name=":1" /> Its [[Latin]] form ''Dalmatia'' gave rise to its [[English language|English]] name. In the [[Venetian language]], once dominant in the area, it is spelled ''Dalmàssia'', and in modern [[Italian language|Italian]] ''Dalmazia''. The modern [[Croatian language|Croatian]] [[Gaj's Latin alphabet|spelling]] is ''Dalmacija'', and the modern [[Serbian language in Croatia|Serbian]] [[Serbian Cyrillic alphabet|Cyrillic spelling]] is Далмација ({{IPA|sh|dǎlmaːt͡sija|pron}}).

== History ==
{{Main|History of Dalmatia}}

===Antiquity===
{{Main|Dalmatia (Roman province)}}

[[File:Diocletian's Palace - Peristyle.jpg|thumb|left|[[Diocletian's Palace|Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]]]
Dalmatia's name is derived from the name of an [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] tribe called the [[Dalmatae]] who lived in the area of the eastern [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] coast in the 1st millennium BC. It was part of the [[Illyrian kingdom]] between the 4th century BC and the [[Illyrian Wars]] (220, 168 BC) when the [[Roman Republic]] established its protectorate south of the river [[Neretva]]. The name "Dalmatia" was in use probably from the second half of the 2nd century BC and certainly from the first half of the 1st century BC, defining a coastal area of the eastern Adriatic between the [[Krka (Croatia)|Krka]] and [[Neretva]] rivers.<ref>S.Čače, ''Ime Dalmacije u 2. i 1. st. prije Krista'', Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Zadru, godište 40 za 2001. Zadar, 2003, pp. 29, 45.</ref> It was slowly incorporated into Roman possessions until the Roman province of [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyricum]] was formally established around 32–27 BC. In 9 AD, the Dalmatians raised the last in [[Bellum Batonianum|a series of revolts]]<ref>Charles George Herbermann, ''The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference'' (1913)</ref> together with the Pannonians, but it was finally crushed and, in 10 AD, Illyricum was split into two provinces, [[Pannonia]] and [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]], which spread into larger area inland to cover all of the [[Dinaric Alps]] and most of the eastern Adriatic coast.<ref>M.Zaninović, ''Ilirsko pleme Delmati'', pp. 58, 83-84.</ref>

The historian [[Theodor Mommsen]] wrote in his book, ''The Provinces of the Roman Empire'', that all Dalmatia was fully romanized by the 4th century AD. However, analysis of archaeological material from that period has shown that the process of [[Romanization (cultural)|Romanization]] was rather selective. While urban centers, both coastal and inland, were almost completely romanized, the situation in the countryside was completely different. Despite the Illyrians being subject to a strong process of [[acculturation]], they continued to speak [[Illyrian language|their native language]], worship [[Illyrian religion|their own gods]] and traditions, and follow their own social-political tribal organization which was adapted to Roman administration and political structure only in some necessities.<ref>A. Stipčević'', Iliri'', Školska knjiga Zagreb, 1974, p. 70</ref>

The [[Fall of the Western Roman Empire|fall]] of the [[Western Roman Empire]], and the beginning of the [[Migration Period]], left the region subject to [[Goths|Gothic]] rulers [[Odoacer]] and [[Theodoric the Great]]. They ruled Dalmatia from 480 to 535 AD, when it was restored to the [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire]] by [[Justinian I]].

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Oton Ivekovic, Dolazak Hrvata na Jadran.jpg|thumb|[[Oton Iveković]], ''The Croats' Arrival at the Adriatic Sea'']]
{{See also|Dalmatia (theme)|Dalmatian city-states|Duchy of Croatia{{!}}Principality of Dalmatian Croatia|Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Medieval Dalmatian principalities|Republic of Venice}}

In the [[Early Middle Ages]], the territory of the Byzantine province of Dalmatia reached in the north up to the river [[Sava]], and was part of the [[Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum]]. In the middle of the 6th and the beginning of the 7th century began the [[Slavic migrations to the Balkans]], which caused the Romance-speaking population, descendants of Romans and Illyrians (speaking [[Dalmatian language|Dalmatian]]), to flee to the coast and islands.{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=64, 73}} The hinterland, semi-depopulated by the [[Barbarian Invasions]], was settled by the [[Slavic tribes]]. The Slavs alongside [[Pannonian Avars|Avars]] by 619 brought to ruin the capital [[Salona]] (an event that allowed for the settlement of the nearby [[Diocletian's Palace]] in [[Split, Croatia|Spalatum]]), Asseria, Varvaria, Burnum, Scardona, Epidaurum and Acruvium (resulting with the foundation of [[Kotor]]), and Epidaurum (resulting with the foundation of [[Republic of Ragusa|Ragusa]]).{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|p=64}} The newly-arrived tribes of [[Croats]], [[Serbs]] and other Slavs founded S''claviniae'' [[Duchy of Croatia|Croatia]], [[Narentines|Pagania]], [[Zachlumia]], [[Travunia]] and [[Konavle]] (also a small region of [[Bosnia (early medieval)|Bosnia]], with [[Duklja]] and [[Principality of Serbia (early medieval)|Serbia]] in nearby [[Praevalitana]] and [[Moesia]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Van Antwerp Fine |first=John |url=http://archive.org/details/TheEarlyMedievalBalkans |title=The Early Medieval Balkans |publisher=University of Michigan Press |year=1991 |pages=52–53}}</ref>
[[File:'Europe in the beginning of the 9th Century', 1878 map.jpg|thumb|9th century Europe]]
In the early 9th century, the Eastern Adriatic coast including Dalmatia was the scene of the sphere of influence struggle between the [[Francia|Frankish]] and Byzantine Empire, but although the Byzantines have retained supremacy, Dalmatia became a meeting place between the West and the East.{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|p=67–68}} The meaning of the administrative-geographical term "Dalmatia" by 820 shrank to the coastal cities and their immediate hinterland – the Byzantine [[Dalmatia (theme)|theme of Dalmatia]].{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|p=69}} Its cities were the Romance-speaking [[Dalmatian city-states]] and remained influential as they were well fortified and maintained their connection with the Byzantine Empire. The original name of the cities was ''Jadera'' ([[Zadar]]; capital of the theme), ''Spalatum'' ([[Split, Croatia|Split]]), ''Crepsa'' ([[Cres (town)|Cres]]), ''Arba'' ([[Rab (town)|Rab]]), ''Tragurium'' ([[Trogir]]), ''Vecla'' ([[Krk (town)|Krk]]), ''Ragusium'' ([[Dubrovnik]]) and ''Cattarum'' ([[Kotor]]).{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|p=69}} The language and the laws were initially [[Latin]], but after a few centuries they developed their own neo-Latin language (the "[[Dalmatian language|Dalmatico]]"), that lasted until the late 19th century.{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|p=74–75}} The cities were maritime centres with a huge commerce mainly with the Italian peninsula and with the growing [[Republic of Venice]].{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|p=69}} The Latin and Slavic communities were somewhat hostile at first, but as the Croats and Serbs became [[Christianization|Christianized]] this tension increasingly subsided. A degree of cultural mingling soon took place, in some enclaves stronger, in others weaker, as Slavic influence and culture was more accentuated in Ragusa, Spalatum, and Tragurium.

In the mid-9th century, the [[Principality of Serbia (early medieval)|Serbian principality]] gained prominence along a part of the eastern Adriatic coast. Contemporary sources, notably the [[Royal Frankish Annals]], document that the Serbs controlled a part of Dalmatia, described as "''Sorabos, quae natio magnam Dalmatiae partem obtinere dicitur".'' This early territorial expansion laid the foundation for subsequent political developments in the region.The emergence of organised political entities began with the consolidation of the first [[Serbs|Serbian]] [[Vlastimirović dynasty]] from 610 to 960. During this period, two principal [[List of Serbian monarchs|Serbian principalities]] emerged: [[Duklja]] (also known as Dioclea) in the southeast and [[Travunia]] in the northwest. These principalities were strategically positioned around the [[Bay of Kotor]] (Boka Kotorska), facilitating control over important maritime trade routes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Živković |first=Tibor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_ZCCwAAQBAJ |title=Homage to Academician Sima Ćirković |publisher=The Institute for History |year=2011 |isbn=9788677430917 |location=Belgrade |pages=381–398 |chapter=The Origin of the Royal Frankish Annalist's Information about the Serbs in Dalmatia |authorlink=Tibor Živković}}</ref> 
[[File:Kingdom of Croatia.png|thumb|[[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Croatia]] during the reign of King [[Tomislav, King of Croatia|Tomislav]] (925 – 928).]]
In the first half of the 10th century, Croatia was elevated to a [[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|kingdom]] by [[Tomislav of Croatia|Duke Tomislav]] who also extended his influence further southwards to [[Zachlumia]]. As an ally of the Byzantine Empire, the [[King of Croatia|King]] was given the status of Protector of Dalmatia, and became its ''[[de facto]]'' ruler. Chronicler [[Thomas the Archdeacon]] relates that [[Stephen Držislav]] (r. 969 – 997) took the title "King of Dalmatia and Croatia", and that all subsequent rulers styled themselves in such manner. In the year 1000, at the invitation of [[Dalmatian city-states]], an expedition of Venetian ships in coastal Istria and Dalmatia led by Doge [[Pietro II Orseolo]] conquered the Dalmatian cities and islands without much resistance and secured Venetian [[suzerainty]] in the area. From then on, with short interruptions, Venice became the leading power in Dalmatia and the Adriatic until [[Fall of the Republic of Venice|its dissolution]] nearly eight hundred years later. On this occasion Doge Orseolo named himself "[[Duke of Dalmatia (Venetian)|Duke of Dalmatia]]", starting the [[Stato da Màr|colonial empire of Venice]]. Orseolo led the Venetian fleet into the eastern Adriatic and gradually took control of most of it; first the islands of the [[Gulf of Kvarner]] and the city of [[Zadar]], then [[Trogir]] and [[Split (city)|Split]], followed by a successful naval battle with the [[Narentines]] upon which he took control of [[Korčula]] and [[Lastovo]]. The [[Narentines|Narentine]] pirates, which had been causing trouble to Venetian ships in the Adriatic, were finally suppressed permanently. The Venetians, to whom the Dalmatians were already bound by language and culture, could afford to concede liberal terms as its main goal was to prevent the development of any dangerous political or commercial competitor on the eastern Adriatic. The seafaring community in Dalmatia looked to Venice as the new "queen" of the Adriatic Sea. In return for protection, the Romance cities of Dalmatia often furnished a contingent to the army or navy of their suzerain, and sometimes paid tribute either in money or in kind. Arbe (now [[Rab (town)|Rab]]), for example, annually paid ten pounds of silk or five pounds of gold to Venice. The Dalmatian cities might elect their own chief magistrate, bishop, and judges; their Roman law remained valid, and they were even permitted to conclude separate alliances. In these centuries, the [[Dalmatian language]] started to disappear, assimilated by the [[Venetian language]]. [[File:Republik Venedig.png|thumb|The [[Republic of Venice]] following the conquest of Dalmatia, 1000 AD.]] 

At this time Venice had a firm control over the Adriatic Sea, strengthened by the expedition of Pietro's son [[Ottone Orseolo|Ottone]] in 1017. [[Krešimir III]] tried to restore the Dalmatian cities and had some success until 1018, when he was defeated by Venice allied with the [[Lombardy|Lombards]]. From the 1030s however, after the fall of Doge [[Otto Orseolo]], [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantium]] took control of most of the main coastal cities, while Croatian kings [[Stjepan I of Croatia|Stjepan I]] and his son [[Petar Krešimir IV of Croatia|Petar Krešimir IV]] succeeded in taking a substantial part of the coast back, so the latter also carried the title "King of Croatia and Dalmatia". In the subsequent period, the rulers of Croatia exerted some influence over Dalmatian cities and islands, occasionally taking control such as with the conquest of Zadar in the mid-11th century, though the ownership of this city changed intermittently between the Croats and the Venetians, who regained the city in the year 1050. Petar Krešimir IV expanded his rule to incorporate a number of Dalmatian cities and islands by 1069, attested by his gift of the island of [[Maun (island)|Maun]] to the [[Church of Saint Chrysogonus, Zadar|Monastery of St. Chrysogonus]] in that same year. Upon the death of King [[Demetrius Zvonimir of Croatia]] by the end of 1080s, the state entered a period of anarchy and would result in Hungarians under [[Coloman of Hungary]] taking control over former Dalmatian possessions along with the rest of the state by 1102.[[File:Venetian Republic 1250 (134037781).jpg|thumb|[[Venetian Dalmatia]] in {{circa}} 1250]]In the [[High Middle Ages|High Medieval period]], the Byzantine Empire was no longer able to expand its power consistently in Dalmatia, and was finally rendered impotent so far west by the [[Fourth Crusade]]. During the reign of [[King of Hungary|King]] [[Emeric, King of Hungary|Emeric]], the Dalmatian cities separated from [[Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1301)|Hungary]] by a treaty.<ref>cit: ''Hunc iste, postquam Dalmatae pacto hoc a Hungaria separati se non tulissent, revocatum contra Emericum armis vindicavit, ac [[Livno#History|Chelmensi Ducatu]], ad mare sito, parteque [[Macedonia (theme)|Macedoniae]] auxit.'' AD 1199. Luc. lib. IV. cap. III. Diplomata [[Béla IV of Hungary|Belae IV]]. AD 1269.</ref> Soon after, in the year 1202, the Venetians led by Doge [[Enrico Dandolo]] directed the army of Crusaders to reconquer for Venice the city of Zadar, an event known in history as the [[Siege of Zara]]. The late 13th century was marked by a decline in external hostilities. The Dalmatian cities started accepting complete foreign sovereignty, mainly that of the Republic of Venice. Venice would go on to control Zadar as well as other Dalmatian cities and islands for the next century and a half, albeit with constant internal and external conflicts, before briefly losing them to Hungary again in the [[Treaty of Zadar]] of 1358. This period of Hungarian influence in Dalmatia was further impacted by the [[Mongol invasion of Europe|Mongol invasion]] of Hungary in 1241. The [[Mongols]] severely impaired the feudal state, so much so that that same year, King [[Béla IV of Hungary|Béla IV]] had to take refuge in Dalmatia, as far south as the [[Fortress of Klis]]. The Mongols attacked the Dalmatian cities for the next few years but eventually withdrew without major success.

At the beginning of the 14th century and until 1322, some Dalmatian cities were under the control of the noble [[Šubić family]] which held them until they were defeated at the [[Battle of Bliska]] by a coalition of nobles, Dalmatian cities and royal troops loyal to [[Charles I of Hungary]]. In 1358, the people of [[Dubrovnik]] achieved independence from Venice, creating the [[Republic of Ragusa]].
[[File:Zadar Treaty 1358.png|thumb|Croatia after the [[Treaty of Zadar]] (1358).]]

In the south, due to its protected location, [[Kotor]] became a major city and main port of the [[Kingdom of Serbia (1217–1346)|Serbian Kingdom]] and then of the [[Serbian Empire]] for the [[Salt road|salt trade]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cirkovic |first=Sima M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Wc-DWRzoeIC&q=kotor |title=The Serbs |date=2008-04-15 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-4051-4291-5 |language=en}}</ref> The area was prosperous during the 14th century under the rule of [[Emperor of the Serbs]] [[Stefan Dušan|Dušan the Mighty]], who encouraged law enforcement, which helped the [[Bay of Kotor]] to become a safe place for doing business.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=q4y0CwAAQBAJ&q=Du%C5%A1an Rick Steves Snapshot Dubrovnik] by Rick Steves and Cameron Hewitt</ref> 

In 1389, [[Tvrtko I of Bosnia|Tvrtko I]], founder of the [[Kingdom of Bosnia]], was able to control the Adriatic littoral between Kotor and [[Šibenik]], and even claimed control over the northern coast up to [[Rijeka]], and his own independent ally, the Republic of Ragusa. This was only temporary, as [[Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526)|Hungary]] and the Venetians continued their struggle over Dalmatia after Tvrtko's death in 1391. By this time, the whole of the Hungarian and Croatian Kingdom was facing increasing internal difficulties, as a 20-year civil war ensued between the [[Capetian House of Anjou]] from the [[Kingdom of Naples]], and King [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor|Sigismund]] of the [[Limburg-Luxemburg dynasty|House of Luxembourg]]. During the war, the losing contender, [[Ladislaus of Naples]], sold his "rights" to Dalmatia to the Republic of Venice in the year 1409 for a mere 100,000 [[ducat]]s. The much more centralised Republic came to control the coast and near hinterland of Dalmatia by the year 1420, and it was to remain under [[Venetian Dalmatia|Venetian rule]] for 377 years (1420–1797).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T_1bA7hj3lcC&q=dalmatia|title=Yugoslavia - Carol Greene - Google Livres|access-date=28 May 2014|isbn=9780516027913|year=1984|last1=Greene|first1=Carol|publisher=Childrens Press }}</ref>

===Early modern period===
{{See also|Venetian Dalmatia|Republic of Ragusa|Hvar rebellion|Illyrian Provinces}}

Dalmatia was first and finally sold to the [[Republic of Venice]] in 1409 but [[Venetian Dalmatia]] was not fully consolidated until 1420.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/balkans/xdalmatia.html|title=Dalmatia history|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=5 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105085043/http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/balkans/xdalmatia.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Republic of Venice in 1420 controlled the coastal part of Dalmatia and the islands, with the southern [[Enclave and exclave|enclave]], the Bay of [[Kotor]], being called [[Venetian Albania]]. [[Venetian language|Venetian]] was the commercial ''[[lingua franca]]'' in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] at that time, and it heavily influenced Dalmatian and to a lesser degree coastal [[Croatian language|Croatian]] ([[Chakavian]]) and [[Albanian language|Albanian]].
[[File:Kingdom of Croatia 1469.png|thumb|Dalmatia divided between [[Venetian Dalmatia]] and the Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom in 1469.]]

The southern city of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) became de facto independent in 1358 through the [[Treaty of Zadar]] when Venice relinquished its suzerainty over it to [[Louis I of Hungary]]. In 1481, Ragusa switched allegiance to the [[Ottoman Empire]]. This gave its tradesmen advantages such as access to the [[Black Sea]], and the Republic of Ragusa was the fiercest competitor to Venice's merchants in the 15th and 16th centuries. Originally, [[Latin]] was used in official documents of the Republic. [[Italian language|Italian]] came into use in the 1420s. Both languages were used in official correspondence by the Republic. The Republic was influenced by the [[Venetian language]] and the [[Tuscan dialect]].

In the early 16th century, most of the Dalmatian hinterland which was controlled by the Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom was lost to the Ottoman Empire by the 1520s which formed the [[Croatian vilayet]] that became incorporated into the [[Sanjak of Klis]] after the [[Siege of Klis]] (1537),{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=130–131, 146}} and decades later into the [[Bosnia Eyalet]].{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=141}} With the fall of the Hungarian-Venetian border in Dalmatia, [[Venetian Dalmatia]] now directly bordered with Ottoman Dalmatia. Venetians still perceived this inner hinterland as once part of Croatia, calling it as "Banadego" (lands of [[Ban (title)|Ban]] i.e. [[Banate (disambiguation)|Banate]]).{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=143}} The Republic of Venice was also one of the powers most hostile to the [[Ottoman Empire#Growth (1453–1683)|Ottoman Empire's expansion]], and participated in [[Ottoman wars in Europe|many wars against it]], but also promoted peace negotiations and cultural and religious coexistence and tolerance.{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=142–144}}
[[File:Eastern Adriatic 1558.svg|thumb|Dalmatia divided between Venetian Dalmatia and the Ottoman Empire in 1558.]]

Since the 16th century [[Slavicisation|Slavicized]] [[Vlachs]], [[Serbs]] and other South Slavs arrived both as [[martolos]] in Ottoman service and refugees fleeing from Ottoman territory to the [[Military Frontier]] and Venetian Dalmatia.{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=142}}<ref>Traian Stoianovich; (1992), ''Balkan Worlds: The First and Last Europe: The First and Last Europe'' p. 152; Routledge, {{ISBN|1563240335}}</ref> As the Ottomans took control of the hinterland, many [[Christians]] took refuge in the coastal cities of Dalmatia. In Ottoman Dalmatia a number of people converted to Islam to attain freedom and privileges.{{sfn|Ivetic|2022|pp=142–143}} The border between the Dalmatian hinterland and the [[Ottoman Bosnia and Herzegovina]] greatly fluctuated until the [[Morean War]], when the Venetian capture of [[Knin]] and [[Sinj]] set much of the borderline at its near-current position, defined by the 'Linea [[Grimani family|Grimani]]' in the [[Treaty of Karlowitz]] (1699).<ref name="Nazor-2002">{{cite journal|url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/45078 | via = [[Hrčak]] |language=hr|title=Inhabitants of Poljica in the War of Morea (1684-1699)|journal=Povijesni prilozi|first=Ante|last=Nazor | authorlink = Ante Nazor (historian) |volume=21|number=21|date=February 2002|publisher=Croatian Institute of History|issn=0351-9767|access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref>
[[File:Bosanski pašaluk 1600. godine.png|thumb|right|Dalmatia divided between Venetian Dalmatia and the Ottoman [[Bosnia Eyalet]] in 1600.]]
[[File:Map of Ragusa.jpg|thumb|right|Map of the [[Republic of Ragusa]], dated 1678.]]

After the [[Great Turkish War]] and the [[Treaty of Passarowitz]] (1718), which further solidified the Venetian-Ottoman border defined by the 'Linea [[House of Mocenigo|Mocenigo]]' (resembling the modern border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), more peaceful times made Dalmatia experience a period of certain economic and cultural growth in the 18th century, with the re-establishment of trade and exchange with the hinterland. This period was abruptly interrupted with the [[fall of the Republic of Venice]] in 1797. [[Napoleon]]'s troops stormed the region and ended the independence of the Republic of Ragusa as well, saving it from occupation by the [[Russian Empire]] and [[Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro|Montenegro]].
[[File:Republic of Venice 1796.png|thumb|right|[[Venetian Dalmatia|Dalmatian possessions]] of the [[Republic of Venice]] in 1797.]]

In 1805, Napoleon created his [[Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)|Kingdom of Italy]] around the Adriatic Sea, annexing to it the former Venetian Dalmatia from Istria to Kotor. In 1808, he annexed the just conquered Republic of Ragusa to the Kingdom. A year later, in 1809, he removed Venetian Dalmatia from his Kingdom of Italy and created the [[Illyrian Provinces]], which were annexed to [[First French Empire|France]], and named [[Marshal General of France|Marshal General]] [[Jean-de-Dieu Soult]] the Duke of Dalmatia.

Napoleon's rule in Dalmatia was marked with war and high taxation, which caused several rebellions. On the other hand, French rule greatly contributed to [[Illyrian movement]] (the first newspaper in Croatian was published then in Zadar, ''[[Il Regio Dalmata – Kraglski Dalmatin]]''), the legal system and infrastructure were finally modernised somewhat in Dalmatia, and the educational system flourished. French rule brought a lot of improvements in infrastructure; many roads were built or reconstructed. Napoleon himself blamed [[Marshal of the Empire]] [[Auguste de Marmont]], the governor of Dalmatia, that too much money was spent. However, in 1813, the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburgs]] once again declared [[Napoleonic Wars|war]] on France and, by the following year, had restored control over Dalmatia.

From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, Italian and Slavic communities in Dalmatia had lived peacefully side by side, as they did not have a genuine national identification, given that they generically defined themselves as "[[Dalmatian identity|Dalmatians]]", of "Romance" or "Slavic" culture.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://xoomer.alice.it/histria/storiaecultura/testiedocumenti/articoligiornali/artadriatico.htm| title = "L'Adriatico orientale e la sterile ricerca delle nazionalità delle persone" di Kristijan Knez; La Voce del Popolo (quotidiano di Fiume) del 2/10/2002| access-date = 25 April 2024| language = it| archive-date = 22 February 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210222025553/https://xoom.virgilio.it/jump.html| url-status = dead}}</ref>

===19th century===
{{See also|Dalmatian Italians|Italian irredentism in Dalmatia|Kingdom of Dalmatia}}
[[File:1807KingdomItaly.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy]] from 1806 to 1810 included Dalmatia that had belonged to Venice until 1797.]]

At the [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1815, Dalmatia was granted as a province to the [[Emperor of Austria]]. It was officially known as the [[Kingdom of Dalmatia]].
[[File:1french-empire1811.jpg|thumb|Dalmatia as a part of the [[Illyrian Provinces]] in 1811.]]

In 1848, the [[Croatian Parliament]] (''Sabor'') published the People's Requests, in which they requested among other things the abolition of [[serfdom]] and the unification of Dalmatia and [[Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)|Croatia]]. The Dubrovnik municipality was the most outspoken of all the Dalmatian communes in its support for unification with Croatia. A letter was sent from Dubrovnik to [[Zagreb]] with pledges to work for this idea. In 1849, Dubrovnik continued to lead the Dalmatian cities in the struggle for unification. A large-scale campaign was launched in the Dubrovnik paper ''L'Avvenire'' (''The Future'') based on a clearly formulated programme: the federal system for the [[Habsburg monarchy|Habsburg territories]], the inclusion of Dalmatia into Croatia and the [[Yugoslavism|Slavic brotherhood]]. The President of the Council of Kingdom of Dalmatia was Baron [[Vlaho Getaldić]].

In the same year, the first issue of the Dubrovnik [[almanac]] appeared, ''Flower of the National Literature'' (''Dubrovnik, cvijet narodnog književstva''), in which [[Petar Preradović]] published his noted poem "Pjesma Dubrovniku" (''Poem to Dubrovnik''). This and other literary and journalistic texts, which continued to be published, contributed to the awakening of the national consciousness reflected in efforts to introduce the Croatian language into schools and offices, and to promote Croatian books. The Emperor [[Franz Joseph I of Austria|Franz Joseph]] brought the [[March Constitution (Austria)|March Constitution]] which prohibited the unification of Dalmatia and Croatia and also any further political activity with this end in view. The political struggle of Dubrovnik to be united with Croatia, which was intense throughout 1848–49, did not succeed at that time.

Many [[Dalmatian Italians]] looked with sympathy towards the [[Risorgimento]] movement that fought for the [[unification of Italy]]. However, after 1866, when the [[Veneto]] and [[Friuli]] regions were ceded by the [[Austrian Empire|Austrians]] to the newly formed [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Kingdom Italy]], Dalmatia remained part of the [[Austro-Hungarian Empire]], together with other Italian-speaking areas on the eastern Adriatic. This triggered the gradual rise of [[Italian irredentism in Dalmatia|Italian irredentism among many Italians in Dalmatia]], who demanded the unification of the [[Austrian Littoral]], [[Fiume]] and Dalmatia with Italy. The Italians in Dalmatia supported the Italian Risorgimento: as a consequence, the Austrians saw the Italians as enemies and favored the Slav communities of Dalmatia.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}
[[File:VenetianDalmatia1797.jpg|thumb|right|Austrian linguistic map from 1896. In green the areas where [[Slavs]] were the majority of the population, in orange the areas where [[Istrian Italians]] and [[Dalmatian Italians]] were the majority of the population. The boundaries of [[Venetian Dalmatia]] in 1797 are delimited with blue dots.]]

During the meeting of the Council of Ministers of 12 November 1866, Emperor [[Franz Joseph I of Austria]] outlined a wide-ranging project aimed at the [[Germanization]] or [[Slavization]] of the areas of the empire with an Italian presence:<ref>''Die Protokolle des Österreichischen Ministerrates 1848/1867. V Abteilung: Die Ministerien Rainer und Mensdorff. VI Abteilung: Das Ministerium Belcredi'', Wien, Österreichischer Bundesverlag für Unterricht, Wissenschaft und Kunst 1971, vol. 2, p. 297. Citazione completa della fonte e traduzione in Luciano Monzali, ''Italiani di Dalmazia. Dal Risorgimento alla Grande Guerra'', Le Lettere, Firenze 2004, p. 69.</ref>

{{blockquote|text=His Majesty expressed the precise order that action be taken decisively against the influence of the Italian elements still present in some regions of the Crown and, appropriately occupying the posts of public, judicial, masters employees as well as with the influence of the press, work in [[Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol|South Tyrol]], Dalmatia and [[Austrian Littoral|Littoral]] for the Germanization and Slavization of these territories according to the circumstances, with energy and without any regard. His Majesty calls the central offices to the strong duty to proceed in this way to what has been established.|source=Franz Joseph I of Austria, Council of the Crown of 12 November 1866<ref>{{cite book |author=Jürgen Baurmann, Hartmut Gunther and Ulrich Knoop| title=Homo scribens: Perspektiven der Schriftlichkeitsforschung | year= 1993 |isbn= 3484311347|page=279| publisher=Walter de Gruyter |language=de|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l3tCTXoeAysC&pg=279}}</ref>}}

Dalmatia, especially its maritime cities, once had a substantial Italian-speaking population ([[Dalmatian Italians]]). According to Austrian censuses, the Italian speakers in Dalmatia formed 12.5% of the population in 1865,<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |last=Peričić |first=Šime |date=2003-09-19 |title=O broju Talijana/talijanaša u Dalmaciji XIX. stoljeća |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/12136 |url-status=live |journal=Radovi Zavoda za povijesne znanosti HAZU u Zadru |language=hr |issue=45 |pages=342 |issn=1330-0474 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430120207/https://hrcak.srce.hr/12136 |archive-date=2025-04-30 |access-date=2022-07-17}}</ref> but this was reduced to 2.8% in 1910.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spezialortsrepertorium der österreichischen Länder I-XII, Wien, 1915–1919 |url=http://www.omm1910.hu/?/de/datenbank |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529164005/http://www.omm1910.hu/?%2Fde%2Fdatenbank |archive-date=2013-05-29 |language=de}}</ref> There was a constant decline in the Italian population, in a context of repression that also took on violent connotations.<ref>{{cite book |author=Raimondo Deranez |url=http://xoomer.alice.it/histria/storiaecultura/testiedocumenti/bombardieritesti/particolari_dalmazia.htm |title=Particolari del martirio della Dalmazia |publisher=Stabilimento Tipografico dell'Ordine |year=1919 |location=Ancona |language=it |access-date=2024-04-05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209103555/http://xoomer.alice.it/histria/storiaecultura/testiedocumenti/bombardieritesti/particolari_dalmazia.htm |archive-date=2012-12-09 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Opinion of a 1919 Italian author stated as fact|date=November 2025}} During this period, Austrians carried out an aggressive [[Anti-Italianism|anti-Italian]] policy through a forced Slavization of Dalmatia.<ref>{{cite book |author=Angelo Filipuzzi |title=La campagna del 1866 nei documenti militari austriaci: operazioni terrestri |publisher=[[University of Padova]] |year=1966 |page=396 |language=it}}{{No ISBN}}</ref> Before 1859, Italian was the language of administration, education, the press, and the [[Austrian navy]]; people who wished to acquire higher social standing and separate from the [[Slav]] peasantry became ''Italians''.{{Sfn|Seton-Watson|1967|pp=352–357}} In the years after 1866, Italians lost their privileges in [[Austria-Hungary]], their assimilation of the Slavs came to an end, and they found themselves under growing pressure by other rising nations; with the ''rising Slav tide'' after 1890, [[Italianization|italianized]] Slavs reverted to being Croats.{{Sfn|Seton-Watson|1967|pp=352–357}} Austrian rulers found use of the racial antagonism and financed Slav schools and promoted Croatian as the official language, and many Italians chose voluntary exile.{{Sfn|Seton-Watson|1967|pp=352–357}}

The Italian population in Dalmatia was concentrated in the major coastal cities. In the city of [[Split, Croatia|Split]] in 1890 there were 1,971 Dalmatian Italians (9% of the population), in [[Zadar]] 7,672 (27%), in [[Šibenik]] 1,090 (5%), in [[Kotor]] 646 (12%) and in [[Dubrovnik]] 356 (3%).<ref name="Perselli">{{Cite work |last=Perselli |first=Guerrino |url=https://crsrv.org/editoria/etnia/i-censimenti-della-popolazione-dellistria-con-fiume-e-trieste-e-di-alcune-citta-della-dalmazia-tra-il-1850-e-il-1936/ |title=I censimenti della popolazione dell'Istria, con Fiume e Trieste e di alcune città della Dalmazia tra il 1850 e il 1936 |publisher=Centro di Ricerche Storiche - Rovigno, Unione Italiana - Fiume, Università Popolare di Trieste, Trieste-Rovigno |year=1993}}</ref> In other Dalmatian localities, according to Austrian censuses, Italians experienced a sudden decrease: in the twenty years 1890-1910, in [[Rab (island)|Rab]] they went from 225 to 151, in [[Vis (island)|Vis]] from 352 to 92, in [[Pag (island)|Pag]] from 787 to 23, completely disappearing in almost all inland locations.

While Slavic-speakers made up 80-95% of the Dalmatia populace,{{sfn|Peričić|2003|p=342}} only Italian language schools existed until 1848,{{sfn|Peričić|2003|p=350}} and due to restrictive voting laws, the Italian-speaking aristocratic minority retained political control of Dalmatia.{{sfn|Peričić|2003|p=338}}  Only after Austria liberalised elections in 1870, allowing more majority Slavs to vote, did Croatian parties gain control. Croatian finally became an official language in Dalmatia in 1883, along with Italian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beč kao magnet |url=https://mojahrvatska.vecernji.hr/vijesti/habsburgovci-povijest-hrvatski-jezik-bec-smiljka-malinar-1178499 |access-date=2021-11-14 |website=mojahrvatska.vecernji.hr |language=hr |archive-date=2021-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114203343/https://mojahrvatska.vecernji.hr/vijesti/habsburgovci-povijest-hrvatski-jezik-bec-smiljka-malinar-1178499 |url-status=live }}</ref> Yet minority Italian-speakers continued to wield strong influence, since Austria favoured Italians for government work, thus in the Austrian capital of Dalmatia, [[Zadar|Zara]], the proportion of Italians continued to grow, making it the only Dalmatian city with an Italian majority.{{sfn|Peričić|2003|p=343}}

In 1861 the meeting of the first Dalmatian Assembly took place, with representatives from Dubrovnik. Representatives of Kotor came to Dubrovnik to join the struggle for unification with Croatia. The citizens of Dubrovnik gave them a festive welcome, flying [[Flag of Croatia|Croatian flags]] from the ramparts and exhibiting the slogan ''Ragusa with Kotor''. The Kotorans elected a delegation to go to [[Vienna]]; Dubrovnik nominated [[Niko Pucić]], who went to Vienna to demand not only the unification of Dalmatia with Croatia, but also the [[Triune Kingdom|unification of all Croatian territories]] under one common ''Sabor''. During this period, the Habsburgs carried out an aggressive [[Anti-Italianism|anti-Italian]] policy through a forced Slavisation of the region.<ref>{{cite book|title= La campagna del 1866 nei documenti militari austriaci: operazioni terrestri|publisher= [[University of Padova]] |author= Angelo Filipuzzi|page=396|year=1966|language=it}}{{No ISBN}}</ref>

===20th century===
{{See also|Marjane, Marjane|Yugoslav People's Liberation War|SFR Yugoslavia|Governorate of Dalmatia|Operation Coast-91|Istrian-Dalmatian exodus}}
[[File:Promised Borders of the Tready of London.png|thumb|Territories promised to Italy by the 
[[London Pact]] (1915), i.e. [[Trentino-Alto Adige]], the [[Julian March]] and [[Dalmatia]] (tan), and the [[Snežnik (plateau)|Snežnik Plateau]] area (green). Dalmatia, after the WWI, however, was not assigned to Italy but to [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]].]]
In 1905, a dispute arose in the [[Imperial Council (Austria)|Austrian Imperial Council]] over whether Austria should pay for Dalmatia. It has been argued that in the conclusion of the [[April Laws]] is written "given by Banus Count [[Keglević family|Keglevich]] of [[Bužim]]", which explained the historical affiliation of Dalmatia to [[Kingdom of Hungary (1867–1918)|Hungary]].<ref>Stenographische Protokolle über die Sitzungen des Hauses der Abgeordneten des österreichischen Reichsrates, Ausgaben 318-329, [https://books.google.com/books?ei=R2vYT6XNK8vP4QTwtdilAw&hl=de&id=AlAyAQAAMAAJ&dq=Keglevich Seite 29187], Austria, Reichsrat, Abgeordnetenhaus, published 1905.</ref> Two years later Dalmatia elected representatives to the Austrian Imperial Council.

Until 1909, both [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Croatian language|Croatian]] were recognized as official languages in Dalmatia. After 1909, Italian lost its official status, thus it could no longer be used in the public and administrative sphere.<ref>{{Citation|year=1970|title=Dalmazia|encyclopedia=Dizionario enciclopedico italiano|volume=III|page=730|publisher=[[Treccani]]|language=it|quote=Nel 1909 l'uso della lingua italiana viene proibito negli uffici dello Stato.|trans-quote=In 1909 the use of the Italian language was prohibited in the offices of the State}}</ref> All but one of the 82 urban communities got Slav government majority by 1910.{{Sfn|Seton-Watson|1967|pp=352–357}} 

Dalmatia was a strategic region during [[World War I]] that both [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]] and [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia]] intended to seize from [[Austria-Hungary]]. Italy joined the [[Triple Entente]] [[Allies of World War I|Allies]] in 1915 upon agreeing to the [[Treaty of London (1915)|Treaty of London]] that guaranteed Italy the right to annex a large portion of Dalmatia in exchange for Italy's participation on the Allied side. From 5–6 November 1918, Italian forces were reported to have reached [[Vis (island)|Vis]], [[Lastovo]], Šibenik, and other localities on the Dalmatian coast.<ref>Giuseppe Praga, Franco Luxardo. ''History of Dalmatia''. Giardini, 1993. Pp. 281.</ref> By the end of hostilities in November 1918, the Italian military had [[Occupation of the eastern Adriatic|seized control of the entire portion of Dalmatia]] that had been guaranteed to Italy by the Treaty of London and by 17 November had seized Rijeka as well creating the first [[Governorate of Dalmatia]].<ref name="Paul O 2005. Pp. 17">Paul O'Brien. ''Mussolini in the First World War: the Journalist, the Soldier, the Fascist''. Oxford, England, UK; New York, New York, USA: Berg, 2005. Pp. 17.</ref> In 1918, Admiral [[Enrico Millo]] declared himself Italy's Governor of Dalmatia.<ref name="Paul O 2005. Pp. 17" /> Famous [[Italian nationalism|Italian nationalist]] [[Gabriele D'Annunzio]] supported the seizure of Dalmatia, and proceeded to Zadar in an Italian warship in December 1918.<ref>A. Rossi. ''The Rise of Italian Fascism: 1918–1922''. New York, New York, USA: Routledge, 2010. Pp. 47.</ref> However, in spite of the guarantees of the Treaty of London to Italy of a large portion of Dalmatia and Italian military occupation of claimed territories of Dalmatia, during the peace settlement negotiations of 1919 to 1920, the [[Fourteen Points]] of [[Woodrow Wilson]] that advocated self-determination of nations took precedence, with Italy only being permitted to annex Zadar from Dalmatia, while the rest of Dalmatia was to be part of [[Yugoslavia]].

At the end of World War I, the Austrian Empire disintegrated, and Dalmatia was again split between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]]) which controlled most of it, and the Kingdom of Italy which held small portions of northern Dalmatia around Zadar and the islands of [[Cres]], [[Lošinj]], and Lastovo. Italy entered World War I in a territorial gamble, mostly to gain Dalmatia. But Italy got only a small part of its pretensions, so Dalmatia mostly stayed Yugoslav.[[File:Enrico Millo circa 1915 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Enrico Millo]], the first governor of the first Italian [[Governatorate of Dalmatia]] (1918–1920)]]

Despite the fact that there were only a few thousand [[Dalmatian Italians|Italian-speakers in Dalmatia]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hehn |first=Paul N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nOALhEZkYDkC&dq=%22signed+a+treaty+on+November+12,+1920,+at+Rapallo&pg=PA45 |title=A Low, Dishonest Decade: The Great Powers, Eastern Europe and the Economic Origins of World War II |date=2005-09-26 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-8264-1761-9 |language=en}}</ref> after the constant decrease that occurred in previous decades, [[Italian irredentism|Italian irredentists]] continued to lay claim to all of Dalmatia. In 1927 Italy signed an agreement with the Croatian fascist, terrorist [[Ustaše]] organization. The [[Ustaše|Ustaše agreed]] that once they gained power, they will cede to Italy additional territory in Dalmatia and the Bay of Kotor, while renouncing all Croatian claims to Istria, Rijeka, Zadar and the Adriatic Islands.{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|p=30–31}}

In 1922, the territory of the former Kingdom of Dalmatia was divided into two provinces, the Oblast of Split and the Oblast of Dubrovnik. In 1929, the [[Littoral Banovina]], a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, was formed. Its capital was Split, and it included most of Dalmatia and parts of present-day [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]. The southern parts of Dalmatia were in [[Zeta Banovina]], from the Bay of Kotor to [[Pelješac]] peninsula including Dubrovnik. In 1939, Littoral Banovina was joined with [[Sava Banovina]] (and with smaller parts of other banovinas) to form a new province named the [[Banovina of Croatia]]. The same year, the ethnic Croatian areas of the Zeta Banovina from the Bay of Kotor to Pelješac, including Dubrovnik, were merged with a new Banovina of Croatia.

During [[World War II in Yugoslavia|World War II]], in 1941, [[Nazi Germany]], [[Fascist Italy (1922–1943)|Fascist Italy]], [[Hungary in World War II|Hungary]], and [[Bulgaria during World War II|Bulgaria]] occupied Yugoslavia, redrawing their borders to include former parts of the Yugoslavian state. A new [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[List of World War II puppet states|puppet state]], the [[Independent State of Croatia]] (NDH), was created. With the [[Treaties of rome|Treaties of Rome]], the NDH agreed to cede to Italy Dalmatian territory, creating the second [[Governorate of Dalmatia]], from north of Zadar to south of Split, with inland areas, plus nearly all the Adriatic islands and [[Gorski Kotar]]. Italy then annexed these territories, while all the remainder of southern Croatia, including the entire coast, were placed under Italian occupation. Italy also appointed an Italian, [[Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta]], as king of Croatia.{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|p=238}}[[File:GovernateOfDalmatia1941 43.png|thumb|right|Map of the second Italian [[Governatorate of Dalmatia]] (1941–1943) showing the [[province of Zara]], the [[province of Spalato]] and the [[province of Cattaro]].]]Italy proceeded to Italianize the annexed areas of Dalmatia.{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|pp=132–133}} Place names were Italianized, and Italian was made the official language in all schools, churches and government administration.{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|pp=132–133}} All Croatian cultural societies were banned, while Italians took control of all key mineral, industrial and business establishments.{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|pp=132–133}} Italian policies prompted resistance by Dalmatians, many joined the Partisans.{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|pp=133–134}} This led to further Italian repressive measures - shooting of civilian hostages, burning of villages, confiscation of properties. Italians took many civilians to concentration camps{{sfn|Tomasevich|2002|pp=133–134}} - altogether, some 80,000 Dalmatians, 12% of the population, passed through Italian concentration camps.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dizdar |first=Zdravko |date=2005-12-15 |title=Italian Policies Toward Croatians In Occupied Territories During The Second World War |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/35407 |journal=Review of Croatian History |language=en |volume=I |issue=1 |page=207 |issn=1845-4380}}</ref>[[File:Podgora Kroatien 3.JPG|thumb|The ''Seagull Wings'' monument in [[Podgora, Split-Dalmatia County|Podgora]], dedicated to the fallen sailors of the [[Yugoslav Partisans#Partisan Navy|Yugoslav Partisan Navy]]]]

Many Croats moved from the Italian-occupied area and took refuge in the satellite state of Croatia, which became the battleground for a guerrilla war between the [[Axis powers|Axis]] and the [[Yugoslav Partisans]]. Following the [[Armistice of Cassibile|surrender of Italy]] in 1943, much of Italian-controlled Dalmatia was liberated by the Partisans, then [[Italian Social Republic|taken over by German forces]] in a brutal campaign, who then returned control to the puppet Independent State of Croatia. [[Vis (island)|Vis Island]] remained in Partisan hands, while Zadar, Rijeka, Istria, Cres, Lošinj, Lastovo and Palagruža became part of the German ''[[Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral|Operationszone Adriatisches Küstenland]].'' The Partisans took Dalmatia in 1944, and with that Zadar, Rijeka, Istria, Cres, Lošinj, Lastovo and Palagruža became reunited with Croatia. After 1945, most of the remaining [[Dalmatian Italians]] fled the region (350,000 Italians escaped from [[Istria]] and Dalmatia in the [[Istrian-Dalmatian exodus]]). After World War II, Dalmatia became part of the [[Socialist Republic of Croatia|People's Republic of Croatia]], part of the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia]].

The territory of the former Kingdom of Dalmatia was divided between two [[federal republic]]s of Yugoslavia and most of the territory went to Croatia, leaving only the Bay of Kotor to [[Socialist Republic of Montenegro|Montenegro]]. When [[Breakup of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia dissolved]] in 1991, those borders were retained and remain in force. During the [[Croatian War of Independence]], most of Dalmatia was a battleground between the [[Government of Croatia]] and the [[Yugoslav People's Army]] (JNA), which aided the [[proto-state]] of [[Republic of Serbian Krajina|Serbian Krajina]], with much of the [[SAO Krajina|northern part of the region around Knin]] and the far south around, but not including, [[Dubrovnik Republic (1991)|Dubrovnik being placed under the control of Serb forces]]. Croatia did regain the southern territories in 1992 but did not regain the north until [[Operation Storm]] in 1995. After the war, a number of towns and municipalities in the region were designated [[Areas of Special State Concern]].

==Geography and climate==

{{See also|Geography of Croatia}}
[[File:Split center from the air 1.jpg|thumb|right|The ancient core of the city of [[Split, Croatia|Split]], the largest city in Dalmatia, built in and around the [[Diocletian's Palace|Palace of Emperor Diocletian]].]]
[[File:J32 654 Zlatni Rat.jpg|thumb|[[Zlatni Rat]] beach on [[Brač]] island ([[Croatia]]), in the [[Adriatic Sea]], during the summer.]]
[[File:Old Port and historical center of Dubrovnik, Croatia, a view from the south (48613003236).jpg|thumb|right|The historic core of the city of [[Dubrovnik]], in southern Dalmatia.]]
Most of the land area is covered by the [[Dinaric Alps]] mountain range running from north-west to south-east. The hills and mountains lie parallel to the coast, which gave rise to the geographic term [[Concordant coastline|Dalmatian concordant coastline]]. On the coasts the climate is [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]], while further inland it is moderate Mediterranean. In the mountains, winters are frosty and snowy, while summers are hot and dry. To the south winters are milder. Over the centuries many forests have been cut down and replaced with bush and brush. There is evergreen vegetation on the coast. The soils are generally poor, except on the plains where areas with natural grass, fertile soils, and warm summers provide an opportunity for tillage. Elsewhere, land cultivation is mostly unsuccessful because of the mountains, hot summers, and poor soils, although olives, grapes, and other [[Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub|Mediterranean flora]] flourish. Electricity is mainly produced by [[hydropower]] stations. 

The largest Dalmatian mountains are [[Dinara]], [[Mosor]], [[Svilaja]], [[Biokovo]], [[Moseć]], [[Veliki Kozjak]], and [[Mali Kozjak]]. The regional geographical unit of Dalmatia–the coastal region between [[Istria]] and the [[Bay of Kotor]]–includes the [[Orjen]] mountains with the highest peak in [[Montenegro]], 1894 m. In present-day Dalmatia, the highest peak is Dinara (1913 m), which is not a coastal mountain, while the highest coastal Dinaric mountains are on Biokovo (Sv. Jure, 1762 m) and [[Velebit]] (Vaganski vrh, 1757 m),<ref name="yearbook">{{Croatia Yearbook 2015|page=48|chapter=Geographical and Meteorological Data|author=}}</ref> although the Vaganski vrh itself is located in [[Lika-Senj County]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Croatian Mountaineering Association|url=https://www.hps.hr/info/hrvatski-vrhovi/vaganski-vrh/|title=Vaganski vrh|language=hr|trans-title=Vaganski peak|access-date=14 August 2012|archive-date=19 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419022403/http://www.hps.hr/info/hrvatski-vrhovi/vaganski-vrh/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The largest Dalmatian islands are [[Brač]], [[Korčula]], [[Dugi Otok]], [[Mljet]], [[Vis (island)|Vis]], [[Hvar]], [[Pag (island)|Pag]], [[Ugljan]] and [[Pašman]]. The major rivers are [[Zrmanja]], [[Krka (Croatia)|Krka]], [[Cetina]], and [[Neretva]].

The Adriatic Sea's high [[water quality]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/news/environment/110728_en.htm |title=Cyprus and Croatia top EU rankings for bathing water quality |date=July 28, 2011 |publisher=European Commission |access-date=2 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521055145/http://ec.europa.eu/news/environment/110728_en.htm |archive-date=21 May 2013 }}</ref> along with the immense number of [[cove]]s, [[List of islands of Croatia|islands]], and [[strait|channels]], makes Dalmatia an attractive place for nautical races, [[nautical tourism]], and tourism in general. Dalmatia also includes several [[National parks of Croatia|national parks]] that are tourist attractions: [[Paklenica]] [[karst]] river, [[Kornati]] [[archipelago]], [[Krka National Park|Krka river rapids]], and [[Mljet National Park|the northwest of the island of Mljet]].

==Administrative division==
{{historical populations|1857|377776|1869|407114|1880|436455|1890|486218|1900|550080|1910|597420|1921|616285|1931|654705|1948|669815|1953|712126|1961|761407|1971|863782|1981|910452|1991|957168|2001|857559|2011|852068|2021|803930|align=right|cols=1|source=[[Template:Croatian_population_data_graph/Sources|Croatian Bureau of Statistics publications]]{{Ref|box3|2}}}}The area of Dalmatia roughly corresponds to Croatia's four southernmost [[counties of Croatia|counties]], listed here north to south:<ref name="census2011-counties"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable zebra"
! County
! County seat
! Population<br />(Census 2011)
! Ethnic [[Croats]]
! Other ethnic Groups
|-
| [[File:Flag of Zadar County.png|rand|23px]] [[Zadar County]] ''(Zadarska županija)''
| [[Zadar]]
| 170,017<ref name="pop2011Zadar">[https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf Census 2011: Population by Citizenship, Ethnicity, Religion and Mother Tongue - Zadar County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214173901/https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf |date=2020-02-14 }} (PDF) pages 42-43, [[Croatian Bureau of Statistics]], dzs.hr</ref>
| 157,389 (92.57%)<ref name="pop2011Zadar" />
| 12,628 (7.34%): 8,184 [[Serbs of Croatia|Serbs]] (4.81%)<ref name="pop2011Zadar" />
|-
| [[File:Flag of Šibenik County.svg|rand|23px]] [[Šibenik-Knin County]] ''(Šibensko-kninska županija)''
| [[Šibenik]]
| 109,375<ref name="pop2011ŠibenikKnin">[https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf Census 2011: Population by Citizenship, Ethnicity, Religion and Mother Tongue - Šibenik-Knin County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214173901/https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf |date=2020-02-14 }} (PDF) pages 46-47, [[Croatian Bureau of Statistics]]</ref>
| 95,582 (87.39%)<ref name="pop2011ŠibenikKnin" />
| 13,793 (12.61%): 11,518 Serbs (10.53%)<ref name="pop2011ŠibenikKnin" />
|-
| [[File:Flag of Split-Dalmatia County.svg|rand|23px]] [[Split-Dalmatia County]] ''(Splitsko-dalmatinska županija)''
| [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
| 454,798<ref name="pop2011SplitDalmatia">[https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf Census 2011: Population by Citizenship, Ethnicity, Religion and Mother Tongue - Split-Dalmatia County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214173901/https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf |date=2020-02-14 }} (PDF) pages 50-51, [[Croatian Bureau of Statistics]], dzs.hr</ref>
| 441,526 (97.08%)<ref name="pop2011SplitDalmatia" />
| 13.272 (2.92%): 4,797 Serbs (1.05%), 1,389 [[Bosniaks of Croatia|Bosniaks]] (0.31%) and 1,025 [[Albanians of Croatia|Albanians]] (0.23%)<ref name="pop2011SplitDalmatia" />
|-
| [[File:Flag of Dubrovnik-Neretva County.png|rand|23px]] [[Dubrovnik-Neretva County]] ''(Dubrovačko-neretvanska županija)''
| [[Dubrovnik]]
| 122,568<ref name="pop2011DubrovnikNeretva">[https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf Census 2011: Population by Citizenship, Ethnicity, Religion and Mother Tongue - Dubrovnik-Neretva County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214173901/https://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/publication/2012/SI-1469.pdf |date=2020-02-14 }} (PDF) Pages 54-55, [[Croatian Bureau of Statistics]], dzs.hr</ref>
| 115,668 (94.37%)<ref name="pop2011DubrovnikNeretva" />
| 6,900 (5.63%): 2,095 Serbs (1.71%) and 1,978 Bosniaks (1.61%)<ref name="pop2011DubrovnikNeretva" />
|}

==Cities by population==
#[[Split, Croatia|Split]] (161,312)
#[[Zadar]] (70,829)
#[[Šibenik]] (42,589)
#[[Dubrovnik]] (41,671)
Other large towns include [[Biograd na Moru|Biograd]], [[Kaštela]], [[Sinj]], [[Solin, Croatia|Solin]], [[Omiš]], [[Knin]], [[Metković]], [[Makarska]], [[Trogir]], [[Ploče]], and [[Imotski]].

==Culture and ethnicity==
[[File:Brodet.JPG|thumb|[[Brudet]]]]
[[File:Jerolim Kavanjin.JPG|thumb|[[Girolamo Cavagnini]], a Dalmatian poet who supported [[Dalmatianism]]]]
The inhabitants of Dalmatia are culturally subdivided into two groups. The urban families of the coastal cities, commonly known as ''Fetivi'',<ref name="Bousfield">{{cite book|first=Jonathan|last=Bousfield|title=The Rough Guide to Croatia|publisher=Rough Guides|year=2003|page=293|isbn=1843530848}}</ref> are culturally akin to the inhabitants of the [[List of islands of Croatia|Dalmatian islands]] (known [[Pejorative|derogatorily]] as ''Boduli''). The two are together distinct, in the [[Mediterranean culture|Mediterranean aspects]] of their culture, from the more numerous inhabitants of the [[Dalmatian Hinterland|Hinterland]]. Referred to (sometimes derogatorily) as the ''Vlaji'', their name originated from the [[Vlachs]] with whom they have no ethnic connection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.enciklopedija.hr/clanak/vlasi|title=Vlasi|access-date=2025-04-19|archive-date=2025-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321010340/https://www.enciklopedija.hr/clanak/vlasi|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Perselli" />

The former two groups (inhabitants of the islands and the cities) historically included many [[Venetian language|Venetian]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] speakers, who are identificated as [[Dalmatian Italians]]. Their presence, relative to those identifying as [[Croats]], decreased over the course of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. 

[[Dalmatian identity]], or sometimes also Dalmatianism, Dalmatianness or Dalmatian nationalism', refers to the historical [[nationalism]] or [[patriotism]] of Dalmatians and Dalmatian culture. There were significant Dalmatian nationalists in the 19th century, but Dalmatian regional nationalism faded in significance over time in favour of [[ethnic nationalism]].<ref>Egbert Jahn. Nationalism in Late and Post-Communist Europe: The Failed Nationalism of the Multinational and Partial National States , Volume 1. Nomos, 2008. P. 330. ''In the course of this development, regional nationalism (for example Bohemian, Transylvanian, Montenegrin, and Dalmatian nationalism) declined in importance almost everywhere and had to give way to ethnic nationalism.''</ref>

The 17th-century Dalmatian poet [[Jerolim Kavanjin]] (''Girolamo Cavagnini'') exhibited Dalmatianism, identifying himself as "Dalmatian" and calling Dalmatia his homeland, which John Fine interprets not to have been a nationalist notion.<ref>When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans: A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early-Modern Periods. University of Michigan Press, 2006. P. 287. ''Besides this pan-Slavism, which produced in him the identity that came closest to being ethnic, Kavanjin exhibited the noted "Dalmatianism". This local "Dalmatian" identity was the only competitor "Slavic" had. And, after all, as he said, Dalmatia was his homeland. And two such identities could easily co-exist and both could have "ethnic" ingredients.''</ref>

During Dalmatia's incorporation in [[Austrian Empire]], with the [[Autonomist Party (Dalmatia)|Autonomist Party]] in Dalmatia refusing and opposed plans to incorporate Dalmatia into Croatia; instead it supported an autonomous Dalmatia based on a multicultural association of Dalmatia's ethnic communities: [[Croats]], [[Serbs]], and [[Italians]], united as Dalmatians.<ref name="Hametz-2012">Maura Hametz. ''In the Name of Italy: Nation, Family, and Patriotism in a Fascist Court: Nation, Family, and Patriotism in a Fascist Court.'' Fordham University Press, 2012.</ref> The Autonomist Party has been accused of secretly having been a pro-Italian movement due to their defense of the rights of ethnic Italians in Dalmatia.<ref name="Hametz-2012"/> Support for the autonomy of Dalmatia had deep historic roots in identifying Dalmatian culture as linking Western culture via Venetian and Italian influence and Eastern culture via South Slavic influence; such a view was supported by Dalmatian autonomist Stipan Ivičević.<ref>Dominique Reill. ''Nationalists Who Feared the Nation: Adriatic Multi-Nationalism in Habsburg Dalmatia, Trieste, and Venice''. Stanford, California, USA: Stanford University Press, 2012. P. 216.</ref> The Autonomist Party did not claim to be an Italian movement, and indicated that it sympathised with a sense of heterogeneity amongst Dalmatians in opposition to [[ethnic nationalism]].<ref name="Hametz-2012"/> In the 1861 elections, the Autonomists won twenty-seven seats in Dalmatia, while Dalmatia's [[Croatian nationalism|Croatian nationalist]] movement, the [[People's Party (Dalmatia)|People's Party]], won only fourteen seats.<ref>Ivo Goldstein. ''Croatia: A History. 2nd edition''. C. Hurst & Co, 1999, 2001. P. 80.</ref>

The issue of autonomy of Dalmatia was debated after the creation of [[Yugoslavia]] in 1918, due to divisions within Dalmatia over proposals of merging the region with the territories composing the former [[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]].<ref>Ivo Banac. The National Question in Yugoslavia: Origins, History, Politics. Ithaca, New York, US: Cornell University Press, 1984. P. 351.</ref> Proposals for the autonomy of Dalmatia within [[Yugoslavia]] were made by Dalmatians within the [[Yugoslav Partisans]] during [[World War II]]; however, these proposals were strongly opposed by Croatian Communists and the proposals were soon abandoned.<ref>Aleksa Đilas. ''Contested Country: Yugoslav Unity and Communist Revolution, 1919-1953''. Harvard University Press, 1991. Pp. 172.</ref>

==Gallery==	
{{Gallery		
|title=Places in Dalmatia		
|width=195		
|height=120		
|align=center		
|File:Dubrovnik - Croatia.jpg|Medieval fortresses of [[Lovrijenac]] & Bokar, in [[Dubrovnik]]		
|File:Narodni Trg (Pjaca) Split.jpg|The ''Pjaca'' city square in [[Split, Croatia|Split]]		
|File:Šibenik, Croatia (Unsplash).jpg|Panoramic view of [[Šibenik]]’s waterfront		
|File:St. Jacobuskathedraal ; Sibenik.jpg|[[Šibenik Cathedral]]		
|File:Forum Zadar Croatia.jpg|[[Church of St. Donatus]] in [[Zadar]]
|File:Hvar Island (33383129348).jpg|[[Hvar]]		
|File:Roman forum, Zadar (P1080975).jpg|The ancient Roman forum in [[Zadar]]		
|File:Bol Croatia.jpg|Panoramic view of [[Bol, Croatia|Bol]]		
|File:Korčula 23f.jpg|[[Korčula (town)|Korčula]]		
|File:Cavtat Croatia 2008-10-07.JPG|Panoramic view of [[Cavtat]]		
|File:Peristyle of Diocletian's Palace - Split - 51387487617.jpg|[[Diocletian's Palace]]		
|File:Hidden Beach (15093910956).jpg|Hidden beach in southern Dalmatia		
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Croatia}}
*{{annotated link|History of Dalmatia}}
*[[Venetian Dalmatia]]
*[[Dalmatian (dog)]]—notable dog breed originating in the region
*{{annotated link|Chakavian}}
*{{annotated link|Liburnia}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last1=Ivetic |first1=Egidio |title=Povijest Jadrana: More i njegove civilizacije |trans-title=History of the Adriatic: A Sea and Its Civilization |date=2022 |publisher=Srednja Europa, Polity Press |isbn=9789538281747 |language=hr, en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Seton-Watson |first=Christopher |url=https://archive.org/details/italyfromliberal0000seto/page/353/mode/1up?q=Dalmatia |title=Italy from Liberalism to Fascism, 1870–1925 |publisher=Methuen & Co |year=1967}}
* {{cite book |last1=Tomasevich |first1=Jozo |title=War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945: Occupation and Collaboration |date=October 2002 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-7924-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqUSGevFe5MC |language=en |archive-date=2025-03-17 |access-date=2022-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250317111535/https://books.google.com/books?id=fqUSGevFe5MC |url-status=live }}

==Further reading==
===Alpinism===
* {{cite journal |date=February 1959 |first=Željko |last=Poljak |title=Pregled Sadržaja 1898—1958 ("Hrvatski Planinar" i "Naše Planine"): Ostali članci o Dalmaciji |journal=Naše Planine |issn=0354-0650 |volume=XI |issue=1–2 |pages=20–21 |url=https://www.hps.hr/hp-arhiva/195901.pdf |archive-date=2025-04-09 |access-date=2025-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409033044/https://www.hps.hr/hp-arhiva/195901.pdf |url-status=live}}
===Bibliography of Dalmatia===
* {{cite book |last=Giuseppe |first=Valentinelli |author-link=:it:Giuseppe Valentinelli |publisher=Typis Caecinianis et soc. |date=1842 |title=Specimen bibliographicum de Dalmatia et agro Labeatium |language=la |trans-title=Bibliographic Specimen of Dalmatia and the Area of the Labeati |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008401821 |location=[[Venice]]}}
* {{cite book |last=Giuseppe |first=Valentinelli |publisher=Tip. Cecchini e Naratovich |date=1845 |title=Bibliografia dalmata, tratta da' codici mss. (latini e italiani) della Marciana di Venezia |language=it |trans-title=Dalmatian Bibliography, Treating of the Codex mss. (Latin from Italian) della Marciana di Venezia |edition=1st |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009737696 |location=Venice}}
* {{cite journal |last=Giuseppe |first=Valentinelli |date=1853 |title=Ergänzungen zu dem Werke: Bibliografia Dalmata tratta da' codici della Marciana di Venezia |language=de |trans-title=Supplements to: Dalmatian Bibliography, Treating of the Codex mss. (Latin from Italian) della Marciana di Venezia |pages=1–6, 23–26 |url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10535865?page=11 |journal=Notizenblatt: Beilage zum Archiv für Kunde österreichischer Geschichts-Quellen |volume=3 |issue=1, 2}}
* {{cite book |last=Giuseppe |first=Valentinelli |publisher=[[Ljudevit Gaj]] |date=1855 |title=Bibliografia della Dalmazia e del Montenegro |language=it |trans-title=Bibliography of Dalmatia and of Montenegro |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001763215 |location=[[Zagreb]]}}

==External links==
{{Catholic Encyclopedia poster|Dalmatia}}
{{Wiktionary|Dalmatia}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Dalmatia | volume= 7 |last= Jayne | first= Kingsley Garland |author-link= | pages = 772&ndash;776 |short= 1}}
* [https://www.dalmacija.hr/ Dalmacija.hr] – Official website of Split-Dalmatian County (in Croatian)
* [https://www.dalmatia.hr/en Dalmatia.hr] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703130956/https://www.dalmatia.hr/en |date=2019-07-03 }} – Official website of Croatian Tourism Board for Dalmatia

{{Sister bar|auto=y}}
{{Regions of Croatia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dalmatia| ]]
[[Category:Historical regions in Croatia]]
[[Category:Regions of Croatia]]