The Mogorović family was one of the twelve noble tribes of the Kingdom of Croatia, mentioned in the Pacta conventa and Supetar Cartulary. They were initially mentioned in the 12th and 14th centuries in the hinterland of Biograd na Moru and Zadar in Dalmatia, and since the 13th century in the region of Lika, where they branched into most prominently Disislavić noble family, besides being divided into other fourteen noble branches by 15th and 16th century. As experienced warriors, they actively participated in the Croatian–Ottoman wars. Direct descendants of the tribe live even today in Croatia.
Etymology The family name Mogor(-ović) probably derives from a patronymic Mogor or Mohor, which is a Slavic variation of the name of St. Hermagoras of Aquileia. It means "of Mogor". From such a form besides surname Mogorović also derive common Croatian patronyms from Istria: Mohor, Mohorić, Mohorac, Mohorović, Mohorčić, and Mohorovičić. It would imply the name was baptized into Croatia through the influence of Patriarchate of Aquileia and the tribe lost its original name. According to other theories, which consider it is unlikely that a Slavic tribe lost its original name, it derives from legendary ancestor Magor of Hungarian tribe Megyer from which derives Hungarian ethnonym Magyar implying a Hungarian origin, possibly supported by Pope Gregory XI's letter in 1373 (nobili uiro Magor, comiti de Licha). Another derived it from White Croatian Mouchlo, one of the seven brothers and sisters who led the Croatian tribes during their migration to present-day Croatia according to De Administrando Imperio (10th century). As Greek scripture often replaced "l" and "r" as well "chi" with "g" and "k", and distorted names, the derivation would go Mouchlo > Mouchro > Mougro > Mogor. Vladimir Mažuranić refuted possible derivation from Ural–Altaic names Mogol and Mogul.
In the historical sources, the family name also comes in forms of , of which Cithorum and Murithorum considered as mutual, a possible distortion, often transcribed as Murić, but considering other sources, they certainly relate to the Mogorović's tribe. The family name can be found in the toponym of Mogorić, a settlement with castle ruins founded by the tribe, and medieval toponym Mogorova Dubrava, located on the site of later fort Kličevica near Benkovac.
Coat of Arms The Mogorović's coat of arms can be followed since the 15th century with the seals which used noble members of the tribe. The main motif of the shield is silver bars representing the river, which were flat, transversal, or like the most, wavy. The number of bars is undefined, ranging from two up to seven, intermediate being four or five, possibly indicating rivers around which the tribe lived. The shield color according to the coat of arms of Petričević-Hreljac branch from 1590 was azure, while the Babonožić's branch coat of arms from 1622 which had a silver shield and azure bars is most probably wrongly interpreted because such coloring is against heraldry practice. It had only slight variations, rarely with an addition of a lion with a sabre (Mogorić), griffin (Babonožić), or six to eight-pointed star (Gojčić, Kobasić). The armor's helmet and its mantle are unknown.
History In the 11th and 14th century they are mentioned in the hinterland of Biograd na Moru and Zadar in Dalmatia, and since the 13th century in the župa of Lika. It is not clear whether they originated from župa Sidraga, Nona and Luka in Dalmatia, or from Lika. It is considered that the process of formation of a noble genus finished by the beginning of the 13th century and that probably all members had an unknown common ancestor. In Lika, besides having the title of župan also named as špan or knez, the tribe had its own noble court table (plemeniti stol), with additional four judges, and two court officials (pristav). It also had 24 local nobles (osidnici). Only when župan and all judges were gathered was full table (pun stol) to start a lawsuit, which happened during Monday. This privilege they kept until 16th century.
Through time they had inherited estates in Southeastern, Western, Central and Northeastern part of Lika. Their lands bordered in the North the Frankopan family, and reached to the South of Velebit up to Obrovac and Posedarje, where bordered Gusić tribe branches Kurjaković and Posedarski. They pushed out other noble families, like Tugomirić, Čudomirić and Lagodušić, being the most numerous tribe in the region. According to documents its members lived in settlements Bisići, Cahovići ili Cehovići, Crna vas, Dugošani, Gaćelezi, Grvozdnica, Kasezi, Kuklići, Lučani, Marinci, Podslun, Radina-vas, Ribnik, Sebidraža, Skurina, Stinice, Telić-selo, Vrhovljani, Zabrdo, Zahumići, Zažićno, and many others. The nobles built several forts, today all in ruins, in Lika and on slopes of the mountain Velebit, including Počitelj, Lička Ostrovica, Barlete, Lički Novi, Bilaj, Ribnik, Mogorić among others, which almost all have become property of Frankopan and Kurjaković families by early 16th century.
In Dalmatia, they founded the church of Sv. Gospe (St. Lady) in village Tukljača (today Turanj), mentioned as Tochinia in 1078 charter by Demetrius Zvonimir of Croatia. It is notable because it has built-in lintel which mentions it was founded by the tribal members Mogori cognations in honor of their ancestor Gregorius Mogor, son Olim Nicula Mogor, and due to its inscription content and another interwoven ornament can be dated to the 9th or the 10th century at the latest (according to some it dates itself to 845 and mentions Duke Mislav of Croatia). The tribe is recorded at least since the 1069, a royal document by King Petar Krešimir IV of Croatia in which founded female monastery of St. Toma in Biograd na Moru, when is mentioned terrara Mogorouici, with terram Mogorouizi mentioned again in 1164. The earliest supposedly known member of the genus is župan Petrum Murithorum, one of the twelve noblemen mentioned in Pacta conventa (1102) who negotiated with Coloman, King of Hungary. According to the Supetar Cartulary, they were one of six tribes which selected bans who, in turn, elected a new king in a case where the prior king died without leaving heirs, and possibly mentions Peter Mogorovig. In the late 12th century are recorded witnesses Gregorius (1188), Mergia (1197), while in the next line Disislavus, Duymo (1207), Joanni (1240), Berislavus, and Petrus. Joanni (Ivan) of Raduč (1240), was a royal knight and counselor of Béla IV of Hungary and received villages Regiane and Veterinići and Ljuba fortress with its estates in 1268. In 1248, the noble court in Lika confirmed that certain land Tethacsics has been owned since immemorial times by progenitors of certain Porugh who can use it with rights like of a noble class of Mogorović and that it bounded with terrae Mogorovich. In 1263, Petar Tolimirović from the Tolimirović branch received some estates as a replacement for fortified town Počitelj from the King Béla IV. In 1349, brothers Novak, Martinuš and Petar of Borislav, and Grgur of Tolimir, from the Tolimirović branch sold the majority of their estates for 3,000 Venetian lira to members Kurjak of Disislav, Novak, Grgur and Ivan of Petar of another noble branch Disislavić. Another branch, Berislavić, is mentioned between 1349 and 1411. In the 1360s their inherited title of župans of Lika was taken by King Louis I of Hungary, however in 1372 there was a reconciliation, and in 1373 letter by Pope Gregory XI, about confiscated church dozens of the Nin diocese so the Lika prefect was informed about it, are recorded župans Novak, Petar, and Magor or Mogor who also was from the Tolimirović branch or was a founder of the branch which later had a surname Mogorić.
In 1446, Ivan Jurislavić for his merits in service to Ivan and Grgur Kurjaković received Badučevo Selo in Lika. In 1468, Ivan Gusić from the tribe of Mogorović was gifted with some estates in Paprčane and Tršćane also for military service by Pavao Kurjaković, implying some members of the Gusić tribe became part of the Mogorović tribe. In the same year some members of Mogorović family from Srijan bought estates in same villages from Pavao Kurjaković, and to their brothers in 1478 were gifted some estates in area of Zadar by descendants of Karlo Kurjaković. In 1490 Glagolitic document is mentioned Tomaš Mogorić, who was špan of noble people in Bužani. Two years later, Tomaš with Ladislav Vučić and Pál Petričević, went to Budim to sign a document by which Croatian nobility guaranteed Maximilian I of the House of Habsburg inheritance to the Hungarian-Croatian throne if the king Vladislaus II of Hungary died without descendants. In 1551 census of the military crew of Senj were listed Petar, Vinko, and Matija Gojčić - Mogoroević de Novaki in Lika. The latter was buried in 1555 in the family tomb in the church of St. Franjo in Senj. It has a tombstone decorated with an inscription and a coat of arms. In 1675 or 1679 in the church at Marija Gorica near Zaprešić, Mihael Vrenić erected an epitaph to the captain of Ogulin, Martino Mogorich who died c. 1643, which is richly decorated, depicting him, an episode from a battle with Turks, his coat of arms, and an inscription. Almost the same coat of arms can be found in the seal of Nikola Mogorić from 1675. It is considered that this branch's male line got extinct at the end of the 17th century.
From the branch Budišić most prominent was Franko, mentioned between 1492 and 1506, who promoted writing of Glagolitic books, including Drugi novljanski brevijar by Martinac from Lapčan family. He was a representative and Prior of Pauline monastery and church of St. Mary in Zažićno (today Pazarište). After the devastating Battle of Krbava Field (1493), renewed monastery estates with grants from Mogorović and Frankopan family.
Several churches on the territory of today's Gospić in Lika were important to the tribe; the church of St. John in Kasezi, located probably in the center of Gospić, and mentioned since 1263. Between Počitelj and Kukljić was located the church of Sveti Ivan u Lici na Gori ("Saint John in Lika on the Hill", 1017 m.a.s.l.) which most probably was founded by the Mogorović's. The church had estates in Čelopeci, Kozji Rog, and Nadbrdo. In 1433, Vlachs who lived in its surroundings and Velebit officially promised they would not do any damages to it. In 1441, seemingly all Mogorović's, led by comes Franko Petričević, donated a Glagolitic missal and prescribed all income from župa's taxes to the church for the forgiveness of their sins and all dead souls. By the early 16th century there they also built a Franciscan monastery, which will be abandoned during Ottoman's conquest. In 1449, the Glagolitic missal was bought for 27 ducats by the church of St. Marija in village Drenovac, under the protection of comes Dujam IV Frankopan, to be bought back for 200 ducats. It likely was their votive church while St. John their patron saint. Another church was of St. Peter in Sutpetar, a town which was the center of the county, on an important commercial crossroad with a square for a trade fair.