ARHIVSKI VJESNIK 15. (ZAGREB, 1972.)

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We cannot determine the exact number of records comprised in the inventory, because two, three or even more records are sometimes described as one item (due, tres, certe quedam, plurime, multe ... litere simul colligate). The records refer to the minor estates of the Chapter in the surroundings of Zagreb, and to its most important manors: Varaždinske Toplice, Sisak, Kralj evec, Veliki and Mali Gradec and old Petrinja. The donations of single estates, confirmed by succeeding emperors, and various judicial documents, resulting from numerous boundary controversies, constitute the majority of the listed records. Another significant group of records served to prove the right of the Chapter to collect the ecclesiastical decima. The bishop of Zagreb was entitled to collect this tax on the whole territory of his diocese, but the transferred a part of his rights to the Chapter, determining that the money received should be spent for the living of the canons. This resource was especially important for the Chapter in the first period of its existence, when it did not yet possess own estates. The Chapter has maintained his right of collecting the decima up to the recent times (19

th century). The majority of the documents refers to the judicial contentions with the noblemen (the counts of Celje, the Frankopans, etc.) wo tried to convert the decima to their interest. Some noblemen refused to pay this tax (the noblemen in the surroundings of Klokoč, in Turopolje and elsewhere). The Chapter was vitally interested in preserving the deeds recording various privileges, granted or confirmed by emperors, Popes or bishops in the course of centuries. It was frequently impossible to maintain a privilege without starting a process. Wearisome judicial contentions with Gradec (Möns Graecensis, the civil part of today's Zagreb), with the abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Kaptol (Dolac), etc. are recorded in the inventory. For this reason the proper ordering and listing of records contributed a lot to the maintenance of the rights and privileges of the Chapter. Only if the documents of a certain estate or the confirmations of a certain privilege were gathered in a place of ready access, the maximum efficiency of their use could be guaranteed. So the inventory ACA 87/5, compiled in the late 15

th century, was originally used as a guide for the quick retrieval of documents. The author could not determine, who has compiled and written the inventory. The reasonable choice is: the notary of the Chapter or one of the canons. It must be pointed out that the inventory absolutely lacks any entry concerning the documents that existed in the Chapter as a consequence of its performing the function of »locus credibilis«, although we possess today some deeds from 13* century, bearing the authentication of »locus credibilis«. The oldest existing registers of such documents date from 1550 approximately; no indexes anterior to 18

th century have been preserved. In northern Croatia none of the existing archival inventories (regardless whether the archives belonged to a diocese, to a chapter or to some other corporation or individual) is older than the inventory ACA 87/5, described in the summarized monograph. 253