Fides publica (Javna vera) u pravnoj istoriji Srba i Hrvata do kraja XV veka

The book Fides publica (Public Faith) in the Legal History of Serbs and Croats to the End of the 15th Century by the Croatian legal historian and medievalist Marko Kostrenčić was published in 1930 as a comprehensive scientific study dedicated to one of the fundamental institutes of medieval law – public faith (fides publica). The work represents an important contribution to the research of the legal history of South Slavic countries and the development of historical and legal science in the first half of the 20th century.

Starting from the sources of Roman, canonical and medieval European law, the author investigates how trust in public documents and the persons authorized to draw up and certify them were formed. Special attention is paid to the activities of notaries, chancelleries, church and secular institutions that guaranteed the authenticity of legal acts with their authority. Kostrenčić analyzes the emergence and development of public faith in the territory of Croatian and Serbian countries and follows its specificities in relation to Western European legal traditions.

The focus of the research is on charters, contracts, court records and other medieval documents that had evidentiary value in legal transactions. The author shows how the principle of public faith contributed to legal certainty, the protection of property rights and the stability of social relations. At the same time, he considers the influence of church institutions, city communes and state authorities on the development of the system of authentication and preservation of documents.

The work is distinguished by a thorough analysis of the original material, a comparative approach and knowledge of European legal historiography. Due to its scientific precision and extensive documentation, it is considered one of the most important works on medieval law of Serbs and Croats. The book still represents an indispensable source for the study of legal history, diplomacy, the history of notarial institutions and the development of legal culture in Southeast Europe during the Middle Ages.