That Land is Mine: The Predatory Mindset on the Venetian/Austrian Border in Sixteenth Century Istria

Territorial disputes were a common phenomenon in sixteenth century Istria, divided as it was between Austria and Venice. Zones of conflict often included valuable resources like pastures, water or forest and were difficult to demarcate precisely and definitively. Furthermore, the villagers often employed various strategies to appropriate disputed land in the name of their respective lords. This paper discusses several of these strategies, such as threats, harassment, and outright violence.