Father of Croatian literature

Peter, Ivan and Valerije served in the Venetian navy as commanders of three-rowers, and Ivan, as fate would have it, left this world in his first days of command. As a horseman, Šimun gained merit for the Venetian senate and died peacefully after returning to his homeland. Aleksandar was a wonderful father, and at the same time outlived all his brothers. Bira, scorning marriage, lived unmarried in the monastery of St. Benedict because she was dedicated to God from childhood.

Marko received his primary education in Split, after which, as is assumed, he went to study at one of the university centers - in Padua. He was gifted from childhood. He was so advanced in Latin literature that, almost as a boy, he delivered a wonderful speech in praise of Doge Nikola Marcello, to the general admiration of the public. In his youth, he spent his time in constant study, in "night work by candlelight", as his contemporary and author of the biography Božićević writes. "He was dear to everyone, loved by everyone, loved by everyone," he adds.

After his studies, Marulić returned to Split where, in addition to writing, he practiced law, and also served as a judge. Namely, various archives preserve documents in which Marulić is mentioned as a witness, prosecutor, judge, executor of wills and participant in various legal affairs.

He was a famous writer during his lifetime, and his Christian-moralistic works in Latin were popular. Fragments of the translation from his "Institution" were printed seventy times, and in the 16th century they even reached Iceland. Marulić was valued at the court of Pope Hadrian VI. Namely, Marulić wrote to the Pope to use his authority to advocate for the establishment of peace and to gather Christian forces in order to lead them in defense against the Ottomans. The Pope responded with a letter in which he expresses great respect for Marulić.

He wrote "Poeta doctus" in three languages ​​- Croatian, Italian and Latin, and he also used the Glagolitic script when writing. We call him the father of Croatian literature because he wrote the first literary and artistic work in the Croatian language, which was the religious epic "Judith". He is inspired by the Old Testament heroine Judith, who saved her native Bethulia with her courage. Marulić wrote the work to encourage the Croats to defend themselves against the Turks, and some interpret it as an allegorical song depicting the Turkish defense of Split. The work is intended for the Split regiment, which, as Marulić says, does not read Latin or Italian.

Judita was completed on April 22, 1501, and that date is celebrated as Croatian Book Day. Judita's popularity is evidenced by the fact that it was published three times during Marulić's lifetime, in 1521, 1522 and 1523. Her first preserved edition is kept in the Little Brothers Library in Dubrovnik.

Marulić was deeply affected by the death of his beloved brother Valerij. They say that after her, he chose a small room with books in one part of the house where he lived in the most modest way, reading and writing his own works. Through the back door of his little room, he would go to the temple dedicated to Saint Dujma, where he would pray submissively.

Towards the end of his life, as a sixty-year-old, he moved to the island of Solta in search of spiritual peace. He stayed there for two years in a hermit's apartment of Saint Peter in Nečujmo, but due to fear of pirates he returned to his hometown.

Information was also found that he was engaged in painting, archeology and that he studied the history of Split and Solin. He was merciful, philanthropic and generous. He reached the pedestal of Croatian literature with his Croatian works, while he gained eternal world fame through his Latin moralistic works.