Alberto Fortis

Who was Alberto Fortis?

Abbe Alberto Fortis, was a Venetian writer, naturalist and cartographer.

Alberto Fortis was born in Padua on either 9 or 11 of November 1741. He journeyed extensively in Dalmatia. His best known work is Viaggio in Dalmazia dell' Abate Alberto Fortis, originally published in 1774 and first published in London in 1778.

The highlight of the book is the description of Morlachia, a term used by Fortis for the rural Dalmatian interior to distinguish it from the coastal towns under the influence of Venice. This term was criticized by the Croatian writer Ivan Lovrić, who wrote Notes on 'Travels in Dalmatia' of Abbe Alberto Fortis, accusing Fortis of many factual errors, which he attempted to rectify. Travels into Dalmatia played an important role in bringing the Dalmatian culture to the attention of Europe during the rise of Romantic notions about folklore. Dalmatian hinterlands became epitomized by Hasanaginica, a folk ballad that was first written down by Fortis.

In 1795 Fortis was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in London. He died in Bologna eight years later on 21 October 1803.