Čika (

Zadar Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ser ...

, first half of 11th century –

, after 1095;

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

: ''Chicca'') was a Croatian benedictine nun, founder of the benedictine monastery of St. Mary Church in

. She is also known for the illuminated prayer book known as Čika's book of hours, the oldest prayer book for personal use in Europe.

Life

She was the daughter of Dujam and Vekenega, niece of prior Madi, and the wife of Andrija. She was the member of the noble patrician family Madi. After the death of her husband in 1066, she founded the monastery of St. Mary in Zadar with the help of her family. King Petar Krešimir IV referred to her as his sister when he placed the monastery under the royal protection, though such genealogy is debated.Stipišić, J. i M. Šamšalović, ur. Codex Diplomaticus Regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, sv. 1. Zagreb: Izdavački zavod Jugoslavenske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti, 1967., p. 102. (Dalje: CD I) She is the mother of

Vekenega Vekenega (Zadar - Zadar, September 27, 1111) was a Croatian Benedictine nun from the House of Madi, a noble family from Zadar Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest conti ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cika Cika Cika