Queen Vida

Queen Vida is a legendary heroine from the folk tradition of the Slovene minority in Friuli (Slavia Friulana). Her story is closely associated with the Grotta di San Giovanni d’Antro (Slovene: Landarska jama) near San Pietro al Natisone (Slovene: Špeter Slovenov) in the Valli del Natisone (Slovene: ).

Legend Queen Vida (Slovene: ) is portrayed as a queen (or "people's queen") named Vida who lived in the castle at Biacis (Slovene: Bijača). She ruled the valley justly and gave alms to the poor.

Geographical and historical context

The Grotta di San Giovanni d'Antro (Slovene: Landarska jama) is a karst cave complex above the hamlet of Antro in the municipality of Pulfero (Slovene: Podbuniesac). In local Benecian Slovene tradition, the rock fortress is the setting of the siege and Vida’s ruse. From the late 19th to the early 20th century, the first prose records of variants of the story were published by and other writers from the Slovene community.

In literature and the arts The romance Atila in slovenska kraljica (Attila and Slovenian queen) in the collection Balade in romance (1890) by the poet Anton Aškerc; the text names the heroine "Vida" and sets the action in the Grotta di San Giovanni d'Antro. Krajica Vida – Spevoigra, a short opera with libretto by Aldo Klodič and music by Davide Klodič; first performed in San Pietro al Natisone in June 2012. Short fiction film Vida (2021, 16 min), directed by Pietro Cromaz.

Distinction from Lepa Vida The figure of Queen Vida should not be confused with (Lovely Vida), the heroine of Slovene folk ballads that became central to 19th-century literature through France Prešeren's treatment (Kranjska čbelica, 1832). The genres and core themes differ (Lepa Vida centers on a seduced/abducted mother).