Polyhistorian, lexicographer, and inventor Faust Vrancic (Sibenik, 1551 - Venice, 1617), who was educated in Italy, became a bishop of Canad, after which he was staying in Rome, and finally, until his death, in Venice. He is the author of a five-language dictionary (publ. in 1595, including Croatian), as well as of books on logic and ethics (1616). He was also working on an account of Dalmatia's history (the manuscript of which has, sadly, been lost).

Of importance is his piece entitled Machinae novae (1595, 1615/16), including 49 different drawings and designs, many of which were his own originals. Among them, we may single out the model of an arched bridge, a mill driven by tides, and particularly the parachute which he even tested by jumping off towers and cliffs in Hungary and Italy.