Frankopan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Frankopans are a Croatian-Dalmatian noble family. Also called Frankapan, Frangepán (in Hungarian), and Frangipani (in Turkish).
The Frankopan family ranked next to the Zrinski family in importance by virtue of their power, wealth, fame, glory and role in Croatia's public life. They were so called only by the first half of the fifteenth century because of their affinity with the Roman patrician family of the Frangipani. However, they were mentioned in the year 1133 as rulers and lords of the island of Krk and part of the littoral. Although their possessions were exposed to every assault both from the east and the west, their power increased steadily until the seventeenth century they reached even to Karlovac. The Zrinski and Frankopan families came into closer affinity by marriage ties until in the eyes of the European courts they had become the most important families of Croatia. The famed Nikola Šubić Zrinski who died fighting and won the title of "Hero of Sziget" became the first outstanding example of the epithet "bulwark of Christianity".
Notable members of the Frankopan family include:
- John (Croatian: Ivan, Hungarian: János) Frankopan (died 1393). Ban (governor) of Croatia.
- Nicholas (Croatian: Nikola, Hungarian: Miklós) Frankopan (died 1432). Son of John Frankopan. Ban of Croatia.
- Nicholas (Croatian: Nikola, Hungarian: Miklós) Frankopan (died 1456-1458). Son of Ban Nicholas Frankopan. co-Ban of Croatia.
- Stephen (Croatian: Stjepan, Hungarian: István) Frankopan (died 1481). Son of co-Ban Nicholas Frankopan. Ban of Croatia.
- Christopher (Croatian: Kristof, Hungarian: Kristóf) Frankopan (died 1527). Grandson of Ban Stephen Frankopan. Ban of Croatia, 1527.
- Catherine (Croatian: Katarina, Hungarian: Katalin) Frankopan, daughter of Ban Christopher Frankopan. 1543 married Nikola Šubić Zrinski, Ban of Croatia.
- Francis Frankopan. co-Ban of Croatia, 1567-1573.
- Nicholas Frankopan de Trsat (Tersacz). Ban of Croatia, 1617-1622.
- Francis Christopher (Croatian: Fran Krsto) Frankopan (beheaded in 1671). Promulgated the Frankopan-Zrinski conspiracy.
Several of the Frankopan castles remain in Croatia. The castle at Stara Susica near Trsat incorporates structures going back to the Illyrian and Roman periods. Bosiljevo is medieval fortified castle, renovated in the last century in the spirit of the Romanesque. The castle and park at Severin na Kupi were owned by the Frankopan family until the mid 17th century. The Frankopan castle in the town of Krk is currently used for open-air performances in the summer months.
