Ivan Frankopan
Ivan Frankopan (also known as Ivaniš) was a Croatian noble who ruled as Ban of Croatia from 1432 to 1436. He was one of the nine sons survived by Nicholas Frankopan.
Controversy over legacy
When wealthy Prince Ivaniš Nelipić, the last male member of the illustrious House of Nelipić, died in 1434, the problem of inheritance became acute. According to his will, his only daughter, Princess Catherine or Margarita Nelipić, was to inherit all of his extensive possessions from the Velebit ranges to Cetina river.
Her patrimony was argued and eventually shared by Frankopan. In spite of the legality of this bequest, and his consent to the marriage upon request of the late Ivaniš Nelipić, King Sigismund denounced the testament and demanded that Frankopan turn over to him the legacy of his wife's inheritance. When Frankopan refused to obey, King Sigismund proclaimed him a rebel and deprived him of all honors and possessions. Then, he ordered the Banus of Slavonia Matko Talovats to subdue him by force. Thus, in 1436, civil war broke out in Croatia. However, it was short lived.
Frankopan sought the assistance of the pope. With the support of his good friend and former employer, Eric of Pomerania who became King of Sweden, he triumphed over King Sigismund. Suddenly, Frankopan died, and this halted hostilities and provided a decisive victory for King Sigismund. It was rumored that the King and sent an agent to poison Frankopan. King Sigismund further gloated over his victory by causing further damages to the Frankopan family when he gave away the legacy of Princess Catherine to Talovats and his brothers, Peter, Frank, and John.
When the Frankopan family came to the aid of the Nelipić's family, who was trying to protect the property from the acts of the vengeful sneaky King Sigismund, he spread propaganda that Frankopan had poisoned his father-in-law, Nelipić, and Radić, a close relative to the Frankopan family. He claimed that this was how the family had acquired the vast wealth. He spread the ugly rumor that he had not only poisoned, but robbed them of their wealth.