Ban of Croatia

Ban of Croatia

The heraldic standard of the Croatian ban in the 19th century
Reports to King of Croatia
Croatian Parliament
Seat Banski dvori, Zagreb, Croatia
Inaugural holder Pribina
Formation 10th century

Ban of Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatski ban; Hungarian: horvát bán) was the title of local rulers or office holders and after 1102 viceroys of Croatia. From earliest periods of Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Bans as a rulers representative (viceroy) and supreme military commander. In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in Croatia. They were at the head of Ban's Government, effectively the first prime ministers of Croatia. The institution of ban in Croatia persisted until the 20th century.

Origin of title

South Slavic ban (Croatian pronunciation: [bâːn], with a long [a]). The long form is directly attested in 10th-century Constantine Porphyrogenitus' book De Administrando Imperio as βο(ε)άνος, in a chapter dedicated to Croats and the organisation of their state, describing how their ban "has under his rule Krbava, Lika and Gacka".[1]

Medieval bans

References from the earliest periods are scarce, but history recalls that the first known Croatian ban is Pribina in the 10th century (in 949 and in 969). Ban on his territory was pursuing administrative, judicial and military authority.

The meaning of the title was elevated to that of provincial governor in the Kingdom of Croatia (for example, King Dmitar Zvonimir was originally a ban in 1065 serving under King Peter Krešimir IV).

Bans in the Kingdom of Croatia

Portrait Name
Honorifics
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Pribina

c. 949

969
Miroslav
(945–949)
The first historically attested Ban of Croatia. Pribina have deposed king Miroslav during a civil war in the Croatian Kingdom, and replaced him with Michael Krešimir II. He ruled over the župa's Gacka, Krbava and Lika, according to De Administrando Imperio. He is also possibly referred to in a charter as potens banus, meaning "powerful ban".[2]
Michael Krešimir II
(949–969)
Godimir

c. 969

c. 995
He is said to have served the kings Michael Krešimir II and Stephen Držislav[3] in the King Petar Krešimir IV Charter from 1068.[4]
Stephen Držislav
(969–997)
Gvarda

c. 995

c. 1000
Mentioned in the King Petar Krešimir IV Charter from 1068.
Svetoslav Suronja
(997–1000)
Božetjeh

c. 1000

c. 1030
Mentioned in the King Petar Krešimir IV Charter from 1068.
Krešimir III
(1000–1030)
and
Gojslav(1000–1020)
Stjepan Praska
Protospatharios

c. 1035

c. 1058
Stephen I
(1030–1058)
According to the chronicle of Archdeacon Goricensis John, he was established by king Stephen I around 1035 (after his military expeditions to the east), thus succeeding Božeteh as Croatian ban.[5][6][7]

He eventually attained an imperial title of protospatharios somewhere between 1035 and 1042, which governed his influence over the Byzantine Dalmatian thema.

Gojko

c. 1059

c. 1069
Peter Krešimir IV

(1058–1074)
He was most likely the brother of king Peter Krešimir IV of Croatia, who was rumored to have murdered his brother Gojslav.[8]
Dmitar Zvonimir

c. 1070

c. 1075
During the reign of Peter Krešimir IV (Zvonimir's relative), Demetrius Zvonimir ruled in Slavonia, specifically the land between the rivers Drava and Sava, with the title of ban.[9] Croatian charters at the time were issued in the names of both King Peter Krešimir and Ban Zvonimir.[10] At the beginning of 1075, Peter Krešimir IV named Demetrius Zvonimir "by the grace of God Duke of Croatia". This title made him not only the ruler of northern Dalmatia, but also the chief advisor of the king and his heir. In that same year, Normans from southern Italy, invaded Croatia and captured a certain Croatian ruler whose name is not known, possibly King Peter Krešimir, who died soon after and was succeeded by Demetrius Zvonimir.[11]
Petar Snačić

c. 1075

c. 1091
Demetrius Zvonimir

(1075–1089)

Bans (c. 1102 - c. 1225)

After the Croats elected Hungarian kings as kings of Croatia in 1102, the title of ban acquired the meaning of viceroy - bans were appointed by the king, as his representatives in Kingdom of Croatia, heads of the Parliament and also as supreme commander of Croatian Army.

Croatia was governed by the 'viceregal' ban as a whole between 1102 and 1225, when it was split into two separate banovinas: Slavonia and Croatia. Two different bans were occasionally appointed until 1476, when the institution of a single ban was resumed. Most of bans were native nobles but some were also of Hungarian ancestry.

Most notable bans from this period were Pavao Šubić, Petar Berislavić.

Portrait Name
Honorifics
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Ugra

1102

1105
Coloman

(1102–1116)
Sergije

1005
Ugrin
(1811–1896)
1007
Klaudije

1116

1117
Stephen III

(1116–1131)
Aleksije

c. 1130

c. 1141
Béla I

(1131–1141)
Beloš
(fl. 1141–1163)

1142

c. 1158
Géza I

(1141–1162)
Arpa

1158
Beloš
(fl. 1141–1163)

1163
Stephen IV

(1162–1172)
Ampudin

1164

c. 1180
Dionizije

c. 1180

c. 1183
Béla II

(1172–1196)
Suban

1183

1185
Kalán
(c. 1152–1218)

1190

1193
Dominik

1194

c. 1195
Andrija

1198

1199
Emeric

(1196–1204)
Nikola

1199

1200
Benedikt

1199

1200
Martin Hontpázmán

1202
Hipolit

1204
Merkurije

1205

1206
Ladislaus III

(1204–1205)
Stjepan Mihaljević

1206

1207
Andrew I

(1205–1235)
Banko

1208

1209
Berthold

1209

1211
Mihajlo

1211

1213
Ðula Šikloški

1213
Ohuz

1213

1214
Ivan

1215

1216
Poncije od Križa

1216

1217
Banko

1217

1218
Ðula Šikloški

1218

1219
Ohuz

1219

1220
Šalomon

c. 1222

c. 1225
Mihajlo

1225

Parallel bans of Slavonia and Dalmatia

From 1225 to 1476 there were parallel bans of "the Croatia and Dalmatia" and of "the Whole of Slavonia". The following is the list of the former; the latter are listed at Ban of Slavonia. During the period of separate titles of ban, several persons held both titles, which is indicated in the notes.

Bans of the Dalmatia and Croatia
Name Reign Notes
Vojink 1225
Valegin 1226
Stjepan 1243–1251
Butko 1259
Nikola Omedejev (son of Amade Aba) 1272–1273
Paul I Šubić of Bribir 1273–1312
Mladen II Šubić of Bribir 1312–1322
Nikola I Lacković 1342–1343
Nikola Bánffy of Lendava 1345–1346 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Pavao Ugal 1350 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Stjepan I Lacković 1350–1352 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Nikola Bánffy of Lendava 1353–1356 second term, also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Ivan Ćuz 1356–1358
Nicholas Széchy 1358–1366
Konja Széchényi 1366–1367
Mirko (Emmeric) Lacković 1368
Šimun (Simon) Mauricijev 1369–1371
Charles of Durazzo 1371–1376
Nikola Széchy 1377–1380 second term
Emerik Bubek 1380–1383
Stjepan II Lacković 1383–1384
Toma 1384–1385
John of Palisna or Ivan de Paližna 1385-1386 Co-Ruled with relative Ivan (John) Anjou Horvat de Radics (1385,1386,1387), also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Ladislav of Lučenac 1387
Dionizij of Lučenac 1387–1389
John of Palisna or Ivan de Paližna 1389 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Ivan 1389–1392
Ivan Frankopan of Krk 1391–1393 (died 1393), also at the time the Ban of Slavonia

After the death of King Louis I of Hungary, his daughter Mary succeeded to the throne, which led to kings Charles III and Ladislaus of Naples claiming the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen. A war erupted between forces loyal to Mary and later to her husband and successor, Sigismund of Luxembourg, and those loyal to Ladislaus.

During this time, Sigismund appointed Nikola II Gorjanski (who was also count palatine) the ban of Croatia and Dalmatia in 1392, Butko Kurjaković in 1394, and then again Gorjanski in the period 1394–1397. Nikola Gorjanski, between 1397 and 1402, was also at the time the Ban of Slavonia, succeeded by Ladislav Grdevacki (1402–1404), Pavao Besenyő (1404), Pavao Pecz (1404–1406), Hermann II of Celje (1406–1408).

Ladislaus in turn appointed his own bans, including Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić. In 1409, this dynastic struggle was resolved when Ladislaus sold his rights over Dalmatia to the Republic of Venice.

Bans of the Dalmatia and Croatia
Name Reign Notes
Pavao Kurjaković 1410–1411 co-ruled with Ivan Kurjaković
Petar de Alben 1412–1419
Dionizije IV Lacković 1416–1418 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Albert de Ungh 1419–1426
Nikola Frankopan 1426–1432 Son of ban Ivan Frankopan
Stjepan Frankopan 1434–1437 co-ruled with Ivan Frankopan 1434-1436
Ivan Hunyadi 1446–1450
Ladislav Hunyadi 1454–1455
co-Ban Nikola Frankopan 1456–1458 Son of Ban Nikola Frankopan; also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Pavao Špirančić 1459–1463
Mirko (Emeric) Zapoljski 1464–1465 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Ivan Thuz of Lak 1466–1467 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Blaž Mađar Podmanički 1470–1472 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Nikola Iločki 1472 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia (1457-1463)
Damjan Horvat 1472–1473 also at the time the Ban of Slavonia
Damjan Horvat 1473–1476

Bans of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia

From 1476 onwards, the titles of Ban of Dalmatia and Croatia and Ban of Whole of Slavonia are again united in the single title of Ban of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia:

Name Reign Notes
Andrija Bánffy of Lendava 1476–1477
Ladislav of Egervár 1477–1481
Blaž Madar Podmanicki 1482
Matija Gereb 1483–1489 known from the Battle of Una
Ladislav of Egervár 1489–1493
Emerik (Mirko) Derencin 1493 known from the Battle of Krbava field
Ivan Bot 1493
Ladislav Kaniški 1493–1495
Ivaniš Korvin 1495–1498
Juraj Kaniški 1498–1499
Ivan Korvin 1499–1504
Franjo Balassa of Gyarmat 1505
Andrija Bot 1505–1507
Marko Mišljenović 1506–1507
Ivan Ernust of Čakovec 1508–1509
Juraj Kaniški 1508–1509
Andrija Bot 1510–1511
Mirko (Emeric) Perényi 1512–1513
Petar Berislavić 1513–1520 known from the Battle of Dubica
Ivan Karlović (Johann Torquatus) of Krbava (Corbavia) 1521–1524
Ivan Tahy 1525
Franjo Baćan (Batthyány) 1525–1527
Krsto (Christopher) Frankopan (Frangepan) 1527 (died 1527) Grandson of Ban Stephen Frankopan

Habsburg-era Croatia

The title of ban persisted in Croatia after 1527 when the country became part of the Habsburg Monarchy, and continued all the way until 1918.

Among the most distinguished bans in Croatian history were the three members of Šubić/Zrinski family - Nikola Šubić Zrinski and his great-grandsons Nikola Zrinski and Petar Zrinski. Also there are two notable Erdödys: Toma Erdödy, great warrior and statesman in one person, and Ivan Erdödy, to whom Croatia owes much for protecting her rights against the Hungarian nobility, his most widely known saying in Latin is Regnum regno non praescribit leges, "a kingdom may not impose laws to a(nother) kingdom".

In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in Croatia. They were at the head of Ban's Government, effectively the first prime ministers of Croatia. The most known bans of that era were Josip Jelačić, Ivan Mažuranić and Josip Šokčević

Bans in the Habsburg Monarchy

The Habsburg dynasty ruled Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia between 1527 and 1848, and appointed the following bans:

Portrait Name
Honorifics
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Ivan Karlović
(c. 1485–1531)

1527

1531
Ferdinand I

(1527–1564)
Šimun Erdödy
(c. 1489–143)

1530

1534
Louis Pekry of Petrovina

1532

1537
Toma Nádasdy
(1498–1562)

1537

1539
Petar Keglević of Buzin
(1478–c. 1554)

1537

1542
Nikola Šubić Zrinski
(1508–c. 1566)

1542

1556
Petar Erdődy of Monyorokerek
(1508–c. 1566)

1557

1567
Franjo I. Frankopan Slunjski

1567

1572
Maximilian II

(1563–1576)
Juraj Drašković
(1525–1587)

1567

1576
Gašpar Alapić of Veliki Kalnik
(unknown–1584)

1575

1577
Krsto Ungnad

1578

1583
Rudolf II

(1572–1608)
Toma Erdődy of Monyorokerek
(1558–1624)

1583

1595
Gašpar Stankovački

1595

1596
Ivan II Drašković of Trakošćan
(1550–1613)

1595

1607
Toma Erdödy
(1558–1624)

1608

1615
Matthias

(1608–1618)
Benedikt Thuroczy

1615

1616
Nikola IX Frankapan
(1584–1647)

1617

1622
Juraj V Zrinski
(1599–1626)

1622

1626
Ferdinand II

(1618–1637)
Žigmund Erdödy
(1596–1639)

1627

1639
Ivan III Drašković
(1595–1648)

1640

1646
Ferdinand III

(1625–1657)
Nikola VII Zrinski
(1620–1664)

1647

1664
Nikola III. Erdödy
(1630–1693)

1670

1693
Leopold I

(1657–1705)
Adam Baćan
(1662–1703)

1693

1703
Ivan Pálffy
(1664–1751)

1704

1732
Joseph I

(1705–1711)
Ivan V Drašković
(-1733)

1732

1733
Charles III

(1711–1740)
Josip Esterházy of Galanta
(1682–1748)

1733

1741
György Branyng
acting

1741

1742
Maria II Theresa

(1740–1780)
Karlo Josip Baćan
(1697–1772)
16 March
1743
6 July
1756
Franjo Nádasdy
(1708–1783)

1756

1783
Franjo Eszterházy
(1715–1785)

1783

1785
Joseph II

(1780–1790)
Franjo Balassa de Gyarmat
(1736–1807)

1785

1790
Ivan Erdődy
(1733–1806)

1790

1806
Leopold II

(1790–1792)
Ignjat Đulaj
(1763–1831)

1806

1831
Francis II

(1792–1835)
Franjo Vlašić
(1766–1840)
10 February
1832
16 May
1840
Ferdinand V

(1835–1848)
Juraj Haulik
acting
(1788–1869)

1840
16 June
1842
Franz Haller
(1796–1875)
16 June
1842

1845
Juraj Haulik
acting
(1788–1869)

1845
23 March
1848

Bans of the interregnum during the Revolutions of 1848

Croatia was a Habsburg crown territory between 1849 and 1867[12] during which time the following bans were appointed:

Portrait Name
Honorifics
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Josip Jelačić
(1801–1890)
23 March
1848
19 May
1859
Franz Joseph I

(1848–1916)
Johann Baptist Coronini-Cronberg
(1794–1880)
28 July
1859
19 June
1860
Josip Šokčević
(1811–1896)
19 June
1860
27 June
1867

Bans in the Austro-Hungarian Empire

Croatia was returned to Hungarian control in 1867 when the Habsburg Empire was reconstituted as the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. Between then and 1918 the following bans were appointed:

Portrait Name
Honorifics
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Levin Rauch
(1819–1890)
27 June
1867
26 January
1871
Franz Joseph I

(1848–1916)
Member of the Unionist Party that advocated an integration of Croatia and Hungary; Notable for securing victory of the Unionist Party through changing the election law and terrorising those who were able to vote.[13]
Koloman Bedeković Komorski
(1818–1889)
26 January
1871
12 February
1872
Bedeković was the leader of the Unionist Party and fought against his country's independence. Dissatisfaction with the obstruction of parliament led to the Rakovica Revolt. Early elections were subsequently called for 1872. The failure of Bedeković to convene the previous parliament resulted in him being removed from the post of ban and replaced with the first non-noble ban, Ivan Mažuranić.
Antun Vakanović
acting
(1808–1894)
17 February
1872
20 September
1873
Ivan Mažuranić
(1814–1890)
20 September
1873
21 February
1880
Mažuranić was the first Croatian ban not to hail from old nobility, as he was born a commoner. [14] He was a member of the People's Party. He accomplished the Croatian transition from a semifeudal legal and economic system to a modern civil society similar to those emerging in other countries in central Europe.
Ladislav Pejačević
(1824–1901)
21 February
1880
4 September
1883
As the reincorporation of the Croatian and Slavonian Frontiers into Croatian-Slavonian Crown land was proclaimed on 15 July, 1881, Pejačević was given the task to perform it. On 1 August 1881, he took over the administration of the former Frontiers. On 24 August 1883, he quit after the Council of ministers in Vienna concluded that bilingual Croatian-Hungarian official emblems in Croatia, installed by the Hungarian administration, should stay and were not allowed to be removed from the official buildings.
Hermann Ramberg
acting
(1820–1899)
4 September
1883
1 December
1883
Dragutin Karoly Khuen-Héderváry
(1849–1918)
4 December
1883
27 June
1903
Khuen's reign was marked by a strong magyarization. After a series of riots broke out against him in 1903, Khuen was relieved of his duty and appointed prime minister of Hungary.
Teodor Pejačević
(1855–1928)
1 July
1903
26 June
1907
At the beginning of the 20th century, he was faced with a new direction of Croatian policy marked by political alliance between Croats and Serbs in Austria-Hungary for mutual benefit. A Croat-Serb Coalition was formed in 1905 and it governed the Croatian lands from 1906 until the dissolution of the Dual Monarchy in 1918. As Pejačević supported the ruling Coalition in its resistance towards the Hungarian quest in 1907 to introduce the Hungarian language to be the official language on railways in Croatia, he was forced to resign.
Aleksandar Rakodczaj
(1848–1924)
26 June
1907
8 January
1908
Pavao Rauch of Nyek
(1865–1933)
8 January
1908
5 February
1910
From the very beginning of Rauch’s rule, the Croato-Serbian Coalition announced that it would refuse to co-operate in any manner with the new unionist vice-roy.[15] After the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) had been disbanded on 12 March 1908 because of its refusal to co-operate with and the insults it directed at the Vice-Roy, Pavao Rauch ruled through decrees and civil servants. Despite all opposition predictions, Rauch remained in power for two years. On 5 February 1910, he received the King’s letter of dismissal.
Nikola Tomašić
(1864–1918)
5 February
1910
19 January
1912
Slavko Cuvaj
(1851–1931)
19 January
acting from 5 April

1912
21 July
1913
He was appointed in January 1912, when anti-Habsburg sentiments were on the rise in Croatia, often manifesting in sympathies for Serbia and calls for creation of Yugoslavia. Cuvaj tried to curb those trends by series of decrees directed at curbing press freedom, limiting rights of assembly and local autonomy. This created backlash in the form of strikes and demonstrations, while some young radicals engaged in terrorism. Cuvaj himself was target of two assassination attempts in 1912
Ivan Skerlecz
(1873–1951)
21 July
acting to 27 November

1913
29 June
1917
Skerlecz managed to reconvene the Croatian Parliament in Zagreb by 1915. The Croats made further demands for local authority, as well as unification of Croatia-Slavonia with Dalmatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Charles IV

(1916–1919)
Antun Mihalović
(1868–1949)
29 June
1917
20 January
1919

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Ban was also the title of the governor of each province (called banovina) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. The weight of the title was far less than that of a medieval ban's feudal office. Most of Croatian territory was divided between Sava and Littoral Banovina, but also some parts were outside this provinces.

In 1939 Banovina of Croatia was created with Cvetković-Maček agreement as a unit of limited autonomy. It consisted of Sava and Littoral Banovina along with smaller parts of Vrbas, Zeta, Drina and Danube Banovina's. Ivan Šubašić was appointed for the Ban of Banovina of Croatia until the collapse of Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1941. Šubašić was also the last person who held the position of Croatian Ban.

Bans in the Yugoslav Kingdom

Following a brief period of self-rule at the end of World War I, Croatia was incorporated into the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, under the Karađorđević dynasty.

Ivan Paleček January 20, 1919 - November 24, 1919  
Tomislav Tomljenović November 24, 1919 - February 22, 1920  
Matko Laginja February 22, 1920 - December 11, 1920 (born 1852, died 1930)
Teodor Bošnjak December 23, 1920 - March 2, 1921 acting Ban
Tomislav Tomljenović March 2, 1921 - July 3, 1921  

In 1929, the new Constitution of the Kingdom renamed it Kingdom of Yugoslavia and split up Croatia between several banovinas (provinces):

Bans of the Sava Banovina
Bans of the Littoral Banovina
Name Reign
Josip Silović October 3, 1929 - 19..
Ivo N. Perović 19.. - 1935
Marko Kostrenčić 1935–1936
Viktor Ružić 1936 - 26 August 1939
Name Reign
Ivo Tartaglia 1929 - June 1932
Josip Jablanović 1932–1935
Mirko Buić 1935 - 26 August 1939

In 1939, the Banovina of Croatia was created with Cvetković-Maček agreement as a unit of limited autonomy within Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It consisted of Sava and Littoral Banovina along with smaller parts of Vrbas, Zeta, Drina and Danube Banovina's.

Ivan Šubašić August 26, 1939 - April 10, 1941 (born May 7, 1892, died March 22, 1955)

See also

References

  1. De Administrando Imperio 30/90-117, "καὶ ὁ βοάνος αὐτῶν κρατεῖ τὴν Κρίβασαν, τὴν Λίτζαν καὶ τὴν Γουτζησκά"
  2. Pribina | Proleksis enciklopedija
  3. hr:s:Povijest Hrvatske I. (R. Horvat)/Nasljednici kralja Tomislava
  4. Comperimus namque in gestis proaui nosti Cresimiri maioris... Stipišić, J. i M. Šamšalović, ur. Codex Diplomaticus Regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, sv. 1. Zagreb: Izdavački zavod JAZU, 1967., pp. 105.
  5. Rački, Documenta, 472.
  6. Comperimus namque in gestis proaui nosti Cresimiri maioris... Stipišić, J. i M. Šamšalović, ur. Codex Diplomaticus Regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, sv. 1. Zagreb: Izdavački zavod JAZU, 1967, pp. 105.
  7. R. Horvat - Povijest Hrvatske I.
  8. Tomislav Raukar, Hrvatsko srednjovjekovlje, Školska Knjiga, Zagreb, 1997 pp. 47-48
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
  10. John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 279
  11. Neven Budak: Prva stoljeća Hrvatske, Hrvatska sveučilišna naklada, Zagreb 1994, p. 31-33
  12. http://www.encarta.com.au/encyclopedia_761577939_6/Croatia.html
  13. Sirotković, Hodimir; Margetić, Lujo (1988). Povijest država i prava naroda SFR Jugoslavije (in Croatian). Školska knjiga. p. 148. ISBN 9788603991802.
  14. "Mažuranić, Ivan". Proleksis Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
  15. Mira Kolar: "The Activities of Vice-Roy Pavao Rauch In Croatia"
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