Page 183 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

CENTR AL CRO A TIA  181

The Zrinski and Frankopan Dynasties

Dujam, count of Krk, died in 1163 and his descendants took the name of Frankopan
(Frangere Panem) after Venice confirmed the family’s rule over Krk. They were allied with
Venice until 1480 when they were forced to surrender the island. However, they still had
vast estates given to them by the Hungarian kings. The Šubić family became counts of
Bribir when they were granted the town by King Andrew II in 1290, and counts of Zrinski
in 1347 when they were obliged to move to Zrin (see p179). The execution of the Ban of
Croatia, Petar Zrinski, and his brother-in-law Fran Krsto Frankopan in 1671 ended the two
most powerful Croatian dynasties. The Habsburgs confiscated their property and the
Zrinski line died out. A branch of the Frankopan family still survives in Friuli, Italy.

Fran Krsto Frankopan Krsto Frankopan,
(1643–1671), great- (1480?–1527), son of
grandson of Krsto Bernard, Ban of Croatia,
Frankopan and Mario and Louise of Aragon,
Frangipane’s heir was Emperor Maximilian’s
(the Roman branch general in the war against
of the family), was Venice in the early 16th
publicly executed in century. He was imprisoned
Wiener Neustadt in in Milan and died fighting
1671, for his part in a for the indepen dence of
plot against the Empire. Hungary, of which Croatia
was part.

Fran Krsto
Frankopan awaiting
execution

Petar Zrinski

Execution of the Rebels
On 30 April 1671, in the town square in Wiener Neustadt, the Ban of
Croatia, Petar Zrinski, and his brother-in-law, Krsto Frankopan, were
beheaded on charges of high treason on the orders of Emperor Leopold I.
The two brothers-in-law had attempted to form a coalition of the
Croatian feudal lords in order to limit Austro-Hungarian influence.

Petar Zrinski was the Ban
(governor) from 1664, and
the leader of the movement
which sought to limit
Habsburg activity in Croatia.
The attempted revolt was
Nikola Zrinski fought foiled by betrayals and the
against the Turks and was promise of a possible
a defender of Christianity. agreement. The two leaders
He died in the Battle of Siget went to Vienna to negotiate
in 1566, after he refused the with the Emperor. When they
sultan’s offer to make him reached the capital they were
Governor of Croatia if he imprisoned, and a few months
abandoned the Emperor. later were beheaded.
Tranquil waterways through Lonjsko Polje Nature Park

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