Modrus Proceedings, Vol. 3 No. 3, 2009.
Original scientific paper
Bernardin Frankopan krčki, senjski i modruški knez — posljednji modruški Europejac hrvatskoga srednjovjekovlja, 1453.–1529.
Milan Kruhek
; Hrvatski institut za povijest, Zagreb
Abstract
Bernardin Frankopan is a great historical personality in the last decades of Croatian Middle Ages and the first decades of its modern history. Since the age of 20 he had been present in the Croatian and European arena of historical events. His public work in the field of politics – political and social connections with numerous aristocratic and royal courts, kinship with North Italian princes and the royal family of Matthias Corvinus, assured him a remarkable position and reputation in Croatian and European politics of the time. His combative spirit in the wars against the Turks for the protection of Croatia and both his and all Frakopan’s estates, participation in the wars between the German kings Frederick and Maximilian and the Croatian–Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus attest to his chivalry on battlefields. His great building endeavors to renovate fortified towns and construct new fortified renaissance castles as well as numerous churches prove his economic power, patronage of Croatian sacral and intangible heritage. His cultural activities, care for the Croatian language and the Glagolitic alphabet and attempts to translate Holy Scripture into Croatian are still rather poorly researched segments of his work and life in general. Lastly, he played an important role in diplomatic fights for Croatia’s interests between European powers in constants conflict – Rome, Venice, Innsbruck or Vienna and Budapest on one side, and the most powerful conquerors of the time, Constantinople and the Ottoman sultans, on the other. Bernardin’s long life was, after all, remarkable for his time, respected even by the new king, Ferdinand I of Habsburg, against whose election Bernardin fought with all his power. However, Ferdinand took his estates under protection and executed his will in which Bernardin left his estates to his grandson Stjepan Frankopan of Ozalj. That deed saved a great part of Berardin’s feudal estate, thus saving Frankopan’s aswell as Croatian heritage. By and large, Berdardin was an exceptional historical figure, but not enough known and valued in Croatian history. This text is merely an attempt to remedy the historical injustice done to this greatman of aristocratic Frankopan lineage.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
79733
URI
Publication date:
1.1.2009.
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