Original scientific paper
THE SENJ NOBLE FAMILY KRAJAč - KRAJATZ - KRAJATCH
ENVER LJUBOVIĆ
Abstract
The author describes the famous Senj noble family who were involved in trade and seafaring. The work contains the coat of arms with a description and a family tree of the Senj branch of Krajač. The family was granted nobility and the family coat of arms by Croatian-Hungarian King Leopold I (1657-1705), and confirmed and announced at the meeting of the Croatian parliament in 1660. Ivan Krajač (Joannis Kraiach) received Litarae nobiles as an armalist-warrior. The Krajačs had two noble agnomens "of Steničnjak" and "of Blatnice", and they belong to ancient Croatian families. Even back in the 15th century this family possibly belonged to the brotherhood of the Steničnjak noble family. In various documents the County of
Gorica is mentioned. In one Steni$njak judicial document from 29th July 1572, Kata Krajač, the widow of Petar Krajač is mentioned. This surname is mentioned in lists of military units of Senj and Otočac in 1551. In the second half of the 17th century after the stifling of the Zrinski-Frankopan resistance they appeared in secrecy in Ladvi! near Crikvenica. After the quelling of the Zrinski and Frankopan resistance they lost all their estates which they owned and they had to hide and conceal their aristocratic origins. One important historical family document is a transcript written by Ivan Krajač, son of Tomin. Ivan had three sons: Tomo, Ivan and Mato. Tomo settled in Senj and founded the Senj lineage of Krajačs. Tomin's sons Ivan (1812-1881) and Rafael (1817-1885) together with several Senj merchants founded the Senj Shipping Society. Rafael was one of the most well-known merchants of Senj and is considered the founder of another branch of the Krajač family. From Ivan's descendants well known is Ladislav (1857-1928) a wholesaler, a member of parliament, mayor and honorary consul of the Greek Littoral who at the same time also established the First Croatian Steamship Society in Senj. Ivan Krajač (1877-1945) was minister of economy and trade in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and a well-known mountaineer. Vuk Krajač (1894-1962) was a publicist, serving in the Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb and the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Belgrade. He was the founder of the City Museum of Senj and a lifetime honorary conservator of Senj. Apart from the Senj connections to the Krajačs, there are also lineages in Crikvenica and Moravia to this famous trading family. The Senj lineage of Krajačs was in kinship and marital ties associated with many noble families in Croatia and Europe. The Krajačs left a deep impression in the history, culture and economy of Senj due to the ecocnomic activities of this maritime and port town.
Keywords
Senj; Krajač family; nobility; coat of arms; trade; maritime affairs; economy
Hrčak ID:
86399
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2011.
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