Povijesni prilozi, Vol. 27 No. 35, 2008.
Original scientific paper
Between two kings: the Babonić family in the period of dynastic succession on the Croatian and Hungarian throne, 1290–1310
Hrvoje Kekez
orcid.org/0000-0002-9107-0236
; Hrvatski institut za povijest
Abstract
The period between 1290 and 1309, during which the Árpáds were succeeded by a new dynasty on the Croatian and Hungarian throne, represents a single yet highly important episode in the history of the noble family of Babonić. During this period, new figures appeared who would lead the kindred in the period that followed, in which the family of Babonić would reach the peak of its power. Perched between King
Andrew III and the Neapolitan dynasty, the Babonić family tried to profit as much as possible, primarily by enlarging their estates but also by increasing their political power and obtaining the title of the ban of Slavonia. In the preceding period, the family came into conflict with the neighbouring noble kin of Güsing/Köszegi and the brothers of the murdered Ban Joachim Pektar. They entered the period of the dynastic succession significantly politically and economically stronger and steered away from new conflicts with neighbouring noble families.
With respect to the leading personalities and the family politics, the period between 1290 and 1309 may be divided into three stages.
Before 1295, the leading roles were played by the brothers Stephan and Radoslav. At the time, the family was politically divided, in the first place because of an argument between the brothers. That argument, however, ended in 1294 with a truce. Furthermore, while Ban Stephan continued to occupy himself with arrangement of his family lands, Radoslav took part in political activities that surrounded the dynastic succession. While Stephan firmly stood by the side of King Andrew III, Radoslav allied himself with the Neapolitan dynasty while remaining in touch with King Andrew III. He aimed to achieve two goals. Firstly, he wanted to secure new family lands. Secondly, he wanted to take the leadership of the family by becoming the ban of Slavonia. With the truce of 1294 the brothers came together to lead the family politics.
In the second period, 1295–1300, the brothers lost the family leadership to their cousins, the four sons of their uncle Baboneg: Stephan, John, Radoslav and Otto. The four brothers enjoyed good personal relationships; their biggest problem was how to take the land of their cousin, Radoslav, who had died in the meantime. In 1299, King
Andrew III, understanding the strategic importance of the Babonić manors and especially of Susedgrad, Vrbas and Glaž, took these lands away from the brothers but allowed them to keep other estates and towns. The brothers could not forgive the king the loss of these properties, so they reverted to the politics of the late cousin Radoslav and allied themselves with the Neapolitan dynasty. Shortly before the arrival of King Charles I of Anjou to Hungary, the brothers had made peace with Michael, the bishop of Zagreb and supporter of King Andrew. The brothers did that because they feared a military action by King Andrew. The new King Charles I of Anjou would not forget this political move. It seems that in the third period, Babonić family had no close contacts with the new king and that they strengthened their political links with the nearby Habsburgs. The brothers were disappointed with King Charles I of Anjou for depriving them of the title of the ban of Slavonia. Their turn towards the Habsburgs was engineered by Ivan, who had hoped to secure the ownership of the family estates. After the oldest brother Stephan had become the new ban of Slavonia in 1310, the relations of the Babonić family with the Austrian dukes from the Habsburg family remained unchanged. Post 1310, the Babonić family once again entered the politics in Slavonia and Croatia and reached the peak of its political power.
During the period of dynastic succession on the Croatian and Hungarian throne, the Babonić family had to use their influence on the Neapolitan dynasty and King Andrew III to secure the position of the whole family. In contrast to the noble kindred of Šubić of Bribir, who succeeded in staying much more firmly by the Neapolitan side, members of the Babonić family whole time were aware of the danger that could come from the King Andrew III. In spite of that, the Babonić family came out of the turbulent times wealthier. Political power and influence had been returned to them with the appointment of the oldest brother Stephan the ban of Slavonia.
Keywords
the Babonić family; Andrew III the Venetian; Charles II of Naples; Charles Robert; Frederick Habsburg; noble kindred; Steničnjak; Ban of Slavonia
Hrčak ID:
35519
URI
Publication date:
11.12.2008.
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