Povijesni prilozi, Vol. 26 No. 33, 2007.
Original scientific paper
Croatian military dynasty: the family Knežević of Saint Helena
Vladimir Brnardić
Abstract
The nearly constant wars against the Turks resulted in a pervasive militarization
of the Croatian population. An example of this process is offered by the history of
the hitherto little known family: Knežević of Saint Helena. In just two generations
around the turn of the nineteenth century, this family produced eight officers of the
imperial army, five of whom rose to high-ranking generals. Two of them, Martin
Knežević and his son Vinko, were invested with the highest Austrian military decoration,
Military Order of Maria Theresa.
Martin Knežević (1708–1781) distinguished himself as a cavalry officer in Carlstadt
Hussar Regiment during wars against the Ottomans, in the War of Austrian Succession
and in the Seven Years War. He earned the Knight Cross of Maria Theresa in
the action by Landshut in June 1761. Just eight of his 15 children with Helena Vukasovich
survived into adulthood. The six sons and two daughters included: Juraj
(1733–1805), Anton (1737–1809), Petar (1746–1814), Marijana, Cecilija, Leopold (?–
1788/89) and Vinko (1755–1832). Juraj, Ivan, Petar and Vinko became generals and
the youngest, Vincent, earned a Knight Cross of Maria Theresa in the 1799 battle of
Cassano. The daughters married military officers. One of them, Cecilija, became a
grandmother of the famous Croatian Banus Josip Jelačić.
Keywords
Croatia; eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; military families; Knežević of Saint Helena; generals; Military Order of Maria Theresa; Military Border
Hrčak ID:
18755
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2007.
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