Nikola Frankopan
Encyclopedia
Nikola IV Frankopan was the Ban of Croatia and Dalmatia from 1426 to 1432. He was one of the first of his clan to make this name famous in Croatian history. Even before he became Banus, he owned the Island of Krk
, the districts of Vinodol
, Modruš, Senj
, Gacka
and Lika
in Croatia. His properties also extended to the towns of Cetin
, Slunj
and Ozalj
in Slavonia. When he became Banus, king Sigismund left him in return a loan of 28,000 ducats, also the town of Bihać
on Una river, further Knin
, Lapacgrad, Vrlika
, Ostrovica (near Bribir), Skradin
, the county of Luk between Zrmanja
and Krka
rivers and the district of Poljice. Thus, Nikola Frankopan (Frankapan
originally spelled as Frangipani) owned nearly all of Croatia.
In Slavonia
the Banal authority belonged to Prince Hermann of Celje (Zell) (1423–1435), Father-in-law of king Sigismund. Hermann was the master of a large part of Slavonia. Because of family quarrels the two powerful clans clashed. Each of them had partisans among the powerful Barons. Thus two factions were formed ready to start a bloody feud. Those who sided with the Princes of Celje (Zell) strove to extend their sway also over Croatia and to annihilate the Frangipani family members as a way to over take their lands, titles and to shift the balance of power towards their favor.
The outbreak of civil war was prevented by Sigismund's return from abroad. Peace was further consolidated by the passing of Banus to Nikola on June 26, 1432. Prince Nikola died in that same year. Some rumors were that he was murdered by opposing Barons loyal to Hermann II of Celje. Some said it was due to another rivalry.
He was survived by nine sons and daughters. The founder of this branch of the Frangipani family supplied great leaders and Generals of Croatian history. Nikola Frankopan was very politically skillful. He arranged special marriages for his children and permanently set his family members in positions to look after the vast amounts of properties that he acquired. Their political opponents used propaganda to create strife for the family. Some of the accusations included that some family members had converted to Islam
. The propaganda that spread quickly.
The vast wealth accumulated coupled with the prominent marriage arrangements set the entire family up as easy targets. One family member was beheaded on his way home and couple were suddenly murdered as they were on their way home from church. The culprits were never found, however a cloud of suspicion grew over the family of Hermann II of Celje. This was because of the ongoing tug for political power from King Sigismund who had married Queen Mary of Hungary eldest surviving daughter of Louis I of Hungary 1371– 17 May 1395 but not before plotting an elaborate kidnapping of her and her mother. He then ordered the murder of her mother Queen Elizabeth of Bosnia. He then vindictively ordered the murder of her three cousins Bishop Paul Horvat Von Radic, Ivanish (John) Horvat Von Radic de Palizna, and Ladislaus Horvat Von Radic. He then murdered Queen Mary of Hungary who was heavily pregnant with his child and in 1406 he remarried Mary's cousin Barbara of Celje the daughter of Hermann II of Celje (Zell).
Elizabeth Frankopan (Frangepan-Frangipani) of Veglia (died 1422) was a relative of Nikola Frankopan. She married Count Friedrich II von Cilli and Ortenburg, Ban of Slavonia, (1454) cousin to Hermann II of Celje (Cilli-Zell) murdered his wife by stabbing her to death when they were spending time together on a reconciliation lover's weekend. He was protected by Barbara and was never punished for his crime. This caused a great internal war because the Frankopan and Anjou Horvat Von Radic de Corbava families were closely related to each other and they had lost two of their most admired female cousins within a short period by the same cluster of families competing for intense superiority.
As a result of the vindictiveness of King Sigismund fueled by the envious gloating of the Celje family members the Frankopan (Frangipani) family altered their surnames and chose to live thereafter in private. This prevented them from further becoming political targets. This proved wise during and after the April 30, 1670, beheadings of Krsto Frankopan and Petar Šubić Zrinski. The surviving family members collectively decided to use the Roman Naming Convention method as a means to somewhat preserve themselves. Some chose to move away from the unrest and live quiet lives. One thing was for certain, the continuous murders and hostile land take overs set in motion a great challenge for this family's survival.
Frankopan also established the monastery
which became the center of the town of Crikvenica
. He also fortified Omišalj
and Krk
.
Krk
Krk is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county....
, the districts of Vinodol
Vinodol
Vinodol is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western central Slovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 124 metres and covers an area of 14.982 km²...
, Modruš, Senj
Senj
Senj , German Zengg, Hungarian Zeng and Italian Segna) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3000 years ago on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala...
, Gacka
Gacka
Gacka is a river located in the Lika region in central Croatia. Because for a large part of its course it is a subterranean river, estimates on its length vary. The overground part has undergone substantial human intervention - before it was 32 kilometers long, now it is only 11 km...
and Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
in Croatia. His properties also extended to the towns of Cetin
Cetin
The fortress of Cetin is situated south of Cetingrad above the village of Podcetin, in Croatia. The time of foundation of Cetin is unfortunately still unknown. There are some indications that the settlement existed there in the times of the Roman Empire. The parish of All Saints was first...
, Slunj
Slunj
Slunj is a town in the mountainous part of Central Croatia, located along the important North-South route to the Adriatic Sea between Karlovac and Plitvice Lakes National Park, on the meeting of the rivers Korana and Slunjčica...
and Ozalj
Ozalj
Ozalj is a town in central Croatia, located north of Karlovac and southwest of Jastrebarsko, on the Kupa river. It is close to Žumberak in the north and the border with Slovenia in the northwest, with Metlika being the closest Slovenian town.-Population:...
in Slavonia. When he became Banus, king Sigismund left him in return a loan of 28,000 ducats, also the town of Bihać
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
on Una river, further Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
, Lapacgrad, Vrlika
Vrlika
Vrlika is a small town and municipality in inland Dalmatia, Croatia. The closest large towns are Sinj, Knin, and Drniš. The town of Vrlika has a population of 959, while the municipality has a population of 2,705 . There are 2,670 Croatian speakers, 16 Serbian speakers and 19 speakers of other...
, Ostrovica (near Bribir), Skradin
Skradin
Skradin is a small town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia it has a population about 3,986 . It is located near the Krka river and at the entrance to the Krka National Park, from Šibenik and from Split...
, the county of Luk between Zrmanja
Zrmanja
Zrmanja is a river in southern Lika and northern Dalmatia, Croatia. It is long and its basin covers an area of .It was known to the ancient Romans as Tedanius. The spring of Zrmanja is located in southern part of Lika under Postak - the southern peak of Pljesevica mountain, and close to south end...
and Krka
Krka
Krka is the name for several rivers :* Krka , tributary of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia* Krka , tributary of the Sava in Slovenia* Gurk River , tributary of the Drava in AustriaOther meanings:...
rivers and the district of Poljice. Thus, Nikola Frankopan (Frankapan
Frankopan
The Frankopans are a Croatian noble family. Also called Frankapan, Frangepán in Hungarian, and Frangipani in Italian.The Frankopan family is the leading princely Croatian aristocratic family which dates back to the 12th Century and even earlier to Roman times...
originally spelled as Frangipani) owned nearly all of Croatia.
In Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
the Banal authority belonged to Prince Hermann of Celje (Zell) (1423–1435), Father-in-law of king Sigismund. Hermann was the master of a large part of Slavonia. Because of family quarrels the two powerful clans clashed. Each of them had partisans among the powerful Barons. Thus two factions were formed ready to start a bloody feud. Those who sided with the Princes of Celje (Zell) strove to extend their sway also over Croatia and to annihilate the Frangipani family members as a way to over take their lands, titles and to shift the balance of power towards their favor.
The outbreak of civil war was prevented by Sigismund's return from abroad. Peace was further consolidated by the passing of Banus to Nikola on June 26, 1432. Prince Nikola died in that same year. Some rumors were that he was murdered by opposing Barons loyal to Hermann II of Celje. Some said it was due to another rivalry.
He was survived by nine sons and daughters. The founder of this branch of the Frangipani family supplied great leaders and Generals of Croatian history. Nikola Frankopan was very politically skillful. He arranged special marriages for his children and permanently set his family members in positions to look after the vast amounts of properties that he acquired. Their political opponents used propaganda to create strife for the family. Some of the accusations included that some family members had converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The propaganda that spread quickly.
The vast wealth accumulated coupled with the prominent marriage arrangements set the entire family up as easy targets. One family member was beheaded on his way home and couple were suddenly murdered as they were on their way home from church. The culprits were never found, however a cloud of suspicion grew over the family of Hermann II of Celje. This was because of the ongoing tug for political power from King Sigismund who had married Queen Mary of Hungary eldest surviving daughter of Louis I of Hungary 1371– 17 May 1395 but not before plotting an elaborate kidnapping of her and her mother. He then ordered the murder of her mother Queen Elizabeth of Bosnia. He then vindictively ordered the murder of her three cousins Bishop Paul Horvat Von Radic, Ivanish (John) Horvat Von Radic de Palizna, and Ladislaus Horvat Von Radic. He then murdered Queen Mary of Hungary who was heavily pregnant with his child and in 1406 he remarried Mary's cousin Barbara of Celje the daughter of Hermann II of Celje (Zell).
Elizabeth Frankopan (Frangepan-Frangipani) of Veglia (died 1422) was a relative of Nikola Frankopan. She married Count Friedrich II von Cilli and Ortenburg, Ban of Slavonia, (1454) cousin to Hermann II of Celje (Cilli-Zell) murdered his wife by stabbing her to death when they were spending time together on a reconciliation lover's weekend. He was protected by Barbara and was never punished for his crime. This caused a great internal war because the Frankopan and Anjou Horvat Von Radic de Corbava families were closely related to each other and they had lost two of their most admired female cousins within a short period by the same cluster of families competing for intense superiority.
As a result of the vindictiveness of King Sigismund fueled by the envious gloating of the Celje family members the Frankopan (Frangipani) family altered their surnames and chose to live thereafter in private. This prevented them from further becoming political targets. This proved wise during and after the April 30, 1670, beheadings of Krsto Frankopan and Petar Šubić Zrinski. The surviving family members collectively decided to use the Roman Naming Convention method as a means to somewhat preserve themselves. Some chose to move away from the unrest and live quiet lives. One thing was for certain, the continuous murders and hostile land take overs set in motion a great challenge for this family's survival.
Frankopan also established the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
which became the center of the town of Crikvenica
Crikvenica
Crikvenica is the largest settlement on the coast of the Vinodol coastal area, Croatia, and grew up on an area which was a settlement in the Roman era called Ad Turres. Population 7,121 , total municipality population 11,348 with 90% Croats...
. He also fortified Omišalj
Omišalj
Omišalj is a small coastal town in the north-west of the island of Krk in Croatia. The population of the town itself is 1,790 , while the Omišalj municipality also includes the nearby Njivice, bringing the total up to 2,998 people...
and Krk
Krk
Krk is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county....
.