Preceded by Petar Keglevic Succeeded by Peter Erdody | Name Nikola Zrinski | |
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Died 7 September 1566(1566-09-07)
Szigetvar, Kingdom of Hungary Resting place Pauline monastery in Sveta Jelena, Croatia Spouse(s) Katarina Frankopan
Eva of Rosenberg Parents Nikola III Zrinski
Jelena Karlovic | ||
Nikola Šubić Zrinski [SLAVIC BADASS OF THE WEEK Ep. 5]
Nikola Šubić Zrinski ([nǐkɔla ʃûbitɕ zrîːɲskiː]) or Zrínyi Miklós ([ˈzriːɲi ˈmikloːʃ]) (1508 – 7 September 1566) was a Croatian nobleman and general in the service of the Habsburg, ban of Croatia from 1542-56, and member of the Zrinski noble family. He was known across Europe for his involvement with the Siege of Szigetvár and is today seen as a hero by both Hungarians and Croats.
Contents
- Nikola ubi Zrinski SLAVIC BADASS OF THE WEEK Ep 5
- Ivan zajc nikola ubi zrinski complete opera part 1
- Biography
- Legacy
- References
Ivan zajc nikola ubi zrinski complete opera part 1
Biography
Nikola was born in 1508 as the son of Nikola III Zrinski and Jelena Karlović (sister of future Croatian ban Ivan Karlović) He distinguished himself at the siege of Vienna in 1529, and in 1542 saved the imperial army from defeat before Pest by intervening with 400 Croats, for which service he was appointed ban of Croatia. In 1542 he routed an Ottoman force at the Battle of Somlyo. In 1543 he married Katarina Frankopan, a sister of Count Stjepan Frankopan Ozaljski ("Stephen Frankopan of Ozalj" in English), who placed the whole of her vast estates at his disposal. She bore him many children, among which was his successor Juraj IV Zrinski. The king Ferdinand I gave him large possessions in Hungary and Croatia, and henceforth the Zrinskis–Zrínyis became as much Magyar as Croatian magnates.
As a compensation for his battles with the Ottomans, he was granted the whole area of Međimurje (Muraköz) on 12 March 1546 from King Ferdinand, hence the centre of the Zrinski family has moved from Zrin to the city of Čakovec (Csáktornya), where he rearranged the existing castle.
In 1556, Zrinski won a series of victories over the Ottomans, culminating in the battle of Babócsa and thus preventing the fall of Szigetvár. In 1563, on the coronation of the Emperor Maximilian as king of Hungary, Zrinski attended the ceremony at the head of 3000 Croatian and Magyar mounted noblemen, in the vain hope of obtaining the dignity of palatine, vacant by the death of Tamás Nádasdy. Shortly after marrying (in 1564) his second wife, Eva of Rožmberk (Rosenberg), a Bohemian heiress, he hastened southwards to defend the frontier, and defeated the Ottomans at Szeged.
In 1566, from 5 August to 7 September, his small force (2,300 soldiers) heroically defended the little fortress of Szigetvár against the whole Ottoman host (102,000 soldiers), led by Suleiman the Magnificent in person. The Siege of Szigetvár ended with every member of the garrison including Šubić Zrinski in a last desperate sortie. Suleiman the Magnificent had died from a cerebral hemorrhage one day before the Ottomans won the war.
Legacy
Nikola Šubić Zrinski was the great-grandfather of Croatian Ban (Viceroy) and Croatian/Hungarian poet Nikola Zrinski, as well as his younger brother Petar Zrinski. The former wrote the Hungarian epic poem, the Peril of Sziget, of which Zrinski is the hero, which has assured Zrinski's place in Hungarian culture. The epic remains in print today and is considered one of the landmarks of Hungarian literature.
A park in Zagreb is named Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog after him. Zrinski's last battle was made the subject of a tragedy, Zrinyi: Ein Trauerspiel, by Theodor Körner.
The Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski is the eighth-ranked honour order given by the Republic of Croatia. It is awarded to Croatian or foreign citizens for acts of heroism. Recipients include 47 military units of the Croatian Armed Forces for valor in the Croatian War of Independence