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| Požega County Požeška županija Pozsega vármegye | |
|---|---|
| County of theKingdom of Slavonia,Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia and theKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes | |
| 12th century–1920 | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of the County (red) within theKingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (white) | |
| Capital | Požega |
| Area | |
| • Coordinates | 45°20′N17°41′E / 45.333°N 17.683°E /45.333; 17.683 |
• 1910 | 4,933 km2 (1,905 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 1910 | 265,272 |
| History | |
• Established | 12th century |
• Treaty of Trianon | 4 June 1920 |
| Today part of | Croatia |
Part ofa series on the |
|---|
| History ofSlavonia |
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Antiquity |
20th century |
Požega County (Croatian:Požeška županija;Hungarian:Pozsega vármegye) was a historic administrative subdivision (županija) of theKingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within theLands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (Transleithania), the Hungarian part of the dualAustro-Hungarian Empire. Its territory is now in easternCroatia. The capital of the county wasPožega (Croatian, in Hungarian:Pozsega).
Požega county shared borders with theAustrian landBosnia-Herzegovina and the counties ofZagreb,Bjelovar-Križevci,Virovitica andSrijem (all in Croatia-Slavonia). The county stretched along the left (northern) bank of the riverSava. Its area was 4933 km2 around 1910.
The territory of Požega County was part of theKingdom of Croatia, a realm in personal union with theKingdom of Hungary since 1102.[1] Požega County was likely formed in the 12th century through partition of theBaranya County.[2] The earliest historical record of Požega County as thecomitatus de Posega survives from the a deed issued by kingAndrew II of Hungary in 1210,[1] confirming ownership of land left to theKnights Templar by thePalatine of HungaryCsépán Győr.[3] The earliest surviving dated mention of the city ofPožega (ascastrum de Posega) dates to 11 January 1227 in a document issued byPope Honorius III. The pope confirmed the decision of Andrew II granting theArchbishop of KalocsaUgrin Csák authority over Požega.[1]
In 1232, Ugrin established aCistercianabbey in Gotó (also referred to as theHonesta Vallis) in present-dayKutjevo where monks first arrived fromZirc Abbey.[4] In the 12th century,BenedictineRudina Abbey was established in the west of thevalley containing the county seat byBan Borić or one of his sons. According to historianNada Klaić, Borić owned estates in the area, including the Orljava Fortress, at the time and was likely the firstcomes (appointed head) of Požega County.[3] TheFranciscans established an abbey in Požega itself in the second half of the 13th century.[1] Since at least 1217, the Požega Capitulum of St. Peter (Požeški kaptol sv. Petra) was established as theplace of authentication in present-dayKaptol likely byBan of Croatia andBishop of PécsKalán.[2]
Ugrin died in theBattle of Mohi in 1241. Then, the title of countycomes was awarded to Klet Kórógyi. He was killed the same year in battle withMongols at the Orljava Fortress (near present-dayOrljavac).[1][5] The city of Požega was nonetheless held, and kingBéla IV left ruling of Požega to his wifeMaria Laskarina who ruled it for the rest of her life, until 1270.[6] In the same period, it was recorded that the countycomes is Philip, appointed judge by queen Maria in 1244–1266.[7] Béla IV was succeeded by his sonStephen V who died two years later. His wife,queen consortElizabeth the Cuman moved to Požega in 1272.[6]
In 1293, three years after Elizabeth the Cuman died,Ugrin III Csák was granted the title of thecomes of Požega County.[8] In 1297, kingAndrew III appointed his uncle and member of theVenetian nobleMorosini family,Albertino Morosini thecomes of the Požega County and theDuke of Slavonia.[9] The king's motherTomasina Morosini also stayed in Požega for an extended period,[6] blocking Ugrin III's rule over Požega County.[10] The Morosini's appointment led theCroatian nobility to revolt. A powerful Croatian baron,Paul Šubić, sent his brother,George, to Italy in early 1300 where he convincedCharles II of Naples to send his grandsonCharles Robert to Hungary to claim the throne in person, setting up the dynastic struggle between theCapetian House of Anjou and theÁrpád dynasty. After landing atSplit inDalmatia in August 1300, Paul Šubić escorted Charles Robert toZagreb, where Ugrin III swore loyalty to Charles, who then granted him Požega Castle.[11] When Andrew III died in 1301, the Árpád dynasty became extinct and Ugrin III successfully claimed Požega County as his domain by 1303 – along withSyrmia,Vuka, andBács counties – and until his death in 1311.[12] In early 14th century,Dujam II Frankopan became thecomes of Požega County as the supporter of Charles Robert.[6]
In 1385, kingLouis I summonedTvrtko I of Bosnia to Požega where he turned over the western parts ofZachumlia to Louis I asdowry for his marriage withElizabeth of Bosnia.[13] Following the death of Louis I, Požega was the venue of an inconclusive meeting of supporters and opponents of Elizabeth's daughter, queenMary with the two queens.[14] The Hungarian and Croatian nobility largely objected to any possibility of succession in the female line and supported the claim to the throne byCharles III of Naples as the last surviving male member of the Capetian branch of the Anjou family.[13]
In 1409,Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, having prevailed in the fight for the Hungarian crown, gaveHrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, in return for his support in dynastic struggle for the Hungarian throne with the Capetian House of Anjou, various estates and titles including the city of Požega and appointed him thecomes of the Požega County. The decision was reversed in 1413 when he fell out of the king's favour.[15] In 1432–1437, Ladislaus Tamási was thecomes of Požega County. His son Henrik held the same office in 1443 and 1444 – when he also held equivalent posts inVirovitica andSomogy counties. In 1445–1447, the position ofcomes of Požega County (along with possession of thecastrum and patronage of the Rudina abbey) was granted by the royal court to Palatine Lőrinc Hédervári. He was succeeded by his son Henrik, the Duke ofMacsó. Henrik was thecomes of Požega County in 1447–1450 and 1464–1472.[16] The late 15th century and the early 16th century saw the first incursions of theOttoman Empire in the Požega County. Periods of fighting were broken with stable periods of peacetime, each associated with a powerfulcomes of the county. Those were theLadislaus of Ilok,Lawrence of Ilok, and Franjo Dessewffy.[17]
By the time of1527 election in Cetin and the start of rule of theHouse of Habsburg, the Požega County became defunct as only three Croatian counties remained due to territorial losses to the Ottoman Empire – Zagreb,Varaždin, andKriževci [hr] counties.[18] Namely, the territory of the county was lost to the Ottoman conquests during theHundred Years' Croatian–Ottoman War, and the city of Požega was captured by the Ottomans in 1537.[19] The Požega County was re-established in 1745 after Ottoman territorial gains in the area were reversed during theOttoman–Habsburg wars. In 1920, by theTreaty of Trianon the county became part of the newly formedKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed to Yugoslavia). Since 1991, whenCroatia became independent fromYugoslavia, the county is part of Croatia.
In 1900, the county had a population of 229,361 people and was composed of the following linguistic communities:[20]
Total:
According to the census of 1900, the county was composed of the following religious communities:[21]
Total:
In 1910, the county had a population of 265,272 people and was composed of the following linguistic communities:[22]
Total:
According to the census of 1910, the county was composed of the following religious communities:[21]
Total:
In the early 20th century, the subdivisions of Pozsega county were:
| Districts | |
|---|---|
| District | Capital |
| Slavonski Brod | Slavonski Brod |
| Daruvar | Daruvar |
| Novska | Novska |
| Pakrac | Pakrac |
| Požega | Požega |
| Nova Gradiška | Nova Gradiška |
| Urban districts | |
| Slavonski Brod | |
| Požega | |
