Ivan Mažuranić | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Ivan Mažuranić | |
| Ban ofCroatia-Slavonia | |
| In office 20 September 1873 – 21 February 1880 | |
| Monarch | Franz Joseph I |
| Preceded by | Antun Vakanović |
| Succeeded by | Ladislav Pejačević |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1814-08-11)11 August 1814 |
| Died | 4 August 1890(1890-08-04) (aged 75) |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Political party | People's Party Independent People's Party |
| Spouse | Aleksandra Demeter |
| Relatives | Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić (granddaughter) |
| Alma mater | University of Zagreb University of West Hungary |
| Occupation | Poet, lawyer, politician |
| Known for | The Death of Smail-aga Čengić (poem) |
| Signature |  |
Ivan Mažuranić (pronounced[ǐʋanmaʒǔranitɕ]; 11 August 1814 – 4 August 1890) was a Croatian poet, linguist, lawyer and politician who is considered to be one of the most important figures in Croatia's political and cultural life in the mid-19th century. Mažuranić served asBan ofKingdom of Croatia-Slavonia between 1873 and 1880, and since he was the first ban not to hail from old nobility, he was known asBan pučanin (Ban commoner).
His realistic assessment of strengths and weaknesses of Croatia's position between the hammer ofAustrian bureaucracy and the anvil ofHungarian expansionist nationalism were seen as invaluable to his country during times of significant political turmoil. Mažuranić is best remembered for his contributions in the development of the Croatian law system, economics, linguistics, and poetry.
Ivan Mažuranić was born on 11 August 1814 as the third of four sons into a well-to-doyeoman family of Ivan Mažuranić Petrov inNovi Vinodolski in northern coastalCroatia.[1] His brother Josip was in charge of taking care of the family estate, Anton was a famous jurist and philologist, while Matija (a blacksmith by profession) was a travel writer who wrote"A Look at Bosnia" (1842) in which he described the private and public life ofOttoman Bosnia and Herzegovina.[2] Mažuranić became a man of many abilities; he spoke 9 languages (Croatian, Latin, Italian, German, Hungarian, French, English, Czech, and Polish) and was well versed in astronomy and mathematics. He attended elementary school in Novi Vinodolski and high school inRijeka, after which he studied law at theUniversity of Zagreb (1835–1837) and philosophy at theUniversity of West Hungary.[3] After graduation he worked as agymnasium teacher inZagreb, and afterwards as a lawyer inKarlovac. He married Aleksandra Demeter, the sister of the renowned Croatian poetDimitrija Demeter.[4]
Mažuranić was the first Croatianban not to hail from old nobility, as he was born a commoner.[5] He held the office from 20 September 1873 until 21 February 1880. He was a member of thePeople's Party.[citation needed]
He accomplished the Croatian transition from a semi-feudal legal and economic system to a modern civil society similar to those emerging in other countries in central Europe.[citation needed]
Mažuranić has modernized Croatia's educational system by forming a public school network[5] and reducing the importance of denominational schools.[3] The latter was one of the issues that led to his later resignation as ban in 1880[3] and a process criticized by the Catholic Church at the time, as well as by ethnic Serb politicians in the Parliament of Croatia-Slavonia.[6] Others consider this to have been a necessary step in modernization and secularization of Croatian society.[citation needed]
Almost immediately after his election as Ban, Mažuranić started with the implementation of comprehensive reforms. During the period of his rule, theSabor passed 60 laws covering the whole area of Croatian autonomous jurisdiction. The ideological foundation of his reforms were liberal, emphasizing the importance of the Constitution, individual rights, education, science andlaissez faire. The main goal of his reforms was to form foundations of the organization of autonomous Croatian government and establishment of a modern and efficient political-administrative system.[1]
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In his native land, Mažuranić is above all the beloved poet ofSmrt Smail-age Čengića (The Death of Smail-aga Čengić).[3] This epic poem is full of memorable verses that have become embedded in thenational memory of his people, who cherished it as the treasure of a "Homeric" wisdom praising such epic virtues as fortitude, fidelity, and justice.
The tale is based on an assault inMontenegro, when a petty local Muslim tyrant was killed, as an act ofvendetta, in an ambush set byMontenegrins. Mažuranić's poetry transformed a rather prosaic act of tribal revenge into a hymn celebrating the struggle for freedom—acted out under the hostile forces of fatality.
Ljutit aga mrko gleda
Gdje se silom divit mora
Silan arslan gorskom mišu.
The angry aga glumly glances
As he, the mighty lion, is forced
To admire the mountain mouse.
Following in the steps of Croatian poets likeKačić andIvan Gundulić (his chief national influence, whose main epicOsman Mažuranić completed), Mažuranić closed the era ofRomanticism and of classicepic poetry inCroatian literature.
Mažuranić'slinguistic work is remarkable for its influence. He co-authored the "German-Illyrian/Croatian Dictionary" with Josip Užarević in 1842.[3] Mažuranić had coined words that have become commonplace in standardCroatian such as words for bank accountancy, rhinoceros, sculptor, ice-cream, market economy, high treason or metropolis.
Ivan Mažuranić Square in Zagreb is named in his honor, and there are numerous streets named after him throughout Croatia.His portrait was depicted on theobverse of the Croatian 100kuna banknote, issued in 1993 and 2002.[7][8][9] During theCroatian accession to the European Union,Nova TV launched a campaign 'I believe in Croatia' referring to the introduction of Mažuranić's famous speech that he gave on 13 December 1886 before theSabor; "I believe in Croatia, in its past, in its present and its future."[1][10]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Ban of theKingdom of Croatia-Slavonia 1873–1880 | Succeeded by |
| Cultural offices | ||
| Preceded by | President ofMatica hrvatska 1858–1872 | Succeeded by |
