Background
Josef Jellachich was born on October 16, 1801 at Petrovaradin, at the time part of the Slavonian Military Frontier of the Habsburg Empire (today part of Vojvodina, Serbia).
Josef Jellachich was born on October 16, 1801 at Petrovaradin, at the time part of the Slavonian Military Frontier of the Habsburg Empire (today part of Vojvodina, Serbia).
He entered the Austrian army (1819), fought against the Bosnians in 1845 and was raised to the rank of lieutenant-general by the emperor.
As ban, Jellachich's policy was directed to preserving the Slav kingdoms for the Habsburg monarchy by identifying himself with the nationalist opposition to Magyar ascendancy, while at the same time discouraging the extreme "Illyrism" advocated by Lodovik Gaj (1809 - 1872). Though his separatist measures at first brought him into disfavour at the imperial court, their true objective was soon recognized, and, with the triumph of the more violent elements of the Hungarian revolution, he was hailed as the most conspicuous champion of the unity of the empire, and was able to bring about that union of the imperial army with the southern Slavs by which the revolution in Vienna and Budapest was overthrown. He began the war of independence in September 1848 by crossing the Drave at the head of 40, 000 Croats. After the bloody battle of Buda he concluded a three days' truce with the Hungarians to enable him to assist Prince Windischgratz to reduce Vienna, and subsequently fought against the Magyars at Schwechat. During the winter campaign of 1848-49 he commanded, under Windischgratz, the Austrian right wing, capturing Magyar-Ovar and Raab, and defeating the Magyars at Mor. After the recapture of Buda he was made commander-in-chief of the southern army. At first he gained some successes against Bem, but on the 14th of July 1849 was routed by the Hungarians at Hegyes and driven behind the Danube. He took no part in the remainder of the war, but returned to Agram to administer Croatia. In 1853 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the army sent against Montenegro, and in 1855 was created a count.
He died on the 20th of May 1859.
His Gedichte were published at Vienna in 1851.
Jellachich helped crush the Hungarian nationalist revolt against the empire in 1848.
He was made ban of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia in 1848 on the petition of the Croatians and was elected as Count on 24 April 1854 (as Jelacic von Buzim).
He received medals from the Russian Tsar, the King of Saxony, King of Hanover, and Duke of Parma.
Today, he is considered an important and admirable figure in Croatian history, alongside Ante Starchevich, and Stjepan Radich, the Croatian political leader until 1928. The central square of the city of Zagreb was named Ban Jellachich Square in 1848, and a statue of him by Anton Dominik Fernkorn was erected in the square in 1866, removed under Communist rule in 1947, and reinstalled in 1990, after the fall of Communism.
Quotations:
"The Hungarian Government, as it is evident, would not like to agree on this; they insist on their separatist moves, which means they struggle to dismantle our Empire. It is the command of our duty and honour to go till the ultimate and to call for arms against them. And we, not sparing our wealth, blood and life, will stand for our rightful demands and sacred deeds. "
"Being a son of the [Croatian] nation, being the supporter of liberty, and being subject to Austria, I am faithfully committed to the constitutional Emperor of the Empire and its Kings, and I long for a great, free Austria"
