20,000 witness historic 1573 Peasant Revolt reenactment in Croatia
- by croatiaweek
- in News
(Photo: Press)
ZAGREB, 12 Feb (Hina/CW) -Nearly 20,000 domestic and foreign visitors watched a reenactment of the historic 1573 Peasant Revolt in Donja Stubica, northern Croatia on Saturday.
The 16th reenactment of the “battle of all battles” between serfs led by Matija Gubec and the infamous Baron Ferenc Tahy and his army involved 250 participants from numerous associations from Croatia and two from Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia each.
The Battle at Stubica – Seljačka buna – Bitka kod Stubice – in 1573 was sparked by cruel treatment of serfs and ended after 12 days with the defeat of the rebels and bloody retribution by the nobility.
The rebels’ political programme was to replace the nobility with peasant officials answerable directly to the emperor, and to abolish all feudal holdings and obligations of the Roman Catholic Church.
(Photo: Press)
A peasant government was formed with Matija Gubec, Ivan Pasanac and Ivan Mogaić as members. Far-reaching plans were drawn up, including abolition of provincial borders, opening of highways for trade, and self-rule by the peasants.
The captain of the rebels, Ilija Gregorić, planned an extensive military operation to secure victory for the revolt.
On 5 February, imperial captain Turn defeated Ilija Gregorić and 2,000 men near the Lower Styrian town of Brežice. The next day, another rebel force was subjugated near Samobor.
On 9 February, the decisive Battle at Stubičko polje was fought. Gubec and his army of 10,000 men resisted fiercely, but after a bloody four-hour battle the baronial army defeated and captured Gubec. The revolt failed.
The reenactment of Croatian peasants’ greatest battle for justice was held on a battlefield near Stubički Golubovec castle. Krapina-Zagorje County head Željko Kolar said this was on of the biggest events in the county.
(Photo: Press)
“The event is branded and this year it is already in its third week… but this is the main event. All accommodation facilities in the county are full. Such events are an additional product for the guests in our hotels who arrived from Croatia as well as Slovenia… specifically for his event,” he added.
The people of the northern region of Zagorje are proud of the Peasant Revolt and their ancestors who knew way back in 1573 that one should fight for justice, Kolar said.
(Photo: Press)
The reenactment was also attended by Social Democratic Party president Peđa Grbin, who said that “Zagorje has given Croatia many freedom fighters.”
