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Famous Peasant Uprising Reenactment in Donja Stubica

Battle at Stubica (photo credit: Emilija Vlaisavljević Bacan‎/Facebook)

Thousands are expected to gather in the northern Croatian town of Donja Stubica next on Saturday 10 February 2018 to witness the 10th anniversary of the reenactment of the famous Croatian-Slovene Peasants’ Revolt – Battle at Stubica (Seljačka buna – Bitka kod Stubice).

The jubilee day-long event will start at 11 am with a cultural programme, food and local specialties and arts. The revolt reenactment will commence at 3 pm. The day will culminate with the Buna after party with popular band Hladno Pivo entertaining guests with Zadruga and Tomislav Goluban.

Zagreb Grad will be providing free buses to the event. The buses will depart from 10:15 am every 1 hour and 15 minutes from the central bus station.

Battle at Stubica (photo credit: Emilija Vlaisavljević Bacan‎/Facebook)

The Croatian–Slovene Peasant Revolt of 1573 was a large peasant revolt in the territory that nowadays belongs to Croatia and Slovenia.

The revolt, sparked by the cruel treatment of serfs by the baron Ferenc Tahy, 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.

A peasant government was formed with Matija Gubec, Ivan Pasanac and Ivan Mogaić as members. Far-reaching plans were drawn up, including the abolition of provincial borders, the opening of highways for trade, and self-rule by the peasants.

Battle at Stubica (photo credit: Emilija Vlaisavljević Bacan‎/Facebook)

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 of Stubičko polje was fought.

Gubec and his 10,000 men resisted fiercely, but after a bloody four-hour battle the baronial army defeated and captured Gubec. The revolt failed.

Battle at Stubica (photo credit: Emilija Vlaisavljević Bacan‎/Facebook)

Retribution was brutal: in addition to the 3,000 peasants who died in the battle, many captives were hanged or maimed. Matija Gubec was publicly tortured and executed on 15 February.

The traditional celebration of the anniversary of the uprising is now in its 10th year, with the event winning an award in 2015 for the best historical reenactment.

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