Etbin Henrik Costa
Encyclopedia
Etbin Henrik Costa was a Slovene national conservative politician
and author
. Together with Janez Bleiweis
and Lovro Toman
, he was one of the leaders of the Old Slovene political party.
He was born in a wealthy bureaucrat
family of Italian origin in the Lower Carniola
n town of Novo Mesto
, then part of the Austrian Empire
(now in Slovenia
). His father Henrik Costa was a historian. Etbin Henrik graduated in philosophy at the University of Vienna
and law at the University of Graz
.
In 1855, he moved to Ljubljana
, where he opened a legal practice. He joined the Slovene National Movement, and became one of the leaders of its conservative stream. He was elected to the Carniola
n Provincial Diet
, and to the Austrian Imperial Council
. Between 1864 and 1869, he served as the first Slovene nationalist mayor of Ljubljana; when he was elected in June 1864, the Slovene national flag
was flown on the Ljubljana town hall
. His mayorship was utterly unsuccessful, and helped to lay the path to the Austrian Centralist victory in the elections of 1869. After the late 1860s, Costa became one of the most unpopular Slovene national politicians, and the main target of criticism by the national liberal Young Slovenes
.
Costa was active in many Slovene cultural, political and sport associations. Among other things, he served as president of the scientific association Slovenska matica
, and of the Slovene section of the Sokol
movement.
He died in Ljubljana in 1875.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Together with Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis was a Slovene conservative politician, journalist and public figure. He was the leader of the so-called Old Slovene political movement. Already during his lifetime, he was called father of the nation....
and Lovro Toman
Lovro Toman
Lovro Toman was a Slovene politician and author. Together with Janez Bleiweis and Etbin Henrik Costa, he was part of the leadership of the national conservative Old Slovene party....
, he was one of the leaders of the Old Slovene political party.
He was born in a wealthy bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
family of Italian origin in the Lower Carniola
Lower Carniola
Lower Carniola was a kreis of the historical Habsburg crown land of Carniola from 1849 till 1919 and is nowadays a traditional region of Slovenia. Its center is Novo Mesto, while other urban centers include Kočevje, Grosuplje, Krško, Trebnje, Mirna, Črnomelj, Semič, and Metlika.-See also:* Upper...
n town of Novo Mesto
Novo Mesto
Novo Mesto is a city and municipality in southeastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The town is traditionally considered the economic and cultural centre of the historic Lower Carniola region.-Geography:...
, then part of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
(now in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
). His father Henrik Costa was a historian. Etbin Henrik graduated in philosophy at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
and law at the University of Graz
University of Graz
The University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
.
In 1855, he moved to Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, where he opened a legal practice. He joined the Slovene National Movement, and became one of the leaders of its conservative stream. He was elected to the Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
n Provincial Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
, and to the Austrian Imperial Council
Reichsrat (Austria)
The Imperial Council of Austria from 1867 to 1918 was the parliament of the Cisleithanian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Herrenhaus and the Abgeordnetenhaus...
. Between 1864 and 1869, he served as the first Slovene nationalist mayor of Ljubljana; when he was elected in June 1864, the Slovene national flag
Flag of Slovenia
The national flag of Slovenia features three equal horizontal bands of white , blue, and red, with the Slovenian coat of arms located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands...
was flown on the Ljubljana town hall
Ljubljana town hall
Ljubljana Town Hall is the town hall in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is located on the Town Square in the city centre close to the St. Nicholas Cathedral.The original building was built by the Carniolan architect Peter Bezlaj in 1584...
. His mayorship was utterly unsuccessful, and helped to lay the path to the Austrian Centralist victory in the elections of 1869. After the late 1860s, Costa became one of the most unpopular Slovene national politicians, and the main target of criticism by the national liberal Young Slovenes
Young Slovenes
Young Slovenes were a Slovene national liberal political movement in the 1860s and 1870s, inspired and named after the Young Czechs in Bohemia and Moravia. They were opposed to the national conservative Old Slovenes. They entered in a crisis in the 1880s, and disappeared from political life by the...
.
Costa was active in many Slovene cultural, political and sport associations. Among other things, he served as president of the scientific association Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica , also known as Matica slovenska, is the second-oldest publishing house in Slovenia, founded in the 19th century as an institution for the scholarly and cultural progress of Slovenes...
, and of the Slovene section of the Sokol
Sokol
The Sokol movement is a youth sport movement and gymnastics organization first founded in Czech region of Austria-Hungary, Prague, in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner...
movement.
He died in Ljubljana in 1875.