Josif Runjanin
Encyclopedia
Josif Runjanian or Josip Runjanin (Cyrillic script
: Јосиф Руњанин; ; December 8, 1821–February 2, 1878) was a Serb
composer from Croatia
, most notably known for composing the melody of the Croatian national anthem
and of the Serbian patriotic song "Rado Srbin ide u vojnike" (Gladly will the Serb enlist in the Army). He was lieutenant-colonel in the Austro-Hungarian Army
.
, in the Drina valley
(western Serbia). The family moved to Bijeljina
in Bosnia
in 1718 when Austria took over Serbia and Northern Bosnia.
Most of the family's members fled once again, during the Second Great Migration of Serbs in 1739 when Serbia and Northern Bosnia returned to Ottoman
rule and found refuge in the area of Osijek
in the Austrian Empire
controlled Slavonia
.
One Đorđe Runjanin then settled in the village of Grk, in Syrmia
with his family. Đorđe's son Stojak was a Serbian Orthodox Church
priest in Kuzmin to his death in 1758. The list of descendants to Josif Runjanin runs in the following pattern: Stojak fathered Vasilije who was the father of Petar (another Orthodox minister), and whose son was Ignjat (1798 - 10 November 1876) who was an Austrian army captain in Vinkovci.
Josif was the eldest of Ignjat's 7 children.
. The ceremony was carried out by the renowned local priest Adam Popović. He received education in Vinkovci, and then Sremski Karlovci
. He was named "Josif" in accordance to Biblical traditions of the Serbs of his age. Between 1848 and 1866 he served in four Austrian
military engages in Italy
. At the age of 43 he married the daughter of the pensioned captain Toma Perković. As a representative of the First Banate regiment he entered the Croatian Assembly in 1865.
In his youth, he served in the Imperial Army
as a cadet
in Glina
, Military Frontier
. There, he was introduced to the Illyrist
circles, where he met noted poet Antun Mihanović
. Josif composed the music for his patriotic Croatian song Lijepa naša domovina in 1848, although this Croatian Anthem would be first played in the streets of Zagreb in 1891 during the Croatian-Slavonian exhibit, so both men only achieved post-mortal fame. While serving in Glina, he attained the rank of Captain, and became proficient in playing the piano, being taught by the military kapelnik of Glina. An obedient soldier, Josif later was later made colonel
.
After retirement, Josif moved to Novi Sad
where he died at the age of 57 on 2 February 1878 and was buried at the Serbian Orthodox Ascension Cemetery (Uspensko groblje).
Serbian Cyrillic alphabet
The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is an adaptation of the Cyrillic script for the Serbian language, developed in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two standard modern alphabets used to write the Serbian language, the other being Latin...
: Јосиф Руњанин; ; December 8, 1821–February 2, 1878) was a Serb
Serbs of Croatia
Višeslav of Serbia, a contemporary of Charlemagne , ruled the Županias of Neretva, Tara, Piva, Lim, his ancestral lands. According to the Royal Frankish Annals , Duke of Pannonia Ljudevit Posavski fled, during the Frankish invasion, from his seat in Sisak to the Serbs in western Bosnia, who...
composer from Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, most notably known for composing the melody of the Croatian national anthem
Lijepa naša domovino
"Lijepa naša domovino" is the national anthem of Croatia. It is often referred to as just "Lijepa naša" in Croatia, which is also a phrase widely used as a metonym for the country....
and of the Serbian patriotic song "Rado Srbin ide u vojnike" (Gladly will the Serb enlist in the Army). He was lieutenant-colonel in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
.
Origins
The Runjanin family originates from the village of Runjani in JadarJadar
Jadar may refer to:* Jadar , a river in western Serbia, tributary to the Drina* Jadar , a river in eastern Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, tributary to the Drinjača...
, in the Drina valley
Podrinje (region)
Podrinje is the Slavic name of the Drina river basin, known in English as the Drina Valley, located in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina .-History:The Drina area was the political center of the Princely Serbia under...
(western Serbia). The family moved to Bijeljina
Bijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
in Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
in 1718 when Austria took over Serbia and Northern Bosnia.
Most of the family's members fled once again, during the Second Great Migration of Serbs in 1739 when Serbia and Northern Bosnia returned to Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule and found refuge in the area of Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
in 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...
controlled Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
.
One Đorđe Runjanin then settled in the village of Grk, in Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
with his family. Đorđe's son Stojak was a Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
priest in Kuzmin to his death in 1758. The list of descendants to Josif Runjanin runs in the following pattern: Stojak fathered Vasilije who was the father of Petar (another Orthodox minister), and whose son was Ignjat (1798 - 10 November 1876) who was an Austrian army captain in Vinkovci.
Josif was the eldest of Ignjat's 7 children.
Life
Young Runjanin was baptized in the Orthodox shrine of the Descent of the Holy Ghost (Silaska Svetog Duha) in VinkovciVinkovci
Vinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
. The ceremony was carried out by the renowned local priest Adam Popović. He received education in Vinkovci, and then Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci is a town and municipality in Serbia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, situated on the bank of the river Danube, 8 km from Novi Sad...
. He was named "Josif" in accordance to Biblical traditions of the Serbs of his age. Between 1848 and 1866 he served in four Austrian
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...
military engages in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. At the age of 43 he married the daughter of the pensioned captain Toma Perković. As a representative of the First Banate regiment he entered the Croatian Assembly in 1865.
In his youth, he served in the Imperial Army
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...
as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in Glina
Glina, Croatia
Glina is a small town in central Croatia, located southwest of Petrinja and Sisak in the Sisak-Moslavina county. It lies on the eponymous river of Glina.-History:...
, Military Frontier
Military Frontier
The Military Frontier was a borderland of Habsburg Austria and later the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which acted as the cordon sanitaire against incursions from the Ottoman Empire...
. There, he was introduced to the Illyrist
Illyrian movement
The Illyrian movement , also Croatian national revival , was a cultural and political campaign with roots in the early modern period, and revived by a group of young Croatian intellectuals during the first half of 19th century, around the years of 1835–1849...
circles, where he met noted poet Antun Mihanović
Antun Mihanovic
Antun Mihanović was a notable Croatian poet and lyricist, most famous for writing the national anthem of Croatia, which was put to music by Josif Runjanin and adopted in 1891. Klanjec, his birthplace, holds a monument to him and a gallery of his works.Mihanović studied law and worked as a military...
. Josif composed the music for his patriotic Croatian song Lijepa naša domovina in 1848, although this Croatian Anthem would be first played in the streets of Zagreb in 1891 during the Croatian-Slavonian exhibit, so both men only achieved post-mortal fame. While serving in Glina, he attained the rank of Captain, and became proficient in playing the piano, being taught by the military kapelnik of Glina. An obedient soldier, Josif later was later made colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
After retirement, Josif moved to Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
where he died at the age of 57 on 2 February 1878 and was buried at the Serbian Orthodox Ascension Cemetery (Uspensko groblje).
Legacy
During his lifetime he was recognized for having composed three major songs which are popular to this day:- music for the CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n national anthem Lijepa naša domovinoLijepa naša domovino"Lijepa naša domovino" is the national anthem of Croatia. It is often referred to as just "Lijepa naša" in Croatia, which is also a phrase widely used as a metonym for the country....
(Our beautiful homeland) - Rado Srbin ide u vojnike (Gladly will the Serb enlist in the Army)
- Ljubimo te naša diko (Hrvati svome banu) - Song composed in honour of Josip JelačićJosip JelacicCount Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
.