Konstantin Vojnović
Encyclopedia
Konstantin pl. Vojnović (March 2, 1832 - May 20, 1903) was a Serbian
-Croatian
politician, university professor and rector.
Vojnović was born in Herceg Novi
(today in Montenegro
) into the of Serbian
noble family House of Vojnović, who converted from Serbian Ortodoxy to Roman Catholicism by his grandmother.
He graduated law at the University of Vienna
in the period 1851-54, received his Ph.D. in Padua
in 1856. In Split
he worked as a lawyer, a secretary of the Chamber of Merchants, legislative writer and a politician. He advocated unification of Dalmatia
and Istria
with Croatia and Slavonia
. He was great supporter of Croatian
independence in Austria-Hungary
. As a member of the People's Party
, he served as a representative in the Parliament of Dalmatia
. At the recommendation of his close friend and a colleague Josip Juraj Strossmayer
, he was elected in 1874 as a professor of Austrian law at the University of Zagreb
.
He served twice as a prorector of the university: the first time during the rectorship of the first rector Matija Mesić
, and the second time immediately after himself served as a rector in the academic year 1877/1878. In the period 1878-1884 he served as a representative in the Croatian parliament
. He was a full member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts since 1890. Due to political reasons, expressing his disagreement with oppressive Magyarization
, he was temporarily suspended from university service and retired in 1891. He returned to Dubrovnik
and began research of the Dubrovnikan legislative history. He died in Dubrovnik at the age of 71.
Since 1933 a street in Zagreb is named after him. His first name is sometimes shortened to Kosta. His brother was Đorđe Vojnović and his sons were Ivo Vojnović
and Lujo Vojnović.
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
-Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
politician, university professor and rector.
Vojnović was born in Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 inhabitants...
(today in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
) into the of Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
noble family House of Vojnović, who converted from Serbian Ortodoxy to Roman Catholicism by his grandmother.
He graduated law 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...
in the period 1851-54, received his Ph.D. in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
in 1856. In Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
he worked as a lawyer, a secretary of the Chamber of Merchants, legislative writer and a politician. He advocated unification of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
The Kingdom of Dalmatia was an administrative division of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1815 to 1918. Its capital was Zadar.-History:...
and Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
with Croatia and Slavonia
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia or Croatia Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was part of the Hungarian Kingdom within the dual Austro-Hungarian state, being within the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen or Transleithania...
. He was great supporter of Croatian
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 ...
independence in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. As a member of the People's Party
People's Party (Kingdom of Dalmatia)
People's Party was a political party in the Kingdom of Dalmatia. It was founded in 1861 after the failure of Bach's absolutism, as branch of the People's Party in Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia...
, he served as a representative in the Parliament of Dalmatia
Parliament of Dalmatia
The Diet of Dalmatia was the regional assembly of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
. At the recommendation of his close friend and a colleague Josip Juraj Strossmayer
Josip Juraj Strossmayer
Josip Juraj Strossmayer was a Croatian politician, Roman Catholic bishop and benefactor.-Early life and rise as a cleric:...
, he was elected in 1874 as a professor of Austrian law at the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
.
He served twice as a prorector of the university: the first time during the rectorship of the first rector Matija Mesić
Matija Mesić
Matija Mesić was a Croatian historian, university professor, the first rector of the University of Zagreb....
, and the second time immediately after himself served as a rector in the academic year 1877/1878. In the period 1878-1884 he served as a representative in the Croatian parliament
Parliament of Croatia
The Parliament of Croatia or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and legislature of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, represents the people and is vested with the legislative power...
. He was a full member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts since 1890. Due to political reasons, expressing his disagreement with oppressive Magyarization
Magyarization
Magyarization is a kind of assimilation or acculturation, a process by which non-Magyar elements came to adopt Magyar culture and language due to social pressure .Defiance or appeals to the Nationalities Law, met...
, he was temporarily suspended from university service and retired in 1891. He returned to Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
and began research of the Dubrovnikan legislative history. He died in Dubrovnik at the age of 71.
Since 1933 a street in Zagreb is named after him. His first name is sometimes shortened to Kosta. His brother was Đorđe Vojnović and his sons were Ivo Vojnović
Ivo Vojnovic
Ivan "Ivo" Vojnović was a Croatian and Serbian writer from Dubrovnik. He is often nicknamed "The last great Dubrovnik writer".-Biography:...
and Lujo Vojnović.