Nicholas of Ilok
Encyclopedia
Nicholas of Ilok was Ban of Croatia
, Slavonia
, Dalmatia and Mačva
, Voivode of Transylvania and nominal King of Bosnia from 1471 until his death.
A member of the Iločki noble family
, he was one of the richest landowners in the Kingdom of Hungary
and Croatia
and one of its most influential magnates. He held a reputation of a great hero and served under four kings of Hungary: Albert
, Vladislaus I, Ladislaus V and Matthias I.
, Voivode of Transylvania. His father died shortly after his birth. He had four brothers: John, Stephen, Peter and Paul. His great-grandfather, Nicholas Kont
, served as palatine to King Louis I of Hungary. Nicholas was the best known lord of the city of Ilok
. While he was in power, the city experienced its golden age. In 1430, Nicholas' brother Stephen died and Nicholas succeeded him as Ban of Mačva.
When King Albert died in 1439, Nicholas supported his widow, Elizabeth of Luxembourg, in her struggle to secure the Holy Crown of Hungary for her son, Ladislaus the Posthumous. As a reward, Queen Elizabeth had him knighted. However, Nicholas soon took the side of Vladislaus III of Poland and allied himself with John Hunyadi
. Upon becoming King of Hungary, Vladislaus gave Nicholas and Hunyadi extraordinary powers, appointing them as joint Voivodes of Transylvania.
for support. Matthias was, however, eventually recognised as king.
He retained his influence throughout the reign of Matthias Corvinus, who created him perpetual count of Teočak
in 1464, making him only the third person to bear the distinction of perpetual count. In 1471, having settled his disputes with Nicholas, King Matthias I conferred upon him the title of King of Bosnia, that being an empty title considering the fact that the Kingdom of Bosnia
had been conquered by the Ottoman Empire
in 1463. Nicholas seems to have been made Ban of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia by early 1472, probably in order to secure his loyalty to the King and to enable him to defend the region against the Ottomans. He had been named ban to replace Blaise Magyar, who had rebelled against the King. However, he did not retain that office for long; by the end of the same year, he was replaced by Damian Horvat.
As King of Bosnia, Nicholas even minted his own currency. However, Nicholas failed to defend his satellite kingdom, losing most of it to the Ottomans. The Hungarian Kingdom of Bosnia consisted of a few fortresses. Nicholas ruled those remnants and retained the kingly title until his death, styling himself "Nicholas, by the Grace of God
King of Bosnia" (Latin: Nicolaus Dei Gratia Rex Bosniae). He was succeeded, as Ban of Mačva and Lord of Ilok, by his eldest surviving son, Laurence.
1441-1458). By his first wife, Nicholas had the following children:
He was married secondly to Dorottya Széchy de Felsőlendva (fl 1471-1495). Their children were:
Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia was the title of local rulers and after 1102 viceroys of Croatia. From earliest periods of Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Bans as a rulers representative and supreme military commander. In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in...
, Slavonia
Ban of Slavonia
The Ban of Slavonia was the governor of Slavonia, later appointed by the kings of Hungary in the 12th-15th centuries. According to the public law of the Kingdom of Hungary, the Bans were counted among the "barons of the realm" and thus they enjoyed several privileges connected to their office...
, Dalmatia and Mačva
Banovina of Macva
The Banovina of Mačva was a province of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, which was located in the present-day Mačva region of Serbia.- History :The region of Mačva came under Hungarian administration after the death of Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus in...
, Voivode of Transylvania and nominal King of Bosnia from 1471 until his death.
A member of the Iločki noble family
House of Iločki
The House of Iločki , in old sources de Illoch, de Wylak, de Voilack etc., Hungarian: Újlaki) was a Croatian noble family, descended in the male line from Gug , a member of the lower nobility in the region of Lower Slavonia during the 13th century.The Iločki, meaning "those of Ilok", rose to be a...
, he was one of the richest landowners in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and Croatia
Kingdom of Croatia (medieval)
The Kingdom of Croatia , also known as the Kingdom of the Croats , was a medieval kingdom covering most of what is today Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans.Established in 925, it ruled as a sovereign state for almost two centuries...
and one of its most influential magnates. He held a reputation of a great hero and served under four kings of Hungary: Albert
Albert II of Germany
Albert the Magnanimous KG was King of Hungary from 1438 until his death. He was also King of Bohemia, elected King of Germany as Albert II, duke of Luxembourg and, as Albert V, archduke of Austria from 1404.-Biography:Albert was born in Vienna as the son of Albert IV, Duke of Austria, and Johanna...
, Vladislaus I, Ladislaus V and Matthias I.
Early career
His parents were Ladislaus of Ilok, Ban of Mačva, and Anna Stiboriczi, daughter of Stibor of StiboriczStibor of Stiboricz
Stibor of Stiboricz of Ostoja coat of arms was an aristocrat of Polish origin in the Kingdom of Hungary. He was a close friend of King Sigismund of Hungary who appointed him to several offices during his reign. For instance, between 1395 and 1401, then from 1409 to 1414 he was the voivode of...
, Voivode of Transylvania. His father died shortly after his birth. He had four brothers: John, Stephen, Peter and Paul. His great-grandfather, Nicholas Kont
Nikola Kont Orahovički (Iločki)
Nikola Kont Orahovički , , was a Croato-Hungarian nobleman, very powerful and influential in the royal court of king Louis the Angevin, serving as Count palatine...
, served as palatine to King Louis I of Hungary. Nicholas was the best known lord of the city of Ilok
Ilok
Ilok is the easternmost town and municipality in Croatia. Located in the Syrmia region, it lies on a hill overlooking the Danube river, which forms the border with the Vojvodina region of Serbia. The population of the town of Ilok is 5,036, while the total municipality population is 6,750...
. While he was in power, the city experienced its golden age. In 1430, Nicholas' brother Stephen died and Nicholas succeeded him as Ban of Mačva.
When King Albert died in 1439, Nicholas supported his widow, Elizabeth of Luxembourg, in her struggle to secure the Holy Crown of Hungary for her son, Ladislaus the Posthumous. As a reward, Queen Elizabeth had him knighted. However, Nicholas soon took the side of Vladislaus III of Poland and allied himself with John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: Ioannes Corvinus or Ioannes de Hunyad, Romanian: Iancu (Ioan) de Hunedoara, Croatian: Janko Hunjadi, Serbian: Сибињанин Јанко / Sibinjanin Janko, Slovak: Ján Huňady) John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: ...
. Upon becoming King of Hungary, Vladislaus gave Nicholas and Hunyadi extraordinary powers, appointing them as joint Voivodes of Transylvania.
Matthias' reign
In 1457, Nicholas took part in the liquidation of John Hunyadi's son, Ladislaus. The next year, Ladislaus' brother, Matthias Corvinus, was elected King of Hungary. However, various Hungarian and Croatian nobles refused to recognise him as their sovereign. The opposition was led by Nicholas himself and Palatine Ladislaus II Garay, who asked Holy Roman Emperor Frederick IIIFrederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
for support. Matthias was, however, eventually recognised as king.
He retained his influence throughout the reign of Matthias Corvinus, who created him perpetual count of Teočak
Teocak
thumb|Mosque in TeočakTeočak is a town and municipality in the northeastern part Bosnia and Herzegovina. Center of the municipality is town of Teočak-Krstac.-Geography:...
in 1464, making him only the third person to bear the distinction of perpetual count. In 1471, having settled his disputes with Nicholas, King Matthias I conferred upon him the title of King of Bosnia, that being an empty title considering the fact that the Kingdom of Bosnia
Kingdom of Bosnia
The Kingdom of Bosnia or the Bosnian Kingdom was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Balkans, existing between 1377 and 1463.- Establishment :...
had been conquered by the Ottoman Empire
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...
in 1463. Nicholas seems to have been made Ban of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia by early 1472, probably in order to secure his loyalty to the King and to enable him to defend the region against the Ottomans. He had been named ban to replace Blaise Magyar, who had rebelled against the King. However, he did not retain that office for long; by the end of the same year, he was replaced by Damian Horvat.
As King of Bosnia, Nicholas even minted his own currency. However, Nicholas failed to defend his satellite kingdom, losing most of it to the Ottomans. The Hungarian Kingdom of Bosnia consisted of a few fortresses. Nicholas ruled those remnants and retained the kingly title until his death, styling himself "Nicholas, by the Grace of God
By the Grace of God
By the Grace of God is an introductory part of the full styles of a monarch taken to be ruling by divine right, not a title in its own right....
King of Bosnia" (Latin: Nicolaus Dei Gratia Rex Bosniae). He was succeeded, as Ban of Mačva and Lord of Ilok, by his eldest surviving son, Laurence.
Marriages and issue
Nicholas was first married to Margit Rozgonyi (flFloruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1441-1458). By his first wife, Nicholas had the following children:
- Nicholas (fl 1452)
- Stephen (fl 1459-1465)
- Catherine (fl. 1448-1493), whose daughter's sons claimed their great-grandfather's inheritance
- Euphrosyne (fl. 1458-1476)
- Hieronyma (fl 1458-1460), married to Leonhard of GoriziaLeonhard of GoriziaLeonhard of Gorizia from the Meinhardiner dynasty was the last Count of Görz at Lienz and Gorizia from 1454 until his death....
- Ursula (fl 1458-1476)
He was married secondly to Dorottya Széchy de Felsőlendva (fl 1471-1495). Their children were:
- Laurence (1459–1524), Nicholas' successor, after whose death without surviving issue the family went extinct
- Bernard (fl 1460)