Correspondence of Metel Ožegović in the Archive of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb: Several Contributions to His Biography

U Arhivu Hrvatske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti u Zagrebu pohranjeni su fondovi “Acta Ožegovićiana, Korespondencija Metela Ožegovića” i “Korespondencija Metela Ožegovića” u kojima se čuva korespondencija ovog istaknutog hrvatskog političara i dobrotvora. U oba se fonda nalaze pisma dijela manje poznatih, ali i mnogih istaknutih osoba iz političkog, crkvenog, vojnog, znanstvenog i kulturnog života Hrvatske 19. stoljeća. Iz te ostavštine, na onoj najopćenitijoj razini, jasno se može vidjeti da je Metel Ožegović u raznim prigodama, obnašajući mnoge odgovorne dužnosti, nastojao braniti prava i interese svoje domovine, te često puta pomagati i posredovati za potrebite. U cilju boljeg poznavanja jednog od aspekata njegova dobrotvornog djelovanja donosimo kratki komentar i prijepis devet pisama koja su mu u razdoblju od 1857. do 1867. uputili članovi Zbora duhovne mladeži zagrebačke.In the Archive of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb there is kept the archival series “Acta Ožegovićiana, Korespondencija Metela Ožegovića” [Acta Ožegovićiana. Correspondence of Metel Ožegović] containing the correspondence of this prominent Croatian politician and philanthropist (885 letters in total). Besides that, in the Archive, there is also a separate series “Korespondencija Metela Ožegovića” [Correspondence of Metel Ožegović] containing 157 letters more. In both series, there are letters of some less famous persons, but also those of many prominent persons of the political, ecclesiastical, military, scholarly and cultural life of nineteenth-century Croatia. From the extant archival legacy of Metel Ožegović, on the most general level, it may be clearly seen that he, on various occasions, while performing numerous responsible duties, tried to defend the rights and interests of his homeland, and frequently helped and interceded for individuals and institutions in need. In order to increase knowledge In order to provide better knowledge of one of the aspects of the humanitarian agency of Metel Ožegović, the article gives a brief commentary and transcripts of nine letters that were directed to him by members of the Zbor duhovne mladeži zagrebačke [the Gathering of the Devout Youth of Zagreb] between 1857 and 1867