Ban Josip Jelačić as Seen Through the Eyes of His Contemporaries

Na temelju novinskih članaka, korespondencije Jelačićevih suvremenika, drugih arhivskih izvora i relevantne literature prikazuje se percepcija Josipa Jelačića u njemu suvremenoj političkoj javnosti u hrvatskim zemljama, u različitim dijelovima Habsburške Monarhije i u nekim europskim zemljama. Ona se kretala u rasponu od izuzetno pozitivne slike, tj. prave glorifikacije, preko umjerenijih, odnosno realnijih predodžaba do krajnje negativnih i zlonamjernih prikaza. Težište analize je na razdoblju prijelaza iz četrdesetih u pedesete godine 19. stoljeća.Based on newspaper articles, contemporary correspondence, other archival sources and previous literature, the article illustrates the perception of Ban Josip Jelačić in the political public of the Croatian lands, the Habsburg Monarchy and some European countries. The picture is rather complex, ranging from completely positive images, through some moderate ones, to negative and even malicious ones. It depended on the current political and military situation, the national orientation of the individuals and groups in question, and the compatibility/incompatibility of their political and national interests with those Croatian national interests advocated by Jelačić. The perception of Jelačić in the major part of the Croatian political public (excluding the so-called mađaroni, i.e. Hungarophiles) and in Czech nationally oriented circles was initially very positive, indeed at the beginning of his holding of the ban’s office almost apologetic. However, at the end of the 1840s and at the beginning of the 1850s the view was becoming more and more sober, due to the understanding that because of the altered political situation and comprehension it was not possible to accomplish the reorganisation of the Habsburg Monarchy on the principles of Austroslavism, and due to the realisation that basic goals of Croatian national policy were not attained. For the Hungarian public, Jelačić remained the most hated Croatian politician for more than a hundred years to come