CROATIA BOSNIA AND HERCZEGOVINA

AND THE

SERBIAN CLAIMS

BY THE REVEREND M. D. KRMPOTICH

PRICE 25 CENTS

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS 1916

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Croatia Bosnia and Herczegovina and the Serbian Claims.

Constantine the Great, in transferring the seat of Roman power from Rome to Byzantium, first recognized the tremendous importance of the control of the Hellespont. Constantinople, the center of Eastern civilization for generations, was the prize for which the Asiatic caliphs fought. It fell only after the Ottomans had conquered and established their capital in the lower part of the Balkan Peninsula. The days of its affluence marked the apex of Moslem power.

Napoleon's sentiment, expressed over a century ago, that Russia at Constantinople would rule the world, merely confirms the judgment of statesmen on the importance of Constantinople as the key to the East and the West, entertained for wellnigh two thousand years.

On or near the Balkan Peninsula, Greek and Persian, Latin and Greek, Moslem and Christian civilizations have battled for supremacy. The perspective of time gives us todair a clear view of these great conflicts. However, few realize that in the world war of the present racial, civic and religious ideals are contending for supremacy, the pivot of the conflict being the old battle ground of the East and West that embraces the Balkan Peninsula.

We read the red books and the white books and the blue books that issue from the different chancelleries, justifying the entrance of each power in the present war, and are apt to forget in the maze of contentions when, where and how the great conflict began.

History has seen Eastern civilization supplanted by that of the West. First, we had Greek, then Roman ideas dominate the Western world. These were succeeded by the Gothic and Slavic incursions; and the blending of peoples and institutions following was denominated in history and literature the era of Latin power or civilization. For a long time many regard the Teutonic ideas as now controlling. These have reached flood-tide, and many see today the beginning of the ebb. The next great influence that will dominate the world will be. Slavic. Russia represents the power of the northern Slav. Its religious ideals are Greek. The empire of the Habs-burgs is the other great Slavic power. It follows dominantly the Latin rite. In the southern Habsburg domains the Slavic elements are the Croats and Slovenes. The kingdom of Croatia through centuries kept up its independence. The Croats, Slovenes and the Serbs are of one race, use a common language, but the Croats' civiHzation and culture are superior to that of Serbs.

After Serbia had won freedom, it looked to Russia as its protector. Its people treasured the belief that they might revive the ancient Serbian empire and become the dominant Slavic power of southern Europe. Animated by this idea, a propaganda was maintained at Belgrade, which kept the Slavs of the Balkans in a continual ferment. When Austria-Hungary incorporated Bosnia and Herzegovina into the empire, a few years ago, the situation became acute. These provinces were rightly a part of the Triune kingdom. They were claimed, however, by Serbia. The murder of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian fanatic, under the influence of the Belgrade Junta, brought matters to a crisis. The situation as to Habsburg monarchy had become intolerable. When it declared its intention to punish Serbia, Russia intervened. These drew their respective allies. The final entrance of Turkey and Bulgaria again renewed the flames of war for world dominance, with its center in the Balkan peninsula.

The mythical and intangible thing called the balance of power came to a precarious and dangerous break. All Europe from the Arctic ocean to the Canal of Suez, from London to Constantinople, was a veritable powder magazine, which the pigmy prince of a petty s^tate could explode at any moment by striking a single blow, be it a word. Martial fame is as strongly coveted today as when Absalon, of the beautiful hair, rode forth to battle, and when Richard of lion's heart fought to wrest the tomb of the Redeemer from the hands of the Saracen unbelievers. The generals, from Nimrod to Hin-denburg, Joffree and Kitchener, occupy more space in the history of mankind than do all the statesmen, philosophers, poets, preachers, writers and artisans that ever lived. The balance of right instead of power will make people happy.

The importance of studying the underlying strata upon which this great conflict was builded is a most fascinating occupation for those who are the contemporaries of this war. A most interesting and erudite exposition of the claims of the Croat and the Serb, the Latin as against the Greek ideals, is set forth in the monograph by the Reverend M. D. Krmpotic, and is worth while reading, as no better beginning of the study of this momentous question could be made than a careful perusal of Father Krmpotic's article.

June 20, 1916. EDWIN S. McANANY.

1

1.

EARLY DAYS AND GEOGRAPHY.

Bosnia and Herczegovina were unknown to the Roman rule until Croatian immigration had begun at the end of sixth century from White Croatia, now Eastern Galicia; there it remained a part of Roman Dalmantia and the lUyria or lUyricum. The earliest inhabitants of the territory covered now by Bosnia and Herczegovina were the Illyrians, a rapacious, pastoral people, divided into various tribes with Latin institutions. They were replaced in the seventh and eighth centuries of the Christian era by Croatian tribal divisions or 2upanates. The most famous lUyrian ruler, Teuta, flourished in 167 B. C, in Southern Dalmatia, the present Herczegovina and Mcwitenegro. The Romans broke the lUyrian power in getting control of the territory of Bosnia and Herczegovina (6 B. C.-A. D. 9). There is no part of Balkan peninsula containing as many traces of Roman civilization as Dalmatia and adjoining Bosnia, as you will see by a glance at the map.

The two provinces we arfe now considering were never united in the past. Their origin can be traced to a conglom* eration of various political bodies, drifting together during centuries, the changes being influenced at times by fate, or again by administrative policies. The greatest number of these bodies were integral parts of the Croatian, rather than of the Serbian State. There were the same conditions and changes in Herczeg-Bosna as in Dalmatia, except that the kingdom or province of Dalmatia was restricted for a time to the cities lying along the Adriatic coast, as Zadar (Zara), Dubrovnik (Ragusa), Trogir (Trau), Split (Spalato), Kotor (Cattaro) and the islands adjacent thereto, Krk (Veglia), Cres (Cressa), Osor (Apsorus) and Rab (Arbe). The remainder of the territory belonged to the kingdom of Croatia, When these territories fell under Turkish sway, and later on were acquired by the Venetians under the treaty at Karlovci in 1699, and by that at Pozarevac in 1718, Dalmatia broadened, and thenceforth included all the territory from the Velebit mountains to the river Neretva (Narenta).

The provinces now designated as Bosnia and Herczen-govina were formed in much the same manner. But to appreciate this growth one must ascertain what territoly was originally covered by the designation of Bosnia; then observe how the limits of this province widened, was then subdivided and transferred to different jurisdictions and sovereignities, and, after their vanishing entirely during the period of Turkish occupation, has now become a territorial division, designated geographically as Bosnia and Herczegovina.

The origin and meaning of the name of Bosna have tiot yet been made clear. It is probably a name of ancient origin, possibly derived from the Illyric-Arbanic words, 'T^as-ante,"

beyond the mountain; the Romans called the river Bosna "Bassante or Bassanius," and from it the name could have been derived. About the middle of the tenth century, Bosna is mentioned for the first time in history, as a small territory having two fortified cities, called by Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenete in his literary works about A. D. 950, Katera and Desnik. Katera of olden times is the Kotor of today, and its neighbor, Desnik of the tenth century is the TeSanj of the present time, or Tesevo of upper Bosna, where the castles of the Kings Bobovac, Sutiska and Trstivnica, were erected.

The geographical position in later times of the political divisions skirting the territory known as Bosnia, and the location of the rivers and mountains which there divide provinces and nations, naturally indicate to the student of geography, that ancient Bosna covered the territory on either side of the stream of that name, from its sourse to the noble mountain of Vranduk.

Acting upon this idea, the boundaries of Bosna may be defined as follows: running along the mountains on the south to Jahorina, (1913 meters), thence to Treskavica, (2088), to Bjelasnica, (2067), to Ivan, (1744) and Bitovnja (1700); thence on the west to Pogorelica (1448), to Zee (1939), Vrat-nica (2070), Radovan (1446), Komar (1510), and Radalje (1366); thence on the north to Vlasic (1919), Tvrtkovac (1304), Konjuh (1329) and Javomik (1062 meters); on the east the river Drina served as a boundary from Zvomik to Gorazde. Within these lines are the cities and towns of Sarajevo, Kresevo, Fojnica, Vares, Visoki, Travnik, Zenica, Vlas-enica, Srebrenica, Rogatica and Gorazde. The above boundaries are in accordance with the statement of Constantine Por-phrogenete, Byzantine emperor, in his work. "De adminis-trando Imperio" and in the one entitled "Presbyteri Diocleatis, regnum Slavorum."

The state of Bosnia was at first known as a banatus, and later on, as a kingdom; and during the first several centuries of its existence, the petty authorities of the country were subject to, and their powers derived from the Bani,* and later on from the kings. While the Bani, Kulin (1180-1204), and Matthew Ninoslav (1232-1250) had the simple title "Great Ban of Bosnia" (Veliki bosanski ban), or sknply "Ban of Bosna;" Stephen Kotromanich (1322-1353), held the title "master of the whole land of Bosnia, and of Soli (Salines) and Usora, and Dolnji kraji (Partes inferiores) and the Hum (Hlum) region," but the Ban Tvrtko added to this jurisdiction, over the land of the Podrinje, and he shortly rounded out his possessions

•The office of Ban is of great antiquity. That it already existed under native Croatian dynasty is proved by its mention in a diploma of King Kresimir In 1063. He was supreme in political and judicial affairs and in the command as well as in administration of the army. The Ban is head of executive in Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia, acting as viceroy. The word itself means a man with authority.

and instead of Ban of Bosnia, assumed the title of "king of Serbia, Bosnia, Primorje, (Coast land) Hum, Inferior parts or Dolnji kraji, western parts, Usora, Soli and Podrinje." This title "was retained by his successors until the fall of the Bosnian State. Such a title practically demonstrates that all of these territorial subdivisions were united under the ruler of, and constituted the original Bosnia.

Examining these subdivisions in detail, we find that Soli or Salines and Usora are referred to as separate provinces or principalities, but in origin and history, except in minor details, they are one. Soli lay along northeastern Bosnia, between the rivers Save and Drina, in the region of the Majevica mountains and the source of the river Spretcha, which empties into the river Bosna at the City of Doboj, Within the district are now located the towns of Tuzla (tuz means in Turkish salt) Bjelina and Zvomik. Within the confines of Usora are today the cities of Bosanski Brod, Drventa, Doboj, Tesanj, Maglaj, 2epce, Srebrenik, Gradacac and Brcka. Both these subdivisions were a part of the Roman province of Pannonia. Without doubt after the migration and settlement of the Croats, both formed the part of the Croatian province of the same name, located along the Save and designated as the Croatia along the Save, "Savia Croatia," an independent principality which existed from seven to nine centuries, amongst whose rulers were Louis Posavski, (814-823), and Braslav (880-896). This principality by union with White Croatia, (Croatia Alba) ceased to exercise independent authority. In the year 950, the whole region around Tuzla became united to the Servian principality, but it did not remain long under its rule, for by the year 971, the Serbian principality ceased to exist. By the middle of the twelfth century history witnessed the incorporation of Soli as an integral part of the Banatus of Bosnia, whose ruler was a Croat, Ban Borich, bom in the City Brod on the Save, and the first to be known as the Ban of Bosnia.

The western portion (Zapadne strane) which lay along the river Bosna, and the lower part running to the west, composed of the old Croatian counties of Glamoc, Livno and Duvno (2upanjac of today), at the end of the fourteenth century, became subject to the rule of the Bosnian sovereign.

The lower parts (Partes inferiores), comprising the present cities of Jajce, Ratkovo, Kotor on the Vrbanja, KljuC on the Sana river constituting, until the middle of the twelfth century, a part of the kingdom of Croatia, were united to Bosna under Ban Kulin.

The territory of Hum (Chulm) along the river Nerefrva (Narenta) and extended to the Adriatic Sea. Within its ancient confines are the cities of Konjice, Mostar, Blagaj, Nevesinje and Stolac, and also the Dalmatian frontier city of Ston with the peninsula of Peljesac (Punta Stagno). The Croats settled in Hum in very ancient times. It was a com-

ponent part of upper Dalmatia or Red Croatia (Croatia Rubrea). The latter stretched along the Adriatic coast from the mouth of the Cetina river to the mouth of the Mat, between Lje§ and Dra6 (Durazzo) in Albania, and on the east it ran to the Bosnian range which formed the watershed, from which the rivers flowed towards the Save on one side and the Adriatic on the other.

Red Croatia and White Croatia from the mouth of the Cetina river to the river Rasa in Istria, and on the east to the river Vrbas in Bosnia, constituted, until the tenth century a single state, the kingdom of Croatia. In the first half of the tenth century Hum had its own ruler, Michael Vischevich, who reigned subject to the supreme authority of the Croatian king, Tomislav. After the deaths of Tomislav and Michael, Hum was subjected to the rule of the Serbian prince, (5aslav and his state, but when he died Hum became a part of the Dioclean tetrarchy, composed of the district of Podgorje, now the territory in the vincinity of the City of Niklic, Travunja, now Trebinje, Boka Kotorska (Bocha di Cattaro) and northwestern Montenegro, Duklja (Dioclea) now comprising the greater part of Montenegro, and the district around Skadar (Scutari) and Budva.

Hum became a part of the Bulgarian dominions about the year 1015. Then it was Bryzantine territory from 1019 to 1050, and in the period between 1050 and 1170, it again became and remained a component part of the Dioclean kingdom "Dukljansko kraljestvo," until it was united to the Serbian principality by Stephen Nemanja, the latter committing the administration of it to his brother. Prince Miroslav (1170-1198). Andrew, the Duke of Croatia, conquered Hum in 1198 and annexed it to Croatia. But at the beginning of the thirteenth century. Hum again came under the control of the Serbian king, Stephen Radoslav. Again it was reconquered in 1237, by the Croatian duke, Coloman; and at the end of the thirteenth century Hum again became a part of Serbia, and so remained until about 1310, when it was taken by force by the princes of Bribir, Croatian noblemen of Subich. After the fall of Ban Mladen Subich (1322), Stephen Kotromanich, king of Bosnia ruled Hum. In the second half of the fourteentii century Hum became united to parts of Pogorye and Travunya, and this territory was afterward called Herczegovina.

Primorye (Coast land) embraced the territory along the Adriatic coast, which belonged to Bosnia; but in a strict sense, is was restricted to that part of the coast from Dubrovnik (Ragusa) to Herczeg Novi, where the two parishes of Konavle and Dracevica existed. This was once a part of Red Croatia/ and was the first Croatian settlement in that region.

Podrinye was the name borne by the land on the upper Drina, where the cities Cajnica, Foda, Plevlje, Milesevo (Novi Pazar) are located today. This district was always a part of the ancient Serbian State, and of ancient Rasha; but was final-

ly attached to Bosnia by King Stephen Tvrtko (1377-1391), after the fall of the Serbian empire on the death of Urosh (1371) and the Emperor Vukaschin.

The northwestern part of Bosna in medieval times belonged in part to Croatia and in a part to Slavonia. The territory did not, until the time of the Turkish domination, become an integral part of Bosnia. Croatia in medieval times, held sway over eight counties, covering the territory in which are the present cities of Novigrad, Trzac, Vranograc, Krupa, Bihac, Orasac, Bjelaj, Petrovac, Rmanj and the river Una. Ecclesiastically, this territory constituted a part of the Croatian diocese of Knin, since its establishment in 1071. Slavonia controlled five counties, covering the district where today are located the cities of Kostajnica, Dubica, Gradiska, KobaS, Pmjavor, Sanskimost, Novi on Una, Blagaj on Sana and Banjaluka; ecclesiastically these counties were a part of the diocese of Zagreb (Agram) since its creation in 1093.

From this exposition of the facts, it will clearly appear that the province of Bosnia is composed of the original Bosna, into which, during the centuries, was absorbed Croatian stock from the west, northwest, southwest and northeast, withj adjacent Croatian territory; while to this there was also attached some of the Serbian regions on the southeast only. The original Bosnian territory is mentioned in the middle of the tenth century as a part of Serbia, but doubtless, as will be hereinafter shown, that identical territory was, prior to that time, as it was in later times, a part of Croatia. The conclusion will necessarily follow from this, that the greatest portion of the Bosnia and Herczegovina of today was originally Croatia.

As it is known from Balkan history, Herczegovina and Bosnia came under Turkish rule like so many other parts of the Croatian kingdom. The Turks joined all these divisions mentioned above into one government district, called a pashalic. At this time the territory designated by the name of Bosnia reached its greatest extent. In the Turkish Bosnia were included the cities in the Dalmatia of today, such as Makarska, Dmis, Sinj, Knin, Skradin, Obrovac; and the Croatian cities of Udbina, Pozega, Virovitica, Osijek, Djakovo, Vukovar and Brod. The boundaries of the vast Ottoman Empire, including the pashalic of Bosnia reached to the walls of the Venetian colonies of Nin (Aenona) Zadar (Zara), Sibenik, Trogir and Split (Spalato) in Dalmatia. However, when in the latter half of the seventeenth century the Turkish power began to "wane, the pashalic of Bosnia became circumscribed, and the name designated a much narrower territory. By the treaty at Kar-lovci and that of Pozarevac, all of the provinces of Slavonia, Lika and Krbava and Dalmatia as at present constituted, were taken from that pashalic. The succeeding treaties at Belgrade (1739) and Svistow (1791), settled the lines of Bosnia as they are today.

HISTORICAL MOMENTS AND NATIVE DYNASTY,

Bosnia and Herczegovina possess a most fascinating history from both a reUgious and political point of view. They were converted to Christianity at an early date as part of the Roman province of Illyrium, possibly it would appear by St. Paul himself, who directed Titus to Dalmatia, later on they became a prey to the bitter quarrel between eastern and western civilization. When settled by Croats, they were Christianized by the Slavic apostles St. Cyril and Method and accepted west-em civilization, while the Serbs and Bulgars on the east chose eastern civilization. Then came the Bogumile or Patarene heresy, which later on rendered the transition from Christianity to Islam a comparatively easy step. The Croats in Bosnia or Bosnians, which name should be taken geographically but by no means ethnographically, had a proud but checkered career, first under their own bans, and then under their own kings from the seventh century until the fatal defeat by Turks at Jajce (Yaytza) in 1463. The southern part of Bosnia in 1448 took the name of Herczegovina, from Herzeg or Duke, the land of the Duke.

The Ostrogoths, under the King Theodoric came into the possession of Dalmatia and Pannonia, within which Bo^a was included. Justinian the Byzantine emperor, waged war (585-554) against the Ostrogoths, and the Croats from the north made repeated incursions into these provinces. The Avars raided the territory, and were subjugated by the Croats (634) who greatly desired the country, and succeeded in acquiring possession of it during the first half of the seventh century. Among the tribes which owned the land, the Hrvati (later called Croats, Croatia), lived on the west of the river Drina towards the Adriatic; the Slovenes were farther away in a northwesterly direction, and the Serbs (Serbians) dwelt on the east of the river Drina. The pressure of the Byzantine empire, up to the eighth century was constant. At the end of the ninth century, the Croats came fully under the influence of western- civilization and embraced Latin Christianity. The Serbians in the interior retained the patriarchal form of government and the old pagan worship much longer than those former dwellers along the Adriatic coast and nearby territory, notwithstanding the connection they had had for centuries with Constantinople. Finally they joined to Greek Oriental church.

The Banates or iupanates in Bosnia and Herczegovina, as isolated social units in the course of time, and under influence of progressing civilization were welded into a single nation whose ruler was called Ban. At the present time in Croatia proper, the Ban is the ruler as Viceroy of the monarch. The Bans of Bosnia and Herczegovina were viceroys of the Croatian

kings, who resumed their sovereignity over Bosnia and Hercze-gozina after 924, when Tomislav, first king of Croatia, was elected by the people and Bans as king on. the field of Duvno (Dumno, Delmno) in Herczegovina, and crowned in the church. He already bore the title in the year 914 of "Chroa-torum Rex." He defended successfully the Serbian principality against the invasion of the Bulgarian Czar Simeon the Great. Bosnia, called Rama, was a part of his dominion. In 968, however, the whole of Bosnia was conquered, by the Croatian king, Kresimir, except the extreme upper valley of the river Bosna, which at that time belonged to Serbian prince.

The most famous of the Croatian rulers was King Zvon-imir, who actually received the crown in Solin (Salona), or Split (Spalato), from the hands of the Legate of Gregory VII (1076). His state extended from the Adriatic to river Drina, and from the Danube and Drave to the border of Albania. In his diploma Inaugurate he swears solemnly to protect the borders of the Croatian State.

The reign of the Croatian home dynasty is known in local history as the Golden age of Croatia. This kingdom has never lost its continuity since Tomislav, and it is the oldest Idngdom of the Habsburgh Monarchy. The National Croatian ruling dynasty died out at the end of the eleventh century (1091), and the Bosnian Bans continued subject to their successors on the Croatian throne.

In 1102 the Croats elected the House of Arpad as ruling dynasty. Coloman, a scion of this house, tried to conquer Croatia, but being unsuccessful in his invasion, he induced the magnates of the people to elect him ruler. He was crowned in Biograd on the Adriatic (Zara Vecchia) as king, and took the official title: "King of Hungary, Croatia and Dalmatia,"* but his successor Bela II in 1135, added to it: ''Ramaeque Rex," King of Bosnia,** and this title has been held by the Croatian rulers continually to present time, except for certain short Intervals. This union with Hungary was a personal union, in the person of rulers only, the states as such being distinct and independent.

The Arpads respected the privileges and independent position of Croatia, by their actions showed, and that as yet the sole link between the two kingdoms was the person of the monarch. It is true that the practice of having seperate coronation as king of Croatia was gradually allowed to fall into abeyance; but that this did not involve the incorporation of Croatia into Hungary proper, is shown by the fact that in ISOl, on the exstinction of the House of Arpad, the Croats elected the Angevin prince as their king, while Hungary elected first, the king of Bohemia and then Otto of Bavaria. The Bosnian

^ ■ -- ■ - ■ II ■ — ■ ■' ■- — -

*Rex Hungariae, Croatiae atque Dalmatiae. ••Regnante domino nostro Bella, Serenissimo rege Hungariae, Croatiae atque Ramae. Bella Ill's other son, Andrew, granted the charter to the Archbishop of Split (Spalato), in these words: "Ego Andreas tertii Beliae regis filius, Dei gratia Dalmatiae, Croatiae* Kamae, Chulmaeque Dux in perpetuum."

ruler was present at the election and coronation. The coronation is not a ceremony, but the making of the monarch of a legal and sworn guarantee for the accurate observance of the mutual rights and duties.

In the twelfth century, Otto Freising in his work "Gesta Friderici Imperatoris" while describing Pannonia as bordering on the south the kingdom of Croatia, Istria, Dalmatia and Bosnia, makes a distinction between the kingdoms of Hungary and Croatia, and includes Bosnia in the Croatian State. Andrew II-, in his "Bulla aurea" Golden Bull, in 1222 as king of Croatia and Hungary held amongst other titles that of king of Rama (Bosnia) Halicz and Vladimiria.

During the entire reign of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I, Commens (1143-1180), a fierce struggle was ensued between his empire and the Croats of Bosnia, whose Ban was Borich, and during the struggle the latter remained faithful to the king. The Banatus or dominion of Borich extended from Livno and the valley of the Bosna river on the west to the Drina river on the east.

From 1192 to 1437, although the State of Croatia was under the sway of the houses of Aipad, Anjou, Naples and Luxemburg, who ruled in turn, its individuality was maintained. Throughout the twelfth and down to the first half of the fifteenth century, the history of Croatia was filled with fights with Venice, for the great republic cast covetous eyes upon the wooded shores opposite her. The power of Venice enabled her to have her own way, and the bare, treeless range of Karst, the territory between Triest and Senj, is a witness of the fact to the present day. The city of Venice is built on millions of oak trees taken from the Croatian coast which were sunk in the sea to serve as bases on which to lay the foundation of Venetian palaces.

From 1437 to 1699 is the period of the Turkish wars. By the end of the fifteenth century the tide of the Ottoman invasion had crept up as far as the river Save, and this newly reached line of defence of the Crhistian west, offered a stub-bom resistance to the Turkish onslaught. In the decimating wars, which terminated with the peace at Karlovci, Croatia proper never was conquered by the Turks, or by any of its later or present enemies.

After the death of Manuel I, the Bosnian Ban Kulin shook off the foreign yoke, which was nominal only, and Bela III of Hungary tried to make Bosnia a depedndency on his kingdom, by inducing the head of the Catholic church to place the bishopric of Bosnia under the Archdioce of Split in Dalmatia. To counteract this indirect move, Ban Kulin, his family and 10,000 Bosnians accepted the religious doctrines of the Patare-nes or Bogumils, who after Turkish occupation of Bosnia joined the Islamic doctrines. The Fatarenes or Bogumils were members of a sect started in the tenth century by the Bulgarian priest Bogumil. Their doctrines were similar to those of

the Albingenses and Waldenses. In 1203, the Ban Kulin came back to the Catholic profession in the presence of the papal legate, John de Casamaris. He preserved the Bosnian independence for his successor, Ban Stephen, who was deposed by powerful Patarenes, who put in his place their adherent, Matthew Ninoslav (1232-1250). In 1233, Ninoslav returned to the faith of his ancestors, although the land was filled with Patarene heretics. He was not able to found a dynasty, and his principality gradually fell to pieces, and rendered rent by Patarenism, until the Croatian princes, Paul and Mladen Subich reunited the provinces of upper and lower Bosnia, and ruled the country from 1299-1322.

The rising of the native magnates in 1322 resulted in the election of the Patarene, Stephen Kptromanich for Ban of Bosnia, first and greatest of the Kptromanich family, which for a century and a half gave all Bans and kings to Bosnia. Stephen was a vassal of the king of Croatia, at that time a member of the House of Anjou. The magnates of Bosnia and Croatia after the House of Arpad ceased to exist (1301) elected Charles Robert as king, who was crowned at the Cathedral in Zagreb, and ten years later acknowledged with the help of the Croats, as king of Hungary. Charles' son Louis I, married Elizabeth, recorded as "elegantis formae feminam," woman of elegant form, the daughter of Stephen Kotromanich, who by this act became a relative of the House of Anjou. Through this connection at the time of his death, he was able to unite the present territory of Herczegovina to his dominions. From the tenth century on, Herczegovina had formed a so-called buffer district between the Dalmatic coast and Bosnia on the one side and Serbia on the other. Shephen Kotromanich, defeated by the Serbian Czar Dushan, was driven to an alliance with him and Venice against his neighbors, the Croats. This lasted but for a short time, for he returned to his allegiance, in 1344, and seven years later sealed it by blood ties.

His successor was his nephew, Stephen Tvrtko, the lat-ter's mother, Helena acting as regent, ^he was compelled to acknowledge the suzeranity of Stephen Dushan, and afterwards of Louis, king of Croatia. Louis showed special favors to Bosnia, partly for family, but still more for strategic reasons, since Bosnia was a valuable outpost against Serbia^ which under Czar Dushan was a formidable state. When Tvrtko took the reigns of state in his hands, he threw off Serbian suzeranity, and after the death of Dushan the Strongs (1356) leaving his empire defenseless, Tvrtko became master of the district of upper Trebinye or Travunya and Canale.. The Serbian Czar, Lazar Grebljanovich, to win help from Bosnia against the Turks, ceded to Tvrtko a large tract of territory along the river Drina, although Lazar retained title to-a minor authority. With the consent of Louis, Tvrtko took the title of king of Bosnia, and within the short period after the death of Louis of Anjou (1382), he took the title of king-

of Croatia in 1390. Tvrtko was crowned as "Stephen I, King of Bosnia, Serbia and all sea coast," for after the death of Louis, he conquered the cities on the Dalmatic coast from Rijeka (Fiume) to Kotor (Cattaro). As he was recognized as King of Croatia and Dalmatia, he aspired to reign over Greater Croatia, but death prevented the realization of his wishes.

After the death of Tvrtko, King Sigismund (1387-1437) husband of Mary, a daughter of Elizabeth Kotromanich, asked to be recognized as king of Croatia and Bosnia, against many rivals, but he did not succeed until a few years later by a treaty with Stephen Dabischa, King of Bosnia, concluded in Djakovo in Croatia Slavonia, see of the Bishop of Bosnia, Dabischa promising that after his death Bosnia should fall to Sigismund. This promise never was kept or effected, for the Croat magnates together with those from Bosnia elected Ladislaus from Anjou to the throne. He was crowned in Zadar (Zara) the 5th of August, 1403. On July 10th, 1403 the Grand Duke Hrvoje Vuktchich, with nobles from Bosnia, came to Zadar to be present at the coronation and pay him homage. The magnates from Bosnia left him and after three months he returned to Naples. King Sigismund led three armies into Bosnia and in the battle at Dobor he captured 162 nobles, whom he ordered beheaded and their heads thrown into the river Bosna. King Ostoya forced him to evacuate the territory. In spite of thia Sigismund tried repeatedly to control Bosnia and Herczegovina, but it was in vain, and finally he made peace with Ostoja. During the reign of Sigismund the Serbians had begun to settle (1412) even in Buda, Hungary. The Serbian settlers came to Syrmium, Croatia, in 1481, and in 1496, sixteen villages were granted to Orthodox cloisters in Krushedol. In the sixteenth century they settled in the Croat districts of Varaidin and Krizevci: numerous Serb fugitives from Bosnia and old Serbia acquired land around various castles and settled there. At the end of the seventeenth century they came by thousands to the interior of Croatia and occupied the lands and houses vacated by the heroes who perished on the battlefield in defense of the country against the Turks. Around the monastery of Martcha, there are thousands and thousands of Serbians enjoying all the freedom of citizens given to them by law as well as the right to the free exercise of religion. At the present time the Serbians in Croatia claim that the country is a part of the Serbian Empire, a Serbian province.

The northwestern part of Bosnia was a component part of and unalienable from the Croatian State, and during the Turkish invasion was successfully defended as such. Bosnia was an independent state, prospering so that the Serbian disaster at Kosovo did not react on it during the reign of Tvrtko, who died in 1391, leaving his kingdom at the summit of its prosperity. The independence of Bosnia is shown best by the line of its rulers. The successors to Tvrtko are Stephen

Dabisha (1391-95), who was recognized even as king of Bosnia, Croatia and Dalmatia, as we read in a reliable instrument,* Queen Helena (1395-98), Stephen Ostoja (1398-1418), Stephen Ostojich (1418-21), Stephen Tvrtko II (1404-31), rival of the two last kings, Stephen Tomash (1443-61) and last Stephen Tomashevich (1461-63), but they were not so lucky as the founder of the Bosnian State and dynasty, Tvrtko I, for during their reigns the kingdom gradually and rapidly declined in power, as the rulers were not able to maintain their authority, and keep in check the vassals and nobles as Hrvoje Vukchich, Sandalj Hranich, Stephen Vuktchich Kosatcha. The latter an ardent Bogumil or Patarene, was the first and last holder of the title of "Duke of St. Sava." Nearly all the leaders of the aristocracy lost respect for royal authority.

III.

GREATER SERVIA IN THE PAST.

In the first half of the fourteenth century the Serbian Empire had reached its zenith, Stephen Milutin (1282-1321), Serbian ruler, conquered provinces of the Byzantine Empire by advancing as far as Mount Athos, receiving the eastern portion of Bosnia as a dowry with his wife, a daughter of the Hungarian-Croatian King Stephen V. During Milutin's reign and that of his son, Serbia gained an European reputation.

Stephen Dushan the Strong (Silni) from 1331-1355, had as his constant aim, as the greatest of all the rulers of Serbia, to establish a Greater Serbia, which should unite all the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula, to conquer the Constantinople, and win for himself the crown of a new Oriental empire, with its center at Constantinople. Taking advantage of the civil war in the eastern empire, he was able in 1336-1340 and 1345 to conquer Albania, Macedonia, Epirus and Tessaly; and he undertook thirteen campaigns against the Constantinople in which he advanced as far as the imperial capital itself. In 1346 he was crowned in Skoplje (Uskup) as "Czar of Macedonia and ruler of the Serbs, Greeks and Bulgars," that is translated in Latin documents as "Imperator Macedoniae, Rasciae et Romaniae," he wore a tiara as head of the church and other imperial insignia. He was very hostile to the Catholic church. The sixth article of his code, an important monument of the kingdom of Serbia, punished with death any Serbian who adhered to the "Latin heresy," or any Latin ecclesiastic, who sought to make proselytes. He was in danger of the Turkish invasion, and therefore, he repeatedly entered into relations with the Pope in order to gain the aid of the western Europe; and he held out prospects of union with the Catholic church, but for political gains only. He ex-

•Regnante Serenissimo principe et Domino nostro de Dabissa, regnorum Bossine, Rassie, Dalmatie et Croatie rege March 9, 1394.

pected the Serbian Empire to be washed by four seas, the Adriatic, Mediteranean, Aegan and Black on the west, south and east, and on the north by the rivers Danube and Drave.

Under his successor, Urosh IV, eastern Bosnia Tessaly. and Albania asserted their independence; Belgrade wais occupied by Louis, King of Hungary and Croatia; the Bulgars no longer admitted their vassalage.

On the 15th of June, 1389, the Serbian imperial army was defeated in the battle of Kosovo field (Blackbird, campus merularum, campus turdorum), by the Turks helped by the traitor, Voyvoda Vuk Brankovich, a Serbian general with army of his own countrymen. After this defeat, Serbia became a . Turkish pashalic and so remained to 1804. From the Kosovo disaster to 1804, the national life of the Serbs lay utterly crushed. In Serbia their nobility was literally wiped out; the immigrants into Bosnia accepted Islam, principally in order to get homesteads and to save the lands. During the eighteenth century the real center of Serb national life lay within the Habsburgh monarchy, mostly among their kinsmen, the Croats, whose national life and spirit they are now trying to extinguish.

Dushan's programme for Greater Serbia is accepted by modem Serbian rulers, and politicians, their agents and adherents, anticipating the soft, warm nests promised them. It is known among the high spirited Serbians as an "avowed right, avowed thouhgt of all Serbs," to have, hold, possess and dominate the whole Balkan Peninsula, between the four seas and the valleys of the rivers Danube and Drave.

IV. THE FALL OF BOSNIA AND HERCZEGOVINA.

Ten years after the fall of Constantinople, Bosnia fell (1463) into the hands of the Turks and became a Turkish pashalic. Its last monarch, Stephen Tomashevich, surrendered, and was beheaded near Jajce (Yaytza) by the order of the Sultan Mohammed II. Herczegovina resisted up to 1543. Tomashe-vich's mother. Queen Catharine, found refuge in Rome where she died in 1478. Her tomb is in the church of Ara Coeli. In her last will she bequeathed her estate to the St. Jerome Croatian institute at Rome, which during recent years before the war broke out was attacked by Italians.

The country was overrun by renegade Serbians, who refused to fight the Turks, and escaped from their yoke into the Bosnia and interior Croatia. Deceit and treason, especially on the part of Bogumils, who later on embraced Islam, overthrew the Bosnian kingdom. One hundred thousand prisoners were taken; 30,000 Bosnian youths were compelled to join the yan-izaries. The yanizaries corps up to the end of the eighteenth century were mostly recruited from Bosnia and Herczegovina. The purest and healthiest race of Croatians live there. And

in our times you "will find among the Turks in Asia Minor family names originally from Bosnia. Many of them were great army leaders, as in 1570, Ali Pasha, native Croat from Herczegovina became Grand Vizier; he was succeeded by the distinguished soldier and statesman Ahmed Beg Sokolovich, a Croatian from Bosnia.

The whole of Bosnia by 1463 had submitted to Turks save the districts of Jajce and Srebrenica, which was reoccupied by the garrisons from interior Croatia and organized as a separate Banatus or "Kingdom of Bosnia" which endured until the 29th of August, 1526, when the battle of Mohacs in Hungary took place and put an end to the newly created kingdom of Bosnia. King Vladislav II of Croatia 1490 in the Diploma Inaugurale swears,*that for the Banates of Jajce and Belgrade, he will appoint only natives. King Louis II, lost his life in the swamps while leading the firing line, and the Croats were free to elect a new dynasty. The battle at Mohacs eclipsed the disastrous record of Kosovo. The Ban Krsto Frankopan of Croatia wrote to the Bishop of Senj (Zeng) thus: . . . "God almighty has intelligibly permitted this defeat of the king and the Hungarians, not for the calamity and ruin of this country, but to the contrary for its lasting salvation. For if the Hungarians had now defeated the emperor (Sultan), where would be the end of their not becoming agressive, and who could have continued to live under them ?"

Serbia and Bosnia were subjected to the Turks, and the fruit of their victory at Mohacs was the subjugation of the Hungarian kingdom. But Croatia repulsed the Turks and defended itself and Christianity. "Antemurale Europae, contra immanissimum nominis Christiani hostem," the barrier or antemurale of Europe against the most cruel enemy to the Christian name, ran the title of Croatia after 1389, and the beating of the Moslem hordes was for centuries her incessant work. By her position, she was the bulwark of Christianity, and the women who bore their children in perpetually armed camps, saw them grow into soldiers as inevitably as the mill-hand brings little mechanics into the world. Back to the dawti of history, the Croat branch of the Slav race had lived a hard life, and, fought for existence. They had struggled with Avars, Franconians, Saxons, Germans, Huns, Mongols, Latins and Turks, and have upheld their independence to the present time. They have saved Western civilization to posterity.

To the ordinary mind, the words "Croat" and "fighter" are almost synonymous and a consideration of natural conditions will show why the dual monarchy has always found its best fighting men, the simple bom soldiers, who make the backbone of .its armies in the land between the Drave, Danube, Drina and Adriatic. In the lands of Croatia, Slavonia, Herczegovina, Dal-matia, Istria and Camiolia, there are sailor^' and fighters!

Before the battle of Mohacs, on the February 15th, 1526,

15

the Croatian magnates met in Diet at the City of Krizevci to consider the renunciation of obedience to the king, and Prince Krsto Frankopan proposed: "to ask help from Emperor Charles V, and the Austrian Prince Ferdinand as ruler of the Slovenian countries, to reoccupy Bosnia and dominate it.". The resolution was accepted, and by it the rights to Bosnia at least asserted. Anthony Baron Burgio, papal nuncio to Hungary, reported to his sovereign on the 5th of March, 1526, thus: "An agreement exists between Prince Ferdinand and Krsto Frankopan, who plans to become master of Bosnia. Prince Ferdinand expects to proclaim himself the king of Bosnia as *Bosnia belongs to Croatia/' Through the whole of the 16th century the rights of Croatia to Bosnia are asserted in the words of this foreigner and the proof conclusively established the claim asserted therein that Bosnia is an unalienable part of Croatia!

After the battle of Mohacs, as the Hungarian army was annilated and the king of Hungary and Croatia had perished, and the throne was therefore vacant, the Croats met on January 1,1527, in Diet, sitting at Cetin, whose ruins are yet standing and unanimously elected Ferdinand Habsburgh as their king and confirmed the succession to his heirs. His rival, Za-polya, was supported by the Ban Krsto Frankopan, but when he afterwards fell in battle, Zapolya lost ground and his chief support, and the new Diet in Krizevci also declared for Ferdinand. The Habsburghs ever since have been the legal kings of Croatia. At the election of Ferdinand at Cetin, Bosnia was represented by Ivan Kobasich of Brekovica, Paul Izatchich and Count Stephen Blagaj, Bosnian nobles. This representation speaks for itself and proves the fact that Bosnia was a part of Croatia. Ever since the kings of Croatia held the title of king of Bosnia "Ramae rex" as an official appelation.

V THE FRANCISCANS OF BOSNIA AND HERCZEGOVINA.

Bosnia and Herczegovina, stripped of their independence, became Turkish provinces as they were conquered. The relations of the conqueror and conquered since the fall of Bosnia are best characterized by the simple fact, that a Christian who failed to dismount from his horse on the meeting of a Turk, was liable to be killed on the spot. The Turks left the Croatian language in use; no hindrance was put to the free practice of it. The religion at the beginning of occupation caused numerous outrages, but the toleration of religious orders remained to the last characteristic of Turkish policy in Bosnia; and even in 1868, a colony of Trappist monks was permitted to settle in Banjaluka.

The heroes of the Christian religion, and faithful sowers of the national seed in Bosnia and Herczegovina and the defenders of the home and justice were the Franciscans who set-

•Appartenendo la Bossina a la Croatia.

16

■t'

tied in early days in that part of the country. At their inter-^ cession Sultan Mohammed II granted as a favor to them, that Christians should be allowed the free exercise of their religion. The courageous Friar Angelus Zajezdovich went before the Sultan to ask for a charter, and received it. It is still preserved in the monastery of Fojnica near Travnik. The real backbone-of nationalism and religion in Bosnia is the Franciscan order, which always identified itself with the popular cause during^ the Turkish occupation, and still follows with effect its democratic methods. These brave sons of Bosnia refused to abandon their work of lifting up the national sentiment and religious fervor. Certainly, the antagonism between Catholics and Orthodox Serbians, who, identifying their nationality with their religion, began to subside in Bosnia and Herczegovina,. and the Franciscan monks zealously forwarded the nationalist movement, and with the adaptability of their order they survived and flourished even in the persecutions under the Turkish rule. They discarded their habit; they clothed themselves in Turkish fashion, baggy trousers with red scarlet fezes as headgear. A Moslem beg would sometimes call in a Franciscan to* hear his last confession, either from vague hereditary recollection of his Christian ancestor or from a desire to leave the world with the blessing of both religions on him. The Franciscans were counselors to Begs and Pashas. They were and are the soul of life of the Croatians in Bosnia and Herczego-vina, especially during the bitter trials and persecutions from 1463-1878.

The Bishop of Bosnia resided since 1252 at Djakovo in Slavonia, and since the XIV century he was counted as a Croatian magnate, appointed always by king. But close to him. there was a true Vicar Apostolic for Bosnia, regularly a Franciscan, who had to perform the services of bishop in that territory during the Turkish rule. There are instances in the history of the church in Bosnia, where the chapter elected its own bishop, to be appointed by Pope as in case of Lawrence I (1836-1348); and Pope John XXII expressly reserved the nomination and appointment of the bishops in Bosnia as an affair of the papal office. Before the fall of the Bosnian kingdom, the-Franciscans there belonged to the Franciscan province of Croatia. During the Turkish rule they were separated, to avoid obstacles in communication and the province of "Bosnia Argentina" was established. Their splendid history is the best evidence of their work for the material benefit of the people, their religion, language, national sentiment and consciousness.

VI.

DURING TURKISH OCCUPATION.

The nominal governor of the country was a Turkish Vali, residing in Banjaluka or Travnik. He was satisfied if only the taxes were collected, and therefore he did not interfere in local affairs. He left the Croatian language and old customs to the people. The Begs as landlords exercised unfettered authority over their retainers and Christian serfs, rayah. The bureaucratic rule of the Osmanli Turks evoked many bloody revolts. The Dual Monarchy was entrusted with the protection of the Christians in Bosnia, and some time a military expedition was necessary for the purpose. Thus in 1688 the city of Zvomik fell in the hands of Croatian regiments. Two years later the royal troops reached Dolnja Tuzla and retired with 3.000 Catholic emigrants. In 1697, Eugene of Savoy burned Sarayevo and deported 40.000 Christians, settling them in Batchka, Banat and around Vienna, where they are still known as "Bos-ner Croaten." At the treaties of Karlovci (1699), and Pozare-vac (1718), the Turks lost all of Primorje or the Littoral of Herczegovina, and a piece of Northern Bosnia; but it was restored to Turkey at the peace of Belgrade, and reoccupied again in 1790 by royal troops. The treaty of Svistow (1791) fixed the line, so that the rivers Save and Una should be the Bosnian frontier. And it was so up to 1878, when the Croatian regiments crossed the line and changed the frontier. Within the period of Turkish occupation many great revolts started and were heroically but unsuccessfully fought. The most sweeping was one started by Hussein Beg Gradatchevich, a brilliant soldier and orator, who called himself "Zmaj of Bosna," Dragon of Bosnia, laid the plans to conquer Constantinople, for Sultan, as he thought, was false to Prophet. He joined Mustapha Pasha with 20,000 Albanian soldiers, and in a few weeks occupied Bulgaria and a large portion of Macedonia. Reshid Pasha checked them; routed them at Prilip, invaded Bosnia, and after desperate defense, Hussein Beg fled to Osiiek (Essek) in Croa-tia-Slavonia, and in 1832 was banished to Trebizond, where he died. His followers pictured him in history as a national saint.

The Croatians always asserted their rights to Bosnia. The miserable conditions and sufferings of their brothers in Bosnia was always in their heart and mind. Therefore they never omitted to assert their rights, and to mitigate their miseries. The Pragmatic Sanction regulating the succession to the throne, unanimously accepted by Croats, in Diet on the 9th of March, 1712, expressly reauested that all parts of the Croatian Nation or State be united. This Sanction was acknowledged by the present ruler of the Monarchy as well as the Election Diploma of January 1,1527, in his answer to the Croatian Parliament on the 8th of October, 1861. In the Election Diploma, it is expressly stated that his predecessor, with succession his

Tieirs, was elected king and ruler of the whole glorious kingdom,* as it existed previous to the election day. In 1790, at the times of Joseph II, the Croatian representatives sitting in Sabor voted on a resolution, which was carried to the effect that *Ve agree to closer relations with the Hungarian Chancery until those parts of Croatia which at present are under Venetian rule (Dalmatia and the islands in Adriatic) and those under Turkish rule (Bosnia and Herczegovina) shall be reoc-<;upied, as to compose or add more counties, that Croatia may wield a greater political influence or power." This period is known in the history of Croatia as the period of the black days in its political life, for German centralization under Joseph II tried by all means to erase all traces of nationalism. But in such days in every nation you will find patriots leading the people, and with an argus eye watching over their rights.

In 1832, at the time of the Croatian renaissance. Count Janko Draskovich, an ardent supporter and defender of national rights, in the instruction, written by him to the representatives of the kingdom, expressed the sentiment and convictions of the people in general in regard to the Bosnia. He "wrote: "It is very possible in the course of time, that Bosnia, where so many of our ancestors lived and scions came from, with our help will return to our bosoms. What a hope for our people!" Draskovich is a name well known in Croat history, t)oth in the fighting line, as Bishop Draskovich fell in battle at Korenica in 1620, leading his troops against the Turks, and in politics as Count Janko was a great noble, president of the Council of the Ban, and a man of weight in the Monarchy.

During the stormy years, 1848, and latter on, the Croats had to defend their national existence against the aggression of Magyars and their unfounded pretensions, as in previous years they had to fight the Turks from Bosnia. In the trying period in the history of Croatia, it is an established fact that God always provided a man to lead the people. It was so in 1846, when Baron Joseph Yelatchich, as colonel, led his army and defeated the Turks, commanded by Mohammed Beg Rustam-begovich at Prositcheni Kamen. And in his report in February, 1846, he says: "If I could be sure of support and enough powder and shot, I would go with these troops to the gates of Stamboul itself.'* Yelatchich, Count Albert Nugent, an Irishman, and Major Kermpotich, of the Sluiner regiment, laid the plans to expel the Turks from the Balkans, but the Magyar revolution killed the prospect. In 1848. Yelatchich became a true national Ban by and of the free will of his people, headed the Croatian army against the Magyar revolutionists, and saved Austria and Habsburgh dynasty from catastrophe.

In the address of the Croatian Parliament to his Majesty in June, 1848, the Ban and representatives of the people asserted : "For, even at the very beginning of their—Croatia, Dahnatia, Slavonia—^momentous union with Hungary, Colo-

•Totius^hujus Inclyti regni Croatiae regem et Dominum.

man, the first joint king of Hungary and Croatia, was especially crowned with the crown of Croatia," and in later times the three united kingdoms elevated to the Hungarian throne several kings, whom they had elected of their own accord; notably Charles Robert and Charles the Less. In Zadar (Zara), the nation of these kingdoms assembled in the Diet, elected as King Ladislaus of Naples and Tvrtko I, of Bosnia, and in that decisive epoch, when the House of Habsburgh began to assert its rights to the Hungarian throne, the Croats, in the year 1527 at Cetin, elected Ferdinand I as their king. * * * In the same way our nation proved our national independence, when under Charles VI it adopted the Pragmatic Sanction several years earlier than the Hungarians or any other people of the Austria of today." This section of the address proves the close connection and dependency of Bosnia on Croatia. The same Sabor in the same address asked for the amalgamation of all the Slav provinces as Camiolia, Carin-thia. Southern Styria, Dalmatia, except Serbia, and asserted the full authority and rights of the Ban to rule the territory from the Drave to the Adriatic.

The present ruler of the Dual Monarchy on the occasion of his coronation, June 8, 1867, swore to the Coronation Diploma setting out mutual obligations and rights; and the Section 3 reads: "We promise * * * all the parts of Hungary and its sister kingdoms (Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia), which are occupied already, and those parts which shall be by divine help reoccupied (Bosnia and Herczegovina), to incorporate them according to the tenor of our oath on coronation, to the named land and to the sister kingdoms." Here is the positive sanction of so solemn a law as the Coronation Oath, indicating the rights of Croats to Bosnia and Herczegovina.

VII.

THE OCCUPATION OF BOSNIA AND HERCZEGOVINA.

On July 1, 1875, the villagers of Nevesinje in Herczegovina started an insurrection, and within a few weeks the whole country was involved. In July, 1876, Serbia and Montenegro joined the struggle, and in 1877, Russia declared war on the Sultan. By the agreements of 1876 and 1877, and by the secret convention of July 13, 1878, Russia had doubtless consented to the annexation of Bosnia and Herczegovina to Austria, in view of the impending Russo-Turkish war. These were intended to purchase Austro-Hungarian neutrality. In the war of 1877, and 1878, Rumenia helped Russia, and Turkey was compelled to sue for peace, which resulted in the treaty of St. Stefano. The treaty reduced the power of the Sultan in Europe to a shadow. If it had been carried into effect, Bulgaria would have owned three-fifths of the whole peninsula, with a population of 4,000,000. The Great Powers now inter-

vened, fearing that this big Bulgaria would become a Russian dependency. Under these circumstances it would have mattered little to Russia, that the central power incorporated Bosnia and Herczegovina. With the exception of Montenegro, the Serbians long have been left out of account by Russian statesmen. The revision of the treaty of St. Stefano at the Congress of Berlin inflicted deep humiliation on Russia. Great Britain, represented by Lord Disraeli, and France helped Germany and Austria to tear up the treaty, and incurred the moral responsibility for the carnage and havoc in the Balkans since 1878 up to these bloody days in Europe. For these diplomatic good offices Great Britain secured the island Cyprus, the price of peace with honor.

The national sentiment of Croats was roused by the sufferings of the Bosnian population, and endless tales of the Turkish persecutions and murder caused insistant clamor fdr action; but in Budapest enthusiasm ran high for the Turks, a torchlight procession appeared beneath the window of the Ottoman consul; wreaths were deposited on the neglected grave of a Turkish dervish from Herczegovina. In certain districts of Bosnia, Francis Joseph was hailed by the insurgents as "Croats King." The Bishop of Herczegovina, Pascal Bucon-jich, who earned the well merited subriquet of the Croatian Leonidas, for his labors and fight for the freedom of his country, was the first one to dispatch a hail to the king of Croats. Volunteers flocked from interior of Croatia, and all the refugees, women and children, found their way into the neighboring countries on the West. When the new Sabor assembled in August, 1875, and when the speech from the throne did not contain any reference to the rising, the leader of the opposition, Milan Makanec, a gifted lawyer and statesman, presented a resolution, that the Diet from the national funds should provide the refugees with money and all possible assistance. Public opinion and the sentiment of the country backed Makanec generously, in spite of the opposite attitude of an unpatriotic government, headed by a commoner. Ban Mazuranich, a great poet, but weak statesman.

On the 13th of July, 1878, by the treaty of Berlin, articles 23 and 26, the Central Monarchy was authorized to occupy Bosnia and Herczegovina and to administer them. Among the insurgents as a leader was Peter Karagjorjevich, the present king of Serbia, under the fictitious name of Peter Mrkonjich, trying to organize the Bosnian kingdom and proclaim himself its king. Haji Loya, the native leader of the opponents of the occupation, supported by Albanians, bitterly resented the change, and fought against the invading army of Croatian regiments, headed by General Francis Baron Philipovich and General Jo-vanovich, both Croats. In spite of the large number of the troops employed to quell the insurrection, the warfare was prolonged into the winter. The losses were heavy on both sides, and horrid excesses and atrocities were perpetrated by the

Moslems on the soldiers captured. General Philipovich entered Sarayevo on the 19th of August, and it was not until January 1st, 1879, that the new government could be definitely established there.

On the 20th of September the city of Bihach, in Northwestern Bosnia, and Klobuk, in Herczegovina, were captured, and the whole territory of both provinces was in the hands of the victorious army at the same time the Croatian Sabor was in session, and the recent events were referred to in Sabor'a address to the throne on the 28th of September, 1878. The address repeated the demand for the reincorporation of Dal-matia, the absorption of the Military Frontier between Bosnia and Croatia proper, a clear definition of Flume's constitutional position, and the annexation of Bosnia and Herczegovina to the Triune kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia. The Military Frontier or "Voyna Krayina" was incorporated on the 15th of July, 1881. It was formed in the 16th century. Soldiers called "Granitchari" or Frontiersmen were bound ta military service from the eighteenth year on, and had to be ready at a moment's notice to bear arms against any invader. He was liable to service until his place was taken by some family member or relative.

This demand of the Sabor, founded on history, national sentiment and consciousness, on written law and national right, was reiterated after 1878 in the press and at public meetings in Croatia, Bosnia and Dalmatia. Since the annexation to Austria was proclaimed on the 5th of October, 1908,. it has been especially shown by the fact, that a Croatian Deputy in the Austro-Hungarian Delegation, a separate body deliberating on the common affairs of the Monarchy, with the consent of his Slavic colleagues, introduced a resolution providing that Bosnia-Herczegovina should never be placed under the jurisdiction of the Magyar Kingdom, but should be joined with Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, to which the people of those countries wanted to be united. The resolution asserted positively the right of the Triune kingdom to Bosnia and Herczegovina.

The patriotic political parties in all the countries concerned, and their members elected to represent the conviction and sentiment of their constituents in the Sabor have in their platforms a plank demanding the reincorporation of Bosnia and Herczegovina in Croatia. And sooner or later it will be effected, but the sooner the better for the Monarchy itself.

VIII. THE SERBIAN PRETENTIONS.

The Croats never tried to obliterate the name nor the existence of the Serbians nor denied to them their dialect, customs, their history and cultural achievements. On the contrary, they sympathized with them, won pride in their independence and their kingdom of Serbia and always accorded to them all rights belonging to a nation.

The Serbian programme or design laid down by Dushan the Strong, to absorb all the Slavic nations in the Balkans, so as to constitute a Greater Serbia, never was accepted nor will it be by the Croats, nor by any of the Balkan branches of the Slavic people. This platform, containing the sweeping consequences as the losing of their national name, history and independence, is bitterly opposed by all patriotic Croats and Slovenes possessing the territory from the Drina to the Sotcha (Isonzo) and from the Danube and Drave to the Adriatic.

The Serbians are denying flatly the Croatian right to a name, a history and even a language. They proclaimed urbi et orbi, that Croatia, Dalmatia, Istria, Slavonia, Bosnia and Herczegovina were and are provinces of the Serbian Empire. The people living therein are pure and genuine Serbs, but alas, the teachers of this doctrine, its defenders and propagators cannot prove it by anything, save their political phantasy and fanaticism, backed by mere statement. Some native Croats are spreading such doctrines, playing the role of the traitors to their people and cause; for a dish of lentils or a Judas reward or fat position in Greater Serbia. Traitors are everywhere. Serbia never had a steady and permanent control over those countries, even at the time of Dushan the Strong, for he contented himself with the city of Kotor (Cattaro) as his chief port on Adriatic, leaving the other Dalmatian cities undisturbed. Serbians immigrated into the countries mentioned above, were welcomed by Croats to share the destinies. In the second half of the nineteenth century they played a more important role in politics. Their leaders in the Bosnian insurrection wanted to occupy those two countries and divide them between the two principalities of Serbia and Montenegro, or establish a new Servian kingdom, but Britain and France nipped their hope in the bud.

The Serbs in Croatia enjoyed the same freedom as the Croats. But since 1868 they have been faithful servants of Croatia's enemies, who tried by all possible means to curtail the rights of the people and country. And by consenting to such machinations they have gained political pull and material profits. Their political servitude to the regime of Ban Khuen Hedervary is noted on. the pages of the history of Cro-tia as a traitorous act against their own country, where they were bom and brought up. Mercenary politics made them

43laves, and they "will go down to posterity marked as enemies of their own freedom. But work against Croatia is to work lor Greater Serbia.

Hedervary, as chief executive, practiced bribery openly. The authorities canvassed actively for the government candidates. Soldiers and gendarmerie were present at the election to intimidate and keep back from polls the electors ready to cast their vote according to their own convictions for the patriotic candidates of the opposition to bad government. No trick or quible was neglected to cheat the opposition of its irote. The registers were forged, strangers were allowed to Tote in the name of dead voters, or to impersonate the absent.

Bloodshed caused by gendarms accompanied the polling. Duly elected opposition deputies were, by simple vote of gov--emment party, unseated. The treasury was plundered, taxes increased to a height provoking revolt, as happened in 1908. The Serbs allied themselves with such a government and swelled the ranks of the renegade Croat supporters, who owed their seats to artifice and trickery of the grossest kind. The solid phalanx of devoted Serbs, elected in accordance with the real wishes of the Serbian population, for twenty years carried on this oppressive and destructive administration. In 1902, they formed a new political organization, the independent Serb party, whose short history shows its determination to work for Greater Serbia. In 1903, Ban Hedervary was forced to flee Croatia, never to return again. Their action in Dalmatia against Croats was similar, they cooperating with the four per cent Italian element living there.

The Croats are mostly Catholics, and as such are disliked l)y the Serbs. They do not know yet what it means to respect the religious conviction of their neighbors. The Catholics in Serbia itself are under the jurisdiction of the See of Djakovo, in Croatia-Slavonia, and their bishop never dared to pay them a pastoral visit. In the conquered Macedonia, after the Balkan war was over, all the Catholic schools in the province were closed by the order of the government and priests were interfered with in their pastoral work before and after the conclusion of the Concordat with the Holy See. During the occupation of Albania by the Serbian army, the Franciscans were persecuted and Father Palich fell a victim of their fanaticism. The case of Gjurjinka (Georgine) Pavlovich in Sarayeyo corresponds to instances of martyrdom during the first three centuries of the Christian era.*

All the Croats know well, that if a Greater Serbia were formed they would over night, by a government order, be converted into Serbs. Religious freedom would be an imaginary and futile thing existing at the pleasure of government parasites, as it is shown by the fact that Catholics were, not al-

•Die Feuert'aufe, einer Bosnischen Konvertitin, nach ihren elgrenen Briefen tind Aufzeichnungen, von Gottfried Freund, 3 Auflage, 1914, Buchdruckerei, "'Sarayevojer Tagblatt.**

lowed in Serbia proper to erect a church building in which to worship God, and were forced to conduct services in the Chai)el of the Austrian legation.

As to the political fanaticism of the Serbians, let us quote a well known authority,** who says: "The political phantasy of the Serbs has no bounds; lack of balance and proportion is combined with inordinate belief in his own destiny, and a corresponding disinclination to work it out for himself. Let me give three illustrations of this from my own experience:

1. In the spring of 1908, I was talking in Belgrade to a Serbian who held a minor diplomatic post. We discussed a short-lived entente between Magyars and Serbs two years previously. My acquaintance lamented over the folly of the Magyars in ruining so promising an alliance *** and when I asked him what he had hoped to achieve, he assured me with enthusiasm: "By this time, my dear sir, we should have had a million bayonets (sic!) mobilized against Vienna." After all, this state of mind does not differ essentially from that of the well known Serbian newspaper, Politika^ which on October 27, 1908, after the annexation of Bosnia, wrote: "Now or never is the moment for trying conclusions with a mediaeval i^tate [* on the point of dissolution." The Serbs foolishly imagined that Austria-Hungary was about to break up, and it was only the Bosnian crisis which taught them the bitter lesson that the Monarchy is far stronger than ever before.

2. Among the Serb politicians of Bosnia, I found the belief widespread that the army, the administration and the judicial system of Serbia are all greatly superior to those of Austria ! In my opinion this truly comic belief deprives its holders of all claim to be regarded as serious politicians. In their fanaticism, some even went so far as to defend, not merely the murder of Alexander and Draga, for which some kind of a case can be made out, but actually the manner in which it was committed.

3. A prominent Montenegrin politician, with whom I had a conversation in April, 1909, defined the future relations of the two Serb states to Austria-Hungary in the emphatic phrase, "aut, aut" (either or). Either, he held the Monarchy must fall in pieces, or Serbia and Montenegro must lose their independence. In that case, I felt inclined to reply: "The Serb States must make their will."

The idea that they are quite able to cope with Austria-Hungary was widespread in the Northern Balkans, and is, of course, largely due to the weak policy of Vienna during the long interval between Count Andrassy's resignation and Baron Aerenthal's accession to power.

The weak policy of Vienna consisted in favoring the Serbian element, to serve better the aegis of divide et impera^

•♦♦As to deliver Croatia, Slavonia, upper Dalmatia and the Croatian coast along: the Adriatic to the Magryars, Bosnia-Herczegovina, with lower Dalmatia to fall as reward to Servia.[♦] Meant: Dual Monarchy.

♦♦S. W. Southern Slav question, p. 301.

thus impairing the strength of the Croats as a whole. The Serbians used that favor to spread their fixed purpose of Greater Serbia.

The Serbian national fanaticism is expressed thus in the popular song:

"And the sky is of blue Serbian hue; In it is enthroned a Serbian God; Around him Serbian Angels stay, And wait on their Serbian God."

Their men of letters, as Vuk Stefanovich Karadzich^ wrote and taught: "Srbi svi i svuda" all Serbians and everywhere. The Serbian professor, B. Karich, in his textbooks of geography for the grammar schools, printed in the royal government printing office at Belgrade, and published with the approval of the royal ministry of instruction, stated thus: "The Serbian countries are the kingdom of Serbia, Bosnia, Herczegovina, Old Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Dalmatia, Istra, Croatia, Slavonia, Batchka and Banat." The nationalities living in Greater Serbia, according to the same book, besides Serbs are: "Germans, Magyars, Valahs, Ar-nauts, Italians, Gypsies and Jews." He denies the existence of Croats entirely, but affirms that they are Serbs: "The greater majority of the Catholic Serbs in Dalmatia, Croatia and Istria call themselves Croats instead of Serbs. But this should not cause the thought that they are of some other nationality, for their home and national language is the genuine Serbian tongue. So Mohammedans in Bosnia call themselves Turks. They are not Turks, but true Serbs. That they are genuine Serbians, not Turks, is shown by the fact that they do not know even how to speak Turkish, for they speak the clear, fine Serbian jargon, used by their ancestors, while they are Christians, * * *"

It will be seen by this that their textbooks do not acknowledge Croatian nationality, nor their national name, for they teach that as the Mohammedans call theimselves Turks, so the Catholics in these countries in a similar way call themselves Croats.

The borders of Greater Serbia, according to this textbook, on the North and West are: The river Morish up to its estuary in Theis, thence along the northern line of Batchka and along the rivers Danube and the Drave to its source in Styria; thence along the border of Camiolia to Trst (Triest), and from Triest to the estuary of the river Drim. * ♦ * The watershed of the Serbian rivers covers the Adriatic, White and Black seas, * ♦ *"

The Serbian foreign minister. Dr. Milovanovich, on January 2,1909, declared in the Skupstina that the fate of Bosnia would be not merely an eminently Serbian, but also an European question, and argued that the mission of Austria-Hungary in the Balkan Peninsula was now at an end. But the

rivers Danube and Save must at all costs remain the legal boundary between the Habsburgh Monarchy and Serbia. By this he avowed his desire to give up a part of Greater Serbia, namely Croatia and Slavonia, to Serbian friends, the Magyars.

The Serbian press does not know of any self-restraint, nor has it a sense of proportion. "Either Europe must concede our demands,* wrote Politika, February 6, 1909, or it will come to a fearful and bloody war." Samouprava, the official organ of the Serbian government, on February 2, was not less violent in its communique appealing to the signatory powers of the Berlin treaty. The powers on the initiative of France made a joint representation at Belgrade, urging Serbia not to insist on her territorial demands. On the 27th day of March, 1909, Serbia acknowledged the annexation of Bosnia and Herczegovina as a fait accompli.

We suppose the foregoing enough to convince a man of common sense of Serbian fanaticism and harboring any delusions of grandeur otherwise known as megalomia. It is worth while to mention here the answer of the Kussian foreign minister, Sazonov, to the Serbian minister, Spalaykovich, at Petrograd, on his representations and memorial to the Rus-^ sian government, made during these stormy and bloody days in Europe, containing the motives, schemes and designs for the creation of Greater Serbia. Mr. Sazonov, after listening to the suggestions and arguments of the Serbian official, said: "I am yet surprised why Serbia did not ask even more, as Rome and Moscow."

That every Serbian dreams of a Pan-Serb Empire, under the Karagjorjevich dynasty, no one will be constrained to deny; and they have used and will use all possible means ta realize it. Good luck!

IX.

SOME STATISTICS AND ETMOGRAPHY.

The territory of Bosnia and Herczegovina has an area of 19,702 square miles, as compared with Serbia's 18,782 square miles before the Balkan wars. The Bosnian territory is divided into six districts. The population, according to the census of 1895, amounted to 1,568,992 inhabitants. The census of 1895 showed an increase of 85.39 per cent over that of 1885. There were 893 women to every thousand men. In 1895, it was estimated that of 1,568,082 inhabitants, 497,244 were natives of Bosnia Herczegovina, 42,358 were Hungarian citizens and 24,-018 Austrian citizens. The remaining 4,472 were classified generally as foreigners in the official report.

Since the occupation, there has been a very considerable influx of Jews, there being in 1879 only 3,426, a number which had risen in 1895 to 8,213. The Jews play an important role

*To annex Bosnia and Herczegovina to Serbia.

in commerce, and their sons are admitted to the ranks of the administration.

The census of 1895 gives the following religious divisions: Serbs of Greek Oriental, or as they prefer to be called of Serbian Orthodox confession, 673,246; Mohammedans, 548,632; Catholics, 334,142; Jews, 8,213; Protestants, 3,596; others, 263. Statistics show a steady growth among all denominations from 1879 to 1895, and Dr. Baemreither, writing in October, 1908, reckons that the process has continued, and that, at that time the Orthodox form 43.5 per cent, the Mohammedans 33.5 per cent and the Catholics 22 per cent of the whole population.

The census of 1910 shows 1,898,044 inhabitants, 994,852 males and 903,192 females. Estimated population, December 31,1912,1,962,411, of whom there were: Mohammedans, 626,-649; Serbian Orthodox, 856,158; Catholics, 451,686; Evangelical, 6,734 ; Greek United Catholics, 8,605; Jews, 12,798. There was an increase in 1910 of 329,952 on the census of 1895, or 21.04 per cent.

All the Orthodox without exception regard themselves as Serbs, all the Catholics as Croats. The Mohammedans have not had a strong national consciousness, but it was slumbering in their minds and hearts. Since their sons have come in contact with Western civilization, while attending the schools and universities, mostly in Zagreb, Vienna, Gradac (Gratz), in Styria, their dormant national consciousness had awakened, and a few decades back they started to demand a union of Bosnia and Herczegovina to Crotia, just as the people of Dalmatia -do, and those of the Slovenian countries, Camiolia, Styria and Carinthia. The Mohammedans in Bosnia avow at present their national dependency on Croatia, and accepted the programme of the Croatian Party of Right, the most popular and strongest party in these countries. The Pan-Serb idea cannot reach the imagination of the Mohammedans, nor attract them to advocate it.

The/Mohammedans call the language spoken and written at that^ime, the Croatian language, as is seen from the letter written on the 29th of September, 1589, by Castellan Hovar-dedi of Bosnia to Nani, Venetian governor general residing in Zadar. He stated: "We, the Castellan, had to write two letters in Turkish, and two in the Croatian tongue." But he is not the only one among the Moslems in Bosnia knowing the Croatian language, for there was a poet, Kaimija, from Herczegovina, living in the time of the war between the republic of Venice and Turkey for the island of Candia (Creta), 1645 to 1669, and Dalmatia, who wrote his songs in Croatian invoking the Venetians to not set the Croats afire with the war:

Nemojte se kladiti,

A Hrvate ratom paliti

Za to cete platiti. * * *

You must not stake, The Croats to set At war fire, as you Will pay for it. * * ♦

He was a faithful Moslem, and in his poems invited the Croats to embrace Islam:

0 Hrvati cujte me,

Islamu se prignite. * * *

0 Croats hear me,

And Islam adore. * * *

In the popular poetry of Bosnia there are many songs now collected and printed in Croatian, published in volumes, having general Croatian characteristics and color mixed with Turkish expressions; their contents treating of the brotherly love, esteem, sacrifice, heroism, fidelity, patriotism existing towards their common country.

Catholic literature has numerous monuments, with abundant material to prove the Croatian character of the people and country. August Vlastelinovich, in 1637, a poet from Saraye-vo, published in Rome, songs dedicated to his relative. Father Jerome Lutchich, of Varesch. The songs were found in the archives of the office of the Propagation of the Faith by Father Eusebius Fermendzin. The Friar Lawrence Shitovich from Lyubushki, a descendant of a Turk, edited at Venice, 1713, a grammar, and in its preface he says: "We Croats should have a gramrhar printed in our tongue * * * Jqj. the youth of Bosnia." He wrote a poem on Hell for young and old in Makarska, Dalmatia, published it in Venice in 1727. Friar Marion Lukeshich of Mostar wrote in the Croatian language devotional books, and published them in Venice in 1730. So did Phillip Lastrich of Otchevye, near Varesh, in Bosnia. Besides the language there are many geographical names of places and towns, clearly indicating the Croatian character of the country. For example, the sixth ward of the Bosnian capital, Sarayevo, is called Hrvatin (Croat) since immemorial. So there are also hamlets and towns of Hrvatinovichi, Hrvat-chichi, Hrvachani and so forth, the Croatian mountain (Hrvastko brdo ) in the district of Travnik, and many Turkish families with the same names as the towns mentioned above. Popular tradition is very rich in stories about national heroes as the Croat Mathew, the Croat Luke, the standard bearer. There exist two historical facts of king Kreshimir and of some Croatian king and Ban, who seven years after its fall, defended Bosnia against the Turks, and the Sultan permitted him to rule it. Traditions of early days relate to the king of Duvno, who rode to Mostar on sixteen steeds, the queen of Croatia residing in Treshnyevaz, close to Konyiz, in Hercze-govina, king Zvonimir, successor of Tomislav, who built up the city of Zvonigrad, queen Buga (Booga); Bans: Porin,

Pribina, Surina and of the seven princes meeting on the field of Duvno after the death of their father to divide his estate. It speaks about Ban Kulin of Bosnia and of the king of Croatia. At Gabela, a town in Southern Herczegovina, popular traditions say, that the Croats would not have their native king or ruler if they were not forgiven by the one they offended, but he could not have easily relieved them. It rests on the historical fact of the sudden death of king Zvonimir, and of his uttering curse on his subjects.

The Serbian name became known at the beginning of the fifteenth century, the writings of P. Pohvalich in 1407 showing it. Benedict Kupeshich, traveler or globe trotter, in describing his journey across Bosnia to Constantinople, says he found three divisions of people and three religious denominations, the old Bosnians who were Catholics, the Serbians who came from Smederevo (Semendria) and Belgrade and professed the Greek Oriental religion, and the Mohammedans, known as Turks. The Bishop of Zagreb, Peter Petretich in his chronicle, written about the time of their arrival, thus refers to the Serbian immigration into Bosnia: "Valachi sive Rasciani, vel ut verius dicam Servian!, nam ex regno Serviae prodierut."

Statistics and ethnography are in favor of the right of Croatia and its people to Bosnia and Herczegovina.

X.

FINALE.

From the outset, our explanations and reasoning show that Bosnia and Herczegovina are Croat countries. The present war in Europe will bring changes in the boundaries of that part of the Balkans. The Serbians expect and are working through the diplomatic channels of the Entente Powers to create a Greater Serbia, as herein outlined. If they succeed, peace in that section of Europe never will be permanent, for the Serbs are not liable to renounce the teachings in the textbooks, nor diminish or quench the flames of their religious or national fanaticism. What then would happen if Bosnia and Herczegovina should fall to Serbia? In answer to this proposition, let us quote again from a well considered authority,* to whom the affairs in that portion of the Balkans are well known. He says: "People in this country are only apt to ignore the question altogether, or at least to say, 'Oh, yes, of course, if the allies win, the Serbs will get Bosnia.' Those who talk thus have not grasped the elements of the great problem, of which Bosnia, like Serbia itself, is only one section. The idea that to transfer Bosnia alone from Austria-Hungary to Serbian hands would settle anything whatever, fatally ignores alike the laws of geography and those considerations

•The war and democracy.

of national sentiment which dominate politics in Southeastern Europe. In every respect Bosnia-Herczegovina and Dalmatia complement each other/' The acquisition of Bosnia by Serbia would at once compel the latter willy-nilly to aspire to possessing of Dalmatia for the natural richness and geographical position tend to the coast of the Adriatic.

It was possible before 1878, and a decade after when there were no railways or other modem means of communications in the Balkans, with Bosnia stiffened in every way under Turkish rule to keep national consciousness inactive, to foster local or provincial patriotism to the effect of keeping the countries or states separated even though it was unnatural. But in our times, the situation is radically changed, the sentiment is deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the people, that in union is strength; and it should be effected by natural ways and channels as they have existed in the past, all warranted in present conditions and are justified by the international law. Suum cuique, let every one have his own, and there will be a piece in Bosnia, as runs a common proverb among Croats. The small nations have a right to existence and to work out their own destinies according to the laws of nature and its Author.

THE PROGRAMME OF THE CROATIAN PARTY OF RIGHT

The party aims at the realization of Croatian constitutional law, and of the natural rights of the Croatian nation, in the sense of the following articles:

1. Revival or re-establishment of the united kingdom of Croatia, including Slavonia, by the reincorporation of Dal-matia, the city of Fiume and its district, Bosnia, Herczego-vina, Istria, Camiolia, Carinthia and Styria, for the people living therein demand union and independence.

2. The constitution, liberty and independence of the united Croatia is to be secured and guaranteed by special fundamental law, to be passed by the Croatian Parliament and sanctioned by the king.

3. The legislation for this united Croatian kingdom is to be carried out for all branches of life of the state by the Croatian Parliament, in direct agreement with His Majesty.

4. The affairs which result from the Pragmatic Sanction shall be treated by the Croatian kingdom on equal terms with the kingdom of Hungary and with other lands of His Majesty.

5. The executive power shall be exercised by the government responsible to the Croatian Parliament, and at its head shall stand the Ban, who is to be appointed by His Majesty on the proposal of the Croatian Parliament.

.^

/

Prof. V. Klai6, Povjest Hrvata (History of the Croats), 4 voL, Zagreb, 1901.

, Geschichte Bosniens, Leipzig, 1885.

Prof. Dr. S. Srkulj, Izvori za hrvatsku povjest (Documents of History of Croatia), Zagreb, 1910.

Hrvatske Narodne pjesme (Croat National* Songs), published by Matica Hrvatska, 5 vol., Zagreb.

Miller, Travels and Politics in the Near East, London, 1889.

Gobdevid, Serbien und die Serben, Leipzig, 1888.

Chedo Mijatovid, Servia and the Servians, London, 1908.

. , in Chicago Tribune, Murder of King

Alexander and Queen Draga.

Geoffrey Drake, Austria-Hungary, London, 1909.

Steed, H. W., The Habsburgh Monarchy, London, 1918.

^tead, Servia by the Servians, London, 1909.

Jiricek, Geschichte der Serben, Gotha, 1911.

Prof. Dr. Joseph Plivelid, Der Kroatische Staat, Zagreb, 1887.

., Beitrage zum Ungarisch-Kroatischen

Bundesrechte, Zagreb, 1886.

Seton Watson, R. W., Southern Slav Question, the, London, 191L

, The Future of Austria-Hungary and

the attitude of the Great Powers, London, 1907.

Eusebius Fermendzin, reverend the, Acta Bosnae, Zagreb.

Prof. Jablanovid, Bosna i hrvatsko drzavno pravo (Bosnia and State Right of Croatia-das Staatrecht), Sarajevo.

Statesman's Year Book, London, 1915.

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