Ivan Mažuranić

Ivan Mažuranić
Portrait of Ivan Mažuranić
Ban of Croatia-Slavonia
In office
20 September 1873 – 21 February 1880
MonarchFranz Joseph I
Preceded byAntun Vakanović
Succeeded byLadislav Pejačević
Personal details
Born(1814-08-11)11 August 1814
Died4 August 1890(1890-08-04) (aged 75)
PartyPeople's Party
Independent People's Party
SpouseAleksandra Demeter
RelativesIvana Brlić-Mažuranić (granddaughter)
Alma materUniversity of Zagreb
University of West Hungary
OccupationPoet, lawyer, politician
Known forThe Death of Smail-aga Čengić (poem)
Signature
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Ivan Mažuranić (pronounced [ǐʋan maʒǔranitɕ]; 11 August 1814 – 4 August 1890) was a Croatian poet, linguist, lawyer and politician who is considered to be one of the most important figures in Croatia's political and cultural life in the mid-19th century. Mažuranić served as Ban of Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia between 1873 and 1880, and since he was the first ban not to hail from old nobility, he was known as Ban pučanin (Ban commoner).

His realistic assessment of strengths and weaknesses of Croatia's position between the hammer of Austrian bureaucracy and the anvil of Hungarian expansionist nationalism were seen as invaluable to his country during times of significant political turmoil. Mažuranić is best remembered for his contributions in the development of the Croatian law system, economics, linguistics, and poetry.