Page 168 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2026 Skladateljska društva nekoč in danes.../Composers’ Societies Past and Present...

Skladateljska društva nekoč in danes | Composers’ Societies Past and Present
of Hungary had indeed ceased in 1848, but that it could be renewed if Hun-
gary recognised the autonomy and territorial unity of the Triune King-
24
dom. This conclusion, also sanctioned by the king, presented the basis
for Croatian-Hungarian relations in the following years, until the Croa-
tian-Hungarian settlement was concluded in 1868.
When the Austrian-Hungarian Compromise, or the Ausgleich, was
concluded in 1867, the Croatian Parliament was among those that refused
to accept state dualism and was thus dissolved, and the Ban Josip Šokčević,
25
a member of the National Party, resigned. Instead, Levin Rauch, a member
of the Unionist Party, was appointed as locumtenens banalis, with the task
to ensure the new dualistic order was accepted. The Croatian Royal Com-
mittee (composed completely of Unionists) was appointed, and it reached
the Croatian-Hungarian Compromise with the Hungarian Royal Commit-
tee in 1868. By that Compromise, the Hungarian side acknowledged Croa-
tia within its entire territory, Croatia and Slavonia were recognised as “po-
litical nations”, and the Croatian language was proclaimed as official in the
legislature, judiciary, and administration. The Parliament remained the su-
preme legislative body, and the Croatian Ban kept his position as the high-
est executive power (while the Hungarian Minister President had the right
26
to propose a candidate for the position). The state affairs were divided
onto “joint affairs” (those related to the financing of the royal court, mat-
ters of the army, and financial matters, including taxation, trade and relat-
ed legislature), and “autonomous affairs” (internal affairs, matters of culture
27
and education, and judiciary, with the exception of naval law). The Croa-
tian-Hungarian Compromise remained the basis of their relations for the
remainder of the Habsburg Empire.
The last third of the 19th century was marked by terms in office of two
Bans: a modernising period under Ivan Mažuranić (1873–1880) and “the
years of lead” under Károly Khuen-Héderváry (1883–1903). Mažuranić’s
time in office was marked by modernising efforts, modelled on similar pro-
cesses conducted in the rest of the Habsburg Empire and Europe at large,
earning him the nickname “the reformer Ban”. He introduced reforms
in the areas of judiciary, administration, and education. Through them,

24 Markus, “Trojedna Kraljevina Hrvatska, Slavonija i Dalmacija od 1790. do 1918.,”
13–4.
25 Ibid., 15.
26 “Croatian-Hungarian Compromise,” Arts. §50, §51, §57, §59, §60, https://www.fhs
.hr/_download/repository/Hrvatsko-ugarska_nagodba_%281868.%29.pdf.
27 Ibid., Arts. §6, §7, §8, §9, §10, §48.

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