Ban (title)
The title of Ban [ba ː n] or Banus (Hungarian bán ) has been used in many countries of Central and Southeast Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century as a term for dignitaries and is either Avar or Illyrian origin. The title corresponds approximately to that of a Marquis, but in Croatia, which was for many centuries nominally a kingdom, this title corresponded to that of a viceroy. The territory over which there was a ban, " banat " or " Banat " was (Hungarian bánság, Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian banovina ) called. The most important Banats (or Banate ) were those of Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Bosnia, Machów and Szörény.
Word origin
It is believed that the word comes from the Ban Sarmatian word bajan, which means " leader". The word still exists today in many place names. After the Yugoslav Romanists Petar Skok itself derives from Banat Avar princely title from ban. Other theories relate to the Illyrian origin and the Illyrian name Banius whose existence is suspected on the basis of Bosnian finds. According to one theory the title ban from the name of an Avar Khagan ( Bayan ) was derived. Also the pan Slavic word for "Lord" is often associated with it. According to Anton Scherer Bulgarians should have called their governor " Bane ". What is certain is that the Bulgarian aristocracy was called boil (from which later the title Boljar developed ) and there was a ruler name Bat- bajan.
Kingdom of Hungary
In the Kingdom of Hungary, there were several Bane. Besides the name of the Slavic princes in Croatia, Slavonia, Dalmatia and Bosnia, the title was initially well as the name of the top dignitaries.
Later in the Hungarian imperial history, this title became a Erzamt. The title of Ban described the province administrator of Croatia, Slavonia and several eastern boundary markers Hungary in Wallachia (now Romania). These provinces were referred to as " Banate ," the Croatian lands as " Banats ".
What today under the name ( Temes ) Banat is understood, is never a Banat in the true sense of the word was, and was only after the Treaty of Passarowitz (1718 ) referred to as " Banatus Temesvariensis " summarily as Banat, during the Peace of Karlovitz (1699 ), this area still describes as " Provincia Temesvariensis ".
Kingdom of Croatia - Slavonia
Since the personal union of Croatia with Hungary 1102, the Ban was appointed by the Hungarian King and sworn at the Diet, but not for life. He practiced in the political, juridical and military affairs the supreme power almost absolute, and was in his district as the next to the king.
The Ban was since the 14th century, the highest representative of the State in Croatia as deputy to the outside of the country ( in Hungary and Vienna) resident monarch. The title of the ban is regarded as confirmation of the independence of Croatia and the traditional autonomy of the Croatian state over the centuries.
The Ban of Croatia was third among the ore, crown and kingdom officials of the Kingdom of Hungary. At the coronation ceremony, he wore the orb. Formerly he had a duty to protect the borders of Hungary and the people to do justice in peacetime. As a result of this important office fell into decay. Although it was produced with significant rights again in the 17th and 18th centuries, his sphere was far limited partly by the introduced boundary condition, and partly by other changes.
The since the Battle of Mohács further advancing Turkish power gradually devoured all Banats to the united Dalmatia and Croatia - Slavonia, which retained a ban. But his power was very limited, as a part of the Turks, the other occupied the imperial military commander. The 1746 assessment undertaken during the establishment of the Military Frontier separation of civil and military affairs, the latter being assigned to the Viennese Court War Council, the Ban limited even more; on the other hand, he received the management of Maria Theresa from the Hungarian counties Pozsega (Croatian Požega ) Verőce (Croatian Virovitica ) and Srem ( Croatian / Serbian Syrmia ) formed Slavonia.
Due to the imposed Austrian constitution of 4 March 1849 which redefined Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia to a suitable Crown land, the Banus was independent of Hungary and independent governor in his district with the same authority as the governor of the remaining crown lands. Ban Josip Jelacic was directly appointed by the Austrian Emperor.
With the Hungarian- Croatian compensation 1868 Ban of Croatia and Slavonia a Hungarian government was ordered and appointed by the governor again. The Ban headquartered in Zagreb were under, inter alia, the Croatian- Slavonian Honvéd units. The implementation of other provisions of the Hungarian- Croatian compensation has also been hesitant, however, so the following decades were marked by clashes between Zagreb and the Hungarian central government in Budapest. Last Ban within the Hungarian kingdom was Antun Mihalovič (June 29, 1917 to January 20, 1919 ). After a short period of autocracy Croatia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
With the abandonment of the historical provinces of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1921 the Office of the Banus was abolished. Last Ban was Tomislav Tomljenović (March 2, 1921 to July 3, 1921 ). During the construction of a royal dictatorship under Alexander Karadjordjević and the subsequent administrative reform in 1929 nine Banats or Banate were founded, their appointed governor of the title Ban led. A reform that nine Banate in three ethnic Banate - one Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian Banat - remodel, only partly ( Banovina of Croatia ) took place against the German invasion in 1941 instead.