East
Cradle of Slovenia’s most powerful family Three stars in the flag of Slovenia still remind us today of a long forgotten European power; the Counts of Celje who had their cradle in the east of Slovenia. Through heroic actions, clever politics and strategic marriages the dynasty from Celje became a substantial power in the late middle ages. In the 14th century the Lords of Žovnek from the Savinja valley moved to Celje Castle after inheriting the town of Celje. The castle on top of the rock that towers high above the city became the centre from where the dynasty began its march to a central European superpower. In 1341 emperor Louis IV of Bavaria granted the Slovenian family the title of Counts. In the second half of the 14th century the Counts of Celje started to expand their power to Eastern Europe, a region the more powerful Habsburgs didn’t seem to have much interest in. The Habsburg had most of
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The Slovenia Times | Summer guide 2013
Europe, including the west of Slovenia and Ljubljana, under their control. After a series of marriages, the dynasty from Celje owned more than twenty castles in Slovenia and the rest of Central and East Europe and had influence throughout all of Europe. At the end of the 14th century Herman II was the sole master of the Celje dynasty. During a battle against the Turks, Herman rescued Hungarian king Sigismund of Luxemburg from the river Danube. For Herman’s heroic action the house of Celje was rewarded even more property in present day Hungary and Croatia. Herman’s successor, his son Ulrich II, became the most powerful count of Celje. Ulrich fought wars against the Habsburgs which ended with a peace agreement according to which the dynasties would inherit each other’s estates when one would die out.
,,In Prekmurje you have to try some Prekmurska gibanca. This cake with poppy seeds, walnuts, apples and raisins is a local specialty with a protected status from the EU.”
For the Celje dynasty the end would come soon. On the morning of 9 October 1456 Ulrich and his Hungarian rival Ladislaus Hunjadi were in the Castle of Belgrade. In the castle it came to a fight between Ulrich and Ladislaus. It became a long fight that ended when Ladislaus beheaded Ulrich. The last Count of Celje had already outlived his children, thus came the mighty dynasty from Celje to a violent end in Belgrade. The people in the east of Slovenia weren’t unhappy with the death of Ulrich. The Counts of Celje were known as tyrants. At the funeral of Ulrich in Celje people shouted: ‘Counts of Celje today and never again’. All estates and properties of the Counts went to the Habsburgs who since then ruled over the current Slovenia. Slovenia never had people as powerful as the Counts of Celje again.