Ozalj Castle

The Ozalj fortress, located on the stone cliff perched above the Kupa River, is one of the best-known fortifications of this type in Croatia. It is a very old stronghold (first mentioned in 1244) that has been converted into a castle. The popularity of this castle is because this was the joint castle of the Croatian noble families of Frankopan and Zrinski. In fact, it was the scene of the ill-fated Zrinski–Frankopan conspiracy, which significantly marked the history of Croatia. In the castle there is a museum and a library, and it is in a relatively good state of repair.

Ozalj was mentioned on 22 February 1481 in a document freeing the citizens of Grič from tariffs in Ozalj and elsewhere.{{cite book |date=1894 |first=Ivan Krstitelj |last=Tkalčić |chapter=Communitate civitatis zagrabiensis accusante, congregatio generalis nobilium regni Slavoniae, nobilibus quibusdam interdicit, ne a mercatoribus zagrabiensis tributum pro merce cogant |pages=406 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mdw4AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA406 |title=Monumenta historica liberae regiae civitatis Zagrabiae, metropolis Regni Dalmatiae, Croatiae et Slavoniae |volume=II |quote=Stephanus, comes Segnie in tenutis suis, videlicet: sub castro Ozel, Lukowdol, Rybnyk, Kaysyth, Morawicza, Dehnycze, Loqua, Brood, Hrelyn, Verbowzko, Modrusse, Thowi, Grobnyk et Dubowecz |language=la}}

At the Slavonian Sabor of June 1579 in Zagreb, the dange of leaving the river crossings at Sveti Jakov, Luka and Rečica unguarded was noted, so for their fortification the Sabor allocated workers from the feudal estates of Ozalj, Jastrebarsko, Steničnjak, Završje, Slavetić, Turanj (Sveta Jana) and Kaptol Zagrebački.{{cite book |date=1917-07-13 |orig-date=written 1579-02-25 |editor-first=Ferdo |editor-last=Šišić |chapter=aključci hrvatsko-slavonskoga sabora sazvana u Zagreb za 24. februara 1579. |pages=19–28 |title=Hrvatski saborski spisi |series=Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium |volume=XLI,IV |url=http://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:275:730528 |location=Zagreb |language=hr}}{{rp|24}}

During the fortification of Karlovac in 1588, Dubovac was part of its supply chain, being counted together with Dubovac, Novigrad, Bosiljevo and Ribnik. Ozalj owed the same as all of these four.{{cite book |date=1917-07-13 |orig-date=written 1588-07-26 |editor-first=Ferdo |editor-last=Šišić |chapter=Zaključci hrvatsko-slavonskoga sabora sazvana u Zagreb za 24. jula |pages=238–244 |title=Hrvatski saborski spisi |series=Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium |volume=XLI,IV |url=http://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:275:730528 |location=Zagreb |language=la |quote=Literae scribendae serenissimo arehiduci Ferdinando ratione domini Tersachky pro pertinentiis castri Zeweryn.}}{{rp|241}} Each owed 6 carts of timber,{{cite book |date=1917-07-13 |orig-date=written 1589-05-29 |editor-first=Ferdo |editor-last=Šišić |chapter=Zaključci hrvatsko-slavonskoga sabora sazvana u Zagreb za 29. maja |pages=245–252 |title=Hrvatski saborski spisi |series=Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium |volume=XLI,IV |url=http://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:275:730528 |location=Zagreb |language=la}}{{rp|246}} and although there were complaints about the conduct of the soldiers stationed in Karlovac, the order was complied with.{{cite book |date=1917-07-13 |orig-date=written 1589-05-29 |editor-first=Ferdo |editor-last=Šišić |chapter=Odgovor hrvatskih staleža na predloge nadvojvode Karla |pages=252–257 |title=Hrvatski saborski spisi |series=Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium |volume=XLI,IV |url=http://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:275:730528 |location=Zagreb |language=la}}{{rp|254}}

For the fortification of Ivanić line in 1598, Ozalj had to supply 25 labourers.{{cite book |date=1917-07-13 |orig-date=written 1598-04-14 |editor-first=Ferdo |editor-last=Šišić |chapter=Zaključci hrvatsko-slavonskoga sabora sazvana u Zagrebu za 14. aprila |pages=375–379 |title=Hrvatski saborski spisi |series=Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium |volume=XLI,IV |url=http://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:275:730528 |location=Zagreb |language=la}}{{rp|376}}

In 1605, General Veit Khisl had to defend some of his Karlovac-based German soldiers regarding an incident that occurred in 1603. He and his men were headed for the war against the Turks, and they paid for drinks from a widow in a nearby village. One of the soldiers ended up cursing at a woman, at which the widow protested with such force that up to 100 villagers attacked the soldiers, killing two and detaining many others. General Khisl protested the incident to the administrator of the Ozalj estate, Petar Baljardić, who promised recompense, but the soldiers never received it. Since Nikola Zrinski's men would not come to the Military Tribunal in Karlovac, Khisl asked Austrian Archduke Ferdinand II to compel them to.{{cite book |date=1884-12-31 |orig-date=written 1605-01-05 |first=Veit |last=Khisl |author-link=Veit Khisl |editor-first=Radoslav |editor-last=Lopašić |chapter=General Vid Kisel (Khisl) izvješćuje nadvojvodu Ferdinanda na tužbe kneza (Nikole) Zrinskoga, da Karlovčani svoje konje pasu po livadih knezova Zrinskih onako, kao što je običaj vladao za prijašnjih generala, odkako je Karlovac sagradjen |page=333 |chapter-url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924009094867&seq=369 |title=Spomenici Hrvatske krajine |location=Zagreb |series=Monumenta spectantia Monumenta spectantia Historiam Slavorum Meridionalium |volume=XV,I |language=hr}}

File:Schloss Ozalj0009.JPG|Entrance to the castle.

File:Ozalj Castle.jpg|Castle from across Kupa river.

File:OZALJ (3).jpg|Renovated castle wing and inner courtyard

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• Frankopan
• Zrinski
• Zrinski–Frankopan conspiracy

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• {{cite magazine|url=https://hrvatski-vojnik.hr/stari-grad-ozalj/|title=Stari grad Ozalj|last=Buljan|first=Josip|magazine=Hrvatski vojnik|issue=608|date=10 July 2020|issn=1333-9036|language=hr|access-date=22 July 2020}}

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Category:Castles in Croatia

Category:Museums in Croatia

Category:Frankopan family

Category:Zrinski family

Category:Buildings and structures in Karlovac County

Category:Tourist attractions in Karlovac County

Category:Castle museums

Category:Local museums in Croatia

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