Bloody Sabor of Križevci

painting by Oton Iveković

Holy Cross church in Križevci-the site of massacre

Bloody Sabor of Križevci or Bloody Parliament Session or Križevci Bloody Assembly (Croatian: Krvavi Sabor u Križevcima, Krvavi sabor križevački) was organised killing of the Croatian ban Stjepan Lacković and his followers by King Sigismund, in Križevci, Croatia on 27 February 1397.

Prelude

King Sigismund called for the Sabor in city of Križevci and issued a written guarantee (saluus conductus) stating he would not attempt personal revenge on the opponents or harm them in any way. But, he organised the killing of the Croatian Ban Stjepan Lacković and his followers for supporting the opponent king candidate Ladislaus of Naples. The Croatian law dictated that no one could enter the Sabor with arms, so Ban Lacković and his supporters left their arms in front of the church. Lacković's supporting troops also remained outside the town. The king's supporters, on the other hand, were already in the church, fully armed. In the turbulent debate that followed, the king's supporters accused Lacković for treason in Battle of Nicopolis. Harsh words were used, fight started, and the king's vassals pulled their swords in front of the king, gutted Ban Lacković , his nephew Andrija and supporting nobility.

Aftermath

On the news of the Ban's death, the Croatian army rushed to Križevci and the battle with Sigismund supporters. In an unequal struggle thirty Croats fell, before they retreated.

Enraged Croatian nobility, led by Stjepan Prodavić, once again tried to revenge to king, but they were suppressed, and Sigismund used the opportunity with his subjects on March 2 crossed Drava river and fled to Hungary. Two days later he issued in Žakanj the famous charter by which city Čakovec, Međimurje and other estates of Stjepan Lacković were donated to his loyal subjects, among the first Herman Celjski.

Bloody Sabor resulted in Sigismund's fear of the revenge of Lacković's men, new rebellions of the nobles in Croatia and Bosnia, the death of 170 Bosnian nobles who were killed by Sigismund, and selling off Dalmatia to Venice for 100,000 ducats by Ladislaus of Naples. Finally, after 25 years of fighting, Sigismund succeeded in seizing power and was recognized as a king.