Hi friends. You’d think lockdowns give you more free time – apparently not! 😅 Anyway, I’m back, and I hope today’s story from a lesser-known corner of Croatian history goes well with your cup of coffee.
Today, we’re talking about Matija Gubec, the Croatian Spartacus who led a peasant revolution back in the 16th century.
I know it was a long time ago – 1500s and peasants – and who cares, right? Feudalism is gone (well… :D). But hear me out. Matija’s life, and especially his brutal death, turned him into a living legend. Battalions of the WWII Partisan army fought under his name, kids across Croatia learn about him early in school, musicians sing songs in his honor, and his village keeps a special memory of him alive, which I’ll reveal at the end. But first, let’s hop into the time machine.
Croatia in the 16th century: a feudalist frontier fighting the Ottomans
The year was 1573. Northern Croatia – lush green hills, thick forests, and the village of Stubica. Life under feudalism meant there were two kinds of people: those who owned the land (nobles and the Church) and those who worked it (peasants, serfs).
Peasants were required to give a portion of their harvest or income to landlords. They worked in cruel conditions, lived in crushing poverty, had no access to medical care, and could barely feed their families — all while the country faced constant external threats.
The Ottoman army had already conquered much of Croatia and was now pushing north. In response, the nobility began squeezing the peasants even harder: raising taxes, demanding unpaid labor to build fortifications, and forcing them into military service.
One noble in particular, Franjo Tahy, ruled over the Stubica region. His name became synonymous with cruelty.
Some villages even wrote to the Ottoman sultan, offering to surrender in exchange for fairer treatment. That’s how desperate they were. But others chose a different path.
Winter of 1573: The peasant uprising & the rise of “King Matija”
Beneath the shade of an old linden tree in the spring of 1572, talk of rebellion began. Over the following months, Matija Gubec organized military plans and helped establish a kind of peasant government. Charismatic and determined, he quickly became a leader people were ready to follow.
Then, on January 28, 1573, the Peasant Revolt erupted across large swaths of Croatia and into neighboring Slovenia. Over 12,000 peasants took part, led by their self-proclaimed “peasant king” — Matija Gubec.
The nobility, shaken and panicked, scrambled to raise armies. The peasants fought fiercely, with nothing left to lose, but they stood little chance against organized, well-equipped baronial forces.
After just under two weeks, on February 9, 1573, the revolt was crushed. Over 3,000 peasants were killed, and many more were captured and executed. Matija and his closest allies were among those taken alive.
Public execution in Zagreb: the making of a legend
A week later, Matija was dragged to St. Mark’s Square in Zagreb. First, he was forced to watch the execution of his comrades. Then came the most grotesque part.
Mocking his title of “peasant king,” the nobility placed a red-hot iron crown on his head. He was paraded through the streets, tortured, and finally quartered – a fate that stunned even the citizens of the time.
What happened to Baron Tahy?
Tahy lived on, sickly but still cruel. He had his own tombstone prepared and placed in the local church. But legend says that moisture began to form on the stone – “bloody sweat,” the locals whispered, as justice found him in hell.
Whether that’s true or not, the tombstone now rests in the Museum of the Peasants’ Revolt.
Fun fact: Tahy was married to the sister of Nikola Zrinski, a noble lionized in Croatian nationalist history. But as the great Croatian writer Miroslav Krleža once pointed out:
”There is no such (Croatian) national pride that would make peace between the (Croatian) peasant and the (Croatian) nobleman.”
Why such a cruel death?
Gubec’s punishment wasn’t just about stopping a revolt – it was about sending a message. In the eyes of the nobility, he wasn’t just a rebel – he was a direct threat to their God-given authority. They ruled by divine right. Anyone who dared rise up had to be crushed spectacularly.
For centuries, history books celebrated the aristocracy, glossing over stories like Gubec’s. It wasn’t until much later that the real heroes – the common folk, the nobodies who rose up – started receiving recognition.
Matija Gubec’s legacy today
During World War II, partisan fighters invoked Gubec’s name in their fight against fascism. Streets across Croatia bear his name – it’s arguably the most common street name in the country. He became the subject of Croatia’s first rock opera (“Gubec-beg”), and some of the country’s greatest writers and artists have honored him in books, films, and sculpture.
One sculpture stands proudly in his native village. 6.5 meters tall, it shows Gubec with his arms raised, surveying the land. The statue stands in front of a massive relief wall illustrating daily life and beliefs of the peasants – and their final stand in the 1573 revolt.
The linden tree still stands
Remember the linden tree where the rebellion began? It’s still there. Over 400 years old, 9 meters tall, and blooming every summer.
You can visit it, along with the monument and the museum – all within walking distance. And yes, there’s even a small local café under the tree where you can sit, sip coffee, and reflect. Look closely, and you’ll see a sign that reads: Buna traje.
The rebellion lives on.
If you decide to explore the area on your own, here’s what you can do:
- Uber taxi from the Zagreb city center will cost you around 50 euros in one direction (the ride takes about an hour)
- Tram from the central railway station can take you towards Varaždin. In Zabok you’ll transfer to Gornja Stubica. When you get there, you’ll have to walk for a while, but hey, the nature is nice.
- Or you can ask a tour guide to show you around and make a customized tour according to your interests. Coincidentally, I happen to be one 🙂
If you’d like to know more, have questions, or just want to share your thoughts — feel free to leave a comment or reach out!
