Petar Keglević

Who was Petar Keglević?

Petar Keglević of Bužim was the ban of Croatia and Slavonia from 1537 to 1542.

He was captain from 1521 to 1522 and later ban of Jajce. In 1526, some months before the battle of Mohács, he got the jus gladii, even though he did not take part in the battle. From 1533 to 1537, he was the royal commissary for Croatia and Slavonia as attorney general. From 1537 to 1542, he was the ban of Croatia and Slavonia.

The battle of Mohács was very traumatic. The history of the persons who were relevant after that - among them also Petar Keglević - is described again and again. A part of Zagreb is still named after him. He distinguished himself in battles against the Ottoman Empire and he achieved a special agreement. After the battle of Mohács, he sided with Emperor Ferdinand against János Szapolyai. Zápolya had made a Franco-Hungarian alliance. Petar Keglević made a special agreement with the Ottoman Empire. The result was a Franco-Ottoman alliance and as an unintended consequence moved Jeronimo Bassano from Venice to England. This architecture of Europe should kept for centuries.

He increased his family's holdings through purchases and royal gifts.