CLISSA: A STUDY IN GREY ROCK
Shakespeare, who had a taste for placing his scenes in this part of the world, lays here the action in Twelfth Night. In 1809 Buonaparte revived the ancient name, and included in it many of the more northern states such as Carinthia, Carniola, Istria, and Croatia. As a matter of fact this was a statesmanlike plan, as most of these peoples were Slav, and the fact of being united under the ancient name roused enthusiasm among them. There was a newspaper established called The Illyrian Telegraph. The poet Vodnik wrote an ode called “Risen Illyria,” part of which is given in the translation of Louis Leger’s History of Austria-Hungary:
Napoleon has said: “Awake! Arise Illyria!” She wakes, she sighs. “Who calls me to the light? Oh great hero, is it thou who wakest me? Thou reachest to me thy mighty hand, thou liftest me up.
“Our race shall be glorified, I dare to hope. A miracle shall take place, I dare to prophesy.”
“Napoleon penetrates into the land of the Slovenes, a whole generation springs from the earth.
“Resting one hand on Gaul, I give the other to Greece that I may save her. At the head of Greece is Corinth; in the centre of Europe is Illyria. Corinth is called the eye of Greece; Illyria shall be the jewel of the whole world.”
Even when in 1816 these provinces were restored to Austria she retained the name of Illyria for some time, but it was dropped in 1849.
The two provinces, districts, countries—call them what you will—of Croatia-Slavonia fall within the bounds of Hungary, and the rest here described within the empire of Austria. It is since the rearrangement of 1867 that the first-named Dual province has been incorporated with Hungary, and it cannot, under the present constitution, deal directly with the monarch, but only approach him through the Hungarian minister. It shares, as do all the little countries of the Dual Monarchy, in the common army, the post-office, and the financial dealings of the whole, yet it has a measure of independence, for it is governed internally by its own Ban, which odd name signifies its head man, who would be called President elsewhere. The Ban is nominated by the Hungarian Prime Minister, though appointed by the monarch, and Croatia-Slavonia sends deputies to the Hungarian House, and has also its own Diet with ninety members for the transaction of provincial matters.
The state claims to be the oldest complete one included in the Dual Monarchy, and dates its independent history back to 924, when Tomislav welded the country together under his own leadership, and became king. Since that date the Croatians have shared kings with Hungary more than once, and the present system of a monarch in common is not at all novel; but, whereas the Croatians look upon the situation as embracing two equal nations joined by the tie of a common monarch, the Hungarians are apt to regard Croatia-Slavonia as a province under Hungary. It is obvious that both parties will constantly find grievances to discuss when their views are so diametrically opposite.
At any rate Croatian is the official tongue, and it resembles Servian more than Hungarian. Public instruction, legislation, and the commands in the territorial army are carried out in this tongue, and the national spirit can thereby find outlet. But it is a sore point that taxes are imposed by the Hungarian parliament, even though forty Croatian representatives go to the Lower and three to the Upper house of Hungary. A certain proportion of the money collected in taxes is handed back for local purposes, and this amount is constantly being revised.