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Josip Jelačić of Bužim (born 1801 in Petrovaradin, died 1859 in Zagreb; also spelled Jellachich) was the Ban of Croatia between March 23rd, 1848 and May 19, 1859.
Jelačić pursued a successful military career after schooling in the Vienna Theresianum, serving in Galicia, in Italy (1830-1835), and in the Croatian-Slavonian Military Frontier.
During the Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas, the Habsburg Empire needed immediate help to battle the revolutionaries in Hungary which aimed to seize power over most of the monarchy and also void Croatia's autonomy. The Croatian Parliament appointed ban Jelačić in attempt to counter that threat in March 1848, a decision supported by the Emperor Ferdindand V shortly thereafter. The new ban, also promoted to lieutenant-field marshal, proceeded to sever all official ties with Hungary, and though the Austrians superficially opposed this act of disobedience, they needed his immediate help against the mounting threat from Lajos Batthyany's forces.
By September, discord between the Hungarians and the Croatians escalated, and Jelačić declared war, leading a 40,000 strong military force from Croatia into Hungary, becoming the Austrian governor of Hungary until the battle of Pakozd when the Hungarians pushed him out. He proceeded to quell rebellion in Vienna and joined field marshal Windischgrätz's forces in retaking control over Budapest.
After the war the Empire's new constitution stripped the local authorities in Hungary of their political power, but this punishment also affected Croatia despite its assistance to the imperial cause during the revolution.
In 1854, Jelačić was awarded with the title count (of Bužim). He remained in office until his death in 1859.
Other than for his military successes, Jelačić is mainly remembered for his proclamation of the abolishment of serfdom and calling the elections for Parliament (on May 18, 1848), marking the beginning of a modern age in Croatia.
The central square of the city of Zagreb is named after Jelačić. The square features a large statue of the ban on a horse, created by Austrian sculptor Anton Dominik Fernkorn. The statue was originally installed on 19 October, 1866, but removed in 1947 as the new Communist government of Yugoslavia denounced Jelačić as an Austrian collaborator. The statue was reinstated in 1990 after Croatia regained independence.
The picture of Josip Jelačić appears on the 20 kuna banknote.
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