Nikola III Zrinski

Image of Nikola III Zrinski on a silver thaler minted in Gvozdansko

Nikola III Zrinski (English: Nicholas III Zrinski, Hungarian: Zrínyi III. Miklós), (*1488 or 1489(?); †Zrin, 1534), was a Croatian nobleman, a member of the Zrinski noble family, influential in the Croato-Hungarian Kingdom.

Life

Born as the son of Petar II Zrinski (1435-1493), who had fallen in the battle of Krbava field, Nikola III Zrinski lived on his large Zrin estate in central Croatia. He was married to Jelena Karlović, the princess of Krbava, a sister of Ivan Karlović, future Ban (Viceroy) of Croatia. She bore him six children, among them Nikola Šubić Zrinski, one of the greatest military leaders in Croatian history and a national hero both in Croatia and in Hungary.

Nikola is known for his attendance at Croatian Parliament on Cetin, where Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, was elected the new king of Croatia on January 1, 1527. Among the seals of six Croatian noblemen on the charter confirming the election there is also his seal. Moreover, some historians believe that Zrinski was the one who played the crucial role for Ferdinand's choice.

In his castle Gvozdansko, not far from Zrin, he had his own silver coins minted, like his father had done before. There were silver, gold and lead ore mines, smelteries, foundries and mints in his property.

In the time of the threatening Ottoman danger, Nikola III Zrinski died in Zrin and was buried in the neighbouring Franciscan church of St. Margaret (according to some historians: church of St. Mary Magdalene). He was succeeded by his son Nikola IV, future Ban of Croatia and hero of Szigetvár.

External links

• Nikola III Zrinski in an essay of the archaeological topography of the regions Kostajnica and Dvor (author: Ivan Mirnik)
• The pedigree of Nikola III Zrinski
• The mining and minting rights of Croatian aristocracy

Persondata
Name	Nikola III Zrinski
Alternative names
Short description	Croat Noble
Date of birth	1489
Place of birth
Date of death	1534
Place of death	Zrin Castle