On the Habsburg's behalf,
Nikola Jurišić and three other diplomats, successfully convened Croatian Sabor. The Croatian nobles met at Cetin on 31 December 1526, to discuss their strategy and choose a new leader. The Austrian Archduke Ferdinand also sent his envoys to be present at the time of the parliament session. The assembly occurred in the
Franciscan monastery of St. Mary below the
Cetin Castle in the settlement of
Cetingrad. At that time, the owner of the castle and the surrounding estate, where the assembly was held, was the Croatian nobleman
Juraj III Frankopan. Advocates of both options, after a long debate, finally agreed on Ferdinand on 1 January 1527. The election of Ferdinand was a natural one because he was not only the powerful
Archduke of Austria, he also ruled the lands of Croatia's
Slavic neighbours, the
Slovenes, as both
Duke of Carinthia and
Carniola. Ferdinand I was elected the new King of Croatia, and the assembly "confirmed the succession to him and his heirs". The horsemen would be divided between the noblemen, and even among those who didn't participate at the election, but probably supported the outcome (like Budački, Drašković, Patačić, Ajtić, Tomašić, Farkašić and so on).
Charter in
Vienna. The charter signed by the Croatian nobles, which bears a fine example of the
chequered seal of Croatia, is claimed as "among the most important documents of Croatian statehood", showing a special political status of Croatia at that time coming out of it. The charter confirmed at the same time the ancient rights of Croatian nobility to self-regulate the major issues – among which was the election of a king – freely and independently, regardless of opinion or decision of
Hungarian Diet, since the two countries were in the personal union from 1102. The text of the Charter contains first the listing of names of the present Croatian high nobility members, church dignitaries and low nobility members, as well as names and titles of Ferdinand's
plenipotentiaries, then the quotation of arguments for the legally valid election of a Habsburger to be the hereditary ruler of Croatia, further the declaratory statement of recognition and announcement of the Austrian archduke as king and his wife
Anna (sister of Louis II) as queen, and finally "the swearing-in of loyalty, obedience and allegiance". Place and date of issue are specified at the end of the text as well. The mentioned Croatian nobles are Andrija the
Bishop of Knin and
Abbot of
Topusko,
Ivan Karlović of
Krbava,
Nikola III Zrinski, brothers Krsto II and Vuk I Frankopan of Tržac,
Juraj III Frankopan of
Slunj, Stjepan
Blagajski, Krsto
Peranski, Bernard Tumpić
Zečevski (of Zečevo), Ivan
Kobasić Brikovički (of
Brekovica), Pavao Janković, Gašpar Križanić, Toma Čipčić, Mihajlo
Skoblić, Nikola
Babonožić, Grgur Otmić, noble judge of the
Zagreb County, Antun Otmić, Ivan
Novaković, Pavao
Izačić, Gašpar
Gusić, and Stjepan Zimić, while the Austrian
plenipotentiaries present were Paul von Oberstein (
Provost of
Vienna and Ferdinand's
Geheimrat),
Nikola Jurišić and
Ivan Katzianer (Ferdinand's chief military commanders), and Johann Püchler (
Prefect of the town of Mehov).
Seals Beneath the text there are six seals of most notable Croatian magnates and dignitaries to verify the Charter, as well in the middle a seal of the Kingdom of Croatia, in the following sequence:
Left side •
Andrija Tuškanić (or Andrija Mišljenović Uzdoljski), Bishop of Knin •
Ivan Karlović, from the
Kurjaković branch of the
Gusić's,
Ban of Croatia 1521–1524 and 1527–1531. •
Nikola III Zrinski, from the
Zrinski branch of the
Šubić's.
Center • A chequered seal of the Kingdom of Croatia.
Right side •
Juraj III Frankopan, from the
Slunj branch of the Frankopan's. • Vuk I Frankopan, from the
Tržac branch of the Frankopan's. • Stjepan IX Blagajski, from the
Blagaj branch of the
Babonić's. ==Aftermath==