Croatian prince Petar Zrinski, a daring hero in the war with the Turks and a rebel against the Habsburg Monarchy, wrote one of the most memorable letters in the Croatian language.
povjesni.net
He and his brother in law Fran Krsto Frankopan were accused for conspiracy against Habsburg Monarchy in the times when Croatia was part of this monarchy. After long-term investigation, Zrinski and Frankopan were sentenced to death by cutting their heads and right arms. On April 11, 1671, a special court accused Petar Zrinski of wanting to become a ruler (which meant he worked against the Habsburgs), and Frank Krsto Frankopan had called for an uprising.
vecernji.net Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan
In the evening of April 29, 1671, the day before the execution, he opened his heart and soul to his beloved wife, Katarina, who, though still alive, already calls the widow:
My dear heart,
do not be too sorrowful and affraid on account of this letter. Gods will be done. Tomorrow at ten o'clock they will cut off my head and your brother's too. Today we excused each other with all our heart. Therefore I ponder this letter and ask you for everlasting forgiveness. If I have mistreated you in some way, or offended you, as well I know, forgive me. In the name of our Father I am quite prepared to die and am not afraid. I hope that the Almighty God who has humiliated me in this world will have mercy on me. I would pray to him and ask him to whom tomorrow I hope to come that we may meet each other in everlasting glory before the Lord. I know nothing else to write to you about, neither our son nor the rest of our poor possessions. I have left this to God's will. Do not be sorry, everything had to be so. In Wiener Neustadt, the day before the last day of my life, at seven o'clock in the evening, April 29th, 1671. May Almighty God bless you together with our daughter Aurora Veronika.
- translation from Wikipedia
Petar Zrinski was bravely waiting for death, but in this letter he showed deep emotion. The next day Petar and Katarina's brother Fran Krsto Frankopan will go under the sword.
And Katarina had a tragic end - the Viennese authorities detained the abducted and impoverished in Graz with her dauhter Aurora Veronika. When she was separated from her daughter, she was physically and mentally ill, and in 1673 she died in the monastery.
ozalj.hr Katarina Zrinski