Bjelovar Affair: Why Strossmayer Turned His Back on Emperor Franz Joseph

One of the most notable political incidents in Croatian history of the 19th century occurred on September 12, 1888, in Bjelovar, hence it is called ‘Bjelovar Affair’. It was a personal conflict between the Bishop of Đakovo Josip Juraj Strossmayer and Emperor Franz Joseph I, and it is remembered in public for Strossmayer’s demonstrative act of turning his back on the Emperor.

What happened?

Emperor Franz Joseph I was in Bjelovar on September 12, 1888, to observe large military maneuvers taking place in the nearby areas of Rača and Drljanovac. Accompanying him were Crown Prince Rudolf, several Archdukes, and the British Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII.

In the building of the then city hall (today the City Museum of Bjelovar), the Emperor met with Strossmayer. During their conversation, Franz Joseph sharply reproached the Bishop for a telegram he had previously sent to Kyiv regarding the commemoration of the 900th anniversary of the Christianization of the Russians, or the acceptance of Christianity as the official religion in the territory of the then state of Kievan Rus.

Strossmayer responded with a short sentence:

‘My conscience is clear!’

After that, he distanced himself and turned his back on the Emperor, which, according to the strict rules of the Viennese court, represented an exceptionally severe form of rudeness and practically a public challenge to the authority of the ruler.

Vienna Did Not Like Pan-Slavism

To understand the affair, one must look at the broader political background.

For decades, Strossmayer advocated for the cooperation of Slavic peoples and the rapprochement of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. For this reason, he welcomed the Kyiv celebration of the 900 years since the Christianization of the Russians, considering it an important Slavic and Christian event that is seen as the origin of the Christian tradition of today’s Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians.

However, in Vienna and Budapest, this move was perceived differently. The year was 1888, the Russian Empire was the main geopolitical rival of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans, and any manifestation of pan-Slavism raised suspicions among the authorities. Strossmayer’s telegram was interpreted as a political gesture favoring Russia and the ideas of Slavic unity, which many in the Monarchy considered a threat to its survival.

A Deeper Political Conflict

Particularly sensitive was Strossmayer’s long-standing project of rapprochement between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, which is why his Kyiv telegram gained much greater political significance than it initially appeared.

The affair did not arise solely from one conversation.

Strossmayer had long been in tense relations with the regime of Ban Khuen-Héderváry, who since 1883 had been implementing a policy of strengthening Hungarian influence in Croatia. The Bishop belonged to a circle of Croatian nationalists who sought greater Croatian rights and were critical of the dualistic system of Austria-Hungary.

For this reason, the Emperor’s reprimand was more than a mere protocol complaint. It was a clash of two concepts. Franz Joseph defended the stability of Austria-Hungary and its dualistic order, while Strossmayer advocated for broader Slavic cooperation and a stronger Croatian political identity within the Monarchy.

The Problem of Finding Accommodation

There were no immediate formal sanctions against Strossmayer, but the affair resonated throughout the Monarchy and European press. The conflict further solidified his reputation among Croatian nationalist circles, who saw him as a man who dared to oppose the Emperor.

The Bishop had previously been on bad terms with the Emperor, making it difficult for him to find accommodation as the people of Bjelovar feared falling into disfavor with the court. Strossmayer was eventually hosted by the later mayor, Dragutin Laksar. A commemorative plaque was later placed on that house.

More than a century later, the Bjelovar Affair remains a symbol of the conflict between loyalty to the empire and the right to one’s own political beliefs. In collective memory, the moment when Strossmayer, after the words ‘My conscience is clear’, demonstratively turned his back on one of the most powerful rulers in Europe is most vividly remembered.