Bloody Sabor of Križevci

After the disastrous Battle of Nicopolis, King Sigismund called for a meeting of the Sabor in the city of Križevci and issued a written guarantee (saluus conductus) stating he would not attempt personal revenge on his opponents or harm them in any way.

[1] He betrayed this promise, however, and secretly organised the murder of the Croatian Ban Stephen II Lackfi (Stjepan Lacković) and his followers for supporting the opponent king candidate Ladislaus of Naples.

Enraged, the Croatian nobility, led by Stjepan Prodavić, tried to take revenge on the king for Lackfi's murder, but they were suppressed, and Sigismund used the opportunity to cross the Drava river on March 2 with his subjects and fled to Hungary.

Two days later he issued in Žakanj the famous charter by which the city of Čakovec (Csáktornya), Međimurje and other estates of Stephen Lackfi were donated to his loyal subjects, first among them being Hermann II, Count of Celje.

Finally, after 25 years of fighting, Sigismund succeeded in seizing power and was recognized as king by means of giving privileges to the Croatian nobility.