He began as a lord of most of northern Croatia as count of Senj and Modruš, and later acquired much of the country through loans to king Sigismund totalling around 46,000 ducats.

Thus, Nikola Frankopan came into possession of most of Croatia, including Bihać and Knin, with the rest being in the hands of the Nelipić and Kurjaković noble families.

[2] During his visit to the Papal States, he received recognition for being a descendant of the old Roman patrician family Frangipani, after whom he took their name and symbol.

In the subsequent year, he initiated the reconstruction of the church of Saint Mary in today's Crikvenica and built the adjacent monastery.

There he brought the members of the Pauline Order and granted them the monastery in a charter dated August 14, 1412 which is the oldest record of the towns name.

[9] These acts brought the majority of the territories of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia into Nikola Frankopan's ownership, with the rest being the possession of the Nelipić and Kurjaković noble families.

Those who sided with the Counts of Celje (Cilli) strove to extend their sway also over Croatia and to annihilate the Frangipani family members as a way to over take their lands, titles and to shift the balance of power towards their favor.

He arranged special marriages for his children and permanently set his family members in positions to look after the vast number of properties that he acquired.