Ante Starčević was a 19th century Croatian politician known as the "Father of Croatia". He was born in 1823 in what is now Croatia and was one of the first to advocate publicly for Croatian independence and unity among South Slavs. His most famous speech established his National Party in 1861. Though very active in politics, he saw himself more as an ideologist. He was imprisoned in 1862 for opposing Austrian rule and became known as the government's "Enemy No. 1" for his patriotic calls for an independent Croatia. His ideas for an independent Croatian state were ahead of his time but remained misunderstood by his contemporaries.
Ante Starčević was a 19th century Croatian politician known as the "Father of Croatia". He was born in 1823 in what is now Croatia and was one of the first to advocate publicly for Croatian independence and unity among South Slavs. His most famous speech established his National Party in 1861. Though very active in politics, he saw himself more as an ideologist. He was imprisoned in 1862 for opposing Austrian rule and became known as the government's "Enemy No. 1" for his patriotic calls for an independent Croatia. His ideas for an independent Croatian state were ahead of his time but remained misunderstood by his contemporaries.