Lovro Monti
Encyclopedia
Lovro Monti was a Croatia
n politician of Italian
descent. He was a Dalmatian Italian
, whose grandfather fought for the Republic of Venice
against Napoleon.
(Italy), and lately worked as an apprentice in Split
for a while. Along with Miho Klaić
, Natko Nodilo
(another Dalmatian Italian), Mihovil Pavlinović and Konstantin Vojnović
he was one of the founders of the Croatian popular party
("Narodna stranka") in Dalmatia, and the Illyrian movement
.
Since 1862 he worked in Knin
as a lawyer, and in 1866 he became the president of the municipality. He has been elected as a deputy in the Dalmatian assembly five times in a row. On the first direct election he became a deputy in a royal council (and was reelected in 1879).
In 1874 Monti (renowned for his impartiality and honesty) defended the rights of the Italians of Dalmatia declaring in the Dalmatian assembly that half of the 98,000 population of the Dalmatian cities spoke Italian and needed Italian schools.
In 1882, due to the dissatisfaction of the new policy of "Narodna Stranka" against the Italians and Serbs
in Dalmatia, he resigned from the public life.
Lovro Monti died in Knin in 1898.
In his will he left to the Knin municipality his farm, later called "Montova glavica" with the condition that an agricultural school would be founded there.
During SFRY, the real estate was divided and some leaders of the Knin municipality got assigned for themselves the construction yards. The school has never been named after him. Monti belonged to the rich "class of gentlemen" and, according to the communist criteria of that time, would have been considered an "heresy
" to name a school after him.
However, there has been made a monument in front of the school on his honor.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n politician of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
descent. He was a Dalmatian Italian
Dalmatian Italians
Dalmatian Italians are a mostly historical Italian national minority in the region of Dalmatia, part of the Republics of Croatia and Montenegro.-Characteristics:...
, whose grandfather fought for the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
against Napoleon.
Biography
In 1859 Monti graduated from law school in PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
(Italy), and lately worked as an apprentice in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
for a while. Along with Miho Klaić
Miho Klaić
Miho Klaić was a Croatian politician and a leader of the Croatian revival in Dalmatia.He obtained a PhD in architecture in Padua, Italy. He was a member of the National Party and was elected as member of the Diet of Dalmatia in the National Committee...
, Natko Nodilo
Natko Nodilo
Natko Nodilo was Croatian politician, historian, publicist, university professor and rector of the University of Zagreb....
(another Dalmatian Italian), Mihovil Pavlinović and Konstantin Vojnović
Konstantin Vojnović
Konstantin pl. Vojnović was a Serbian-Croatian politician, university professor and rector.Vojnović was born in Herceg Novi into the of Serbian noble family House of Vojnović, who converted from Serbian Ortodoxy to Roman Catholicism by his grandmother.He graduated law at the University of Vienna...
he was one of the founders of the Croatian popular party
People's Party (Kingdom of Dalmatia)
People's Party was a political party in the Kingdom of Dalmatia. It was founded in 1861 after the failure of Bach's absolutism, as branch of the People's Party in Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia...
("Narodna stranka") in Dalmatia, and the Illyrian movement
Illyrian movement
The Illyrian movement , also Croatian national revival , was a cultural and political campaign with roots in the early modern period, and revived by a group of young Croatian intellectuals during the first half of 19th century, around the years of 1835–1849...
.
Since 1862 he worked in Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
as a lawyer, and in 1866 he became the president of the municipality. He has been elected as a deputy in the Dalmatian assembly five times in a row. On the first direct election he became a deputy in a royal council (and was reelected in 1879).
In 1874 Monti (renowned for his impartiality and honesty) defended the rights of the Italians of Dalmatia declaring in the Dalmatian assembly that half of the 98,000 population of the Dalmatian cities spoke Italian and needed Italian schools.
In 1882, due to the dissatisfaction of the new policy of "Narodna Stranka" against the Italians and Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
in Dalmatia, he resigned from the public life.
Lovro Monti died in Knin in 1898.
Achievements and legacy
During his mandate he developed Knin and the surrounding area, especially in agriculture. He left a legacy of reciprocal respect between the different communities of the Knin region.In his will he left to the Knin municipality his farm, later called "Montova glavica" with the condition that an agricultural school would be founded there.
During SFRY, the real estate was divided and some leaders of the Knin municipality got assigned for themselves the construction yards. The school has never been named after him. Monti belonged to the rich "class of gentlemen" and, according to the communist criteria of that time, would have been considered an "heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
" to name a school after him.
However, there has been made a monument in front of the school on his honor.