Lovro Toman
Encyclopedia
Lovro Toman was a Slovene politician
and author
. Together with Janez Bleiweis
and Etbin Henrik Costa
, he was part of the leadership of the national conservative Old Slovene party.
He was born in a wealthy entrepreneurial family in the Upper Carniola
n village of Kamna Gorica
, in what was then the Austrian Empire
(now in Slovenia
). After graduating from the classical lyceum in Ljubljana
in 1845, he enrolled at the University of Vienna
, where he studied law. During his student years, he became influenced by Romantic nationalist ideas. He rose to prominence as a political activist during the Revolution of 1848. In April 1848, he was among the students who first raised the Slovenian flag in the center of Ljubljana. After the revolution, he continued his studies, graduating from the University of Graz
. In 1853, he married to the poet Josipina Urbančič Turnograjska, who came from one of the wealthiest families in Carniola
. The two lived in Graz
until her early death in 1854, when Toman moved to Radovljica
, where he worked as a lawyer.
In 1861, he was elected to the Austrian Parliament
. In the 1860s, he became one of the most powerful leaders of the conservative Old Slovene party, together with Janez Bleiweis
, Luka Svetec
, and Etbin Henrik Costa
. He was also considered among the most popular Slovene politicians in the 19th century. He was known for his vigorous temperament and for his many public functions. Among other things, he was the founder of the prestigious Slovenska matica
publishing house and served as its first chairman. His overwhelming influence in the political decision-making in the Slovene National Movement was frequently criticized by his opponents, who sometimes mockingly referred to Carniola as "Tomania".
In 1867, he was involved in a scandal around the construction of the railway line between Ljubljana and Tarvisio
. He was accused by his opponents of having sold out his vote in favour of the Austro-Hungarian compromise
, which he had previously opposed, in order to achieve the license for the construction of the railway line. These charges were probably unubstantiated.
He died in Rondaun near Vienna
, and was buried in his native village of Kamna Gorica.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Together with Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis was a Slovene conservative politician, journalist and public figure. He was the leader of the so-called Old Slovene political movement. Already during his lifetime, he was called father of the nation....
and Etbin Henrik Costa
Etbin Henrik Costa
Etbin Henrik Costa was a Slovene national conservative politician and author. Together with Janez Bleiweis and Lovro Toman, he was one of the leaders of the Old Slovene political party....
, he was part of the leadership of the national conservative Old Slovene party.
He was born in a wealthy entrepreneurial family in the Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
n village of Kamna Gorica
Kamna Gorica
Kamna Gorica is a village in the Radovljica municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.It is the birthplace of the politician Lovro Toman and the painter Matevž Langus; the local church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, built in 1652 and enlarged in 1754, has two of Langus' altar...
, in what was then the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
(now in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
). After graduating from the classical lyceum in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
in 1845, he enrolled at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, where he studied law. During his student years, he became influenced by Romantic nationalist ideas. He rose to prominence as a political activist during the Revolution of 1848. In April 1848, he was among the students who first raised the Slovenian flag in the center of Ljubljana. After the revolution, he continued his studies, graduating from the University of Graz
University of Graz
The University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
. In 1853, he married to the poet Josipina Urbančič Turnograjska, who came from one of the wealthiest families in Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
. The two lived in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
until her early death in 1854, when Toman moved to Radovljica
Radovljica
Radovljica is a town and a municipality in in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. The municipality has around 18,000 inhabitants and an area of 118 km²...
, where he worked as a lawyer.
In 1861, he was elected to the Austrian Parliament
Reichsrat (Austria)
The Imperial Council of Austria from 1867 to 1918 was the parliament of the Cisleithanian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Herrenhaus and the Abgeordnetenhaus...
. In the 1860s, he became one of the most powerful leaders of the conservative Old Slovene party, together with Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis was a Slovene conservative politician, journalist and public figure. He was the leader of the so-called Old Slovene political movement. Already during his lifetime, he was called father of the nation....
, Luka Svetec
Luka Svetec
Luka Svetec was a Slovene politician, lawyer, author and philologist. In the 1870s and 1880s, Svetec was one of the most influential leaders of the so-called Old Slovenes, a national conservative political group in 19th century Slovene Lands...
, and Etbin Henrik Costa
Etbin Henrik Costa
Etbin Henrik Costa was a Slovene national conservative politician and author. Together with Janez Bleiweis and Lovro Toman, he was one of the leaders of the Old Slovene political party....
. He was also considered among the most popular Slovene politicians in the 19th century. He was known for his vigorous temperament and for his many public functions. Among other things, he was the founder of the prestigious Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica , also known as Matica slovenska, is the second-oldest publishing house in Slovenia, founded in the 19th century as an institution for the scholarly and cultural progress of Slovenes...
publishing house and served as its first chairman. His overwhelming influence in the political decision-making in the Slovene National Movement was frequently criticized by his opponents, who sometimes mockingly referred to Carniola as "Tomania".
In 1867, he was involved in a scandal around the construction of the railway line between Ljubljana and Tarvisio
Tarvisio
Tarvisio is a town in the Province of Udine, in the northeastern part of the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region in Italy...
. He was accused by his opponents of having sold out his vote in favour of the Austro-Hungarian compromise
Ausgleich
The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 established the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. The Compromise re-established the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hungary, separate from and no longer subject to the Austrian Empire...
, which he had previously opposed, in order to achieve the license for the construction of the railway line. These charges were probably unubstantiated.
He died in Rondaun near Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and was buried in his native village of Kamna Gorica.