Ilija Despot (

Zaostrog Zaostrog () (Italian:Rastozza) is a tourist town and harbor along the Adriatic Sea in southern Dalmatia, Croatia. It is located between Makarska and Ploče. It consists of two parts, an older part below a steep limestone section of the Biokovo mou ...

, 20 July 1885 –

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enterta ...

, 28 November 1970) was a

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

n theologian, lawyer, poet and writer.

Early life

Ilija Despot was the son of Pavao Despot (1847 - 1888) and countess Manda Kostanjić (1849 - 1918) of the noble House of Kostanjić from

Drvenik Drvenik may mean: * Drvenik, Split-Dalmatia County, village near Makarska, Croatia * Drvenik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, village in Konavle, Croatia * Drvenik Veli, island in central Dalmatia, Croatia * Drvenik Veliki, settlement on Drvenik Veli * ...

. He was also the nephew of the Croatian writer

fra Ivan Despot Ivan Despot Franciscans, O. F. M. (Zaostrog, 1851 – Split, Croatia, Split, 1886) was a Croatian theologian, priest, translator, writer and poet. Life Ivan was the son of Mate Despot (1812 - 1895) and Kata Matutinović (1822 - 1855) born in Za ...

after whose example he wished to become a priest. After his theological studies in

Zadar Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serv ...

he decided to remain a layman and went on to study

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

of which he achieved a doctoral title in

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

in 1920. He worked as a judge and lawyer and as a cultural associate in

Križevci Križevci (; la, Crisium; hu, Kőrös ; german: Kreutz ) is a city in central Croatia with a total population of 21,122 and with 11,231 in the city itself (2011), the oldest city in its county, the Koprivnica-Križevci County. History The f ...

Šibenik Šibenik () is a historic city in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia, where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is a political, educational, transport, industrial and tourist center of Šibenik-Knin County, and is also the ...

etc. His writings are influenced mostly by

Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević (; 17 February 1865 – 29 October 1908) was a Croatian poet. His reflexive poetry, reaching its zenith in the 1890s, was a turning point that ushered modern themes in Croatian poetry. Early life Kranjčevi ...

and

Andrija Kačić Miošić Andrija Kačić Miošić (; 17 April 1704 – 14 December 1760) was a Croatian poet and Franciscan friar, descendant of one of the oldest and most influential Croatian noble families - Kačić. Biography Born in Brist near Makarska, he became ...

who was a priest in the same franciscan monastery of Zaostrog as fra Ivan Despot. His numerous writings include poems, travelogues and cultural, historical and biographical studies. He was married to Iva Paulina Mardešić (born 1899) of the wealthy industrial Mardešić family from the island Vis. Their son

Pavao Despot Pavao may refer to: * Pavao (given name), a Croatian name * Pavão (disambiguation) Pavão may refer to: Places *Pavão, Minas Gerais, a municipality in Brazil * Vila Pavão, Espírito Santo, a municipality in Brazil *Figueira Pavão, a settlement ...

(1936 - 2017) was also a notable writer and poet.

Bibliography

* ''Drhtaji duše'' (1912) * ''Duša'' (1914) * ''Iseljenoj Hrvatskoj'' (1914) * ''Nad grobom majke'' (1917) * ''Kidanje'' (1926)

References

20th-century Croatian poets Croatian male poets 1885 births 1970 deaths 20th-century male writers {{Croatia-bio-stub