Gorjani ( hu, Gara; german: Gerendau, Görrach) is a municipality in

Osijek-Baranja County Osijek-Baranja County (, hr, Osječko-baranjska županija, hu, Eszék-Baranya megye) is a county in Croatia, located in northeastern Slavonia and Baranja. Its center is Osijek. Other towns include Đakovo, Našice, Valpovo, Belišće, and B ...

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 = , capi ...

. There are 1,550 inhabitants, 97% of whom are

Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic ...

(2011 census). Gorjani village was the seat of the

House of Garai Garai or Garay ( hr, Gorjanski) were a Hungarian-Croatian noble family, a branch of the Dorozsma (Durusma) clan, with notable members in the 14th and 15th centuries. They were lords of Csesznek. Origin The family was descended from the Dorozs ...

(Garay).

Name

The name of the village in Croatian is plural.

History

King

Béla IV of Hungary Béla IV (1206 – 3 May 1270) was King of Hungary and Croatia between 1235 and 1270, and Duke of Styria from 1254 to 1258. As the oldest son of King Andrew II, he was crowned upon the initiative of a group of influential noblemen in his fath ...

granted the eponymous domain of Gara to John of Clan Dorozsma and his son, Stephen, in

1269 Year 1269 ( MCCLXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * June 16 – Battle of Colle Val d'Elsa: Guelph forces (2,200 men) led by King Cha ...

. The charter of grant mentioned that Stephen was swordbearer to the King's son,

Béla, Duke of Slavonia Béla ( 1249 –1269) was the youngest and favorite child of King Béla IV of Hungary. His father appointed him Duke of Slavonia in 1260, but he only started to govern his duchy from 1268. He died childless. Early life Béla was the youngest ...

. Stephen's sons, Andrew and Paul, were the ancestors of the two branches of the family. Andrew's son,

Nicholas I Garai Nicholas I Garai ( hu, Garai I Miklós, hr, Nikola I Gorjanski) (''c.'' 132525 July 1386) was a most influential officeholder under king Louis I and queen Mary of Hungary. He was ban of Macsó between 1359 and 1375, and palatine from 1375 unti ...

was

Palatine of Hungary The Palatine of Hungary ( hu, nádor or , german: Landespalatin, la, palatinus regni Hungariae) was the highest-ranking office in the Kingdom of Hungary from the beginning of the 11th century to 1848. Initially, Palatines were repres ...

from 1375 until his death. Near Gorjani, he courageously defended his cousin and sovereign, Queen

Mary of Hungary Mary, also known as Maria of Anjou (, , ; 137117 May 1395), reigned as Queen of Hungary and Croatia (officially 'king') between 1382 and 1385, and from 1386 until her death. She was the daughter of Louis the Great, King of Hungary and Poland ...

, and her mother, Elizabeth of Bosnia, from rebels. Gorjani in

1387 Year 1387 ( MCCCLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * Elizabeta Kotromanic, mother of Mary, Queen of Hungary and the regent of Hungary, ...

was already a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

, which by 1478 held weekly markets. After the Garai family died out, some of their estates were inherited by the Zay of Csömör family, others were granted to

John Corvinus John Corvinus ( Hungarian: ''Corvin János'', Croatian: ''Ivaniš Korvin'', Romanian: ''Ioan Corvin''; 2 April 1473 – 12 October 1504) was the illegitimate son of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, and his mistress, Barbara Edelpöck. Biog ...

References

Municipalities of Croatia {{OsijekBaranja-geo-stub