Juraj Jánošík (first name also ''Juro'' or ''Jurko'', ; ''Hungarian: Jánosik György'', baptised 25 January 1688, died 17 March 1713) was a
Slovak highwayman
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to foo ...
. Jánošík has been the main
character of many
Slovak novels, poems, and films. According to the legend, he robbed nobles and gave the loot to the poor, a deed often attributed to the famous
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
. The legend is known in neighboring
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
(under the name ''Jerzy Janoszik'' also ''Janosik'', ''Janiczek'' or ''Janicek'') and the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
as well as
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
. The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor. However, the legend was also shaped in important ways by the activists and writers in the 19th century when Jánošík became the key highwayman character in stories that spread in the north counties of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
(much in present-day
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
) and among the local
Gorals
The Gorals (; Goral ethnolect: ''Górole''; ; Cieszyn Silesian dialect, Cieszyn Silesian: ''Gorole''), also anglicized as the Highlanders, are an ethnographic group with historical ties to the Vlachs. The Goral people are primarily found in thei ...
inhabitants of the
Podhale region north of the
Tatras. The image of Jánošík as a symbol of resistance to oppression was reinforced when poems about him became part of the Slovak and Czech middle and high school literature curriculum, and then again with the numerous films that propagated his modern legend in the 20th century. During the anti-
Nazi
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
Slovak National Uprising
Slovak National Uprising ( Slovak: ''Slovenské národné povstanie'', abbreviated SNP; alternatively also ''Povstanie roku 1944'', English: ''The Uprising of 1944'') was organised by the Slovak resistance during the Second World War, directed ag ...
, one of the partisan groups bore his name.
Biography

Jánošík was born on 25 January 1688, and baptised shortly after. His parents were Martin Jánošík and Anna Čišníková from
Tyerhova in the
Habsburg monarchy
The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...
's
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
area (present-day
Žilina District in northwestern
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
). His godparents were Jakub Merjad and Barbara Krištofíková.
He grew up in the village of Tyerhova. He fought alongside the
Kuruc
Kuruc (, plural ''kurucok''), also spelled kurutz, refers to a group of armed anti- Habsburg insurgents in the Kingdom of Hungary between 1671 and 1711.
Over time, the term kuruc has come to designate Hungarians who advocate strict national inde ...
insurgents when he was fifteen. After the lost
Battle of Trencsén, Jánošík was recruited by the
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
army.
[Juraj Jánošík osobnosti.sk , životopisy, diela, tvorba, články, linky](_blank)
/ref> In autumn 1710, as a young prison guard in Nagybiccse, he helped the imprisoned escape. They formed a highwayman group and Jánošík became its leader at the age of 23, after Uhorčík left to settle in Klenóc. The group was active mostly in northwestern Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
(today's Slovakia), around the Váh
The Váh (; , ; ; Wag
w Słowniku geograficznym Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich (''in Geograph ...
river between Vázsec and Vichodna,[Odpočíva Jánošík na dne Liptovskej Mary? Aktuality Terchová , terchova-info.sk](_blank)
/ref> but the territory of their activity extended also to other parts of today's Slovakia, as well as to Poland and Moravia. Most of their victims were rich merchants. Under Jánošík's leadership, the group was exceptionally chivalrous: they did not kill any of the robbed victims and even helped an accidentally injured priest. They are also said to have shared their loot with the poor and this part of the legend may be based on the facts too.
Jánošík was captured in autumn
Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemisphe ...
1712 and detained at the Mansion of Rimaráhó, but was released soon afterwards. He was captured again in spring of 1713, in the Uhorčík's residence in Klenóc. Uhorčík lived there under the false name Martin Mravec at that time. According to a widespread legend, he was caught in a pub run by Tomáš Uhorčík, after slipping on spilled peas, thrown in his way by a treacherous old lady. Jánošík was imprisoned and tried in Liptószentmiklós (Liptovský Svätý Mikuláš, present-day Liptovský Mikuláš).
His trial took place on 16 and 17 March 1713, when he was sentenced to death. The date of his execution was not recorded, but it was customary to carry it out as soon as the trial was over. The manner of his execution, not in public awareness until the early 19th century, became part of his modern legend. A hook was pierced through his left side and he was left dangling on the gallows to die. The brutal way of execution was reserved for leaders of robber bands. However, sources diverge about how he was executed, and it is also possible that Jánošík was hanged. A legend says that he refused the ''coup de grâce
A coup de grâce (; ) is an act of mercy killing in which a person or animal is struck with a melee weapon or shot with a projectile to end their suffering from mortal wounds with or without their consent. Its meaning has extended to refer to ...
'' offered in exchange for naming his associates with the words: "If you have baked me so you should also eat me!" and jumped on the hook.
Other members of Jánošík's group
* Vrabel and Hunčiak (also known as Huncaga) (so-called Turiak) from Staškov
* Jakub Chliastkov from Oščadnica
* Ondráš from Dlhá nad Kysucou
* Ondrej Kindis from Dlhé Pole
* Plavčík from Dunajov
* Pavol Bernatík from Nová Bystrica
* Kovalský and Bagaj from Raková
* Kovalíček, Holubek and Valíček from Moravia
Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The medieval and early ...
* Gavora, Satora and Oresiak from Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
Jánošík in film
* 1921 '' Jánošík'' – first Slovak feature film; financed by Slovak-American Tatra Film Co.; director: Jaroslav Jerry Siakeľ, Jánošík: Theodor Pištěk. (Based on this film UNESCO registers Slovakia as the tenth national cinema in the world that began to produce feature film
A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...
s).Martin Votruba, Historical and Cultural Background of Slovak Filmmaking
/ref>
* 1935 ''Jánošík'' – Slovak and Czech film; director: Martin Frič
Martin Frič (29 March 1902 – 26 August 1968) was a Czech film director, screenwriter and actor. He had more than 100 directing credits between 1929 and 1968, including feature films, shorts and documentary films.
Throughout his life, F ...
, Jánošík: Paľo Bielik.
* 1954 ''Janosik'' – first Polish animation; director: Włodzimierz Haupe and Halina Bielińska
Halina Bielińska (14 August 1914 - 13 October 1989) was a Polish film director, animator and screenwriter.
Bielińska and Włodzimierz Haupe were among the first Polish animators; their film ''Zmiana warty'' (''Changing of the Guard'') was awar ...
.
* 1963 ''Jánošík I'' and ''II'' – Slovak film; director: Paľo Bielik, Jánošík: František Kuchta.
* 1974 ''Janosik'' – Polish film; director: Jerzy Passendorfer, Janosik: Marek Perepeczko.
* 1974 '' Janosik'' – Polish 13-episode TV series; director: Jerzy Passendorfer, Janosik: Marek Perepeczko.
* 1976 ''Highwayman Jurko / Zbojník Jurko'' – Slovak animated film; director: Viktor Kubal.
* 1991 ''Highwayman Jurošík / Zbojník Jurošík'' – Slovak 28-episode animated TV series; director: Jaroslav Baran.
* 2009 '' Janosik: A True Story / Jánošík. Pravdivá história / Janosik. Prawdziwa historia'' – Slovak-Polish-Czech coproduction; director: Agnieszka Holland and Katarzyna Adamik, Janosik: Václav Jiráček.
Jánošík in literature
* 1785 Slovak – Anon., "An Excellent Sermon by a Certain Preacher in the Days of the Chief Highwayman
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to foo ...
Jánošík." ''Staré nowiny liternjho uměnj,'' May 1785.
* 1809 Slovak – Bohuslav Tablic, "Jánošík, the Highwayman
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to foo ...
of Liptov
Liptov () is a historical and geographical region in central Slovakia with around 140,000 inhabitants. The area is also known by the German name ''Liptau'', the Hungarian ''Liptó'', the Latin name ''Liptovium'' and the Polish ''Liptów''.
Etym ...
County." ''Slowensstj Werssowcy. Collecta revirescunt. Swazek druhý.''
* 1814 Slovak – Pavol Jozef Šafárik, "Celebrating Slavic Lads." '' Tatranská Můza s ljrau Slowanskau.''
* 1829 Slovak lower nobleman in German – Johann Csaplovics, "Robbers." ''Gemälde von Ungern.''
* 1845 Slovak lower nobleman – Štefan Marko Daxner, "Jánošík's Treasure." ''Orol Tatránski.''
* 1846 Slovak – Ján Botto, "Jánošík's Song." ''Holubica, Zábavník Levočskích Slovákou.''
* 1846 Slovak – Samo Chalupka, "Jánošík's Contemplation." ''Orol Tatránski.''
* 1862 Ján Botto, "The Death of Jánošík. A Romance." ''Lipa.'' — A key poem in Slovak literature and culture.
* 1867 Slovak lower nobleman – Jonáš Záborský, ''Jánošík's Dinner. A Play in Four Acts With an Historical Background.'' A supplement to the journal ''Sokol.''
* 1875 Hungarian – "Jánosik and a Snitch." ''Nyitramegyei Szemle.''
* 1884 Polish – August Wrześniowski, "A Story About Janosik." ''Pamięci Towarzystwa Tatrzańskiego.''
* 1884 Czech – Alois Jirásek
Alois Jirásek () (23 August 1851 – 12 March 1930) was a Czech writer, author of historical novels and plays. Jirásek was a high school history teacher in Litomyšl and later in Prague until his retirement in 1909. He wrote a series of histor ...
, "About Jánošík." ''Staré pověsti české.''
* 1893 American in Slovak – Dobrý Slovák, ''Jánošík, the Lad of Freedom: A Legend of Times Gone By.''
* 1894 American in Slovak – Gustáv Maršall-Petrovský, ''Jánošík, Captain of Mountain Lads – His Tumultuous Life and Horrific Death. A Novel.'' — A source of the screenplay for the 1921 Slovak film ''Jánošík''.
* 1900 American – George J. Krajsa, ''Janosik.''
* 1910 Czech – Jiří Mahen, ''Jánošík.'' — A play, a source of the screenplay for the 1921 Slovak film ''Jánošík''.
* 1933 Slovak – Ján Hrušovský, "Jánošík." ''Slovenská politika.'' — Narrative newspaper strips published later as a novel.
* 1943 Slovak – Mária Rázusová-Martáková, ''Jánošík: A Rhymed Play in Five Acts.''
* 1947 Polish – Stanisław Nędza-Kubiniec, ''Janosik: A Poem About the Highwayman
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to foo ...
who Wanted to Make the World Equal.''
* 1955 Slovak – Mária Rázusová-Martáková, ''Tales about Jánošík.''
* 1958 Polish – Jalu Kurek, ''Janosik...''
* 1964 German – Käthe Altwallstädt, "Janosik and the Students." ''Die blaue Rose: Märchen aus Polen.''
* 1969 Polish – Katarzyna Gaertner, music, and Ernest Bryll, lyrics, ''Painted on Glass.'' — A musical whose Bratislava production had the longest run in the history of Slovak theater.
* 1970 Slovak – Stanislav Štepka, ''Jááánošííík.'' — A spoof and the Slovak play with the longest run.
* 1972 Polish – Tadeusz Kwiatkowski, ''Janosik.'' — A graphic novel
A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
.
* 1972 Serbian in Slovak – Štefan Gráf, ''Jur Jánošiak.'' — Parallel publication in Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
(Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
) and Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
(Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
).
* 1979 Slovak – Ľubomír Feldek, ''Jánošík According to Vivaldi.'' — A spoof play.
* 1980 Slovak – Margita Figuli, ''A Ballad of Jur Jánošík.''
* 1980 Slovak – Ladislav Ťažký, ''Jánošík's Tear.''
* 1985 American – John H. Hausner, ''"Jánošík, We Remember!" And Other Poems.''
* 1993 Ukrainian in Polish – Василь Іванович Сави, ''Яносик, польська народна казка.'' — A picture book.
* 1994 Slovak – Anton Marec, ''Jánošík, Jánošík... (33 Legends About the Famous Highwayman
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to foo ...
Commander.)''
* 2018 American in English; "Odysseus Ascendant", one of the stealthy rogue class destroyers featured prominently is named the Jánošík and captained by a native Slovak.
Jánošík in other media
* 2020 ''Janosik'' – a free, retro-styled, action-platformer Metroidvania video game.
* 2024 ''Janosik 2'' – a non-free sequel to the 2020 video game.
See also
*Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
- an English semi-legendary character
* Harnaś - a Slavic title given to a commander of mountains footpad units.
Notes
References
* - contains also list of published literature, German, French, Russian and Hungarian résumé.
*
External links
Janosik
The Slovak Robin Hood In the Light of Documentary Evidence and Popular Legend
Jánošík vo filme
Juraj JÁNOŠÍK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Janosik, Juraj
1688 births
1713 deaths
People from Žilina District
Gorals
17th-century Slovak people
18th-century Slovak people
Slovak outlaws
People from the Habsburg monarchy
Slovak folklore
Polish folklore
People executed by hanging
Highwaymen