Battle of Sokolovac
The Ottoman rule over Požega lasted for about 150 years. The unsuccessful siege of Vienna in 1683 led to the weakening of the Ottoman Empire, which also had an impact on Slavonia, including Požega. Between 1687 and 1691, there were several skirmishes between the Ottoman and Imperial armies in the vicinity of Požega. The most famous battle was at Sokolovac in March 1688, where the victory was achieved by the Imperial army, supported by the local population under the leadership of Fra Luka Ibrišimović. Thus, Požega became a part of the Habsburg Monarchy.
The Ottoman legacy
Among the material remains, the Tekija spring, parts of tombstones, ceramics, water pipes, weaponry, everyday items and currency stand out. The Ottoman influence is most visible in the language. It particularly stands out in toponyms (such as Arslanovci, Dervišaga, Ašikovci) and in a series of Turkish loanwords that we use in everyday speech (such as trpeza – table, pendžer – window, avlija – courtyard, peškir – towel, kapija – gate, komšija – neighbor). There are also numerous legends about battles, tragic loves, Turkish towers and buried treasure.
“Falcon”
Fra Luka Ibrišimović from Požega (1626–1698) received the nickname “Falcon” directly from Emperor Leopold I himself. A hill where a famous battle occurred and a street beneath that hill were named after him.
In the late 1880s, the people of Požega initiated the effort to erect a monument in his honor. They employed the Hungarian sculptor Gyorgy Kiss, whose model was cast into the monument at the foundry in Lachammer, Germany. The monument was placed in St. Teresa Square and ceremoniously unveiled on 5 November 1893. It depicts Fra Luka in life-size, sheathing his sword after the battle. The monument was located near the Church of St. Teresa, facing south towards Bosnia where the Ottomans retreated. In the 1940s, it was relocated and turned towards the east.
Old Požega, to you, Fra Luka raises a monument,
Let it speak eloquently of your virtues,
A hero you were with heart, mind, sword and speech,
Glorious with you, we are – with you, the home is glorious
(Franjo Ciraki)
Text on the tombstone of Fra Luka Ibrišimović (“Falcon”), Church of the Holy Spirit
