Klis

Tvrđava Klis, jedna od najistaknutijih utvrda na hrvatskom tlu, u prošlosti je zbog svog strateškog značaja imala istaknuti obrambeni položaj. Na ovom području prebiva ilirsko pleme Delmata već od II. stoljeća prije Krista, a prva vijest o kliškoj tvrđavi, sredinom X. stoljeća, odnosi se na zauzimanje rimske utvrde Kleisa od strane Avara i Slavena, čime su pospješili osvajanje grada Salone u prvoj polovici VII.stoljeća kada u ove krajeve doseljavaju Hrvati. Dva stoljeća kasnije Klis je već vladarski posjed i jedno od središta hrvatske države.

U ispravi kneza Trpimira iz 852. godine spominje se kao njegovo imanje-dvor, a postaje i sjedištem starohrvatske Primorske ili Kliške županije (Parathalassia). Krajem XI. stoljeća odumire hrvatska narodna dinastija i Klis dolazi pod vlast hrvatsko-ugarskih kraljeva. Jedan od njih, Bela IV., jedno vrijeme je tu sklonio i svoju obitelj tijekom tatarske opsade 1242. godine.

Krajem XIII. stoljeća Klisom je zavladala najmoćnija hrvatska plemićka obitelj bribirskih knezova Šubića, a od 1335.g. grad je opet pod kraljevom zaštitom i upravom njegovih kaštelana.

Najburnije razdoblje kliške prošlosti nastaje početkom XVI. stoljeća u vrijeme najvećega prodora Turaka u hrvatske krajeve. Tada će istaknutu ulogu u njegovoj obrani imati Petar Kružić, kapetan i knez grada Klisa, koji je dva i pol desetljeća sa svojim uskocima odolijevao turskim napadima i opsadama. Njegovom pogibijom 12.ožujka 1537.g. Klis je pao u turske ruke čime je izgubljena najsnažnija hrvatska utvrda u Dalmaciji, a rijeka Jadro će 111 godina biti granicom između turskog Klisa (Kliški sandžak) i mletačkog Splita.

U jednom od pokušaja oslobađanja Klisa, Hrvati pod vodstvom splitskih plemića Ivana Albertija i Nikole Cindra su u travnju 1596.g. uspjeli na prepad zauzeti tvrđavu, ali su je Turci već koncem svibnja ponovno osvojili, porazivši pritom i generala Jurja Lenkovića koji je pritekao u pomoć braniteljima.

Tek 31.ožujka 1648.g. mletačka vojska pod vodstvom generala Leonarda Foscola, uz brojno sudjelovanje domaćeg puka, nakon desetodnevnih krvavih borbi, oslobađa Klis od Turaka te postiže najveći uspjeh tijekom Kandijskog rata. Kliško područje Mlečani uređuju kao posebnu vojno-administrativno područje kojim upravlja providur sa sjedištem u Klisu. Tvrđava Klis, potpuno obnovljena i znatno proširena, pod zastavom Republike Venecije ostaje sve do 1797.g. kada je preuzimaju Austrijanci, a od 1805.g.do 1813.g. nakratko Francuzi.

Razdoblje druge austrijske uprave traje sve do konca I.svjetskog rata 1918.g., kada propašću Austrougarske monarhije, Klis, zajedno s ostatkom Hrvatske, dijeli sudbinu svih hrvatskih zemalja u granicama Kraljevine Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca a potom Jugoslavije. Tijekom II.svjetskog rata, od travnja 1941.g. do listopada 1944.g., kliška tvrđava po posljednji put služi u vojne svrhe, uglavnom kao uporište talijanskih i njemačkih okupacijskih snaga, da bi konačno 1990.g. na njoj bio postavljen stijeg nezavisne države Republike Hrvatske.

The Klis fortress, one of the most significant fortifications in Croatia, due to its strategic importance had a significant defense position. From the 2nd century BC this area was inhabited by the Illyrian tribe of Delmati, while the first records about the fortress from the 10th century speak of the Roman fortress Kleisa being besieged by the Avars and Slavs which hastened the conquering of Salona in the first half of the 7th century at the time of arrival of the Croats. Two centuries later Klis had already become the ruler's property and one of the centers of the Croatian state.

In the document issued by prince Trpimir in 852 the court is mentioned as his property, and it also became the center of the Early Croatian Littoral or Klis County (Parathalassia). The end of the 11th century was marked by the end of the Croatian national dynasty and Klis fell under the rule of the Hungaro-Croatian kings. One of them, Bela IV and his family used the Klis fortress as shelter during the Tatar siege in 1242. Nowadays she is celebrated as St. Margita of Klis. By the end of the 13th century Klis was ruled by the princes Šubić's of Bribir, the mightiest family of Croatia, and from 1335 the town was again under the protection of the king and the administration of itsfortress commanders.

The most turbulent time of the history of Klis was the beginning of the 16th century, the time of the greatest Turkish invasion to these areas. An important role in its defense was played by Petar Kružić, captain and town duke, who together with his warriors Uskoks managed for two and a half decades to resist Turkish attacks and besieges. With his death on March 12, 1537, Klis fell under Turkish rule which meant the loss of the most powerful Croatian fortification in Dalmatia. For 111 years the Jadro River was the border between the Turkish Klis (Kliški Sandžak) and the Venetian controlled Split.

During one of the attempts to liberate Klis, the Croats led by Split noblemen Ivan Alberti and Nikola Cindro utilized the element of surprise and managed to take over the fortress in April 1596. However the Turks conquered it again by the end of May, thus defeating Croatian general Juraj Lenković who came to the aid of the defenders. As late as March 31, 1648 the Venetian army led by general Leonardo Foscolo, joined by the numerous Croatian locals, managed to liberate Klis from the Turks after 10 days of hard-fought battles and achieved its greatest success during the Cretan War. The area of Klis was organized as a special military and administrative area ruled by the providur based in Klis. The Klis fortress, completely restored and significantly enlarged, remained under the flag of Venice until 1797 when it was taken over by the Austrians.

From 1805 until 1813 it was shortly ruled by the French. The period of the second Austrian administration lasted until the end of World War I in 1918, when, with the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Klis, together with the remaining parts of Croatia shared the same fate of all Croatian lands within the borders of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and afterwards Yugoslavia. During World War II, from April 1941 until October 1944, the Klis fortress was for the last time used for military purposes, mainly as the stronghold of Italian and German occupation forces. Finally in 1990 the flag of the sovereign Repubic of Croatia was placed on it.