Politička povijest Hrvatske

Josip Horvat's Political History of Croatia (two volumes, 1937–1938) provides a comprehensive account of the political development of Croatia from the early Middle Ages to the 1930s, before World War II. The book, based on archival sources, emphasizes the struggle for national identity and autonomy.

Horvat begins with the founding of the Croatian state in the 9th century under the Trpimirović dynasty, highlighting the reigns of kings Tomislav and Dmitri Zvonimir. After 1102, Croatia entered into a personal union with Hungary, retaining internal autonomy through the banal authority and parliament. The medieval period was marked by struggles with the Venetians for Dalmatia and Ottoman incursions in the 16th century, when the Habsburgs took control, establishing the Military Border as a defense.

In the 19th century, Horvat describes in detail the Croatian national revival and the Illyrian movement, which strengthened national consciousness and language. The Croatian-Hungarian Compromise of 1868 brought partial autonomy within Austria-Hungary, but with limitations. After World War I, Croatia entered the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia), where it faced centralization of power and political tensions, including conflicts between Croatian and Serbian political elites.

Horvat's analysis ends before World War II, focusing on political institutions, the Banate government, and national issues. The book is a key work for understanding Croatian political history up to the 1930s, highlighting the continuity of the struggle for independence.