Plaški

Plaški is town and municipality in Karlovac county, Croatia.

Geography

Plaški is situated in Plaški valley which is lower part of Ogulin-Plaški valley. Togheter with Gorski kotar and Lika Ogulin-Plaški valley forms Mountaneous Croatia. Town of Plaški is situated 28 km south from Ogulin and shares borders with municipalities of Ogulin, Josipdol and Saborsko.

Demographics

According to 2001 census town of Plaški had 1,468 with total municipality population of 2,292 of which 48,4% were Croats, mostly colonized from Bosnia and 46,1% Serbs. It is belived that today municipality of Plaški has Serb majority due to returnin of Serb refugees. In last local elections in 2005 Serb candidates won overwhelming majority.

History

In year 33. B.C. Romans led by future emperor Oktavian Augustus won the battle against Illyrian tribe Japods on locality east from Plaški. In Plaški also were found Roman coins which proves that this region was inhabitated in Roman times. Name Plaški was mentioned for the first time in 1163 in documents of Split diocese. Second mention dates from 1185 during establishment of new Krbava diocese of which Plaški parish became part of. Till 1193 Plaški county (Comitatus Plazy) was seperate administrative region and then it became part of Modruš county and became owned by noble family Frankopans. In the name of Frankopans Plaški was governed by his noble family Zebić's as their loyal vasals (even today part of Plaški is called Zebići). In 1492 just before battle of Krbava Plaški was raid by Turks led by Jakub-Pasha and Plaški was abandoned. In document of Bernardin Frankopan in 1500 Plaški is described as defense fort against the Turks. Other document from 1550 confirms Plaški's status as defense fort and also mentions it as one of four centres in Military frontier. By decision of Military council in Graz Serbs were granted to settle the area. Settlement of Serbs went in three waves; 1609, 1639 and 1666.