This essay explores the history of the castle and Banate of Jajce between 1463 and
1490. Following the fall of Serbia in 1459, Bosnia had become the main target of the
Ottoman expansion and, in spring 1463, was occupied by the army of the Mohammed
the Conqueror. Kingdom of Hungary-Croatia responded with a counter-attack
in the autumn and winter of 1463, in the course of which the army of King Matthias
Corvinus captured the castle of Jajce and some other nearby fortifications. The possession
of these forts allowed defence from new Ottoman attacks in the following
years. Thus the foundations of a new military-administrative unit in the southern
part of the Hungarian defence system were laid. The goal of this essay is to discuss
the way in which King Matthias organized this area. Particular attention is paid to
the administration of Bosnia, from the temporary authority of Ban of Slavonia and
real King of Bosnia, Nikola Iločki (1471-1477) to the plans related to Duke Ivaniš
Corvinus and finally for Banate of Bosnia/Jajce, in existence until 1527. The essay
traces chronologically different forms of the administration. It attempts to follow
royal efforts to organize this region in the best possible manner, by bringing it together
with extant centres of defence system such as Banate of Slavonia, County of
Temes and Principality of Transylvania
