Ban Jelacic presided over what is now, modern-day Croatia – during Hapsburg rule.
Jelacic supported The "Rise" of Croatian independence, and as a result, is regarded as a national hero.
The famous statue, by Anton Dominik Fernkorn, was erected in Zagreb’s main square in 1866. In 1947, the ruling communist regime removed the statue, claiming it symbolized Croatian nationalism.
43 years later after the fall of communism, the statue was returned to its rightful place!