The Croatian leadership had been divided after…
1874 CE
The Croatian leadership had been divided after 1868 between advocates of a South Slav union and nationalists favoring a Greater Croatia; a bitter rivalry has developed between the Croats and Serbs.
Bishop Josip Strossmayer, who dominates the Croatian South Slav movement, supports liturgical concessions to help reduce the religious differences dividing Croats and Serbs.
In pursuit of a South Slav cultural union, he had founded the Yugoslav Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1867 and establishes the University of Zagreb in 1874.
Ante Starcevic, who opposes Strossmayer, presses for a Greater Croatia and establishes an extreme nationalist party.