The monument to Ivan Gundulić, a great figure of Croatian literature, located in the picturesque heart of Dubrovnik, features a scene with links to Polish history. We are talking about a depiction of Ladislaus IV Vasa or, as others wish, Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, or possibly Stanislaw Lubomirski. The mystery of the identity of the figure adorning the front plaque of Gundulić's monument is an interesting thread in the history of both the monument and the poet himself.

Ivan Gundulić, regarded as one of the most prominent representatives of the Renaissance in Croatian literature, gained not only immense popularity in his time with his works, but also a lasting place in the culture and history of the region. In order to understand why the poet's monument features a figure associated with Poland, it is worth delving into the concept of the poem. The Gundulić monument in Dubrovnik not only celebrates the memory of the great poet, but also highlights some non-obvious cultural and historical links between Croatia and Poland. For Ivan Gundulić, the Chocim War of 1621 became the inspiration for a historical epic. Initially, the work was to focus on the figure of Osman, who, assuming the Turkish throne, initiated an attack on the territories of the Republic. As the narrative developed, Gundulić expanded the context to include the Battle of Chocim and the Polish triumph, which became a symbol of hope for liberation. The poem 'Osman', in twelve songs, tells the story of Turkey's defeat at Chocim and Osman's subsequent fate. It is written in octavo and is considered a masterpiece of Croatian literature, characterised by high artistry and stylistic richness.

Ivan Gundulić was one of the most prominent and influential poets of Croatian literature of the Baroque era. He was born on 8 January 1589 in Dubrovnik, then the Republic of Ragusa. He came from a wealthy and influential noble family, which enabled him to receive a thorough education. His life and work were associated with Dubrovnik, which was an important centre of culture and science at the time. At a young age, he went to university, which allowed him to explore classical literature, philosophy and theology. This comprehensive education had a strong influence on his later work.

Gundulić's works, with a patriotic message and a spirit of freedom, contributed to the strengthening of the national identity of Croats. They were also an inspiration for later artists. Gundulić also promoted the Croatian language, which was important for the development of the national language. Such an important figure not only in literature, but in the national life of the Croats, could not fail to be noticed in the 19th century, when national liberation tendencies were gaining particular importance. And the idea of erecting a monument should be seen in this context.

Its creator was Ivan Rendić, a Croatian sculptor, educated in Venice and Rome, but who came from Imotski, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and today Croatia. Educated in classical culture, Rendić was a representative of conservative tendencies in sculpture. After returning to the Balkans, he became involved in artistic life. He made both monuments and, among other things, busts of prominent figures from Croatian history and culture. Characterised by realism and detail, Gondulić's monument is one of his most important works, although, due to the imbalance of proportions between the sculpture and the plinth, not necessarily the most successful. The artist seems to focus too much on the detail, thus escaping the expressive power of the whole.

The idea of erecting a monument to Gundulić in Dubrovnik was born around 1880, when the first Committee for the Construction of the Gundulić Monument was established, comprising Count Medo Pucić and prominent Dubrovnik intellectuals such as Per Budmanija, Ivan Kaznačić, Mata Vodopić and Luka Zora. The committee issued a proclamation in 1884 calling for support for the erection of the monument, as the press reported "more than 11,000 fiorin were collected. - This is a nice thing when we think of the economic misery of our nation in general, but it is not really enough to bear the cost that Gundulić deserves...".

Initially, the unveiling was planned for 1888, on the 300th anniversary of Gundulić's birth. It should be noted that financial problems and a delay in erecting the monument led to the appointment of a new committee headed by Lord Marinica Đorđi in 1891 on the initiative of the Autonomous Government of Serbia. Not coincidentally, after the change of committee, the largest donation came from King Aleksandar Obrenović of Serbia.

On Sunday 25 June 1893, the celebrations for the Gundulić monument began on Poljan, the largest square in Dubrovnik. The unveiling took place on 26 June 1893 and was a great event, lasting three days, which, in addition to its patriotic dimension, also contributed to the popularisation of the city as a tourist destination. The celebrations, however, were primarily of national-political significance. The organisation of the celebrations, although involving virtually all political forces, municipal authorities and social organisations, failed to unite across divisions. At the forefront was the Committee for the Erection of the Gundulić Monument, which tried to give the ceremony a Dubrovnik-South Slavic meaning in order to bypass its national dimension and confirm the idea of Dubrovnik's Serbian affiliation. Ne succeeded, however. Under the influence of national forces, the celebration was transformed into a Croatian holiday.

The fact that more than 5,000 people attended the celebrations is testament to the scale of the event. Even if these numbers may not be impressive nowadays - if only in the context of tourists visiting Dubrovnik every day - at the time they were truly impressive. In order to give the event the right setting, many distinguished guests were invited, not only from Dalmatia, but also Istria, Zagreb Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vojvodina and Montenegro. Among them were Bishop and politician Josip Strossmayer (1815-1905), a supporter of the idea of the unity of the southern Slavs, Franjo Rački (1828-1894), a Croatian historian, politician and Catholic clergyman who played an important role in the Croatian national revival, writers such as: Eugen Kumičić or Jovan Jovanović, scholars Baltazar Bogišić and Tadiji Smičiklas and many others, including Dalmatian governor Ambroz Marojčić. The selection of guests was intended to accentuate the local Dubrovnik and South Slavic character, but also loyalty to the monarchy and Serbo-Croatian unification. However, the initiative was taken by the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Dalmatia, who sang Croatian songs, raised political shouts and manifested the national colours.

The unveiling of the monument and the festive celebrations had another important aspect. They became an important impetus for the city's development as a tourist destination. For the sparsely populated and economically depressed Dalmatia, this was of considerable importance.

From 25 June, members of the welcoming committee welcomed visitors arriving by ship to the port, an orchestra played, but it is known that some of the newcomers sang the Croatian anthem, and shouts of "Long live Croats!", "Long live a united Croatia!" were raised. That evening, on the eve of the celebrations, the sky was lit up by cannon shots and an academy was held in the theatre.

The next day, at dawn, starting at 4am, an orchestra marched through the streets of the city. And at 6 o'clock, again to the sound of the orchestra and cannon salutes, the celebrations began. Before noon, a mass was held in the cathedral, after which a solemn procession began to the place where the monument was to be unveiled, i.e. the square, which now - in accordance with a decision of the Dubrovnik City Council of 11 October 1893 - is also named after Gundulić. Flags were carried at the head of the procession, followed by orchestras, guests, representatives of social organisations, associations, city councillors and, at the very end, representatives of the Committee for the Erection of the Monument. The unveiling of the monument was marked by a speech by the Committee chairman and a wreath-laying ceremony. The atmosphere, however, was tense. On the one hand, voices could be heard saying "Glory to the Serbian poet!" and on the other, the more numerous "Glory to the Croatian poet!". In the evening, the city sparkled with festive illuminations, and concerts and other celebrations were held in the city.

On 27 June, the celebrations continued. In the afternoon, cannon salvos sounded again, followed by a folk festival and a public raffle, followed by games, folk singing and dancing, concerts and souvenir sales. In the evening, the city was illuminated by illuminations, concerts were organised on the steamships and the sea was illuminated by fireworks, bringing the eventful festivities to a close.

The statue and Gundulić himself became a prominent landmark in the city, and with them the Polish king took centre stage. Although only those who had read the poem were aware of who was depicted on the monument. His figure is on the front plaque depicting the 'triumphant arrival of King Ladislaus'. The scene probably refers to the tenth song of the poem. The other plaques no longer have Polish references and depict Kizlar-ag's kidnapping of Sunčanica, a hermit (St Blažej) blessing a Christian hero, and 'freedom' - a representation of a young woman sitting on a throne with the inscription 'personification of freedom' and 'personification of the Republic of Dubrovnik'. The scene also shows the position of the Dubrovnik Republic at the time between Turkey and the Venetian Republic.

Why, however, are there differing views as to who is depicted on the badge - Ladislaus IV Vasa, John Charles Chodkiewicz or perhaps - as such views sometimes appear - John III Sobieski? The latter view probably stems solely from the simple association that the one who conquered the Turks was Jan III Sobieski. In the case of Wladyslaw IV and Chodkiewicz, the matter is somewhat more complicated. Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, who reached Chocim, was appointed commander of the Polish army in 1621, which was to give resistance to the Turkish-Tartar army. The future king of Poland, Władysław IV, also took part in the campaign, but due to illness he did not participate directly in the battle of Chocim, remaining in camp, however, taking part in meetings, among other things. The matter was further complicated by the fact that Chodkiewicz died on 24 September 1621, handing over the Hetman's authority to Lubomirski. The armistice came shortly afterwards, which was not a military victory for the Commonwealth, as the battle actually remained inconclusive, but strategically it was huge - it allowed the Tartar invasion to be halted. The armies of the three great nations of the Commonwealth - Poles, Lithuanians and Cossacks - together repulsed a Turkish force more than twice their size. Formally, therefore, the commander was Stanislaw Lubomirski, in fact it was Chodkiewicz who commanded for most of the campaign, and the splendour fell upon Prince Władysław, who was hailed as a defender of Christianity on his return to Kraków, which brought him fame beyond the borders of the Commonwealth. And this is what Gundulić was referring to, so it is undoubtedly Ladislaus IV who is on the front plaque. Although, of course, the depiction has no portrait features.

The statue of Gundulić is made of bronze and placed on a marble-clad plinth, and depicts the poet in a long, curly wig and nobleman's attire. He holds a wad of paper in his left hand and a goose feather in his right hand, as if caught in a moment of artistic inspiration. The marble plinth is decorated with a Gothic motif. At the top of the pedestal is the inscription "ČIVU TO FRANA GUNDULIĆ / NAROD / 1893 //". Below are four bronze reliefs measuring 70 x 110 cm with scenes from a poem about Osman. However, the inscription visible in the 1892 drawing of the monument design, which was to have been placed on a diagonal slab at the base of the monument, was not carved. Although it was damaged in 1944 as a result of Allied bombing, the surviving photograph shows the slab without the inscription.

The plaques, as we can infer from the date next to the inscription, were designed in 1892.