This is a list of governors of the Corpus separatum of Fiume (formally known as City of Fiume and its district), heads of state of the Free State of Fiume and prefects of the Province of Fiume (now modern Rijeka and its surrounding area, in Croatia).
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| Tenure | Portrait | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungarian suzerainty | |||
| 20 October 1776 to 1783 |  | József gróf Majláth Székhélyi , Governor | |
| 1783 to 1788 |  | Pál gróf Almásy Zsadányi , Governor | |
| 1788 to 1791 |  | János Pétar gróf Szápáry , Governor | |
| 1791 to 1801 | Sándor Pászthory , Governor | ||
| 1801 to 1809 |  | József Klobusiczky , Governor | |
| Illyrian Provinces ( French suzerainty) | |||
| July 1809 to November 1809 | Marc Bryd (Marco de Bryde), Intendant | Did not take office | |
| November 1809 to 1810 | François Boleslas Casimir Duval de Chassenon de Curzay , Intendant | ||
| 1810 to June 1811 | Marie Méry, comte de Contades , Intendant | ||
| 1811 to 1813 | Part of Civil Croatia | ||
| French Intendants of Civil Croatia in Karlovac | |||
| July 1809 to November 1809 | Lettardi, Intendant | ||
| November 1809 to November 1810 |  | Louis-Philippe-Joseph Girod de Vienney, baron de Trémont , Intendant | |
| November 1810 to June 1811 | Savinio conte Giorgi , Intendant | ||
| 27 June 1811 to 1811 | Marie Méry, comte de Contades , Intendant | ||
| 1811 to 1813 | François-Joseph-Ferdinand Marchal , Intendant | ||
| British suzerainty | |||
| 3 July 1813 to 26 August 1813 |  | William Hoste , Commander | |
| Austrian suzerainty | |||
| 26 August 1813 to September 1813 |  | Laval Graf Nugent von Westmeath , Commander | |
| 2 September 1813 to 1813 | Josip Lazarić , Commander | ||
| 23 November 1813 to 1814 | Giuseppe barone dell' Argento , Provisional Intendant | ||
| 7 August 1814 to 1 October 1814 |  | Franz Joseph Graf von Saurau , Commissioner | |
| 1 October 1814 to 1815 | Franz Joseph Graf von Saurau , Kreishauptmann | District Captain | |
| 1815 to 1816 | Johann Nepomuk Freiherr von Grimschitz , Kreishauptmann | District Captain | |
| Kingdom of Illyria ( Austrian suzerainty) | |||
| April 1816 to 1819 | Joseph Freiherr von Weingarten , Kreishauptmann | District Captain | |
| 8 August 1819 to 1822 | Ludwig Freiherr von Humbracht , Kreishauptmann | District Captain | |
| Hungarian suzerainty | |||
| 15 October 1822 to 1823 |  | György Majláth , Royal Commissioner | |
| 1823 to 1837 |  | Ferenc Ürményi , Governor | |
| 5 July 1837 to 22 April 1848 |  | Pál Kiss de Nemeskér , Governor | |
| 23 April 1848 to 31 August 1848 |  | János Nepomuk gróf Erdödy , Governor | |
| Croatian suzerainty | |||
| 31 August 1848 to 19 May 1859 |  | Josip Jelačić , Governor | Ban of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia |
| 5 September 1848 to 6 August 1850 | Josip Bunjevac , Royal Commissioner | ||
| July 1851 to 1852 | Antun Rušnov , Civil Captain | ||
| 1852 to 1856 | Ernst Freiherr von Kellersperg , Civil Captain | ||
| 1856 to 1860 |  | Karl Sigmund Graf Hohenwarth , Civil Captain | |
| 1860 to 1861 | Hermann Freiherr von Sterneck , Royal Commissioner | ||
| 1861 to 1867 | Bartol Benedikt Zmajić , Civil Captain | ||
| Hungarian suzerainty | |||
| 6 April 1867 to 29 July 1870 | Ede Cseh de Szentkatolna , Royal commissioner | ||
| 29 July 1870 to 5 December 1872 |  | József gróf Zichy de Zich et Vásonkeö , Governor | |
| 26 February 1873 to 1 November 1883 |  | Géza gróf Szapáry de Szapár , Governor | |
| 1 November 1883 to 6 March 1892 |  | Ágost gróf Zichy , Governor | |
| 6 March 1892 to 2 October 1896 |  | Lajos gróf Batthyány de Nemetujvár , Governor | |
| 2 October 1896 to 14 July 1897 |  | Rezsö báró Abele de Lilienberg , Governor | |
| 14 July 1897 to 23 November 1897 | Tibor Gaal de Hatvan , acting Governor | 1st term | |
| 23 November 1897 to 2 August 1903 |  | László gróf Szapáry de Szapár , Governor | |
| 2 August 1903 to 10 December 1903 | Tibor Gaal de Hatvan , acting Governor | 2nd term | |
| 10 December 1903 to 17 February 1905 |  | Ervin báró Roszner , Governor | |
| 17 February 1905 to 17 October 1905 | Tibor Gaal de Hatvan , acting Governor | 3rd term | |
| 17 October 1905 to 26 December 1905 |  | Pál gróf Szapáry de Szapár , Governor | |
| 26 December 1905 to 24 May 1906 | Tibor Gaal de Hatvan , acting Governor | 4th term | |
| 4 April 1906 to 29 April 1906 | György gróf Károlyi de Nagykároly , Governor | ||
| 24 May 1906 to 7 December 1909 |  | Sándor gróf Nákó de Nagyszentmiklós , Governor | |
| 7 December 1909 to 13 November 1910 |  | István gróf Wickenburg de Capelló , acting Governor | |
| 13 November 1910 to 31 July 1917 | István gróf Wickenburg de Capelló , Governor | ||
| 31 July 1917 to 29 October 1918 |  | Zoltán Jekelfalussy de Jekel- és Margitfalva , Governor | |
| Status indeterminate (Principal Allied and Associated Powers control) | |||
| 28 October 1918 to 17 November 1918 |  | Antonio Grossich , President of the Italian National Council of Fiume | |
| 29 October 1918 to 17 November 1918 | Rikard Lenac , Administrator | Veliki župan, appointed on behalf of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs; in opposition | |
| Italian/Allied suzerainty | |||
| 17 November 1918 to 8 September 1920 | | Antonio Grossich , President of the Italian National Council of Fiume | |
| 17 November 1918 to 29 November 1918 |  | Enrico Asinari di San Marzo , Military Governor | |
| 29 November 1918 to 28 August 1919 | Francesco Saverio Grazioli , Military Governor | ||
| 29 August 1919 to 13 September 1919 | Vittorio Emanuele Pittaluga , Military Governor | ||
| 14 September 1919 to 8 September 1920 |  | Gabriele D'Annunzio , Commander of the City of Fiume | |
| Italian Regency of Carnaro | |||
| 8 September 1920 to 29 December 1920 | | Gabriele D'Annunzio , Primo Rettore | First Chancellor; ousted by the Royal Italian Army during the Bloody Christmas |
| 29 December 1920 to 31 December 1920 |  | Riccardo Gigante , President of the Municipal Council of Fiume | |
| 31 December 1920 | Establishment of the Free State of Fiume , according to the Treaty of Rapallo | ||
| Free State of Fiume | |||
| 31 December 1920 to 27 April 1921 | | Antonio Grossich , Chairman of the Provisional Government of the State | |
| 27 April 1921 to 28 April 1921 | | Riccardo Gigante , President of the Provisional Directory of Fiume | |
| 28 April 1921 to 13 June 1921 | Salvatore Bellasich , Commissioner Extraordinary | ||
| 13 June 1921 to 21 September 1921 | Antonio Foschini , High Commissioner | Appointed on behalf of the Kingdom of Italy | |
| 21 September 1921 to 5 October 1921 | Luigi Amantea , High Commissioner | Appointed on behalf of the Kingdom of Italy | |
| 5 October 1921 to 4 March 1922 |  | Riccardo Zanella , President | Deposed in a Fascist coup d'état; in Yugoslavia exile to 16 March 1924 |
| 4 March 1922 to 9 March 1922 | Attilio Prodam , President of Committee of National Defense | ||
| 9 March 1922 to 4 April 1922 |  | Giovanni Giuriati , Provisional President | |
| 4 April 1922 to 17 September 1923 | Attilio Depoli , Provisional Head of State | ||
| 17 September 1923 to 16 March 1924 |  | Gaetano Giardino , Military Governor | Appointed on behalf of the Kingdom of Italy |
| 16 March 1924 | Incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy as the Province of Fiume , according to the Treaty of Rome | ||
| Province of Fiume ( Italian suzerainty) | |||
| 16 March 1924 to 30 April 1924 | | Gaetano Giardino , Prefect | |
| 1 May 1924 to 10 February 1925 | Michele Sorge , Prefect | ||
| 10 February 1925 to 16 May 1930 | Emanuele Vivorio , Prefect | ||
| 16 May 1930 to 20 January 1934 | Antonio De Biase , Prefect | ||
| 20 January 1934 to 20 February 1938 | Francesco Turbacco , Prefect | ||
| 20 February 1938 to 1 February 1943 |  | Temistocle Testa , Prefect | |
| 1 February 1943 to 20 August 1943 | Agostino Podestà , Prefect | ||
| 20 August 1943 to 21 September 1943 | Pietro Chiariotti , Prefect | Under German occupation from 9 September 1943, following the Armistice of Cassibile | |
| German occupation | |||
| 21 September 1943 to 29 October 1943 | | Riccardo Gigante , Prefect | Appointed on behalf of the Italian Social Republic |
| 29 October 1943 to 25 April 1945 | Alessandro Spalatin , Prefect | Appointed on behalf of the Italian Social Republic | |
| 29 October 1943 to 1945 | Franjo Špehar , Extraordinary Commissioner for Sušak–Krk Administrative Commissariat and Vice Prefect Trieste | Appointed on behalf of the Independent State of Croatia | |
| 1943 to 1944 | Karl Pachneck , Berater | Advisor | |
| 1944 to 1945 | Wilhelm Rassmann , Berater | Advisor | |
| 24 April 1945 | Occupated by the Yugoslav Army (Fiume city occupated on 3 May 1945) | ||
| 10 February 1947 | Formally ceded to the SFR Yugoslavia by the Italian Republic, according to the Paris Peace Treaty. Incorporated into the SFR Yugoslavia as part of the SR Croatia ; renamed Rijeka | ||
| Geography | |
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| Districts | |
| History |
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| Places of worship | |
| Landmarks | |
| Culture and music | |
| Events | |
| Local media | |
| Sports venues | |
| Sports clubs |
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| Sport events |
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| Education | |
| Transportation | |
| Industry | |
| People | |
Rijeka, also known as Fiume, is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and in 2021 had a population of 108,622 inhabitants. Historically, because of its strategic position and its excellent deep-water port, the city was fiercely contested, especially between the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and Croatia, changing rulers and demographics many times over centuries. According to the 2011 census data, the majority of its citizens are Croats, along with small numbers of Serbs, Bosniaks and Italians.
The Treaty of Rome was agreed on 27 January 1924, when Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes agreed that Fiume would be annexed to Italy as the Province of Fiume, and the town of Sušak would be part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
The Modruš-Rijeka County was a historic administrative subdivision of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (Transleithania), the Hungarian part of the dual Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its territory is now in western Croatia. Modruš is a small town near Ogulin; Rijeka is a large city on the Adriatic coast. However, Rijeka was not part of the Modruš-Rijeka County, but under the direct administration of Hungary. The capital of the county was Ogulin.
After World War I, the city of Fiume was claimed by both the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Italy. While its status was unresolved, its postal system was operated by a variety of occupation forces and local governments.
The Free State of Fiume was an independent free state that existed between 1920 and 1924. Its territory of 28 km2 (11 sq mi) comprised the city of Fiume and rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to the Kingdom of Italy.
Sušak is a part of the city of Rijeka in Croatia, where it composes the eastern part of the city, separated from the city center by the Rječina river, which in former times served as an international border. Notable features of Sušak include the public beaches at Pećina and Glavanovo, along with the Tower Center shopping mall.
The Rječina, also known as the Fiumara, is a river in Croatia that flows into the Adriatic Sea at the city of Rijeka.
The Kingdom of Croatia was part of the Lands of the Hungarian Crown, but was subject to direct Imperial Austrian rule for significant periods of time, including its final years. Its capital was Zagreb. It was also a part of the lands of the Habsburg monarchy from 1527, following the Election in Cetin, and the Austrian Empire from 1804 to 1867.
Unione Sportiva Fiumana or U.S. Fiumana was an Italian football club based in the present-day Croatian city of Rijeka and the predecessor of HNK Rijeka. The club was active between 1926 and 1945, at the time when the city was part of the Kingdom of Italy and was commonly referred to by its Italian name Fiume. The club's home was the present-day Stadion Kantrida, which was at the time called Stadio Comunale del Littorio.
Trsat Castle is a castle in Trsat, Croatia. It is thought that the castle lies at the exact spot of an ancient Illyrian and Roman fortress. The Croatian noble Vuk Krsto Frankopan is buried in one of the churches. The Trsat castle was completely reconstructed and renovated in the 19th century when the mausoleum of the military commander Laval Nugent was built in its interior. The courtyard of the castle has now been turned into a restaurant and many tourists visit the place during the summer months.
The Lista za Rijeku – Lista per Fiume is a regional political party with strong local-patriotic, autonomous and progressive-liberal tendencies, based in the city of Rijeka, Croatia. Founded in 2006, the party is active primarily within the confines of the city of Rijeka and the boroughs surrounding it. Its main aim is to achieve increased authority and development for the regional and local government through the retention of 70% of the locally collected taxes, which currently go to the central government in Zagreb.
Rijeka, formerly known as Fiume, is a city located in the northern tip of the Kvarner Gulf in the northern Adriatic. It is currently the third-largest city in Croatia. It was part of the Roman province of Dalmatia, and later of the Kingdom of Croatia. It grew during the 12th to 14th centuries as a seaport within the Holy Roman Empire, trading with Italian cities. Under the rule of the House of Habsburg from 1466, it was made a free city; and, although part of the Duchy of Carniola, it developed local self-government.
Corpus separatum, a Latin term meaning "separated body", refers to the status of the City of Fiume while given a special legal and political status different from its environment under the rule of the Kingdom of Hungary. Formally known as City of Fiume and its District, it was instituted by Empress Maria Theresa in 1779, determining the semi-autonomous status of Fiume within the Habsburg monarchy until the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918.
The province of Fiume was a province of the Kingdom of Italy from 1924 to 1943, then under control of the Italian Social Republic and German Wehrmacht from 1943 to 1945. Its capital was the city of Fiume. It took the other name after the Gulf of Carnaro.
The Bloody Christmas of 1920 was a series of clashes in Fiume, which led to the conclusion of the Fiume campaign that was carried out by the Italian poet and adventurer Gabriele D'Annunzio in 1920.
The Church of St. Nicholas is a Serbian Orthodox church in Rijeka, Croatia. The church is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. The building of the church was completed in 1790.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Rijeka, Croatia.
The Rijeka–Pula derby, also called Derby della Učka is the name given to matches between Rijeka and Istra 1961. It is a regional derby between football clubs from Croatia's two largest northern coastal cities, Rijeka and Pula. The teams are supported by their fanbases called Rijeka's Armada and Pula's Demoni.
In the aftermath of the First World War, the Fiume Question, part of the larger Adriatic Question or Adriatic Problem concerned the fate of the territory that was part of the Corpus Separatum of Fiume, the Royal Free City and one of the only two free ports of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The roots of the problem lay in the ethnically mixed population of the Corpus Separatum in a time of growing nationalism, Italian irredentism and the South-Slavist Illyrian Movement which led ultimately to the creation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs that was later called Yugoslavia. The question was a major barrier to agreement at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference but was partially resolved by the Treaty of Rapallo between Italy and Yugoslavia on 12 November 1920.
The Fiume Autonomists purge, or the purge of the Autonomist elements of the city of Fiume, was a series of well orchestrated killings of the most prominent politicians and intellectuals of the Autonomist Party of Fiume or Rijeka.
