Marija Jurić Zagorka (January 1st, 1873 Negovec near Vrbovec - November 30th, 1957 Zagreb) was born in a wealthy family of Baron Rauch grand estates' steward.
Her parents had her married to a Hungarian rail¬way official whom she did not even know. After three years of marriage and a nervous breakdown, she ran away to Srijemska Mitrovica and later to Zagreb where she started her career in journalism, which was, at the time, quite unusual for a woman.
Her painstaking progress from an anonymous reporter to a renowned political journalist in the magazine "Obzor" („Horizon”) was to follow. Because of her love for the Croatian language, and at the urging of Bishop Strossmayer, she began writing historical novels with themes from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. Her popularity grew with each published novel.
Her most famous works are “The Witch of Gric”, “Gordana”, “The Daugh¬ter of Lotrscak” “The Duchess of Petrinjska Street “and many others.