Križevci is a town in central Croatia with a total population of 21,122 and with 11,231 in the city itself (2011), the oldest town in its county, the Koprivnica-Križevci County.HistoryThe first mention of the so-called Upper Križevac was from 1193 by Béla III, obtaining the status of Royal Borough in 1252 by the ban Stephan which was confirmed by King Béla IV a year later. The so-called Lower Križevac developed somewhat slower than its twin town: it became a free royal town in 1405, thanks to king Sigismund.Bloody Sabor of Križevci (Krvavi Sabor u Križevcima) was organised killing of the Croatian ban Stjepan Lacković and his followers by king Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, on 27 February 1397.Križevac was the birthplace of a Catholic priest Marko who died at the hand of Calvinists in Košice in 1619, and was subsequently canonized because of his martyrdom. This event is commemorated every September 7 in Križevci.After centuries of division, empress Maria Theresa of Austria united the Lower and Upper Križevac into Križevci in 1752 (the word Križevci is plural of Križevac). The town was also hit by the wars with the Turks, but it regained importance in 1871 when the railway was built through it on the way from Budapest to Rijeka.