of ruling the country, preference foreigners, oppression of aristocracy and ignoring of their privileges, unlawful and capricious promises as to the hereditary rights for the Hungarian throne. Archbishop of Esztergom Johann from Kanizsa and the prior of the order of Johanites Emerich Bubek from the Castle Vrana (The Crow) were the leaders of this action.% The king found himself fully in the hands of the rebels, that took him to Vysehrad and then to the Castle SikloS, belonging to Nicolaus Gara the younger (son of the Count Palatin murdered in the year 1386). Imprison- ment of the king was the signal to start banishing the foreigners from Hungary.” Naturally the Hungarian aristocracy was not so much con- cerned in the defence of the interests of the country and against the fo- reigners, than in the defence of their own rights and privileges, Sigismund interfered with by his way of ruling. Sigismund’s adherents were so tremendously surprised by this act that they were simply unable of any open resistance. Stibor from Stiborice, one of the most important king’s adherents was just abroad, where from he had to bring the Princess from Brzeg as Sigismund’s bride.®? This was a dis- advantage in organizing the uniform resistance of the king’s adherents, but also an advantage, that Stibor afterwards could set forth Sigismund’s in- terests, helped by intervention from abroad. The opposition against foreig- ners was condensed in the enemity towards Stibor, who within the course of a few years of Sigismund’s rule, gained extensive dominions in West Slovakia and was carrying out important functions in leading the state. It was a good luck for the imprisoned king that the faction of his oppo- nents suddenly split into several fractions. At the beginning Johann from Kanizsa, tried to rule without the king, keeping to the legal form of ruling. The Royal Council was the highest authority in the country and Archbishop Johann from Kanizsa was given the title of “The Chancellor of the Holy Crown”.% The Country Council itself considered his function to be just temporary. He was to be in the function until the appearance of a suitable candidate for the throne. He was to substitute Sigismund, whom they wanted to release afterwards. In such a situation it was necessary 91 MALYUSZ, op. cit. p. 328 writes that Simon from Setany (Széchényi) stood up against Sigismund on behalf of aristocracy. The captivity of Sigismund is deseri- bed in detail by ASCHBACH, op. cit,, I, p. 122 ff. ® Op. cit., p. 124, % MALYUSZ, op. cit,, p. 329. Op. cit., ibid he mentions that county council got a seal made ,,sigillum sacre corone regni ‘Hungariae™, see ECKHARDT, F.; A szentkorona — eszme tirténete, | Bpt. 1941, p. 79. ‘ Bits written in ‘he document of ast ucts 1401, 280 THM, p. 1818, About: the.