MOHÁCS 1526–2026

RECONSTRUCTION AND REMEMBRANCE

A F orgotten
H ungAriAn r oyAl D ynAsty :
of members of the family’s first generation, which made them
THE SZAPOLYAIS
Edited by
Pál FoDor and szAbolcs VArgA

no longer sufficient for effective governance. The country became

 Contents

$EEUHYLDWLRQV̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀˝˝ᦷ

/LVWRI0DSV̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ˝˝̀ᦹ

/LVWRI,OOXVWUDWLRQV̀. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .˝˝̀ᦱᦱ

PÁL FODOR – SZABOLCS VARGA

,QWURGXFWLRQ̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ˝̀ᦱᦳ

TIBOR NEUMANN
7ZR3DODWLQHVDQGD9RLYRGHRUWKH6]DSRO\DL)DPLO\˭V-RXUQH\
WRWKH5R\DO7KURQH̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ˝̀ᦲᦱ

TIBOR NEUMANN – SZABOLCS VARGA

7KH6]DSRO\DL)DPLO\˭V5HSUHVHQWDWLRQRI3RZHÙ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ˝̀ᦵᦷ

ISTVÁN KENYERES
7KH(VWDWHVRIWKH6]DSRO\DL)DPLO\SULRUWRᦱᦵᦲᦶ̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ˝̀ᦸᦳ

NORBERT C. TÓTH
7KH$QWL2WWRPDQ6WUXJJOHVRI9RLYRGH-RKQ6]DSRO\DLRI7UDQV\OYDQLD
ᦱᦵᦱᦰ˩ᦱᦵᦲᦶ̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦱᦱᦱ

PÁL FODOR – TERÉZ OBORNI

%HWZHHQ7ZR*UHDW3RZHUV7KH+XQJDULDQ.LQJGRP
RIWKH6]DSRO\DL)DPLO\̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦱᦲᦷ

5
PÉTER KASZA
)LQGLQJWKH:D\ZLWK1R5RRPIRU0DQRHXYUH
-RKQ6]DSRO\DL˭V'LSORPDWLF(QGHDYRXUVᦱᦵᦲᦶ˩ᦱᦵᦴᦰ̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦱᦶᦳ

ISTVÁN H. NÉMETH
.LQJ-RKQ6]DSRO\DL˭V8UEDQ3ROLF\̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦱᦷᦵ

(0đ.(*‚/),
-RKQ6]DSRO\DLDQGWKH&LWLHVRI7UDQV\OYDQLD̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦱᦹᦳ

JÁNOS B. SZABÓ
7KH$UP\RIWKH6]DSRO\DL)DPLO\GXULQJWKH5XOHRI
-RKQ6]DSRO\DLDQG-RKQ6LJLVPXQG%DURQLDO9RLYRGDODQG5R\DO7URRSV
ᦱᦵᦱᦰ˩ᦱᦵᦷᦱ̀. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦲᦰᦷ

ZOLTÁN CSEPREGI
Religious Literature and Reformation in the Territories Ruled
E\WKH6]DSRO\DLVᦱᦵᦲᦶ˩ᦱᦵᦷᦰ̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦲᦳᦹ

PÁL ÁCS
+XQJDULDQ9HUQDFXODU/LWHUDWXUHLQWKH&RXQWU\RIWKH6]DSRO\DLV̀ . . . . . . ̀ᦲᦵᦹ

PÉTER KASZA
7KH/DWLQ/DQJXDJH/LWHUDWXUHRIWKH6]DSRO\DL(UD̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦲᦷᦳ

ORSOLYA BUBRYÁK
7KHˬ/HJDF\˭RIWKH6]DSRO\DLV̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦲᦸᦵ

SZABOLCS VARGA
+RZWKH6]DSRO\DL)DPLO\:DV5HPHPEHUHGIURP
WKHᦱᦶWKWRWKHᦲᦰWK&HQWXU\̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦳᦱᦱ

PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

7KH3LOODUVRI5R\DO3RZHU7KH0DLQ6XSSRUWHUV
RI.LQJ-RKQ,6]DSRO\DL̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦳᦳᦱ

,QGH[RI3HUVRQDO1DPHV̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦳᦴᦷ

,QGH[RI*HRJUDSKLFDO1DPHV̀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ̀ᦳᦵᦷ̀

6
 Péter Kasza – Teréz Oborni – Szabolcs Varga*

THE PILLARS OF ROYAL POWER:

THE MAIN SUPPORTERS
wDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

“The fourth ornament of the reign consists of the loyalty, strength, obligement
and trust of the dignitaries, counts and soldiers. This is because they form the
protecting walls of your realm, they protect the weak, destroy the enemy and
increase the borders. Let them, my son, be your fathers and brothers, never
IRUFH WKHP LQWR VHUYLWXGH DQG QHYHU FDOO WKHP VHUYDQWV˱ᦱ This is a fragment
from the work entiteled Admonitions, ZULWWHQE\.LQJ6DLQW6WHSKHQ,RIWKH
+RXVHRI‚US¢Gᦱᦰᦰᦰ˩ᦱᦰᦳᦸWRKLVVRQZKLFK sheds clear light on the nature
RIPHGLHYDOUR\DOSRZHUUXOHUVH[HUFLVHGWKHLUZLOOWKURXJKWKHLUOR\DOJUDQGHHV
Therefore, when examining royal power, due attention should be given to the
UR\DOFRXQFLOZKLFKFRQVLVWHGRIDQDUURZFLUFOHRIWKHNLQJ˭VPRVWLQ̑XHQWLDO
VXSSRUWHUV8VXDOO\WKHFRXQFLOZDVFRPSULVHGRIKLJKR̒FHKROGHUVEXWIURP
WKHODWH0LGGOH$JHVPHPEHUVRIWKHPRVWLQ̑XHQWLDOEDURQLDOIDPLOLHVFRXOG
also become members of the council and thus participate in governmental work.
They became the ˫ªPLQHQFHV JULVHVˬ who were able to exert greater informal
LQ̑XHQFH RQ WKH PRQDUFK 7KURXJK WKHP ZH FDQ OHDUQ PRUH DERXW LQWHUQDO
decision-making mechanisms.
.LQJ -RKQ , 6]DSRO\DL LV RIWHQ UHIHUUHG WR HYHQ LQ +XQJDULDQ VFKRODUO\
literature, as an anti-king. It is therefore important to emphasize that he was, in
IDFWOHJDOO\FURZQHGDVNLQJRI+XQJDU\RQᦱᦱ1RYHPEHUᦱᦵᦲᦶDIWHUZKLFKGDWH
KHYLJRURXVO\HPEDUNHGRQDSDWKWRFRQVROLGDWHKLVUHLJQ'XULQJWKHSROLWLFDO

˘3ªWHU.DV]D6]HJHG8QLYHUVLW\)DFXOW\RI$UWV'HSDUWPHQWRI&ODVVLFDODQG1HRODWLQ3KLORORJ\
SHWUXVIDO[#JPDLOFRP7HUª]2ERUQL,QVWLWXWHRI+LVWRU\5HVHDUFK&HQWUHIRUWKH+XPDQLWLHV
(·WY·V/RU¢QG8QLYHUVLW\)DFXOW\RI$UWV'HSDUWPHQWIRUWKH$X[LOLDU\6FLHQFHVRI+LVWRU\
RERUQLWHUH]#EWNPWDKX 6]DEROFV 9DUJD ,QVWLWXWH RI +LVWRU\ 5HVHDUFK &HQWUH IRU WKH
+XPDQLWLHVYDUJDV]DEROFV#EWNPWDKX
ᦱ ˘ 6FULSWRUHV 5HUXP +XQJDULFDUXP WHPSRUH GXFXP UHJXPTXH VWLUSLV $USDGLDQDH JHVWDUXP. Vol. II.
(GHQGRRSHULSUDHIXLW(PHULFXV6]HQWSªWHU\%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦳᦸᦶᦲᦳ4XDUWXVGHFRUUHJLPLQLVHVW
̏GHOLWDV IRUWLWXGH DJLOLWDV FRPLWDV FRQ̏GHQWLD SULQFLSXP FRPLWXP PLOLWXP ,OOL HQLP VXQW UHJQL
SURSXJQDFXOXP GHIHQVRUHV LQEHOOLFLXP H[SXJQDWRUHV DGYHUVDULRUXP DXJPHQWDWRUHV PDUFLDUXP ,OOL
HQLPVLQW̏OLPLWLELSDWUHVHWIUDWUHVH[KLVYHURQHPLQHPLQVHUYLWXWHPUHGLJDVYHOVHUYXPQRPLQHV

331
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

chaos that characterized the country after the Battle of Mohács, he faced a great
DPRXQW RI VHULRXV GL̒FXOW\ 2Q ᦲᦹ $XJXVW WKH +XQJDULDQ DUP\ VX̏HUHG D
VHULRXVORVVDQGPDQ\GLJQLWDULHVORVWWKHLUOLYHVRQWKHEDWWOH̐HOGOHDYLQJWKHLU
posts vacant. The capital city of Buda was plundered by Ottoman troops, and
the destruction in the central part of the realm reached unprecedented levels.
2QWRSRIDOOWKLVPDQ\RIWKRVHZLWKLQ̑XHQFHGLGQRWUHFRJQL]H-RKQDVWKHLU
OHJLWLPDWHUXOHU0RVWLPSRUWDQWO\WKHGRZDJHU4XHHQ0DU\RI$XVWULDZKR
DIWHUWKHGHDWKRIKHUKXVEDQGSXWKHUIDPLO\̐UVWDQGVXSSRUWHGKHUEURWKHU
)HUGLQDQG˭VFODLPWRWKHWKURQHZKDWHYHUWKHFRVW7KHFRXQWU\˭VVHFRQGKLJKHVW
dignitary, palatine István Báthori, lined up behind her, also wishing to see the
+DEVEXUJDUFKGXNHRFFXS\WKHWKURQHRI+XQJDU\.LQJ-RKQWKXVGLGQRWKDYH
the possibility to enjoy the conditions of peaceful governance, which left him
substantially reliant on the support of his followers.ᦲ
'XULQJKLVUHLJQPDQ\SHRSOHHQWHUHGWKHFORVHVWFLUFOHVDURXQGKLP\HW
IURP WLPH WR WLPH VHYHUDO RI WKHP VZLWFKHG RYHU WR .LQJ )HUGLQDQG˭V VLGH
among them Péter Perényi, Bálint Török, Tamás Nádasdy, and Pál Várday,
bishop of Esztergom. Others passed away relativey early, or disappeared from
WKHSROLWLFDODUHQD%\ZD\RIH[DPSOHWKH&URDWLDQFRXQW.ULVW´I)UDQJHS¢Q
FDQ EH PHQWLRQHG ZKR ZDV NLOOHG LQ ᦱᦵᦲᦷᦳ DQG )HUHQF %RG´ ZKR GLHG LQ
captivity.ᦴ2WKHUVKRZHYHUUHPDLQHGFRPPLWWHGWR.LQJ-RKQ%HORZZHZLOO
present some of the most important members of the court who remained in the
6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\˭VVHUYLFHIRUDORQJWLPHXQWLOWKHLUGHDWK7KLVJURXSLQFOXGHG
3ªWHU3HWURYLFVDPHPEHURIWKHIDPLO\,VWY¢Q:HUEĒF]\DQREOHPDQDQG)ULDU
*HRUJHDQG,VWY¢Q%URGDULFV6WHSKDQXV%URGHULFXVPHPEHUVRIWKHFOHUJ\
(YHQWKRXJKWKH\KDGGL̏HUHQWIDPLO\EDFNJURXQGVFKDUDFWHUVDQGVNLOOVWKHLU
loyalty to the Szapolyais kept them united.

Pž¨ÈmÉ0— Œ!ØÏ
˰-XVWLFH JLYHV HYHU\RQH KLV GXH ,WHP MXVWLWLD WULEXLW XQLFXLTXH TXRG VXXP HVW”
˩WKHVHZHUHWKHZRUGVRIZLVGRP,VWY¢Q:HUEĒF]\PD\KDYHJLYHQ.LQJ-RKQ
to encourage him during his period of exile, defeat and humiliation.ᦵ)RUDYHU\
ORQJWLPHWKH+XQJDULDQKLVWRULFDOSXEOLFPLQGKDVFRQVLGHUHG:HUEĒF]\DVDQ
LFRQLF ̐JXUH RI WKH QRELOLW\ RI WKH ODWH 0LGGOH $JHV DQG WKURXJK KLP -RKQ

ᦲ˘2QWKLVVHHWKHHVVD\E\6]DEROFV9DUJDLQWKLVYROXPH
ᦳ˘0DWLMH0HVLÈˬ.UVWR)UDQNDSDQXWXÒLQL˭5DG-$=8ᦱᦳᦱᦸᦷᦰᦱᦷ˩ᦷᦹ
ᦴ˘%RG´ IRXJKW DJDLQVW WKH 2WWRPDQV VRPHWLPHV DV D VROGLHU DW IURQWLHU IRUWUHVVHV LQ YRLYRGH
6]DSRO\DL˭V VHUYLFH DQG DW RWKHU WLPHV DV UR\DO FDVWHOODQ RI D IURQWLHU IRUWUHVV +LV SROLWLFDO
LPSRUWDQFHLVGHPRQVWUDWHGE\WKHIDFWWKDWDWWKHGLHWRI+DWYDQLQᦱᦵᦲᦵWKH&URDWLDQQRELOLW\
wanted to elect him EDQRI&URDWLD,QODWHᦱᦵᦲᦷKHZDVFDSWXUHGDQGZDVKHOGFDSWLYHLQ:LHQHU
1HXVWDGWSULVRQXQWLOKLVGHDWKLQᦱᦵᦳᦱ$QGU¢V.XELQ\Lˬ$N·]ªSELUWRNRVQHPHVVªJ0RK¢FV
HOĒHVWªMªQ˭ LQ )HUHQF 6]YLUFVHN HG 0DJ\DURUV]¢J W¢UVDGDOPD D W·U·N NLIJ]ªVªQHN LGHMªQ.
'LVFXVVLRQHV1HRJUDGLHQVHVᦱ6DOJ´WDUM¢Qᦱᦹᦸᦴᦵ˩ᦲᦴ
ᦵ˘6¢QGRU .RORVY¢UL DQG .HOHPHQ ”Y¢UL HGV :HUEĒF]\ ,VWY¢Q +¢UPDVN·Q\YH &RUSXV -XULV
+XQJDULFL%XGDSHVWᦱᦸᦹᦷᦲᦸTripartitum, Prologus7LWᦵhᦳ

332
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

6]DSRO\DLZDVFRQVLGHUHGWREHWKHFDQGLGDWHRIWKH+XQJDULDQˬQDWLRQDOSDUW\˭
for the royal throne.ᦶ$OWKRXJKPRUHUHFHQWUHVHDUFKLQWR:HUEĒF]\˭VOLIHKDV
broken away from this opinion, it cannot be denied that the lesser noble from
8JRFVD FRXQW\ ZKROHKHDUWHGO\ VXSSRUWHG -RKQ˭V HOHFWLRQ DQG UHPDLQHG D
committed supporter of the family until his death.ᦷ
,VWY¢Q :HUEĒF]\ ZDV ERUQ LQ WKH ᦱᦴᦵᦰV DQG WKDQNV WR KLV UHODWLYHV ZKR
ZHUHH[SHUWVLQWKH̐HOGRIODZLQWKHᦱᦴᦸᦰVKHIRXQGHPSOR\PHQWLQWKHUR\DO
chancery where he worked as keeper of the seal corservator sigilliLQᦱᦴᦸᦳ˩ᦱᦴᦸᦴ
'XULQJWKHVH\HDUVKHZDVVXSSRUWHGE\,VWY¢Q%¢WKRULRI(FVHGYRLYRGHRI
7UDQV\OYDQLDDQGMXGJHUR\DO,QᦱᦴᦹᦲKHWUDYHOOHGWR.UDNRZIRUVL[PRQWKVWR
VWXG\DWWKHXQLYHUVLW\WKHUHEXWKHQHYHUJRWDGHJUHHDIWHUDFRXSOHRIPRQWKV
he interrupted his studies and returned to Hungary. He then worked in the
R̒FHRIWKHMXGJHUR\DODVDQRWDU\DQGZRUNHGDVDVROLFLWRULQ7UDQV\OYDQLDᦸ
7KHODWWHUHTXLSSHGKLPZLWKDEUHDGWKRIFRQWDFWVIURPZKRPKHEHQH̐WWHG
ZKHQVRPHGHFDGHVODWHUKHPDQDJHGWKHUHLJQRI.LQJ-RKQ
:HUEĒF]\˭V SROLWLFDO FDUHHU DGYDQFHG UDSLGO\ LQ WKH HDUO\ ᦱᦶWK FHQWXU\ D
SURFHVV LQ ZKLFK ,VWY¢Q 6]REL D YHU\ DFWLYH DQG LQ̑XHQWLDO PHPEHU RI WKH
OHVVHU QRELOLW\ ZKR WUHDWHG :HUEĒF]\ DV LI KH ZDV KLV RZQ VRQ SOD\HG DQ
important role.ᦹ,WZDVWKDQNVWRKLVVXSSRUWWKDW:HUEĒF]\HQWHUHGLQWRWKH
VHUYLFH RI 3ªWHU 6]HQWJ\·UJ\L DQG IURP ᦱᦵᦰᦲ RQZDUGV KH KHOG WKH R̒FH RI
protonotary protonotarius to the Transylvanian voivode and to the judge royal.
In connection with his position he was constantly travelling, and his skills and
H[SHUWLVHLQWKH̐HOGRIODZEHFDPHZLGHO\UHFRQJL]HG$VDUHVXOWKHFDPHWR
draft a compilation of Hungarian customary law, the so called Tripartitum; in
ᦱᦵᦱᦵ KH ZDV DSSRLQWHG WKH ‘personal˭ (Lat. personalis presentia regiaᦱᦰ or short
personalis, Hung. V]HPªO\Q·NRI+XQJDU\ and was elevated to the rank of baron.ᦱᦱ
'XULQJ WKH UHLJQ RI .LQJ /RXLV ,, ᦱᦵᦱᦶ˩ᦱᦵᦲᦶ :HUEĒF]\˭V SROLWLFDO UROH
EHFDPHLQFUHDVLQJO\FRQWURYHUVLDO%DFNLQᦱᦵᦱᦵKHZDVUHPRYHGIURPKLVR̒FH
as protonotary of the voivode and of the judge royal, but remained one of the
highest-ranking judges of Hungary in his capacity as personal. Meanwhile, he
ZDVDVVLJQHGDQLQFUHDVLQJQXPEHURIGLSORPDWLFPLVVLRQV,QᦱᦵᦱᦹIRUH[DPSOH
KHWULHGWRJDLQVXSSRUWIURP9HQLFHDQG5RPHIRUWKHFRXQWU\˭VDQWL2WWRPDQ

˚ᦶ˘(VSHFLDOO\9LOPRV)UDNQ´L:HUEĒF]L,VWY¢QªOHWUDM]D0DJ\DU7·UWªQHWLŠOHWUDM]RN%XGDSHVW

ᦱᦸᦹᦹ
˚ᦷ˘ $ QGU¢V.XELQ\Lˬ:HUEĒF]\0RK¢FVᦱᦵᦲᦶHOĒWWLS¢O\DIXW¢VD˭LQ*¢ERU+DP]DHGTanulmá-
Q\RN:HUEĒF]\,VWY¢QU´O6WXGLHQ½EHU,VWY¢Q:HUEĒF]\0).·Q\YHNᦲᦱ%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦰᦱᦶᦵ˩ᦹᦴ
˚ᦸ˘7LERU 1HXPDQQ ˬ:HUEĒF]\ ,VWY¢Q V]¢UPD]¢VD ªV S¢O\DNH]GªVH˭ LQ *¢ERU 0¢WKª HG
$PDJ\DUMRJIHMOĒGªVªQHNIªOªYH]UHGH:HUEĒF]\ªVD+¢UPDVN·Q\YᤰᤫᤫHV]WHQGĒP»OW¢Q. Budapest,
ᦲᦰᦱᦴᦴᦵ˩ᦴᦶ
˚ᦹ˘ .XELQ\Lˬ:HUEĒF]\0RK¢FVᦱᦵᦲᦶHOĒWWLS¢O\DIXW¢VD˭ᦷᦲᦸᦸ
ᦱᦰ˘&RXUWRIUR\DOSHUVRQDOSUHVHQFHZKLFKHPHUJHGDVHDUO\DVWKHWKLUWHHQWKFHQWXU\,QWKHODWH
0LGGOH $JHV LW EHFDPH WKH PDLQ UR\DO FRXUW RI MXVWLFH LVVXLQJ VHQWHQFHV XQGHU WKH NLQJ˭V
judicial seal.
ᦱᦱ˘,VWY¢Q*D]GDˬ$7ULSDUWLWXPNLDG¢VRNN·Q\YªV]HWH:HUEĒF]\ªOHWUDM]]DO˭LQ,VWY¢Q:HUEĒF]\
7ULSDUWLWXP$GLFVĒVªJHV0DJ\DU.LU¢O\V¢JV]RN¢VMRJ¢QDNK¢UPDVN·Q\YH%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦹᦰᦲᦶ˩ᦳᦲ
Arch.,ᦷᦶ

333
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

VWUXJJOHV +LV H̏RUWV EURXJKW OLWWOH VXFFHVV KRZHYHU 7UXH KH PDGH IULHQGV
ZLWKFDUGLQDO*LXOLRGH˭0HGLFLNQRZQODWHUDV3RSH&OHPHQW9,,DQGHYHQLI
papacy was no longer able to provide any major support, it did remain one of
KLVPRVWUHOLDEOHVXSSRUWHUVLQWKHᦱᦵᦲᦰVᦱᦲ:HUEĒF]\˭VPLVVLRQLQ:RUPVLQᦱᦵᦲᦱ
when he should have convinced the German estates at the imperial diet of the
importance of the anti-Ottoman struggles, also proved unsuccessful.ᦱᦳ The only
positive outcome of his visit was that he met Martin Luther, whom he tried to
persuade, somewhat naively, of the truths of Catholic teachings.ᦱᦴ The results of
WKHVHGLSORPDWLFPLVVLRQVUHYHDOWKDW:HUEĒF]\˭VOHJDOVNLOOVZHUHQRWPDWFKHGE\
DQ\VSHFLDOSROLWLFDOWDOHQWDVFOHDUO\GHPRQVWUDWHGE\KLVSXEOLFUROHLQWKHᦱᦵᦲᦰV
,QWKHLQFUHDVLQJO\YRODWLOHSROLWLFDOVLWXDWLRQLQ+XQJDU\:HUEĒF]\URVHWR
the position of palatine (Hung. nádorLQᦱᦵᦲᦵZKLFKWKHQVHHPHGWRPDUNWKH
peak of his exceptional career. In reality, however, this statement is true only
DVUHJDUGVWKHLQFUHDVHLQ:HUEĒF]\˭VSULYDWHIRUWXQHDVKHVKDPHOHVVO\ODLGKLV
KDQGVRQHYHU\SURSHUW\WKDWZDVZLWKLQKLVUHDFKE\ᦱᦵᦲᦶKHKDGFRPHLQWR
WKHSRVVHVVLRQRIᦳᦶᦰWD[SD\LQJWHQDQWSORWVᦱᦵ As palatine, on the other hand,
he failed completely.ᦱᦶ'HVSLWHWKHWDFLWVXSSRUWRI3RSH&OHPHQW9,,:HUEĒF]\˭V
room for manoeuvre was radically reduced, his supporters left him, and even the
royal couple lost their trust in him. In this situation the previous palatine, István
%¢WKRULKDGQRGL̒FXOW\LQRYHUWKURZLQJKLPDQGDWWKHQDWLRQDODVVHPEO\DOO
those who had been so keen on him a year before now condemned him to death
DQGRUGHUHGKLVSURSHUW\EHFRQ̐VFDWHGᦱᦷ7KHIDFWWKDW-RKQ6]DSRO\DLYRLYRGH
RI7UDQV\OYDQLDZKRKDGSUHYLRXVO\ZKROHKHDUWHGO\VXSSRUWHG:HUEĒF]\DOVR
turned against him, contributed to these events. The reason Szapolyai turned
DZD\ IURP :HUEĒF]\ ZDV WKDW WKH QHZ SDODWLQH KDG ȐHQGHG KLP ZKHQ KH
DZDUGHG WKH LPPHQVH ODQGHG HVWDWHV RI /ĒULQF ›MODNL ZKR GLHG KHLUOHVV WR
WKHFURZQUDWKHUWKDQWRKLP'XULQJWKH%DWWOHRI0RK¢FV:HUEĒF]\ORFNHG
KLPVHOI XS LQ RQH RI KLV FDVWOHV LQ 8SSHU +XQJDU\ WKLQNLQJ KLV SDWK ZRXOG
never again cross that of his former patron. Life, however, proved him wrong,
DQGWKHIDLOHGSDODWLQHEHFDPHRQHRI.LQJ-RKQ˭VPRVWLPSRUWDQWVXSSRUWHUV
6KRUWO\ DIWHU KLV FRURQDWLRQ .LQJ -RKQ EHJDQ WR RUJDQLVH WKH FRXQWU\˭V
DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ DQG DSSRLQWHG :HUEĒF]\ WR WKH SRVW RI FKDQFHOORU RI WKH
UHDOPJUDQWLQJKLPODQGHGHVWDWHVRIFRQVLGHUDEOHVL]H7KHQHZFKDQFHOORU˭V
main tasks included convoking diets and compiling documents of national
LPSRUWDQFHEXWWKHNLQJUHOLHGRQ:HUEĒF]\˭VNQRZOHGJHHYHQLQGLSORPDWLF
PDWWHUV 7KH HGLWLRQ RI WKH DUWLFOHV SDVVHG DW WKH ̐UVW PDMRU GLHW FRQYRNHG

ᦱᦲ˘*¢ERU1HPHVˬ(OV]DODV]WRWWOHKHWĒVªJHN9,,.HOHPHQS¢SDªV,,/DMRVRUV]¢JDLQDNEHOSROLWLN¢MD
ᦱᦵᦲᦳ˩ᦱᦵᦲᦶ˭(J\K¢]W·UWªQHWL6]HPOHᦱᦵᦴᦲᦰᦱᦴᦳ˩ᦴ
ᦱᦳ˘.XELQ\Lˬ:HUEĒF]\0RK¢FVᦱᦵᦲᦶHOĒWWLS¢O\DIXW¢VD˭ᦷᦹ
ᦱᦴ˘)UDNQ´L:HUEĒF]Lᦱᦶᦷ˩ᦱᦷᦳ
ᦱᦵ˘1HXPDQQˬ:HUEĒF]\,VWY¢QV]¢UPD]¢VDªVS¢O\DNH]GªVH˭ᦴᦹ˩ᦵᦰ
ᦱᦶ˘$QGU¢V .XELQ\L ˬ$ PDJ\DU ¢OODP EHOSROLWLNDL KHO\]HWH 0RK¢FV HOĒWW˭ LQ /DMRV 5X]V¢V DQG
)HUHQF6]DN¢O\HGV0RK¢FV7DQXOP¢Q\RNDPRK¢FVLFVDWD᤯ᤰᤫªYIRUGXO´MDDONDOP¢E´O. Budapest,
ᦱᦹᦸᦶᦹᦲ
ᦱᦷ˘)UDNQ´L:HUEĒF]Lᦲᦲᦶ˩ᦲᦳᦵ

334
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

E\ -RKQ EHDUV :HUEĒF]\˭V LPSULQW $W WKH GLHW RI %XGD FRQYRNHG LQ 0DUFK
ᦱᦵᦲᦷWKHSDUWLFLSDWLQJFOHULFDODQGVHFXODUHVWDWHVFRQ̐UPHGWKHFRQWHQWRIWKH
decision passed at Rákos, admonished some members of the diet for being
GLVOR\DODQGYRWLQJIRU.LQJ)HUGLQDQGDQGGHFODUHGWKHPHQHPLHVRIWKH+RO\
Crown.ᦱᦸ)HUGLQ¢QGZDVUHTXHVWHGQRWWRXVHWKHWLWOHˬ.LQJRI+XQJDU\˭DQG
QRWWRFRQVLGHUWKH+XQJDULDQVDVKLVVXEMHFWVRUWRLQWHUIHUHZLWKWKHFRXQWU\˭V
administration. He was also made aware that “Hungary was not to be given
DZD\HLWKHUDVDEHWURWKDOSUHVHQWRUDVD̐HILQVWHDGLWLVDVRYHUHLJQFRXQWU\
independent from any foreign monarch, and neither our former kings nor our
ancestors had the right to bequeath it to anybody.”ᦱᦹ
,Q ᦱᦵᦲᦷ .LQJ -RKQ VXUUHQGHUHG %XGD DQG WKH ZHVWHUQ WHUULWRULHV WR
)HUGLQDQG˭VLQYDGLQJWURRSVDQGUHWUHDWHGWR9¢UDG1DJ\Y¢UDG2UDGHDZKHUH
KHZDVDFFRPSDQLHGE\:HUEĒF]\7KXVLWZDV:HUEĒF]\ZKRLQKLVFDSDFLW\
as chancellor, drafted the letters sent out throughout the country, in which King
-RKQWULHGWRHQFRXUDJHKLVIROORZHUVWRUHPDLQOR\DOWRKLPDQGUHPHPEHUWKH
GHFLVLRQRI5¢NRV.LQJ-RKQDOVRDVVXUHGWKHPWKDWDWWKHKHDGRIKLVDUP\
he would soon come to defend them, and that as long as he lived he would see
to it that “Germans would not rule over Hungarians or deprive them of their
freedom”.ᦲᦰ:KHQWKH+DEVEXUJDUP\VXFFHVVIXOO\LQYDGHG+XQJDU\DQG.LQJ
-RKQKDGWȒHHWRWKHFDVWOHRI7DUQ´ZLQ3RODQG:HUEĒF]\RQFHDJDLQMRLQHG
his master.
7KDW:HUEĒF]\ZDVDNH\̐JXUHLVFOHDUO\VKRZQE\)HUGLQDQG˭VLQWHQWLRQWR
EULQJKLPRYHUWRKLVVLGHKHGLVSDWFKHGVHYHUDOHQYR\VDQGZURWHKLPVHYHUDO
OHWWHUVLQZKLFKKHHPSKDVL]HGWKDW-RKQ˭VFRURQDWLRQZDVLQYDOLGDQGLQVLVWHG
on his own claim to the throne. He also promised that were he to be accepted
DVNLQJRI+XQJDU\KHZRXOGVSDUHQRH̏RUWWRGHIHQG+XQJDU\ᦲᦱ In his reply,
:HUEĒF]\LQIRUPHG)HUGLQDQGRIKLV̐UPOR\DOW\WR.LQJ-RKQDQGWKH+RO\
&URZQRI+XQJDU\ZLWKZKLFK-RKQKDGEHHQFURZQHG
:HUEĒF]\ZDVDOVRDPHPEHURIWKHGHOHJDWLRQVWKDWLQWKHᦱᦵᦳᦰVFRQGXFWHG
QHJRWLDWLRQVLQ3R]QDą0HJ\HUDQG3R]VRQ\%UDWLVODYDRQEHKDOIRIWKHNLQJ
RQWKHDJUHHPHQWEHWZHHQWKHWZRPRQDUFKV,QᦱᦵᦳᦴKHWUDYHOOHGWRWKH3RUWHWR
represent the interests of his king there. His journey proved successful, as the sultan
nominally returned the Hungarian territories, previously taken from Louis II, to
.LQJ-RKQ˭VSRVVHVVLRQ,QᦱᦵᦳᦵKHRQFHDJDLQEHFDPHDPHPEHUWRJHWKHUZLWK
,VWY¢Q%URGDULFVDQG)UDQFLVFDQIULDU)HUHQF)UDQJHS¢QRIWKHGHOHJDWLRQVHQWWR
9LHQQDWRFRQGXFWQHJRWLDWLRQVZLWK)HUGLQDQGRQWKHSDUWLWLRQRIWKHFRXQWU\
Their mission failed, however, and the war between the two monarchs continued.

ᦱᦸ˘MOE,ᦱᦱᦶ˩ᦱᦲᦵ
ᦱᦹ˘VFLDW 0DMHVWDV 9HVWUD 5HJQXP KRF +XQJDULH YHO GRWDOLWLXP YHO WULEXWDULXP YHQDOHTXH QXQTXDP
IXLVVHVHGOLEHUXPHWDFXMXVOLEHWH[WHUQL3ULQFLSLVMXULVGLFWLRQHH[HPSWXPVHPSHUH[WLWLVVHHWPRGR
TXRTXHHVVHHWLOOXGQHPLQHP5HJXPDF3ULQFLSXPQRVWURUXPHWLDPOHJLWLPHFRURQDWRUXPQHPLQHP
HWLDP 3URJHQLWRUXP DF 3UHGHFHVVRUXP QRVWURUXP FRQWUD SXEOLFDP OLEHUWDWHP QRVWUDP FXLSLDP DG
VXFFHVVLQHPREOLJDULSRWXLVVH˷ MOE I.ᦱᦲᦷ
ᦲᦰ˘MOE,ᦱᦵᦴ
ᦲᦱ˘)UDNQ´L:HUEĒF]Lᦲᦵᦷ

335
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

$QRWKHU GHWDLO WKDW VKRZV KRZ LPSRUWDQW D ̐JXUH :HUEĒF]\ ZDV DW WKLV
time is that he was a member of the Hungarian delegation sent to Krakow to
EULQJ3ULQFHVV,VDEHOOD-DJLHOORQWR+XQJDU\2WKHUPHPEHUVRIWKHGHOHJDWLRQ
ZHUH.LQJ-RKQ˭VPDLQVXSSRUWHUV,VWY¢Q%URGDULFVDQG3ªWHU3HUªQ\L'HVSLWH
WKHPDUULDJH:HUEĒF]\DUJXHGLQIDYRXURIWKHLPSOHPHQWDWLRQRIWKH7UHDW\
RI9¢UDGᦱᦵᦳᦸEXWKHWXUQHGRXWWREHDORQHLQKLVRSLQLRQDVWKHPDMRULW\
RIWKHNLQJ˭VFRXQFLOORUVKRSHGWKDWWKH\RXQJTXHHQZRXOGEHDUKHUKXVEDQG
a son and that the part of the country ruled by Szapolyai would thus not be
WUDQVIHUUHGWR)HUGLQDQGᦲᦲ
%HIRUH .LQJ -RKQ WUDYHOOHG WR 7UDQV\OYDQLD WR VXSSUHVV WKH UHEHOOLRQ RI
YRLYRGHV,VWY¢Q0D\O¢GDQG,PUH%DODVVDLQWKHVSULQJRIᦱᦵᦴᦰKHOHIW,VWY¢Q
:HUEĒF]\LQ%XGDHQWUXVWLQJKLPZLWKWKHSRVWRIJRYHUQRULQIDFWE\0D\
:HUEĒF]\ ZDV DOUHDG\ LQ 7UDQV\OYDQLD DQG SDUWLFLSDWHG DW WKH GLHW RI 7RUGD
which had been convoked to settle the situation. The eighty-year-old chancellor
ZDVDOVRSUHVHQWE\.LQJ-RKQ˭VGHDWKEHGLQWKHPLOLWDU\FDPSLQ6]¢V]VHEHV
6HEHĠ$IWHUWKHNLQJ˭VGHDWKKHWRRNDJUHDWEXUGHQXSRQKLPVHOIDQGRQFH
DJDLQWUDYHOOHGWR&RQVWDQWLQRSOHZLWK-¢QRV(V]ªNLELVKRSRI3ªFV7KHDLPRI
WKHLUPLVVLRQZDVWRREWDLQWKHVXOWDQ˭VSHUPLVVLRQWRFURZQWKHGHFHDVHGNLQJ˭V
son as king of Hungary. Their undertaking was successful, and they returned to
+XQJDU\LQ-DQXDU\ᦱᦵᦴᦱ%\WKLVWLPH)ULDU*HRUJHDQG.LQJ-RKQ˭VVXSSRUWHUV
had already taken control of the castle of Buda, which was under siege by the
+DEVEXUJDUP\DV)HUGLQDQGUHIHUULQJWRWKH7UHDW\RI9¢UDGZLVKHGWRRFFXS\
the capital city. The supporters of the Szapolyais, however, pursuant to their
oath to the king, were not willing to surrender the city.
The Hungarian lords supporting the Szapolyais viewed with fear and
PLVWUXVW WKH VXOWDQ DQG KLV DUP\ DUULYLQJ LQ %XGD RQ ᦲᦶ $XJXVW ᦱᦵᦴᦱ 7KHLU
fear only grew when the padishah requested their and the two-months old
-RKQ6LJLVPXQG˭VSUHVHQFH:HUEĒF]\RQWKHRWKHUKDQGZDVFRPIRUWLQJWKH
GLVPD\HG,VDEHOODDQGWKHFRXQFLOORUVE\HPSKDVL]LQJWKDWWKHVXOWDQ˭VZRUGV
should be trusted, as on many occasions he had already demonstrated his good
will towards the Hungarians.ᦲᦳ The old chancellor had not, however, become any
ZLVHULQWKH̐HOGRISROLWLFVDQGKHFRXOGQRWKDYHEHHQPRUHZURQJDVUHJDUGV
WKH2WWRPDQV˭SODQV
6½OH\PDQ RQ WKH RWKHU KDQG ZDV ZHOO DZDUH RI :HUEĒF]\˭V VNLOOV VR
following the occupation of Buda, he appointed him judge general of the
&KULVWLDQSRSXODWLRQUHPDLQLQJLQ%XGD+HZDVFRPSHWHQWLQWKH̐HOGVRIODZ
and jurisdiction, so in these last days of his life he returned to the work he really
ORYHG+HGLGQRWKDYHPXFKWLPHWRVSHQGRQWKLVKRZHYHUDVLQ2FWREHUᦱᦵᦴᦱ
the Ottoman commander of Buda, Süleyman Pasha, allegedly had him poisoned,
though we do not have any credible evidence for this. It is also possible that he
died of a disease that was spreading within the walls of the castle.

ᦲᦲ˘5RUDULR˭VUHSRUWLVTXRWHGE\)UDNQ´L:HUEĒF]Lᦳᦱᦶ˩ᦳᦱᦷ
ᦲᦳ˘9HUDQFVLFV$QWDOPNLUKHO\WDUW´HV]WHUJRPLªUVHN·VV]HVPXQN¢L. Vol. I. (Monumenta Hungariae
+LVWRULFD,,6FULSWRUHVᦲ3XEOLVKHGE\/¢V]O´6]DOD\3HVW ᦱᦸᦵᦷᦱᦸᦶ

336
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

7KURXJKRXWKLVOLIH,VWY¢Q:HUEĒF]\KDGSURSDJDWHGWKHLGHDRIDQDWLRQDO
kingdom and national political forces in Hungary. As early as prior to the Battle
of Mohács he strove to establish Christian cooperation in Europe against the
Ottoman Turks menacing Hungary. In the political turmoil following the battle,
KHLPPHGLDWHO\WRRN.LQJ-RKQ˭VVLGHDQGWKLVLVZKHUHUHPDLQHGEXWKHKDG
less and less say in political events. The peak of his career is marked by his
great work, the Tripartitum, which remained the foundation for Hungarian and
7UDQV\OYDQLDQMXULVGLFWLRQXQWLOᦱᦸᦴᦸᦲᦴ

PÉTER PETROVICS
Every monarch strove to have his country governed by his closest supporters,
DQG .LQJ -RKQ ZDV QR H[FHSWLRQ 7KH PRVW LPSRUWDQW HOHPHQW RI WUXVW ZDV
family relations, so it is no surprise that even he tried to recruit his relatives to
NH\JRYHUQPHQWDOSRVLWLRQV7KLVZDVKRZHYHUKDUGO\YLVLEOHDWD̐UVWJODQFH
since the Szapolyais did not belong to the most populous families of the
country.ᦲᦵ$VZHNQRZ-RKQKDGWKUHHVLEOLQJVKLV\RXQJHUEURWKHU*\·UJ\GLHG
in the Battle of Mohács, without leaving an heir; his younger sister Borbála had
WZRGDXJKWHUVZKRZHUHQRWDEOHWRWDNHSDUWLQWKHLUXQFOH˭VSROLWLFVGXHWR
WKHLUDJH+HGYLJERUQLQᦱᦵᦱᦳJUHZXSLQ3RODQGDQGZDVDOZD\VNHSWDZD\
IURPSROLWLFDOHYHQWVLQ+XQJDU\ZKLOH$QQDGLHGDWWKHDJHRI̐YHLQᦱᦵᦲᦰ
7KHUHZDVWKXVQRRQHLQ-RKQ˭VLPPHGLDWHIDPLO\ZKRPKHFRXOGKDYHSLFNHG
to be at his side.
There were, however, numerous family members among the collateral relatives,
ZKRIRUDORQJHURUVKRUWHUSHULRGRIWLPHZHUHJLYHQLPSRUWDQWR̒FHVLQWKH
6]DSRO\DL JRYHUQPHQW 7KHVH LQFOXGHG VHYHUDO PHPEHUV RI WKH 'UXJHWK IDPLO\
of Homonna, who, being second cousins of Szapolyai, held several positions.
)HUHQF ,VWY¢Q DQG $QWDO ZHUH ispánV RI 8QJ DQG =HPSOªQ FRXQWLHV ZKHUHDV
*¢ERUVHUYHGDVELVKRSRI*\ĒUIRUPDQ\\HDUV$QRWKHULPSRUWDQWG\QDVW\ZDV
WKH 3HWURYLFV IDPLO\ RI 6]XUDNOLQ =DUDNO\Q WKURXJK WKHP WKH /ªYDL 3DW´FVL
and Kendi families also became members of the network of Szapolyai relatives,
JDLQLQJPDMRUUROHVDIWHU.LQJ-RKQ˭VGHDWKLQᦱᦵᦴᦰᦲᦶ Of all the close relatives, it
ZDV3ªWHU3HWURYLFVERUQLQWRWKHPDUULDJHRI-RKQ6]DSRO\DL˭VXQNQRZQDXQWDQG
Mihály Petrovics, who rose to the highest rank, and who was a lifelong committed
VXSSRUWHURI.LQJ-RKQDQGRIKLVVRQDQGKHLU-RKQ,,
Péter Petrovics was born into a lesser noble family in Orbász county around
ᦱᦴᦸᦷDVHDUO\DVᦱᦵᦱᦴWKHUHODWLYHIURPWKH%RVQLDQERUGHUZDVHPSOR\HGLQWKH
VHUYLFHRI6]DSRO\DL+HDFWLYHO\SDUWLFLSDWHGLQWKHVXSSUHVVLRQRIWKH'´]VD

ᦲᦴ˘3¢O)RGRUˬ:HUEĒF]\D]¢OODPªS®WĒªVDSROLWLNXV˭LQ0¢WKªHG$PDJ\DUMRJIHMOĒGªVªQHNIªO

ªYH]UHGHᦱᦸᦷ˩ᦱᦹᦹ
ᦲᦵ˘6HHWKHIDPLO\WUHHRQWKHIURQW̑\OHDIRIWKLVYROXPHDQGWKHHVVD\E\7LERU1HXPDQQDOVR
in this volume.
ᦲᦶ˘2QWKLVLQPRUHGHWDLOVHH6]DEROFV9DUJDˬ$KIJVªJHVURNRQ3HWURYLFV3ªWHUD6]DSRO\DLDN
V]ROJ¢ODW¢EDQ˭LQ3¢O)RGRUDQG6]DEROFV9DUJDHGVEgy elfeledett magyar királyi dinasztia:
a Szapolyaiak0RK¢FVᦱᦵᦲᦶ˩ᦲᦰᦲᦶ5HNRQVWUXNFL´ªV(POªNH]HW%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦲᦰᦱᦴᦷ˩ᦱᦴᦸ

337
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

UHYROWKHFDSWXUHGWKHHQHP\OHDGHUWKXVGHFLGLQJWKHRXWFRPHRIWKH%DWWOH
RI 7HPHVY¢U 7LPLĠRDUD ,Q WKH ᦱᦵᦲᦰV KH VHUYHG DV FDVWHOODQ RI 6]NODELQ\D
6NODELĉDLQ7XU´FFRXQW\EXWWKHUHDUHQRUHIHUHQFHVIURPWKLVWLPHVXJJHVWLQJ
that Szapolyai relied on him in any substantial way.
3ªWHU3HWURYLFVLVOLNHO\WRKDYHHQWHUHG-RKQ6]DSRO\DL˭VLQQHUFLUFOHDIWHU
WKH%DWWOHRI0RK¢FV+HZDVZLWKKLPLQ(V]WHUJRPLQODWHᦱᦵᦲᦶDQGLVOLNHO\
WR KDYH DFFRPSDQLHG KLV PDVWHU LQWR KLV H[LOH LQ 3RODQG LQ ᦱᦵᦲᦸᦲᦷ At King
-RKQ˭VVLGHKHYLHZHG6XOWDQ6½OH\PDQ˭VFDPSDLJQWR9LHQQDLQᦱᦵᦲᦹDQGODWHU
ZLWQHVVHGWKHNLQJ˭VVHFRQGFRURQDWLRQᦲᦸ:HKDYHQRLQIRUPDWLRQRIKLPHYHU
GLVDSSURYLQJRI-RKQ˭VSUR2WWRPDQSROLWLFDODFWLRQV+HHYHQDSSHDUVWR̐UPO\
have adhered to the political principle that the sultan was able to ensure the
6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\˭VUXOHLQ+XQJDU\7KLVPD\HYHQKDYHEHHQWKHUHDVRQEHKLQG
his rising career.
,QWKHᦱᦵᦳᦰV3ªWHU3HWURYLFVKHOGPRUHVHQLRUR̒FHVDQGZDVJUDQWHGHYHU
ODUJHUODQGHGHVWDWHV,QᦱᦵᦳᦱKHRZQHGWKHFDVWOHVRI/LSSD/LSRYD6RO\PRV
ğRLPRĠDQG%HFVH%HÎHMLQWKH7HPHVN·]UHJLRQDQGLQᦱᦵᦳᦳDWWKHODWHVW
he was appointed the ispán of Temes comes Temesiensis and captain general of
the Lower Parts VXSUHPXVFDSLWDQHXVSDUWLXPUHJQL+XQJDULDHLQIHULRUXP, and
thus was elevated to the rank of baron.ᦲᦹ The fact that Petrovics thus came to
lead the region around Temesvár, a strategically important part of the country,
GHPRQVWUDWHVWKHNLQJ˭VIDLWKLQKLPEHFDXVHDVWKHFDPSDLJQRIᦱᦵᦵᦱVKRZHG
the eastern parts of the Kingdom of Hungary, which served as a base for the
6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\˭VSRZHUFRXOGRQO\EHDWWDFNHGDIWHUWKH7HPHVN·]UHJLRQKDG
been conquered.ᦳᦰ
,Qᦱᦵᦳᦸ3HWURYLFVKDGWKHWDVNRIRUJDQL]LQJWKHGHIHQFHDJDLQVWWKH2WWRPDQ
UHWDOLDWRU\FDPSDLJQDV.LQJ-RKQIHDUHGWKDWWKH7UHDW\RI9¢UDGVLJQHGE\
KLP DQG )HUGLQDQG RQ ᦲᦴ )HEUXDU\ ᦱᦵᦳᦸ ZRXOG UHVXOW LQ D VHYHUH 2WWRPDQ
counter attack. He therefore entrusted the ispán of Temes county to make the
QHFHVVDU\ SUHSDUDWLRQV 7R WKH FRXQWU\˭V EHQH̐W WKH FDPSDLJQ GLG QRW WDNH
SODFHEXWLQᦱᦵᦳᦹ-RKQKDGWRIDFHDQLQWHUQDOULRW3HWURYLFVZDVVHQWWRFUXVK
the rebellion led by the Transylvanian voivode István Maylád; these operations
FRQWLQXHGZHOOLQWRWKHIROORZLQJ\HDUDQGLQWRWKHODVWZHHNVRI-RKQ˭VOLIH
3ªWHU3HWURYLFVZDVVWDQGLQJE\.LQJ-RKQ˭VGHDWKEHGLQ6]¢V]VHEHVZKHQ
WKHNLQJQDPHGKLPDVRQHRIKLVVRQ˭VJXDUGLDQV$FFRUGLQJWRFRQWHPSRUDU\
reports, the key argument in his favour was that he was related to and loyal to
the king and that he did not have any children of his own, so no one had to fear

ᦲᦷ˘6]HUªPL(POªNLUDWᦲᦳᦱ
ᦲᦸ˘,ELGᦲᦶᦷ
ᦲᦹ˘*ª]D3¢Ȍ\ˬ.HU½OHWLªVYªJYLGªNLIĒNDSLW¢Q\RNªVIĒNDSLW¢Q\KHO\HWWHVHN0DJ\DURUV]¢JRQD
ᦱᦶ˩ᦱᦷ V]¢]DGEDQ 0LQWD HJ\ NªV]½OĒ IĒNDSLW¢Q\L DUFKRQWRO´JLDL ªV ˰ªOHWUDM]L OH[LNRQE´O˱˭
7·UWªQHOPL6]HPOHᦳᦹᦲᦱᦹᦹᦷᦲᦷᦵ
ᦳᦰ˘,PUH6]¢QW´ˬ$W·U·NᦱᦵᦵᦱªYLĒV]LKDGM¢UDWDD7HPHVYLGªNªVD0DURVY·OJ\PHJK´G®W¢V¢UD˭
+DGW·UWªQHOPL.·]OHPªQ\HNᦱᦹᦱᦱᦹᦷᦲᦷᦳ˩ᦹᦸ

338
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

he would prioritize the interests of his own heirs.ᦳᦱ-RKQVKRXOGEHFUHGLWHGIRU

KLVFKRLFH'XULQJWKHPRQWKVWKDWIROORZHG3HWURYLFVZDVFRQVLGHUHG4XHHQ
,VDEHOOD˭VPRVWLQWLPDWHFRQ̐GDQWDQGKHUHPDLQHGDIDLWKIXOVXSSRUWHURIWKH
Szapolyai family until the end of his life. In the interest of the elected king of
+XQJDU\-RKQ,,6]DSRO\DL-RKQ6LJLVPXQGᦱᦵᦴᦰ˩ᦱᦵᦷᦱKHHYHQWXUQHGDJDLQVW
)ULDU*HRUJHZKRJDLQHGHYHUPRUHSRZHULQ7UDQV\OYDQLD,QᦱᦵᦴᦹKHWRRNLW
upon himself to organize a group of nobles in support of the queen,ᦳᦲ and then,
LQᦱᦵᦵᦱDVDVLJQRIOR\DOW\WRZDUGVWKHIDPLO\KHHYHQXQGHUWRRNWRJRWRH[LOH
,WZDVKHZKRDUUDQJHGIRU4XHHQ,VDEHOODDQG-RKQ,,˭VUHWXUQLQᦱᦵᦵᦶIURP
their exile in Poland, and who then left all his fortune to his queen.ᦳᦳ
3HWURYLFVDQG-RKQ˭VUHODWLRQVKLSZDVFOHDUO\GHWHUPLQHGE\WKHLUEHLQJUHODWHG
and by their military service. The old bachelor had remained loyal to the family
throughout his life, and he did not strive to obtain major landed estates, either.
Because of his South Slavic origin, he enjoyed the support of the Serb population
living in the Temesköz region and was used to a military lifestyle, which made him
PRUHYDOXDEOHLQWKHH\HVRIWKHNLQJ+HIXOO\LGHQWL̐HGKLPVHOIZLWK.LQJ-RKQ˭V
SUR2WWRPDQSROLF\VRIURPᦱᦵᦴᦱKHZDVLQKLVFDSDFLW\DVispán of the Temesköz
region, one of the highest-ranking lords in the Kingdom of Hungary, and at the
same time he was also, by the grace of the sultan, the VDQMDNEH\L of Temes.ᦳᦴ
'XULQJKLVORQJOLIHKHGLGPDQ\WKLQJVIRUWKHG\QDVW\$OOKLVOLIHKHVXSSRUWHG
.LQJ-RKQDQGLWZDVWKDQNVWRKLPWKDW4XHHQ,VDEHOODDQG-RKQ,,ZHUHDEOHWR
UHWXUQWRUXOH7UDQV\OYDQLDLQᦱᦵᦵᦶ,WZDVQRWKLVIDXOWWKDWWKH6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\
eventually disappeared from the theatre of Hungarian history.

FRIAR GEORGE
7KH3DXOLQHPRQNZKRDSSHDUHGLQWKHSROLWLFDODUHQDDURXQG.LQJ-RKQXQGHU
WKHQDPHRI)ULDU*HRUJHFDPHIURPD&URDWLDQIDPLO\RIWKHOHVVHUQRELOLW\+H
ZDV ERUQ DV -XUDM 8WLHĢHQLÈ8WLHĢHQRYLÈ RQ ᦱᦸ -XQH ᦱᦴᦸᦲ LQ D FDVWOH FDOOHG
.DPLÎDFQHDUWRGD\˭V&URDWLDQWRZQRI6NUDGLQ*HRUJH˭VPRWKHU$QQD0DUWL
QXĢHYLÈFDPHIURPDKLJKHUUDQNLQJQREOHIDPLO\*HRUJH8WLHĢHQLÈFDPHWREH
NQRZQDV0DUWLQX]]LZKLFKLVWKH,WDOLDQLVHGYHUVLRQRIKLVPRWKHU˭VODVWQDPHᦳᦵ

ᦳᦱ˘6]DEROFV9DUJDˬ3ªWHU3HWURYLFVᦱᦴᦸᦷ˩ᦱᦵᦵᦷLQWKH6HUYLFHRI4XHHQ,VDEHOOD˭LQ‚JQHV0¢Wª

DQG7HUª]2ERUQLHGV,VDEHOOD-DJHOOLRQ4XHHQRI+XQJDU\᤬ᤰ᤬ᤴ˨᤬ᤰᤰᤴ0RK¢FVᦱᦵᦲᦶ˩ᦲᦰᦲᦶ
5HFRQVWUXFWLRQDQG5HPHPEUDQFH%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦲᦰᦳᦲᦷ˩ᦳᦴᦷ
ᦳᦲ˘$GULDQ0DJLQDHG$FWDHW'RFXPHQWDSDUWHV5HJQL+XQJDULDHLQIHULRUHVFRQFHUQHQWLD᤬ᤰᤫᤫ˨᤬ᤰᤰ᤭.
&OXM1DSRFDᦲᦰᦲᦰ1Rᦱᦳᦰ
ᦳᦳ˘:RȌJDQJLGH%HWKOHQ+LVWRULDGHUHEXV7UDQVV\OYDQLFLV9RO,&LELQLLᦱᦷᦸᦲᦶᦱᦰ
ᦳᦴ˘9DUJDˬ3ªWHU3HWURYLFVᦱᦴᦸᦷ˩ᦱᦵᦵᦷ˭ᦳᦳᦲ˩ᦳᦳᦶ
ᦳᦵ˘)RUPRUHRQWKHOLIHRI)ULDU*HRUJHVHH$QWRLQH%ªFKHW+LVWRLUHGXPLQLVWHUHGX&DUGLQDO
Martinusius3DULVᦱᦷᦱᦵ0LK¢O\+RUY¢WKˬ8W\HV]HQLFK)U¢WHU*\·UJ\0DUWLQX]]LE®ERUQRN
ªOHWH˭ LQ +RUY¢WK 0LK¢O\ NLVHEE W·UWªQHOPL PXQN¢L 3HVW ᦱᦸᦶᦸ ᦱ˩ᦴᦲᦷ 2JQMHVODY 8WLHĢHQRYLÈ
/HEHQVJHVFKLFKWHGHV&DUGLQDOV*HRUJ8WLHĢHQRYLÈJHQDQQW0DUWLQXVLXV:LHQᦱᦸᦸᦱ*¢ERU%DUWD
9DMRQNLªD]RUV]¢J? %XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦸᦸ$QWH6HNXOLÈ1DĢYHOLNDQJUDGLWHOMSRYLMHVWL-XUDM8WLĢLQRYLÈ
0DUWLQXĢHYLÈ᤬᤯ᤳ᤭˨᤬ᤰᤰ᤬.QMLĿQLFDKUYDWVNHSRYLMHVWLLNXOWXUHᦲ-DVWUHEDUVNRᦱᦹᦹᦶ$GULDQR
Papo and Gizella Nemeth Papo, Frate Giorgio Martinuzzi. Cardinale, soldato e statista dalmata agli

339
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

$VDFKLOGKHVHUYHG3ULQFH-RKQ&RUYLQXV.LQJ0DWWKLDV,&RUYLQXV˭VVRQDV
DSDJHLQWKHFDVWOHRI+XQ\DG+XQHGRDUDLQ7UDQV\OYDQLD/DWHUKHZRUNHGDVD
PHUFHQDU\XQWLOWKHDJHRIᦲᦰDQGLQWKHHDUO\ᦱᦵᦰᦰVKHVHUYHGDWWKHFRXUWRI.LQJ
-RKQ˭VPRWKHU+HGZLJ RI7HVFKHQ&LHV]\QLQ6]HSHVY¢U6SLĢVN¾KUDG
After a couple of years, he entered a monastery named after Hermit St. Paul
in Buda. He started his life as a monk at the Pauline monastery of St. Lawrence in
Buda, from where he was soon transferred to the centre of the Pauline order,
WKHPRQDVWHU\RI&]ÚVWRFKRZD,Qᦱᦵᦲᦷ*HRUJHZDVVWDWLRQHGLQWKHVPDOOIULDU\
LQ6DM´O¢GDQGZDVDSSRLQWHGSULRUWKHUH,WZDVWKHUHKHPHW.LQJ-RKQ̑HHLQJ
WR3RODQGLQᦱᦵᦲᦸDQGHQWHUHGLQWRDOLIHORQJDOOLDQFHZLWKKLP:KLOHDW.LQJ
-RKQ˭V VLGH )ULDU *HRUJH˭V FDUHHU URVH VWHDGLO\ DQG KH REWDLQHG WKH KLJKHVW
UDQNLQJR̒FHV)URPᦱᦵᦳᦲKHEHFDPHWKHFRXUWMXGJHprovisor of Buda Castle,
DQG ODWHU RQ KH EHFDPH WKH FRXQWU\˭V WUHDVXUHU ᦱᦵᦳᦴ ELVKRS RI 9¢UDG DQG
perpetual supremus comesRI%LKDUFRXQW\ᦱᦵᦳᦴ,QᦱᦵᦴᦰKHKHOGWKHIROORZLQJ
SRVLWLRQV HOHFWHG ELVKRS RI 9¢UDG WUHDVXUHU UR\DO FRXQFLOORU FDVWHOODQ DQG
provisor of Buda Castle electus Varadiensis, thesaurarius et consiliarius regiae
PDLHVWDWLVFDVWHOODQXVTXHHWSURYLVRUFDVWUL%XGHQVLV.ᦳᦶ)ROORZLQJWKHGHDWKRI.LQJ
-RKQKHUHWDLQHGKLVHDUOLHUR̒FHVDQGDOVREHFDPH.LQJ)HUGLQDQG˭VDQGODWHU
4XHHQ,VDEHOOD˭VORUGOLHXWHQDQWlocumtenens; ᦱᦵᦴᦱ˩ᦱᦵᦴᦲDQGMXGJHJHQHUDOMXGH[
generalis; ᦱᦵᦴᦴLQWKHHDVWHUQSDUWRIWKHFRXQWU\,Qᦱᦵᦵᦱ)HUGLQDQGDSSRLQWHG
him to the post of voivode of Transylvania; later he became archbishop of
(V]WHUJRPᦱᦵᦵᦱZKLOHWZRPRQWKVEHIRUHKLVGHDWKKHZDVQDPHGDFDUGLQDO
E\3RSH-XOLXV,,,
Antonio Mazza of Venice, who worked as an embassy secretary in Vienna,
QRWHGWKDW)ULDU*HRUJHZDVH[FHSWLRQDOO\UHVSHFWHGDPRQJWKHSHRSOHDURXQG
.LQJ-RKQ PDLQO\ EHFDXVH KH ZDV DEOH WR UDLVH IXQGV ZKLFK PDGH KLP YHU\
LQ̑XHQWLDO0D]]DDOVRDGGHGWKDW.LQJ-RKQHOHYDWHGKLPIURPKLVORZVWDWXV
to a level much higher than would have been in line with his merits, and that,
eventually, the whole country had come mainly to be governed in accordance
ZLWKKLVLGHDVDQGDGYLFH$FFRUGLQJWR0D]]D˭VDFFRXQW*HRUJHZDVDFXQQLQJ
DQGDPELWLRXVPDQZKRWRRNSDUWLFXODUFDUHRIHYHU\WKLQJHVSHFLDOO\̐QDQFHV
and was not ashamed of his greediness. He was also generous, but at the same
time vain and arrogant, and wished for change and for new things. Those who
knew him, but not on his wavelength, were never able to grow to like him.ᦳᦷ

DUERULGHO3ULQFLSDWRGL7UDQVLOYDQLD&DQWHUDQRᦲᦰᦱᦷ7HUª]2ERUQL$]·UG·QJ·V%DU¢W)U¢WHU
György ᤬᤯ᤳ᤭˨᤬ᤰᤰ᤬. 3ªFV %XGDSHVW ᦲᦰᦱᦷ (DGHP ˬ$ ˰'HYLOLVK 0RQN˱ LQ WKH .LQJGRP RI
+XQJDU\7KH/LHXWHQDQW*RYHUQRUVKLSRI)ULDU*HRUJHᦱᦵᦴᦱ˩ᦱᦵᦵᦱ˭LQ Philippe Chareyre,
‚OYDUR$GRW/HUJDDQG'ªQHV+DUDL HGVLes alter ego des souverains. Vice-rois et lieutenants
JªQªUDX[HQ(XURSHHWGDQVOHV$PªULTXHVXIVe-XVIIeVL©FOH. 3DXᦲᦰᦲᦰIRUWKFRPLQJ
ᦳᦶ˘*HRUJLXV3UD\(SLVWRODH3URFHUXP5HJQL+XQJDULDH3DUV,,3RVRQLLᦱᦸᦰᦶᦳᦸᦹ$QGU¢V.XELQ\L
ˬ$EXGDLY¢UXGYDUE®U´LKLYDWDODᦱᦴᦵᦸ˩ᦱᦵᦴᦱ.®VªUOHWD]RUV]¢JRVªVDNLU¢O\LPDJ¢QM·YHGHOPHN
V]ªWY¢ODV]W¢V¢UD˭/HYªOW¢UL.·]OHPªQ\HNᦳᦵᦱᦱᦹᦶᦴᦶᦷ˩ᦹᦸ
ᦳᦷ˘˷KXRPRFDOOLGRDVWXWRVROOHFLWRHWYLJLODQWHDWXWWHODFRVHPDPROWRSLXDOGHQDURGHOTXDOHHUDHW
non si vergognava dimonstrarsi avidissimo, l’animo suo grande, vano, et desideroso di mutationi et cose
QRYHDPEL]LRVRVXSHUERHWEUHYHPHQWHWDOHFKHGDQLXQRFKHORKDYHVVHFRQRVFLXWRHWFKHQRQIXVVH
stato simil suo, non potea esser amato. Ma il Re Gioanne ne facea grandissimo conto come di huomo

340
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

2QHRI)ULDU*HRUJH˭VPDMRUDFKLHYHPHQWVLVWKH7UHDW\RI9¢UDGVLJQHGLQ
ᦱᦵᦳᦸE\.LQJ-RKQ,DQG.LQJ)HUGLQDQG,WZRPRQDUFKVZKRKDGEHHQULYDOV
VLQFHᦱᦵᦲᦶ,QWKHLQLWLDOSKDVHRIWKHQHJRWLDWLRQV)ULDU*HRUJHUHPDLQHGLQWKH
EDFNJURXQG)URPᦱᦵᦳᦶKRZHYHUKHJUDGXDOO\WRRNWKHOHDG,QKLVOHWWHUZULWWHQ
LQ9¢UDGDUFKELVKRS:HVHZURWHWKHIROORZLQJWRKLVPDVWHU)HUGLQDQGDERXW
WKHFXUUHQWVLWXDWLRQWKH:KLWH)ULDU PRQDFKXVDOEXV administers everything
LQ-RKQ˭VFRXQWU\GHOLEHUDWHO\OHYLHVWD[HVH[FRULDWHVWKRVHKHZDQWVWRDOOWKH
while accumulating wealth for himself and his master.ᦳᦸ
7KHDJUHHPHQWZDV̐QDOO\VLJQHGRQᦲᦴ)HEUXDU\ᦱᦵᦳᦸLQLW.LQJ-RKQPDGH
SHDFHQRWRQO\ZLWK)HUGLQDQGEXWDOVRZLWK(PSHURU&KDUOHV9$FFRUGLQJWR
the main points of the treaty, the Kingdom of Hungary was divided between
the two monarchs, while the basic principles of dual rule, originally meant to be
temporary, were also established. It was also stipulated that, in the event of King
-RKQ˭VGHDWKKLVSDUWRIWKHFRXQWU\ZRXOGEHSXWXQGHUWKHUXOHRI)HUGLQDQG
even if a son was born to him in the meantime.ᦳᦹ
$WWKHWLPHRIWKHELUWKRIKLVVRQ.LQJ-RKQZDVLQ7UDQV\OYDQLDWU\LQJWR
curb the rebellion of István Maylád and Imre Balassa, Transylvanian voivodes
previously appointed by him.ᦴᦰ :KHQ KH UHFHLYHG WKH QHZV KH ZDV DOUHDG\
in very bad health. On his deathbed, he left his will in spoken form to his
FRXQFLOORUV VWDQGLQJ EHVLGH KLV EHG +H UHTXHVWHG KLV PDLQ FRQ̐GDQWV 3ªWHU
3HWURYLFV DQG )ULDU *HRUJH WR EH KLV VRQ˭V JXDUGLDQV DQG WRJHWKHU ZLWK WKH
other Szapolyai supporters, to preserve the country for his son.ᦴᦱ+HOLIWHG)ULDU
George above his other supporters, however, by requesting him to govern the
part of the country remaining under Szapolyai rule. By this act, the king laid the
JURXQGVIRU)ULDU*HRUJH˭VRXWVWDQGLQJSRVLWLRQRISRZHULQODWHUWLPHV
.LQJ-RKQGLHGRQᦲᦲ-XO\'XULQJᦱᦵᦴᦱ˩ᦱᦵᦵᦱ)ULDU*HRUJHEXLOWDQDXWRFUDF\
̐UVWLQ4XHHQ,VDEHOOD˭VSDUWRIWKHFRXQWU\WKHQLQWKDWRIKHUVRQ+LVPDLQ
DPELWLRQZDVWRXQLWHWKHWZRSDUWVRIWKHFRXQWU\XQGHU)HUGLQDQG˭VUXOHVR
DV WR URXW WKH 2WWRPDQV IURP +XQJDU\ +H DFKLHYHG KLV JRDO LQ ᦱᦵᦴᦹ ZKHQ

ᦳᦷ˘FKHVDSHDWURYDUGHQDULHWSHUWDOFDXVDIDFHDPROWRDSURSRVLWRVXRHWORKDYHDGLEDVVROXRFRHOHYDWR
a grado molto piu alto delli suoi meriti, donatoli il vescovato di Varadino che rende grandissima
HQWUDWDIDWWRORVXRWKHVRULHURHW̏QDOPHQWHWDOHFKHSHURSLQLRQHGLRJQXQRLOVWDWRLQEXRQSDUWHVL
governava per il consiglio et parer suo./LQ]ᦱ6HSWHPEHUᦱᦵᦴᦱSXEOLVKHGLQ*\·UJ\'RPRNRV
DQG1RUEHUW0¢W\XVˬ$QWRQLR0D]]DªV%XGDRVWURP¢U´O®UWMHOHQWªVH˭LQ*¢ERU8MY¢U\DQG
5ªND/HQJ\HOHGV/\PEXV᤭ᤫ᤬ᤱ0DJ\DUV¢JWXGRP¢Q\L)RUU¢VN·]OHPªQ\HN%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦱᦶᦴᦷ
ᦳᦸ˘0LK¢O\+DWYDQLHG0DJ\DUW·UWªQHOPLRNP¢Q\W¢UDEU½VVHOLRUV]¢JRVOHYªOW¢UE´OªVDEXUJXQGL
N·Q\YW¢UE´O 9RO , ᤬᤯᤯᤬˨᤬ᤰ᤮ᤳ 0RQXPHQWD +XQJDULDH +LVWRULFD , 'LSORPDWDULD ᦲ 3HVW
ᦱᦸᦵᦷᦳᦵᦴ
ᦳᦹ˘'RFXPHQWV UHODWLQJ WR WKH SHDFH DJUHHPHQW 5RGHULFK *RRVV —VWHUUHLFKLVFKH 6WDDWVYHUWU¥JH
)½UVWHQWXP6LHEHQE½UJHQ:LHQᦱᦹᦱᦱᦴᦹ˩ᦱᦱᦳVHHDOVR3¢O)RGRUDQG7HUª]2ERUQL˭VHVVD\LQWKLV
volume.
ᦴᦰ˘7KH UHEHOV˭ OHWWHU RI DOOLDQFH /¢V]O´ )HKªUSDWDN\ ˬ0D\O¢WK ,VWY¢Q ªV W¢UVDL IULJ\OHYHOH˭
7·UWªQHOPL 7¢U ᦱᦸᦷᦸᦱ ᦱᦸᦳ˩ᦱᦸᦴ 6]DEROFV 9DUJD ˬ$ 0D\O¢GIªOH O¢]DG¢V W·UWªQHWªQHNNULWLNDL
YL]VJ¢ODWD˭LQ%DO¢]V0¢W\¢VHG*UDVW\¢Q(QGUH6]DNNROOªJLXP7DQXOP¢Q\N·WHW᤭3ªFVᦲᦰᦰᦱ
ᦲᦷᦷ˩ᦲᦹᦳ
ᦴᦱ˘.LQJ-RKQ˭VZLOOVerancsics Antal összes munkái. Vol. VI: 9HJ\HVOHYHOHN᤬ᤰ᤮ᤳ˧᤬ᤰ᤯ᤴ (Monumenta
+XQJDULDH+LVWRULFD,,6FULSWRUHVᦹ3XEOLVKHGE\/¢V]O´6]DOD\3HVWᦱᦸᦶᦰᦱᦱᦱ˩ᦱᦳᦰ

341
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

WKH 7UHDW\ RI 1\®UE¢WRU ZDV VLJQHG LQ ZKLFK KH PDGH ,VDEHOOD UHQRXQFH WKH
WKURQHWR)HUGLQDQG7KH+DEVEXUJNLQJKRZHYHUKDGORVWKLVIDLWKLQ*HRUJH
who enjoyed a suspiciously good relationship with Ottoman leaders, so on
ᦱᦷ'HFHPEHUᦱᦵᦵᦱKHKDGKLPNLOOHGE\KLVPHUFHQDULHVZKRZHUHLQFRQWURORI
Transylvania.

Pž¨Èm —w'—P!žȋž¨0”Lm®ž —w'0—P!®žȌ

-RKQ6]DSRO\DLDVVXPHGSRZHULQWKHFRXQWU\LQDXWXPQᦱᦵᦲᦶLQDQH[WUHPHO\
GL̒FXOW DQG SUHFDULRXV VLWXDWLRQ 7KH JRYHUQPHQW ZDV FRPSOHWHO\ GHVWUR\HG
WKHFOHULFDODQGVHFXODUªOLWHVX̏HUHGLPPHQVHORVVHVLQWKHEDWWOH̐HOGDW0RK¢FV
and the newly crowned king had to face the imminent challenge posed by the
+DEVEXUJV 7KH NLQJ˭V PDLQ WDVN DIWHU KLV HOHFWLRQ ZDV WR KDYH KLV UHLJQ
UHFRJQL]HGE\PDMRU&KULVWLDQFRXUWV)RUWKLVKHQHHGHGH[SHULHQFHGGLSORPDWV
ZKR FRXOG VSHDN VHYHUDO ODQJXDJHV DQG ZKR NQHZ WKHLU ZD\ LQ WKH ̐HOG RI
GLSORPDF\ 6R WKH GHFLVLRQ LQ ODWH 0DUFK ᦱᦵᦲᦷ RI ,VWY¢Q %URGDULFV ELVKRS RI
6]HUªP DQG FKDQFHOORU WR OHDYH WKH +DEVEXUJ VLGH DQG VZLWFK WR .LQJ -RKQ
PXVWVXUHO\KDYHSOD\HGLQWRWKHNLQJ˭VKDQGV$OWKRXJKWKH\HDUVWKDWIROORZHG
the Battle of Mohács were characterized by fading loyalty and the constant
FKDQJLQJRIVLGHV%URGDULFV˭VFDVHLVVSHFLDOLQVHYHUDODVSHFWV
(YHQ WKRXJK 0LNO´V 2O¢K 1LFRODXV 2ODKXV %URGDULFV˭V IRUPHU IULHQG
ZKRKDGIRUDWLPHEHHQOLYLQJDEURDGDQGZRUNLQJDVWKHZLGRZ4XHHQ0DU\˭V
secretary, believed Brodarics may have had economic reasons for switching
sides,ᦴᦲ %URGDULFV˭V PRWLYHV ZHUH PRUH FRPSOH[ ,Q KLV ORQJ OHWWHU ZULWWHQ WR
)HUGLQDQGGDWHGᦱᦸ0DUFKᦱᦵᦲᦷZKLFKZHKDYHRQO\NQRZQLQLWVHQWLUHW\IRU
DFRXSOHRI\HDUVKHH[SODLQHGLQGHWDLOWKHFLUFXPVWDQFHVEHKLQGKLVGHFLVLRQ
The fact that in this era a person of high rank feels it necessary to explain his
decision is extraordinary in itself. Moreover, Brodarics displayed great moral
PHULWZKHQKHGHFLGHGWRHQGKLVVHUYLFHWR)HUGLQDQGZKRZDVUHDG\WRWDNHXS
DUPVDJDLQVW%URGDULFV˭VFRXQWU\DQGDWZKRVHFRXUWKHKHOGDVHFXUHSRVLWLRQ
DQGLQVWHDGWDNH-RKQ6]DSRO\DL˭VVLGHGHVSLWHKDYLQJQRVSHFLDOSHUVRQDOFRQWDFW
with him earlier.ᦴᦳ<HWZKDWHYHUWKHLUSHUVRQDOUHODWLRQVKLSPLJKWKDYHEHHQ
RQHWKLQJLVFHUWDLQ.LQJ-RKQVWRRGJUHDWO\WRJDLQIURP%URGDULFV˭VGHFLVLRQ
At the time he switched sides, Brodarics was regarded as a skilled and
recognised diplomat. He was born into a family of the lesser nobility around
ᦱᦴᦸᦰVRPHZKHUHLQ.·U·VFRXQW\7KHIDPLO\SRVVHVVHGRQO\DIHZWHQDQWSORWV
and in the past its members were conditional nobles of the bishop of Zagreb.
Brodarics, on the other hand, obtained a position as canon in Zagreb, presumably
ZLWKWKHKHOSRIKLVXQFOHRQKLVPRWKHU˭VVLGH-¢QRV-DOVLW\DQGWKHLQFRPH
he received made it possible for him to spend several years studying in Italy, in

ᦴᦲ˘%URGHULFXVEpistulae, ᦲᦶᦱ
ᦴᦳ˘)RUWKHWH[WRIWKHOHWWHUDQGIRUPRUHGHWDLOVRQWKHFLUFXPVWDQFHVRIWKHVLGHVZLWFKLQJVHH
3ªWHU .DV]D DQG *ª]D 3¢Ȍ\ %URGDULFVHPOªNN·Q\Y (J\ N½O·QOHJHV S¢UWY¢OW¢V D PRK¢FVL FVDWD
után%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦱᦱ

342
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

Padua and Bologna.ᦴᦴ That his personal skills and his broad education played
DPDMRUUROHLQKLVULVHLVWHVWL̐HGE\DFKDUWHULVVXHGLQᦱᦵᦱᦷZKLFKVWDWHVWKDW
the previous coat of arms granted to the family in recognition for its military
achievements, was, in recognition of his merits achieved through knowledge,
HPEHOOLVKHGZLWK$SROOR˭VUDYHQ
8SRQ UHWXUQLQJ KRPH %URGDULFV EHFDPH SHUVRQDO VHFUHWDU\ WR *\·UJ\
Szatmári, chancellor and bishop of Pécs; he thereby soon acquired a taste of
FRXUWO\OLIH7KDWKHKDGJDLQHGWKHPRQDUFK˭VWUXVWLVVKRZQE\KLVEHLQJVHQW
LQᦱᦵᦲᦲDVDQHQYR\WR5RPHZKHUHKHUHSUHVHQWHG+XQJDULDQD̏DLUVIRUVHYHUDO
\HDUV XQWLO DXWXPQ ᦱᦵᦲᦵ 'XULQJ KLV \HDUV LQ 5RPH KH HVWDEOLVKHG H[FHOOHQW
personal relationships with several cardinals, and maintained good relations with
leading Polish statesmen and also with the king of Poland.ᦴᦵ Enjoying the support
RIWKHSDSDODQG3ROLVKFRXUWVKHEHFDPHFKDQFHOORURI+XQJDU\LQᦱᦵᦲᦶEXWLQ
WKHVKDGRZRIWKH2WWRPDQWKUHDWWKHR̒FHZDVPRUHRIDFXUVHWKDQDEOHVVLQJ
6WLOOWKHDSSRLQWPHQWKDGDQDGYDQWDJHQDPHO\WKDWEHFDXVHRIKLVQHZR̒FH
Brodarics participated in the campaign of Mohács, and thus became an eyewitness
to and one of the most authentic chroniclers of these events.ᦴᦶ
%URGDULFVZDVH[DFWO\WKHNLQGRISHUVRQ.LQJ-RKQQHHGHGWKDWWKHNLQJ
WUXVWHGKLPLVVKRZQE\WKHIDFWWKDWDVHDUO\DVᦱᦵᦲᦷKHLQWHQGHGWRJUDQWKLP
the important title of bishop of Zagreb,ᦴᦷDQGWKDWLQᦱᦵᦲᦷKHZDVVHQWWRJHWKHU
ZLWK)HUHQF)UDQJHS¢QRQDGLSORPDWLFPLVVLRQWR3RODQGWRREWDLQVXSSRUW
IRU WKHLU FDPSDLJQ DJDLQVW )HUGLQDQG˭V DUP\ᦴᦸ )URP WKLV WLPH RQ %URGDULFV
ZDVDQGUHPDLQHG.LQJ-RKQ˭VPRVWGHGLFDWHGVXSSRUWHUDQGOHDGLQJGLSORPDW
ZKLFKKHUHPDLQHGDVORQJDVKHOLYHG(YHQWKRXJKWKHFRXQWU\˭VSROLWLFDOVWDQFH
ZDVPRVWO\GHWHUPLQHGE\/RGRYLFR*ULWWLLQWKH̐UVWKDOIRIWKHᦱᦵᦳᦰVDQGE\
)ULDU*HRUJHLQWKHVHFRQGKDOIRIWKHGHFDGHLQDQDJHLQZKLFKQHZVWUDYHOOHG
no faster than at the speed of a courier a great deal depended on the skills and
decisions of the envoys who conducted negotiations. Brodarics had a leading
UROHLQDOPRVWDOOGRPHVWLFDQGIRUHLJQSROLF\QHJRWLDWLRQVIURPᦱᦵᦲᦷRQZDUGV
LQDXWXPQᦱᦵᦲᦹKHZDVVHQWWR)UDQFHEXW.LQJ-RKQXSRQEHLQJLQIRUPHGWKDW

ᦴᦴ˘)RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQRQ%URGDULFV˭VOHDUQLQJVHH3ªWHU.DV]Dˬ(J\NDUULHUKDMQDOD$GDOªNRN
%URGDULFV,VWY¢QWDQXOP¢Q\DLQDNªVFVDO¢GLYLV]RQ\DLQDNNªUGªVªKH]˭Századok ᦱᦴᦲᦵᦲᦰᦰᦸ
ᦱᦱᦸᦷ˩ᦱᦲᦰᦹ
ᦴᦵ˘2Q %URGDULFV˭V 3ROLVK FRQQHFWLRQV VHH 3ªWHU .DV]D, ‘+XQJDULDQ 'LSORPDW LQ 3ROLVK 6HUYLFH
1HZ6RXUFHVIRUWKH)XQFWLRQLQJRI,VWY¢Q%URGDULFVDV$PEDVVDGRULQ5RPH˭Camoenae
+XQJDULFDHᦷᦲᦰᦱᦰᦶᦱ˩ᦷᦳ
ᦴᦶ˘2QWKHRULJLQVRI+LVWRULDVHH3ªWHU.DV]Dˬ%HFDXVH,&DQ6HHWKDW6RPH>˸@7HOOWKH(YHQWV
'L̏HUHQWO\ WR +RZ 7KH\ +DSSHQHG˸˱ &RPPHQWV WR WKH 6WRU\ RI WKH )RUPDWLRQ RI ,VWY¢Q
%URGDULFV˭V+LVWRULDYHULVVLPD˭&DPRHQDH+XQJDULFDHᦵᦲᦰᦰᦷ˩ᦲᦰᦰᦸᦴᦷ˩ᦶᦳ,GHPˬ2QWKH7UDFN
RIDQ(GLWLRQ1HZ6RXUFHVIRUWKH'DWLQJRI6WHSKDQXV%URGHULFXV˭+LVWRULDYHULVVLPD˭LQ
1HYHQ -RYDQRYLÈ %UDQNR -R]LÈ )UDQFLVFR -DYLHU -XH] *¢OYH] DQG %UDWLVODY /XÎLQ HGV
&ROORTXLD0DUXOLDQD;;,9$QWLFND%DVWLQDX5HQHVDQVRP7HNVWXII.6SOLW0DUXOLDQXPᦲᦰᦱᦵ
ᦱᦹᦳ˩ᦲᦰᦴ
ᦴᦷ˘3ªWHU .DV]D (J\ NRUV]DNY¢OW¢V V]HPWDQ»MD %URGDULFV ,VWY¢Q ªOHWH ªV PIJN·GªVH %XGDSHVW ᦲᦰᦱᦵ
ᦲᦱᦰ˩ᦲᦱᦴ
ᦴᦸ˘,ELGᦸᦲ˩ᦹᦰ

343
PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA

he had been excommunicated by the pope, requested Brodarics, who was just
arriving in Venice, to arrange to visit the pope and take the necessary steps to
UHVFLQGKLVH[FRPPXQLFDWLRQ,Qᦱᦵᦳᦳ%URGDULFVZDVDPHPEHURIWKHGHOHJDWLRQ
VHQWWRWKHQHJRWLDWLRQVLQ”Y¢UDQG3R]VRQ\DQGLQᦱᦵᦳᦶKHZDVVHQWWR1DSOHV
WRWU\WRQHJRWLDWHGLUHFWO\RYHU)HUGLQDQG˭VKHDGZLWK&KDUOHV9,QᦱᦵᦳᦷKHZDV
LQFRQVWDQWQHJRWLDWLRQVZLWKDUFKELVKRS:HVHWKHUHZHUHURXQGVRIWDONVWKDW
GLGQRWVWDUWXQWLOKHDUULYHGHYHQWKRXJK6]DSRO\DL˭VLQWHUHVWVZHUHUHSUHVHQWHG
by other dignitaries as well.ᦴᦹ+HKDGSOD\HGDOLRQ˭VVKDUHLQKDYLQJWKH7UHDW\RI
Várad signed. Later he was a member of the delegation that travelled to Krakow
LQᦱᦵᦳᦹWRDVN,VDEHOODWRPDUU\.LQJ-RKQ
$OWKRXJK%URGDULFVZDV6]DSRO\DL˭VOR\DODQGWUXVWZRUWK\IROORZHUKHDOVR
DSSHDUHGWREHDPDQRISULQFLSOHZKRVHGHFLVLRQVZHUHRIWHQLQ̑XHQFHGE\
PRUDOFRQVLGHUDWLRQV7KLVZDVDOVRWKHFDVHZKHQKHVZLWFKHGVLGHVLQᦱᦵᦲᦷ
even after this, he put the interests of the country ahead of his own. It is rather
telling that, however loyal he was to his master, he was not afraid to allow
D VSDW WR DULVH EHWZHHQ WKHP LI DQG ZKHQ KH EHOLHYHG 6]DSRO\DL˭V SROLF\ GLG
not serve the interests of the country. A document written by Brodarics and
)UDQJHS¢QLQDXWXPQᦱᦵᦳᦷKDVFRPHGRZQWRXVDQGZKLFKVWDWHVWKDWLI.LQJ
-RKQLVQRWZLOOLQJWRPDNHSHDFHRQIDLUWHUPVZLWK)HUGLQDQGWKH\ZLOOOHDYH
him and join the Habsburg monarch.ᦵᦰ In short, Brodarics did not have any
SUREOHPZLWKDQ2WWRPDQSURWHFWRUDWHKHZDVDUHDOLVWDQGKHZDVDZDUHWKDW
LIWKH2WWRPDQVDWWDFNHG-RKQ˭VSDUWRIWKHFRXQWU\RQO\VSRUDGLFDOO\WKHNLQJ˭V
SUR2WWRPDQSROLF\ZDVWRWKHEHQH̐WRIWKHFRXQWU\
<HW ZKHQ DIWHU PDQ\ ORQJ \HDUV RI GLSORPDWLF VWUXJJOH WKHUH DSSHDUHG WR
be the possibility of an agreement between the two Christian monarchs, and
thus the possibility that the unity of the country be restored, Brodarics was
UHDG\WRWKUHDWHQWUHDVRQVKRXOG-RKQQRWDFFHSWUHDOLVWLFFRQGLWLRQVIRUSHDFH
It is, on the other hand, rather peculiar that Brodarics undertook to participate
in a delegation that set out to propose Isabella for Szapolyai, because he must
have known that a potential male heir would most likely be the source of serious
WURXEOH<HWDSDUWIURPEHLQJOR\DOKHZDVDOVRUHDOLVWLF,QWKHVXPPHURIᦱᦵᦳᦸ
he must have seen that, despite the Treaty of Várad, in the event of an Ottoman
DWWDFN )HUGLQDQG ZDV XQDEOH WR SURYLGH VXEVWDQWLDO VXSSRUW WR +XQJDU\ DQG
that, should Szapolyai die without a successor, he would not be able to defend
his own part of the country. And vassalage was still better than direct Ottoman
rule. At the end of his life, he might therefore have agreed to his last mission to
ȐHUDPDUULDJHSURSRVDOWR,VDEHOOD
$V VWDWHG LQ KLV HSLWDSK ZULWWHQ E\ 0LNO´V 2O¢Kᦵᦱ fate treated Brodarics
NLQGO\ KH GLHG LQ 1RYHPEHU ᦱᦵᦳᦹ VR KH GLG QRW KDYH WR GHFLGH ZKHWKHU KH

ᦴᦹ˘,ELGᦱᦲᦹ
ᦵᦰ˘%URGHULFXVEpistulae,ᦵᦱᦵ˩ᦵᦱᦶ
ᦵᦱ˘)RU WKH WH[W RI WKH HSLWDSK VHH (PĒNH 5LWD 6]LO¢J\L ˬ2O¢K 0LNO´V HSLWDSKLXPD %URGDULFV
,VWY¢Q KDO¢O¢UD˭ *¢ERU 8MY¢U\ DQG 5ªND /HQJ\HO HGV /\PEXV ᤭ᤫ᤬᤯ Magyarságtudományi
)RUU¢VN·]OHPªQ\HN%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦱᦵᦷ˩ᦱᦶ

344
 ¨L0”Pdd—žwD—wÏd”wÉ0—ǹ¨L0lPmž®””w—¨0—žwDbPmE`wLmțPžØ”wdÏPț

wanted to adhere to the Treaty of Várad or to his loyalty to the Szapolyai family
DIWHUWKHNLQJ˭VGHDWK2QHWKLQJLVFHUWDLQGXULQJWKHODVWGHFDGHDQGDKDOIRI
KLVOLIHKHZDVRQHRI6]DSRO\DL˭VPRVWGHGLFDWHGIROORZHUV
$VZHKDYHVHHQ.LQJ-RKQZDVVXUURXQGHGE\H[FHOOHQWVROGLHUVGLSORPDWV
ZLWKDKXPDQLVWHGXFDWLRQUR\DOVHFUHWDULHVOHJDOH[SHUWVDVZHOODVVWD̏WKDW
FRXOGZHOOEHXVHGLQKLJKOHYHODGPLQLVWUDWLRQ0DQ\RIWKHVHR̒FHKROGHUV
had previously served at the court of Louis II, although not in the highest-
UDQNLQJSRVLWLRQV:RUNLQJIRU.LQJ-RKQKRZHYHUȐHUHGFDUHHUDGYDQFHPHQW
opportunities and possibilities to use their talents. Apart from secular dignitaries,
FOHULFDO VWD̏ ZLWK DQ RXWVWDQGLQJ HGXFDWLRQ VXFK DV -¢QRV 6WDWLOHR ELVKRS RI
7UDQV\OYDQLD)HUHQF)UDQJHS¢QDUFKELVKRSRI.DORFVDDQGWKHDIRUHPHQWLRQHG
%URGDULFVHQWHUHGKLVVHUYLFHVRWKHNLQJ˭VFRXUWLQ%XGDDQGLQ9¢UDGVDWLV̐HG
all the requirements of royal courts of the age. It was not for any lack in the
SHUVRQDOVNLOOVRIKLVFRQ̐GDQWVWKDW.LQJ-RKQZDVXQDEOHWRFRQVROLGDWHKLV
power. Nevertheless, of the entire political élite of the Kingdom of Hungary, King
-RKQZDVXQDEOHWRUHWDLQWKHZHDOWKLHVWORUGVRQKLVVLGH3HWURYLFV%URGDULFV
DQG:HUEĒF]\ZRXOGPRVWOLNHO\KDYHSOD\HGVHFRQG̐GGOHDW)HUGLQDQG˭VFRXUW
SHUKDSVRQO\)ULDU*HRUJHZRXOGKDYHKDGDVLPLODUFDUHHULQWKHVHUYLFHRIWKH
+DEVEXUJV:HGRQRWNQRZKRZIDUWKHVHSHRSOHZHUHUHVSRQVLEOHIRU-RKQ˭V
IDLOXUHV :H GR KRZHYHU VHH WKDW QRQH RI WKHP XQGHUVWRRG WKH UHDO WKUHDW
the Ottoman Empire posed, and through their loyalty and service they only
HQFRXUDJHG -RKQ˭V SUR2WWRPDQ SROLWLFDO DFWLRQV )RU WKLV DORQH WKH\ VKDUH D
very considerable part of the blame.

345
 MOHÁCS 1526–2026
RECONSTRUCTION AND REMEMBRANCE

From the 1460s onwards, the Szapolyai family played a decisive

role in the history of Hungary for more than a hundred years.
The studies in this volume highlight the extraordinary careers
of members of the family’s first generation, which made them
the greatest landowning magnates of the country. Relying on the
wealth, prestige and military force of the dynasty, John, a member
of the second generation, successfully governed Transylvania for
a decade and a half; it was partly due to this achievement that in
1526 the majority of Hungarian noblemen found him worthy of the
orphaned throne of Louis II. The writings in this volume explore
King John’s foreign, urban and church politics, the cultural trends
at his court, as well as his relations with the Ottoman Empire,
and those of his successors (Queen Isabella and her son John II,
elected king of Hungary). What we learn from these texts is that the
history of the Szapolyais can be divided into two parts: after their
successful rise as kings of Hungary, their family background was
no longer sufficient for effective governance. The country became
a battleground for global empires, and the Szapolyais,
similarly to the Jagiellonians, were unable to
overcome their vulnerable circumstances. After
centuries of the subject being neglected, this
volume undertakes to give the last Hungarian
royal dynasty the evaluation it deserves.

9 789634 162360