House of Cseszneky
Encyclopedia
The House of Cseszneky was one of the most prominent noble families
in the Kingdom of Hungary
. The Counts Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek have produced many individuals notable in Hungarian and general Europe
an history and culture.
's opinion - traces back to the 10th century. Another notable historian, Erik Fügedi suggested that the Clan Bána was a collateral branch of the Clan Katapán (Koppán) descending from the princely house of the Pecheneg Talmat tribe. According to the medieval Gesta Hungarorum
, Ketel
Cuman (in fact Pecheneg) khagan
joined the people of Hungarian Grand Prince Álmos
at Kiev
in 884 CE. After the conquest of Hungary, one part of Ketel's clan settled down between Sátorhalom and Tolcsva river, whilst the other part where the Vág
river falls into the Danube
. At the bank of Vág Ketel's son, Alaptolma constructed the castle of Komárom
, where later they were buried in a Pagan way. Other historians think that the relationship between the Katapáns and the Bánas was not agnatic rather matrilineal, and the Bánas descended from the Counts of Bana, who were vassals of the Avar
Tudun
, and as such subvassals of Charlemagne
. The Clan Bána had its primeval estates around Bana village and in the Bakony
mountains. They were hereditary Wildgraves of Bakony
.
The direct forefather of the Cseszneky family, Count Apa from the Clan Bána, is mentioned in a document from 1230. In accordance with this record, Pope Gregory IX
investigated the complaint of Pannonhalma Abbey, because Count Apa and his son, Jakab had occupied the Benedictines' possessions and fishing places around Gönyű
. Another son of Apa, Mihály was mentioned in 1225 as King Andrew II
's equerry
, and later he rendered great service to King Béla IV during the Mongol invasion
. Mihály's son, another Jakab, who was royal swordbearer and lord of Trencsén Castle
, constructed Csesznek
Castle around 1260. He and his descendants took the name Cseszneky after their ancestral home.
's seal from 1597.
King Ferdinand II
by a royal patent dated on 8 March 1626 in Vienna
granted to Benedek Cseszneky
, his wife, Sára Kánya de Budafalva, also to Jakab Patonyi and his wife, Anna Kánya, furthermore to Boldizsár Kánya and his sister, Erzsébet a different coat of arms showing a pelican feeding her young with her blood. Nevertheless, most of the family members continued using some sort of the ancient coat of arms with the dove.
The current comital standard was established in 1943. The family motto is a quote from Virgil
's The Aeneid: Famam extendere factis (We extend our fame by our deeds).
, Slovakia
, Croatia
, Vojvodina
, Transylvania
, Subcarpathia
, Transmurania
and Burgenland
. As a result of their ethnicity the principal language used at their homes and in private correspondence was Hungarian
, but Csesznekys living in parts of the Kingdom of Hungary where other languages were spoken by the population also spoke those languages, especially German
and Slavic languages
.
religion, though its followers revered the spirits of ancestors and nature as well.
In the Middle Ages
, the Csesznekys practiced Roman Catholicism, and often sacrificed their lives in the defense of Christendom
by taking part in the Crusades
or fighting the Mongol
and Ottoman invaders
. Several churches were built and patronized by the family all over the Kingdom of Hungary, they founded the Benedictine Abbey of Koppánmonostor and had strong ties with Pannonhalma Archabbey
.
In the late 16th century the family supported the Reformation
, and many of its members became Protestant
. Count György Cseszneky
was an ardent supporter of Lutheranism
and he built one of the first Protestant prayer houses in Hungary in his estates in Kisbabot
. Erzsébet Cseszneky
, mother of the famous Lutheran theologian Mátyás Bél, is highly respected today in the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary and the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
as their benefactress.
During the Counter-Reformation
the main line of the Csesznekys re-embraced Catholicism. In recent times most family members have been christened Roman Catholic and some in the Reformed
or Unitarian Churches.
Count Gyula Cseszneky, Macedonian Grand Voivode, himself a Catholic, in 1943 founded the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church
, which was shortly abolished by the Greek ecclesiastical hierarchy
, but then re-established in 1959 in the Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
after the extinction of the Árpád dynasty
, when they ruled vast regions as de facto sovereign counts
of Csesznek and even declared war on King Wenceslas
almost capturing him in the royal palace.
Under the Angevin
kings of Hungary, the Cseszneky family was also involved in the affairs of the Kingdom of Naples
, Poland
and many Balkan states.
The Ottoman invasion left most of their estates devastated and many family members felt the obligation of defending the Crown of Saint Stephen with their swords, and their braveness was respected even by the Turks.
After the expulsion of Turks, the most important event in the history of Csesznekys was Rákóczi's War for Independence
, in which the members of the family played an active role. Following Francis II Rákóczi
's defeat, the glory of Cseszneky family also was on the decline, and their goods were confiscated.
In spite of their diminished riches, the family supported financially the famous Hungarian poet, Mihály Vörösmarty
's election to the parliament following the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
, and many family members also took part in the war of independence.
In 1919 Ferenc Cseszneky took part in the liberation movement aganst the Hungarian Soviet Republic
, and served as commissioner of public supply in the government of Gyula Károlyi
.
In 1941 Gyula Cseszneky was appointed counselor for King Tomislav II of Croatia
.
Over the generations the family members have resided in some notable historic homes and seats. Some of the more prominent of these are:
The current head of the family is Count Miklós Mihály László Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek, (born 1979), whose heiress presumptive is his sister: Countess Ágnes Cseszneky.
Nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary
The origin of the nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary can be traced to the Magyar conquest of Pannonia in the 9th century, and it developed over the course of the Middle Ages...
in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. The Counts Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek have produced many individuals notable in Hungarian and general Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an history and culture.
Name and origin
According to the tradition the Cseszneky family has descended from the Clan Bána, whose origin - in György GyörffyGyörgy Györffy
György Györffy was a Hungarian historian, and member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences .-Biography:...
's opinion - traces back to the 10th century. Another notable historian, Erik Fügedi suggested that the Clan Bána was a collateral branch of the Clan Katapán (Koppán) descending from the princely house of the Pecheneg Talmat tribe. According to the medieval Gesta Hungarorum
Gesta Hungarorum
Gesta Hungarorum is a record of early Hungarian history by an unknown author who describes himself as Anonymi Bele Regis Notarii , but is generally cited as Anonymus...
, Ketel
Ketel
Ketel is a legendary Magyar tribal chieftain who lived at the end of the 9th century.According to the medieval Gesta Hungarorum, the leader of the Magyars, Árpád, donated a large estate to Ketel along the Danube and Váh rivers where he settled with his people. Today, Ketel is honoured as the...
Cuman (in fact Pecheneg) khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
joined the people of Hungarian Grand Prince Álmos
High Prince Álmos
Álmos , the first Grand Prince of the Magyars . The Gesta Hungarorum records that his father was Ügyek, while the Chronicon Pictum mentions his father as Előd ; his mother was Emese.-Birth:The medieval chronicle recounts the story of his...
at Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
in 884 CE. After the conquest of Hungary, one part of Ketel's clan settled down between Sátorhalom and Tolcsva river, whilst the other part where the Vág
VAG
VAG is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:* Freiburger Verkehrs AG, the municipal transport company of the city of Freiburg, Germany.* Vereinigte Astronomische Gesellschaft, United Astronomical Society...
river falls into the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. At the bank of Vág Ketel's son, Alaptolma constructed the castle of Komárom
Komárno
Komárno is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers. Komárno was formed from part of a historical town in Hungary situated on both banks of the Danube. Following World War I, the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the historical, unified town in half,...
, where later they were buried in a Pagan way. Other historians think that the relationship between the Katapáns and the Bánas was not agnatic rather matrilineal, and the Bánas descended from the Counts of Bana, who were vassals of the Avar
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
Tudun
Tudun
A tudun was a governor resident in a town or other settlement in Ancient Bulgar/Avar/Gokturk empires, particularly those of the Bulgars and the Khazars. In Gothic THIUDNASSAM means 'kingdom'. The tudun was the personal representative of the imperial government and could function both as an...
, and as such subvassals of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. The Clan Bána had its primeval estates around Bana village and in the Bakony
Bakony
Bakony is a mountainous region in Transdanubia, Hungary. It forms the largest part of the Transdanubian Mountains. It is located north of Lake Balaton and lies almost entirely in Veszprém county....
mountains. They were hereditary Wildgraves of Bakony
Wildgraves of Bakony
The Wildgrave of Bakony was a hereditary title of nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary. The wildgraves were originally royal office bearers, administrators of the Bakony forest, but in the late Middle Ages the title became hereditary for the Cseszneky and Ugody families...
.
The direct forefather of the Cseszneky family, Count Apa from the Clan Bána, is mentioned in a document from 1230. In accordance with this record, Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
investigated the complaint of Pannonhalma Abbey, because Count Apa and his son, Jakab had occupied the Benedictines' possessions and fishing places around Gönyű
Gönyu
- External links :*...
. Another son of Apa, Mihály was mentioned in 1225 as King Andrew II
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
's equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
, and later he rendered great service to King Béla IV during the Mongol invasion
Mongol invasion of Europe
The resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked medieval Rus' principalities and the powers of Poland and Hungary, was marked by the Mongol invasion of Rus starting in 21 December 1237...
. Mihály's son, another Jakab, who was royal swordbearer and lord of Trencsén Castle
Trencín Castle
The Trenčín Castle is a castle above the town of Trenčín in western Slovakia.-History:History of the castle goes back to the age of the Roman Empire, testified by the inscription telling about the victory of the II. Roman legion at Laugaricio in 179 AD. The oldest building is a stone rotunda,...
, constructed Csesznek
Csesznek
Csesznek is a village in Veszprém county, Hungary. Famous for its medieval castle.-History:The medieval castle of Csesznek was built about 1263 by the Baron Jakab Cseszneky who was the swordbearer of the King Béla IV...
Castle around 1260. He and his descendants took the name Cseszneky after their ancestral home.
Coat of arms and motto
The traditional coat of arms of the family consisted of a simple blason representing a dove as it can be seen in Count Mátyás CsesznekyMátyás Cseszneky
Count Mátyás Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian magnate and cavalry commander.Mátyás Cseszneky was one of the bravest members of the Cseszneky family. He was a commander of a cavalry unit during the Long War and fought together with Miklós Pálffy, Ferenc Révay and Karl Mansfeld...
's seal from 1597.
King Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
by a royal patent dated on 8 March 1626 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
granted to Benedek Cseszneky
Benedek Cseszneky
Count Benedek Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian nobleman in 17th century, a member of the Cseszneky family.Benedek Cseszneky took part in several combats against the Ottomans and in 1626 he was a peace negotiator between King Ferdinand II and Gabriel Bethlen, prince of Transylvania...
, his wife, Sára Kánya de Budafalva, also to Jakab Patonyi and his wife, Anna Kánya, furthermore to Boldizsár Kánya and his sister, Erzsébet a different coat of arms showing a pelican feeding her young with her blood. Nevertheless, most of the family members continued using some sort of the ancient coat of arms with the dove.
The current comital standard was established in 1943. The family motto is a quote from Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's The Aeneid: Famam extendere factis (We extend our fame by our deeds).
Nationality
The Cseszneky family have generally been known as a Hungarian noble family. However, their nationality has been an object of controversy. The controversy largely stems from the fact that during the lives of numerous family members the modern concept of nationality based on ethnicity had not yet been fully developed and the term Hungarian had a much broader geographic meaning than it does now. Many family members had been brought up in the culture of the Kingdom of Hungary, a multicultural state that had encompassed most of what today are known as HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
, Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Subcarpathia
Subcarpathia
Subcarpathia or Podkarpackie may refer to one of the following.* Podkarpackie, in south-eastern Poland * Podkarpackie...
, Transmurania
Prekmurje
Prekmurje is a geographically, linguistically, culturally and ethnically defined region settled by Slovenes and lying between the Mur River in Slovenia and the Rába Valley in the most western part of Hungary...
and Burgenland
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
. As a result of their ethnicity the principal language used at their homes and in private correspondence was Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, but Csesznekys living in parts of the Kingdom of Hungary where other languages were spoken by the population also spoke those languages, especially German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Slavic languages
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
.
Religion
In pre-Christian Hungary the ancestors of the Cseszneky family followed Tengrism, the ancient religion of the steppic equestrian civilizations. Tengrism was fundamentally a monotheisticMonotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
religion, though its followers revered the spirits of ancestors and nature as well.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the Csesznekys practiced Roman Catholicism, and often sacrificed their lives in the defense of Christendom
Christendom
Christendom, or the Christian world, has several meanings. In a cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of Christians, adherents of Christianity...
by taking part in the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
or fighting the Mongol
Mongol invasion of Europe
The resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked medieval Rus' principalities and the powers of Poland and Hungary, was marked by the Mongol invasion of Rus starting in 21 December 1237...
and Ottoman invaders
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
. Several churches were built and patronized by the family all over the Kingdom of Hungary, they founded the Benedictine Abbey of Koppánmonostor and had strong ties with Pannonhalma Archabbey
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey is the most notable landmark in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, founded in the year 996. It is located near the town, on top of a hill...
.
In the late 16th century the family supported the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, and many of its members became Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. Count György Cseszneky
György Cseszneky
Count György Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian aristocrat in 16th century. Member of the Cseszneky family.In 1526 when the disastrous battle with the Turks happened and Louis II died in the battlefield, György Cseszneky was the chatelain of the Castles Tata and Komárom...
was an ardent supporter of Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and he built one of the first Protestant prayer houses in Hungary in his estates in Kisbabot
Kisbabot
Kisbabot is a village in Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary.In 1534 King Ferdinand I donated the village to Count György Cseszneky. In 1592 Count János Cseszneky was its lord with other Cseszneky heirs, in 1611 István Darkó, Count Márton Cseszneky, Tamás Babothy and Farkas Hegyi were the owners of...
. Erzsébet Cseszneky
Erzsébet Cseszneky
Erzsébet Cseszneky de Milvány et Nemesvarbók was a Hungarian noble who lived in the 17th–18th centuries.Erzsébet Cseszneky was either a member of the Veszprém branch or of the Nemesvarbók branch, of the Cseszneky family. Her parents had probably became impoverished because despite her high-born...
, mother of the famous Lutheran theologian Mátyás Bél, is highly respected today in the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary and the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia is a Lutheran church body in Slovakia.-History of the church:...
as their benefactress.
During the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
the main line of the Csesznekys re-embraced Catholicism. In recent times most family members have been christened Roman Catholic and some in the Reformed
Reformed Church in Hungary
The Reformed Church in Hungary is a key representative of Christianity in Hungary, being numerically the second-largest denomination in Hungary after the Roman Catholic Church, and the biggest denomination among ethnic Hungarians in Romania...
or Unitarian Churches.
Count Gyula Cseszneky, Macedonian Grand Voivode, himself a Catholic, in 1943 founded the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church
Macedonian Orthodox Church
The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric or just Macedonian Orthodox Church is the body of Christians who are united under the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, exercising jurisdiction over Macedonian Orthodox Christians in the Republic of Macedonia and in exarchates in the Macedonian...
, which was shortly abolished by the Greek ecclesiastical hierarchy
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
, but then re-established in 1959 in the Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Politics
Several prominent family members have been involved in domestic and foreign political arenas. They took an active part in the political life of the Kingdom of Hungary and held high military and court positions. They reached their splendour during the interregnumInterregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
after the extinction of the Árpád dynasty
Árpád dynasty
The Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
, when they ruled vast regions as de facto sovereign counts
Freigraf
Freigraf is a title of Germany nobility. It is derived from the German words frei and the feudal title graf . It can be used in two different contexts:...
of Csesznek and even declared war on King Wenceslas
Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
Wenceslaus III Premyslid was the King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and the king of Poland ....
almost capturing him in the royal palace.
Under the Angevin
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
kings of Hungary, the Cseszneky family was also involved in the affairs of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Jogaila , Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch...
and many Balkan states.
The Ottoman invasion left most of their estates devastated and many family members felt the obligation of defending the Crown of Saint Stephen with their swords, and their braveness was respected even by the Turks.
After the expulsion of Turks, the most important event in the history of Csesznekys was Rákóczi's War for Independence
Rákóczi's War for Independence
Rákóczi's War for Independence was the first significant attempt to topple therule of Habsburg Austria over Hungary. The war was fought by a group of noblemen, wealthy and high-ranking progressives and was led by Francis II Rákóczi Rákóczi's War for Independence (1703–1711) was the first...
, in which the members of the family played an active role. Following Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi Hungarian aristocrat, he was the leader of the Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs in 1703-11 as the prince of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of Hungary. He was also Prince of Transylvania, an Imperial Prince, and a member of the Order of the Golden...
's defeat, the glory of Cseszneky family also was on the decline, and their goods were confiscated.
In spite of their diminished riches, the family supported financially the famous Hungarian poet, Mihály Vörösmarty
Mihály Vörösmarty
Mihály Vörösmarty was an important Hungarian poet and dramatist.He was born at Puszta-Nyék , of a noble Roman Catholic family. His father was a steward of the Nádasdys. Mihály was educated at Székesfehérvár by the Cistercians and at Pest by the Piarists...
's election to the parliament following the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
, and many family members also took part in the war of independence.
In 1919 Ferenc Cseszneky took part in the liberation movement aganst the Hungarian Soviet Republic
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a short-lived Communist state established in Hungary in the aftermath of World War I....
, and served as commissioner of public supply in the government of Gyula Károlyi
Gyula Károlyi
Gyula Count Károlyi de Nagykároly was a conservative Hungarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary from 1931 to 1932. He had previously been Prime Minister of the counter-revolutionary government in Szeged for several months in 1919...
.
In 1941 Gyula Cseszneky was appointed counselor for King Tomislav II of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
.
Family residences
Over the generations the family members have resided in some notable historic homes and seats. Some of the more prominent of these are:
- In present-day Hungary:
- Csesznek CastleCsesznekCsesznek is a village in Veszprém county, Hungary. Famous for its medieval castle.-History:The medieval castle of Csesznek was built about 1263 by the Baron Jakab Cseszneky who was the swordbearer of the King Béla IV...
- KisbabotKisbabotKisbabot is a village in Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary.In 1534 King Ferdinand I donated the village to Count György Cseszneky. In 1592 Count János Cseszneky was its lord with other Cseszneky heirs, in 1611 István Darkó, Count Márton Cseszneky, Tamás Babothy and Farkas Hegyi were the owners of...
- EneseEneseEnese is a village in Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary.In 1526 it was property of Count György Cseszneky and during 16-17th centuries of the Cseszneky and Enessey families.- External links :*...
- TápTápTáp is a village in Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary.In 1588 it was undivided property of Count János Cseszneky and András Farkas, later was in the hands of Cseszneky heirs.- External links :*...
- GyőrGyor-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...
- BükBük-Location:The town is situated 27 kilometers from Szombathely at the Répce-river plains.-History:The village is first mentioned in charters in 1271 with the name: Byk . The church had been built in the 12th century, so the village is even older. In 1461 the name of the village is Poss. Vinchefalwa...
- Rábacsécsény
- CsávolyCsávolyCsávoly is a village in Bács-Kiskun county, Hungary. It is about far away from Baja.-History:Csávoly's history can be traced back to 1198. The village - under the name of Chayol-Thayal - had many proprietors since 1374. According to Turkish tax listings, Csávoly had 22 houses in 1580...
- Csesznek Castle
- In present-day Burgenland, Austria
- FelsőpulyaOberpullendorfOberpullendorf is a town in Burgenland, Austria. It is the administrative center of the district of Oberpullendorf.- Geography :Oberpullendorf is situated in the middle of the Burgenland, in the valley of the Stooberbach. The town is divided into Mitterpullendorf and Oberpullendorf.- History :The...
- Felsőpulya
- In present-day Slovakia
- Trencsén CastleTrencín CastleThe Trenčín Castle is a castle above the town of Trenčín in western Slovakia.-History:History of the castle goes back to the age of the Roman Empire, testified by the inscription telling about the victory of the II. Roman legion at Laugaricio in 179 AD. The oldest building is a stone rotunda,...
- ZsolnaŽilinaŽilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
- GallyasHaluzice, Nové Mesto nad Váhom DistrictHaluzice is a village and municipality in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in the Trenčín Region of western Slovakia.-History:...
- SomorjaŠamorínŠamorín or Somorja is a small town in western Slovakia, southeast of Bratislava.-Geography:The town is located on the Danubian Flat at the Žitný ostrov island, near the Gabčíkovo dam on the Danube. It is located around 17 km south-east of Bratislava and 25 km west of Dunajská Streda...
- NemesvarbókZemiansky VrbovokZemiansky Vrbovok is a village and municipality in the Krupina District of the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia.In the 17th century it was the property of the Cseszneky family and according to some sources Erzsébet Cseszneky, benefactress of the Lutheran Church and mother of Mátyás Bél also was...
- HollólomnicHolumnicaHolumnica is a village and municipality in Kežmarok District in the Prešov Region of north Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 593 metres and covers an area of 8.944 km².It has a population of about 815 people.-External links:...
- Trencsén Castle
- In present-day Croatia
- Maróca CastleZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
- CseglényCaglinČaglin is a village and a municipality in Slavonia, Croatia. The population of the municipality was 2,691 in 2011.-References:...
- Maróca Castle
- In present-day Vojvodina, Serbia
- SzabadkaSuboticaSubotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
- Szabadka
Notable family members
- Count Jakab CsesznekyJakab CsesznekyJakab Cseszneky de Csesznek et Visk was a Hungarian aristocrat and first Lord of Csesznek in 13th century.Jakab was the son of Mihály, member of the clan Bána, and equerry of Andrew II of Hungary....
, royal swordbearer, lord of Trencsén Castle, builder of Csesznek Castle - Count Miklós Cseszneky, Count of Maróca, knight of the Order of Saint GeorgeOrder of Saint George (Kingdom of Hungary)The Order of Saint George was the first secular chivalric order in the world established by King Charles I of Hungary in 1326.The Order was awarded to only 50 knights, and the admission of a new member required the unanimous vote of the former members. New members had to swear fidelity to the...
- Count Lőrinc Cseszneky, medieval magnate, knight of the Order of Saint George
- Count György CsesznekyGyörgy CsesznekyCount György Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian aristocrat in 16th century. Member of the Cseszneky family.In 1526 when the disastrous battle with the Turks happened and Louis II died in the battlefield, György Cseszneky was the chatelain of the Castles Tata and Komárom...
, castellan of TataTata, HungaryTata is a town in north-western Hungary, Komárom-Esztergom county, northwest from county seat Tatabánya.-Location:Tata is located in the valley between the Gerecse and Vértes Mountains, some from the Budapest, the capital. By the virtue of its location, the city is a railway and road junction...
and GyőrGyor-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...
, benefactor of the Lutheran Church - Count János CsesznekyJános CsesznekyCount János Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian magnate, member of the Cseszneky family.János Cseszneky was mentioned as one of the neighbour nobles in a charter that installed Palatine Tamás Nádasdy and Orsolya Kanizsai into the estate of Kapuvár in 1558...
, infantry commander - Count Mihály CsesznekyMihály CsesznekyCount Mihály Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian nobleman and border castle hero in 16th century. Member of the Cseszneky family....
, vice-castellan of VárpalotaVárpalotaVárpalota is a town in Western Hungary, in the Transdanubian county of Veszprém. It was a mining town during the Socialist era, but the mines have been closed... - Count Mátyás CsesznekyMátyás CsesznekyCount Mátyás Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian magnate and cavalry commander.Mátyás Cseszneky was one of the bravest members of the Cseszneky family. He was a commander of a cavalry unit during the Long War and fought together with Miklós Pálffy, Ferenc Révay and Karl Mansfeld...
, cavalry commander - Count Benedek CsesznekyBenedek CsesznekyCount Benedek Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian nobleman in 17th century, a member of the Cseszneky family.Benedek Cseszneky took part in several combats against the Ottomans and in 1626 he was a peace negotiator between King Ferdinand II and Gabriel Bethlen, prince of Transylvania...
, office holder, diplomat - Countess Erzsébet CsesznekyErzsébet CsesznekyErzsébet Cseszneky de Milvány et Nemesvarbók was a Hungarian noble who lived in the 17th–18th centuries.Erzsébet Cseszneky was either a member of the Veszprém branch or of the Nemesvarbók branch, of the Cseszneky family. Her parents had probably became impoverished because despite her high-born...
, mother of Mátyás Bél, benefactress of the Lutheran Church - Count Imre CsesznekyImre CsesznekyCount Imre Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a Hungarian agriculturist and patriot, born in 1804 to Mihály Cseszneky and Erzsébet Galgótzy. His father was a descendant of the impoverished Bácska branch of the Cseszneky family. In the 1830s he served as lieutenant...
, agriculturalist, horse breeder - Count Ferenc Cseszneky (1876–1924) inventor, politician
- Count Gyula Cseszneky (1914-ca 1970) poet, translator, Macedonian Voivode
- Count Mihály Cseszneky (1910–1975), industrialist
Current family
Since World War II the descendants of the family mostly have lived in Hungary, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, England, France and the United States.The current head of the family is Count Miklós Mihály László Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek, (born 1979), whose heiress presumptive is his sister: Countess Ágnes Cseszneky.