Royal castle's serf (Kingdom of Hungary)
Encyclopedia
A "royal castle's serf" was a wealthier member of the group of peoples living within the royal castle system in the Kingdom of Hungary
in the 11-15th centuries.
The "royal castle's serfs" did not enjoy the liberties of the freemen of the medieval Hungarian society, and they were personally linked to a royal fortress and they could not secede from the castle. Each "royal castle's serf" was liable to military service and they were subordinate to the head of the castle, in contrast to the "royal servants
" who were dependent only of the king
. They held offices and thus managed the peoples of the royal fortress and took part in the administration of the possessions linked to the castle. The "royal castle's serfs" had a share in the royal domains and they received a share in the tax paid by the people living on the royal possessions administered by them. Nevertheless, they did not owned their possessions and they were only the beneficiaries of the lands granted to them.
Other peoples linked to the royal castle could also reach the status of "royal castle's serfs" by royal grant, but they did not enjoy all the liberties of other "royal castle's serfs" (e.g., they were still obliged to render services to the head of the castle); in the documents, they were mentioned as "the exempted sons of royal castle's serfs" . During the 11-13th century, several freemen also joined to the royal castles and thus became a "royal castle's serf", but some of them reserved their former possessions and based on their lands, they endeavoured to keep their former freedom. Their descendants called themselves "the Holy King's freemen" , because they claimed that their ancestors received their liberties from King Saint Stephen.
During the 12th century, the kings commenced to grant all the liberties of the freemen to some of the "royal castle's serfs" who thus merged into the "royal servants
". The first documented example of this practise is a charter issued by King Stephen III
(1162-1172) who took out a man called Farkas from the peoples of a royal castle; and not only granted him all the liberties of the freemen but also donated some possessions to him.
The liberties of the "royal castle's serfs" became endangered during the reign of King Andrew II
(1205-1235) who granted whole "royal counties" (i.e., all the royal domains in the counties) to his partisans and therefore most of the "royal castle's serfs" became subordinate to the new lords of the castles. In 1231, the charter issued by King Andrew II that confirmed the provisions of the Golden Bull
also confirmed the liberties of the "royal castle's serfs".
Although some of the "royal castle's serfs" could reserve their liberties and integrated themselves into the nobility, but the majority of them could not acquire all the liberties of the "royal servants" and merged into the serf
s.
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...
in the 11-15th centuries.
The "royal castle's serfs" did not enjoy the liberties of the freemen of the medieval Hungarian society, and they were personally linked to a royal fortress and they could not secede from the castle. Each "royal castle's serf" was liable to military service and they were subordinate to the head of the castle, in contrast to the "royal servants
Royal servant (Kingdom of Hungary)
A royal servant was a freeman in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 13th century who owned possession and was subordinate only to the king. The expression was documented for the first time in a charter issued in 1217...
" who were dependent only of the king
King of Hungary
The King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of...
. They held offices and thus managed the peoples of the royal fortress and took part in the administration of the possessions linked to the castle. The "royal castle's serfs" had a share in the royal domains and they received a share in the tax paid by the people living on the royal possessions administered by them. Nevertheless, they did not owned their possessions and they were only the beneficiaries of the lands granted to them.
Other peoples linked to the royal castle could also reach the status of "royal castle's serfs" by royal grant, but they did not enjoy all the liberties of other "royal castle's serfs" (e.g., they were still obliged to render services to the head of the castle); in the documents, they were mentioned as "the exempted sons of royal castle's serfs" . During the 11-13th century, several freemen also joined to the royal castles and thus became a "royal castle's serf", but some of them reserved their former possessions and based on their lands, they endeavoured to keep their former freedom. Their descendants called themselves "the Holy King's freemen" , because they claimed that their ancestors received their liberties from King Saint Stephen.
During the 12th century, the kings commenced to grant all the liberties of the freemen to some of the "royal castle's serfs" who thus merged into the "royal servants
Royal servant (Kingdom of Hungary)
A royal servant was a freeman in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 13th century who owned possession and was subordinate only to the king. The expression was documented for the first time in a charter issued in 1217...
". The first documented example of this practise is a charter issued by King Stephen III
Stephen III of Hungary
Stephen III , King of Hungary King of Croatia and Dalmatia . He ascended the throne as a child and he had to stand up against his uncles who usurped the crown supported by the Byzantine Empire...
(1162-1172) who took out a man called Farkas from the peoples of a royal castle; and not only granted him all the liberties of the freemen but also donated some possessions to him.
The liberties of the "royal castle's serfs" became endangered during the reign of 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...
(1205-1235) who granted whole "royal counties" (i.e., all the royal domains in the counties) to his partisans and therefore most of the "royal castle's serfs" became subordinate to the new lords of the castles. In 1231, the charter issued by King Andrew II that confirmed the provisions of the Golden Bull
Golden Bull of 1222
The Golden Bull of 1222 was a golden bull, or edict, issued by King Andrew II of Hungary. The law established the rights of the Hungarian nobility, including the right to disobey the King when he acted contrary to law . The nobles and the church were freed from all taxes and could not be forced to...
also confirmed the liberties of the "royal castle's serfs".
Although some of the "royal castle's serfs" could reserve their liberties and integrated themselves into the nobility, but the majority of them could not acquire all the liberties of the "royal servants" and merged into the serf
SERF
A spin exchange relaxation-free magnetometer is a type of magnetometer developed at Princeton University in the early 2000s. SERF magnetometers measure magnetic fields by using lasers to detect the interaction between alkali metal atoms in a vapor and the magnetic field.The name for the technique...
s.
See also
- Royal servantRoyal servant (Kingdom of Hungary)A royal servant was a freeman in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 13th century who owned possession and was subordinate only to the king. The expression was documented for the first time in a charter issued in 1217...
- freemen who owned possessions in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary
Sources
- Bán, Péter (editor): Magyar Történelmi Fogalomtár; Gondolat, Budapest, 1989; ISBN 963 282 202 1.
- Kristó, Gyula (editor): Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon - 9-14. század (Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History - 9-14th centuries); Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963 05 6722 9.
- Kristó, Gyula: Magyarország története - 895-1301 (The History of Hungary - 895-1301); Osiris Kiadó, 1998, Budapest; ISBN 963 379 442 0.