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==King Andrew's partisan==
==King Andrew's partisan==
In 1291, Máté took part in the campaign of King [[Andrew III of Hungary]] against [[Austria]].<ref name='Markó'/> In the next year, when [[Nicholas Kőszegi]] rebelled against King Andrew III and occupied Pozsony (today ''[[Bratislava]]'' in Slovakia) and Detrekő (now ''[[Plaveč]]'' in Slovakia), Máté managed to reoccupy the castles on behalf of the king.<ref name='Markó'/> Henceforward, the [[Danube]] became the border between the developing “provinces” of the Kőszegi and Csák families.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> King Andrew appointed him to Marshal and he also became the head of Pozsony county.<ref name='Kristó'/> On 28 October 1293, Máté issued a charter and promised that he would respect the liberties of the burghers of the city of Pozsony that King Andrew had confirmed before.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
In 1291, Máté took part in the campaign of King [[Andrew III of Hungary]] against [[Austria]].<ref name='Markó'/> In the next year, when [[Nicholas Kőszegi]] rebelled against King Andrew III and occupied Posonium (today [[Bratislava]], Slovakia) and ''[[Plaveč]]'', Máté managed to reoccupy the castles on behalf of the king.<ref name='Markó'/> Henceforward, the [[Danube]] became the border between the developing “provinces” of the Kőszegi and Csák families.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> King Andrew appointed him to Marshal and he also became the head of Posonium county.<ref name='Kristó'/> On 28 October 1293, Máté issued a charter and promised that he would respect the liberties of the burghers of the city of Posonium that King Andrew had confirmed before.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


During this period, Máté started to augment his possessions not only by the king's donations, but also by using force.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> In 1296, he bought Vöröskő (today ''[[Červený Kameň Castle|Červený Kameň]]'' in Slovakia) from its former holders for money; however, contemporary documents prove that he enforced several neighboring landowners to transfer their possessions either to him or his partisans.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> He even was ready to occupy territories; ''e.g.'', around 1296, he took possession of the lands of the [[Pannonhalma Archabbey|Archabbot of Pannonhalma]] north of the Danube and he also trespassed the possessions of the [[Collegiate Chapter]] of Pressburg.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
During this period, Máté started to augment his possessions not only by the king's donations, but also by using force.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> In 1296, he bought [[Červený Kameň Castle|Červený Kameň]] from its former holders for money; however, contemporary documents prove that he enforced several neighboring landowners to transfer their possessions either to him or his partisans.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> He even was ready to occupy territories; ''e.g.'', around 1296, he took possession of the lands of the [[Pannonhalma Archabbey|Archabbot of Pannonhalma]] north of the Danube and he also trespassed the possessions of the [[Collegiate Chapter]] of Pressburg.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


Around the end of 1296, Máté acquired Trencsén (today ''[[Trenčín]]'' in Slovakia) and afterwards, he was named after the castle.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> In 1296 King Andrew appointed him Palatine,<ref name='Markó'/> but shortly afterwards the king absolved one of Máté's opponents, [[Forgach (family)|Andrew of Gimes]] of all responsibility for the damage he had caused to Máté.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> The document proves that the relationship of the king and Máté worsened and the king deprived him of his office of Palatine in 1297.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> At the same time, the king granted [[Pozsony county]] to his queen.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
Around the end of 1296, Máté acquired [[Trenčín]] and afterwards, he was named after the castle.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> In 1296 King Andrew appointed him Palatine,<ref name='Markó'/> but shortly afterwards the king absolved one of Máté's opponents, [[Forgach (family)|Andrew of Gimes]] of all responsibility for the damage he had caused to Máté.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> The document proves that the relationship of the king and Máté worsened and the king deprived him of his office of Palatine in 1297.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> At the same time, the king granted [[Pozsony county|Posonium county]] to his queen.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


==The kings' rival==
==The kings' rival==
Line 38: Line 38:
Before 1300, Máté entered into negotiations with the representatives of King [[Charles II of Naples]] and reassured him that he would assist the claim of his grandson, [[Charles I of Hungary|Charles]] for the throne against King Andrew III.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> However, in the summer of 1300, Máté visited King Andrew's court, but the king died on 14 January 1301, and following his death a struggle commenced among the several claimants for the throne. <ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> At that time, Máté's brother, Csák died childless and therefore Máté inherited his possessions.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
Before 1300, Máté entered into negotiations with the representatives of King [[Charles II of Naples]] and reassured him that he would assist the claim of his grandson, [[Charles I of Hungary|Charles]] for the throne against King Andrew III.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> However, in the summer of 1300, Máté visited King Andrew's court, but the king died on 14 January 1301, and following his death a struggle commenced among the several claimants for the throne. <ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> At that time, Máté's brother, Csák died childless and therefore Máté inherited his possessions.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


Following the death of King Andrew III, Máté became the [[Kingdom of Naples|Neapolitan]] prince's follower, but shortly afterwards, he joined the party that offered the crown to [[Wenceslaus III of Bohemia|Wenceslaus]], the son of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> He was present at the coronation of the young Czech prince (27 August 1301) who granted him [[Trencsén (county)|Trencsén]] and [[Nyitra county|Nyitra]] counties;<ref name='Markó'/> therefore he became the lawful holder of all the royal castles and possessions in the two counties.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> In the following years, Máté Csák occupied the possessions of the [[Balassa family]] in the two counties and he also took several castles in [[Nógrád (former county)|Nógrád]] and [[Hont]] counties.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
Following the death of King Andrew III, Máté became the [[Kingdom of Naples|Neapolitan]] prince's follower, but shortly afterwards, he joined the party that offered the crown to [[Wenceslaus III of Bohemia|Wenceslaus]], the son of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> He was present at the coronation of the young Czech prince (27 August 1301) who granted him [[Trencsén (county)|Trentsiniensis]] and [[Nyitra county|Nitriensis]] counties;<ref name='Markó'/> therefore he became the lawful holder of all the royal castles and possessions in the two counties.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> In the following years, Máté Csák occupied the possessions of the [[Balassa family]] in the two counties and he also took several castles in [[Nógrád (former county)|comitatus Neogradiensis]] and [[Hont)Honthum]] counties.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


King Wenceslaus could not strengthen his rule against his opponent and he had to leave the kingdom (August 1304).<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> By that time Máté Csák had already left King Wenceslaus' party,<ref name='Markó'/> and shortly afterwards he made an alliance with Duke [[Rudolph I of Bohemia|Rudolph III of Austria]] against the king of Bohemia.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Although he did not join to King Charles' partisans, but his troops took part in the campaign King Charles and Duke Rudolph lead against the [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] (September-October 1304).<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> The internal struggles, however, did not end, because on 6 December 1305 a new claimant, [[Otto III, Duke of Bavaria]] was crowned King of Hungary.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Máté Csák did not accept King Otto's rule, and his troops struggled together with King Charles' armies who occupied some castles on the northern part of the kingdom.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
King Wenceslaus could not strengthen his rule against his opponent and he had to leave the kingdom (August 1304).<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> By that time Máté Csák had already left King Wenceslaus' party,<ref name='Markó'/> and shortly afterwards he made an alliance with Duke [[Rudolph I of Bohemia|Rudolph III of Austria]] against the king of Bohemia.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Although he did not join to King Charles' partisans, but his troops took part in the campaign King Charles and Duke Rudolph lead against the [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] (September-October 1304).<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> The internal struggles, however, did not end, because on 6 December 1305 a new claimant, [[Otto III, Duke of Bavaria]] was crowned King of Hungary.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Máté Csák did not accept King Otto's rule, and his troops struggled together with King Charles' armies who occupied some castles on the northern part of the kingdom.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
Line 46: Line 46:
Máté Csák did not want to accept the king's rule; therefore, he did not attend King Charles' third coronation, when he was crowned with the [[Holy Crown of Hungary]] (27 August).<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Moreover, Máté Csák still continued to expand the borders of his domains and occupied several castles in the northern part of the kingdom.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> On 25 June 1311, he led his troops towards [[Buda]] and pillaged the surrounding territories and on this account the Cardinal Gentilis [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] him<ref name='Kristó'/> (6 July 1311. <ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> However, he did not accept the punishment and persuaded some priests to continue their services on his territories.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
Máté Csák did not want to accept the king's rule; therefore, he did not attend King Charles' third coronation, when he was crowned with the [[Holy Crown of Hungary]] (27 August).<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Moreover, Máté Csák still continued to expand the borders of his domains and occupied several castles in the northern part of the kingdom.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> On 25 June 1311, he led his troops towards [[Buda]] and pillaged the surrounding territories and on this account the Cardinal Gentilis [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] him<ref name='Kristó'/> (6 July 1311. <ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> However, he did not accept the punishment and persuaded some priests to continue their services on his territories.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


The indignant oligarch pillaged the possessions of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest|Archdiocese of Esztergom]].<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> When the citizens of [[Košice|Kassa]] (today ''Košice'' in Slovakia) killed [[Amade Aba]], the powerful oligarch of the north-eastern parts of the kingdom (5 September 1311) Máté made an alliance with his sons against the king who sided with Kassa.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Máté's troops liberated [[Šariš Castle|Sáros Castle]] (today ''Šarišský hrad'' in Slovakia), besieged by the king, and then marched against Kassa.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> At the [[Battle of Rozgony]], the king's armies defeated Máté's and his allies' troops (15 June 1312).<ref name='Kristó'/> Following the battle, the king occupied the territories of Amade Aba's sons.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Although Máté's “province” stayed undisturbed, the occupation of the neighboring territories by the king hindered his expansion.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>
The indignant oligarch pillaged the possessions of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest|Archdiocese of Esztergom]].<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> When the citizens of [[Košice|Cassovia]] killed [[Amade Aba]], the powerful oligarch of the north-eastern parts of the kingdom (5 September 1311) Máté made an alliance with his sons against the king who sided with Kassa.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Máté's troops liberated [[Šariš Castle]], besieged by the king, and then marched against Cassovia.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> At the [[Battle of Rozgony]], the king's armies defeated Máté's and his allies' troops (15 June 1312).<ref name='Kristó'/> Following the battle, the king occupied the territories of Amade Aba's sons.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/> Although Máté's “province” stayed undisturbed, the occupation of the neighboring territories by the king hindered his expansion.<ref name='Kristó (1986)'/>


==His last years==
==His last years==

Revision as of 08:20, 17 May 2011

Máté Csák
Born1260-65
Died18. March 1321
NationalityHungarian
Trenčín Castle
Area ruled by Máté Csák

Máté (III) Csák (between 1260-65 – 18 March 1321)[1] (Hungarian: Csák (III) Máté, Slovak: Matúš Čák III), also Máté Csák of Trencsén[1] (Hungarian: trencséni Csák (III) Máté, Slovak: Matúš Čák III Trenčiansky) or Count Matthew Csák[2] or Count Matthew of Trencin,[3] was a Hungarian oligarch in the Kingdom of Hungary who ruled de facto independently the north-western counties of the kingdom (today roughly the western half of present-day Slovakia and parts of Northern Hungary).[4] He held the offices of Marshal (főlovászmester) (1293-1296), Palatine (nádor) (1296-1297, 1301-1310) and Master of the Treasury (tárnokmester) (1310).[5] He could maintain his rule over his territories even after his defeat at the Battle of Rozgony against King Charles I of Hungary. In the 19th century, he was often described as a symbol of the struggle for independence in both the Hungarian and the Slovak literature.[4]

Early years

He was a son of the Palatine Peter Csák, a member of the genus ("clan") Csák.[5] Around 1283, Máté and his brother, Csák inherited their father's possessions, Komárom (today Komárno in Slovakia) and Szenic (now Senica in Slovakia).[4] At about that time, they also inherited their uncles' possessions around Nagytapolcsány (now Topoľčany in Slovakia), Hrussó (today Hrušovo in Slovakia) and Tata.[4] Their father had started to expand his influence over the territories that surrounded his possessions, but following his death, the members of the rival Kőszegi family strengthened in Pozsony and Sopron counties.[4]

King Andrew's partisan

In 1291, Máté took part in the campaign of King Andrew III of Hungary against Austria.[5] In the next year, when Nicholas Kőszegi rebelled against King Andrew III and occupied Posonium (today Bratislava, Slovakia) and Plaveč, Máté managed to reoccupy the castles on behalf of the king.[5] Henceforward, the Danube became the border between the developing “provinces” of the Kőszegi and Csák families.[4] King Andrew appointed him to Marshal and he also became the head of Posonium county.[1] On 28 October 1293, Máté issued a charter and promised that he would respect the liberties of the burghers of the city of Posonium that King Andrew had confirmed before.[4]

During this period, Máté started to augment his possessions not only by the king's donations, but also by using force.[4] In 1296, he bought Červený Kameň from its former holders for money; however, contemporary documents prove that he enforced several neighboring landowners to transfer their possessions either to him or his partisans.[4] He even was ready to occupy territories; e.g., around 1296, he took possession of the lands of the Archabbot of Pannonhalma north of the Danube and he also trespassed the possessions of the Collegiate Chapter of Pressburg.[4]

Around the end of 1296, Máté acquired Trenčín and afterwards, he was named after the castle.[4] In 1296 King Andrew appointed him Palatine,[5] but shortly afterwards the king absolved one of Máté's opponents, Andrew of Gimes of all responsibility for the damage he had caused to Máté.[4] The document proves that the relationship of the king and Máté worsened and the king deprived him of his office of Palatine in 1297.[4] At the same time, the king granted Posonium county to his queen.[4]

The kings' rival

Battle of Rozgony,1312 Chronicon Pictum from 1360

Máté continued to style himself Palatine even after 1297.[1] He managed to overcome Andrew of Gimes and his family and thus expanded his influence along the Zsitva River (Žitava River).[4]

In 1298, King Andrew III allied himself with King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia; the alliance was probably directed against Máté whose possessions lay between the two monarchs' territories [4] In the next year, King Andrew sent his troops against Máté, but he could resist the attack;[1] only Pozsony county was reoccupied by the king's partisans.[4]

Before 1300, Máté entered into negotiations with the representatives of King Charles II of Naples and reassured him that he would assist the claim of his grandson, Charles for the throne against King Andrew III.[4] However, in the summer of 1300, Máté visited King Andrew's court, but the king died on 14 January 1301, and following his death a struggle commenced among the several claimants for the throne. [4] At that time, Máté's brother, Csák died childless and therefore Máté inherited his possessions.[4]

Following the death of King Andrew III, Máté became the Neapolitan prince's follower, but shortly afterwards, he joined the party that offered the crown to Wenceslaus, the son of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia.[4] He was present at the coronation of the young Czech prince (27 August 1301) who granted him Trentsiniensis and Nitriensis counties;[5] therefore he became the lawful holder of all the royal castles and possessions in the two counties.[4] In the following years, Máté Csák occupied the possessions of the Balassa family in the two counties and he also took several castles in comitatus Neogradiensis and Hont)Honthum counties.[4]

King Wenceslaus could not strengthen his rule against his opponent and he had to leave the kingdom (August 1304).[4] By that time Máté Csák had already left King Wenceslaus' party,[5] and shortly afterwards he made an alliance with Duke Rudolph III of Austria against the king of Bohemia.[4] Although he did not join to King Charles' partisans, but his troops took part in the campaign King Charles and Duke Rudolph lead against the Kingdom of Bohemia (September-October 1304).[4] The internal struggles, however, did not end, because on 6 December 1305 a new claimant, Otto III, Duke of Bavaria was crowned King of Hungary.[4] Máté Csák did not accept King Otto's rule, and his troops struggled together with King Charles' armies who occupied some castles on the northern part of the kingdom.[4]

On 10 October 1307, an assembly confirmed King Charles' rule, but Máté Csák and some other oligarchs (Ladislaus Kán, Ivan and Henry Kőszegi) absented themselves from the assembly.[4] In 1308, Pope Clement V sent a legate to the kingdom in order to strengthen King Charles' position.[4] The legate, Cardinal Gentilis de Montefiori managed to persuade Máté Csák to accept King Charles' rule at their meeting in the Pauline Monastery of Kékes (10 November 1307).[4] Although Máté Csák himself was not present at the following assembly (27 November) in Pest where King Charles' reign was again confirmed, he sent his envoy to attend at the meeting.[4] Shortly afterwards, King Charles appointed Máté Palatine of the kingdom.[5] However, at the new coronation of King Charles (15 June 1309), he was only represented by one of his followers.[4] In the next year, King Charles appointed him to the office of Master of the Treasury.[1]

Máté Csák did not want to accept the king's rule; therefore, he did not attend King Charles' third coronation, when he was crowned with the Holy Crown of Hungary (27 August).[4] Moreover, Máté Csák still continued to expand the borders of his domains and occupied several castles in the northern part of the kingdom.[4] On 25 June 1311, he led his troops towards Buda and pillaged the surrounding territories and on this account the Cardinal Gentilis excommunicated him[1] (6 July 1311. [4] However, he did not accept the punishment and persuaded some priests to continue their services on his territories.[4]

The indignant oligarch pillaged the possessions of the Archdiocese of Esztergom.[4] When the citizens of Cassovia killed Amade Aba, the powerful oligarch of the north-eastern parts of the kingdom (5 September 1311) Máté made an alliance with his sons against the king who sided with Kassa.[4] Máté's troops liberated Šariš Castle, besieged by the king, and then marched against Cassovia.[4] At the Battle of Rozgony, the king's armies defeated Máté's and his allies' troops (15 June 1312).[1] Following the battle, the king occupied the territories of Amade Aba's sons.[4] Although Máté's “province” stayed undisturbed, the occupation of the neighboring territories by the king hindered his expansion.[4]

His last years

In 1314, the king's armies invaded Máté Csák's “province”, but they could not occupy it.[4] In the meantime, Máté occupied some fortresses in the March of Moravia and therefore King John of Bohemia also invaded his territories (May 1315).[4] The Czech armies defeated his troops (whom he encouraged in Hungarian language) at Holics but they could not occupy the fortress.[4] King Charles also invaded Máté's “province” and occupied Visegrád.[4]

In 1316, some of his former followers rebelled against him, and although he occupied their castle Jókő, but some of them left his “province”.[4] In 1317, he invaded the possessions of the Diocese of Nyitra, and his troops occupied and pillaged its see.[4] As a consequence, the Bishop of Nitra excommunicated him and his followers again.[4]

The king's armies continued to invade his territories and occupied Sirok and Fülek(Fiľakovo), but Máté could maintain his rule over his territories until his death.[4]

His “province”

Máté Csák's "province" had been developing gradually before the Battle of Rozgony, and it reached its greatest territorial extent around 1311.[4] By that time, 14 counties of the kingdom, and about 50 castles were under his and his followers' rule.[1]

Around 1297, he organized his own court, similar to the king's court and he usurped royal prerogatives on his domains, similarly to other oligarchs (e.g., Amade Aba, Nicholas Kőszegi) of the beginning of the 14th century.[4] Thus he became the de facto ruler of his “province” and he made alliances independently of the king.[4] He refused to accept appeals against his decisions to the king and he denied to put claimants in possession of lands the king had granted them on his territories.[4] Although some of the local landowners did not want to accept Máté's supremacy, but sooner or later, they had to leave their possessions.[4]

Following his death, his cousin Stephen Sternberg became the head of his “province”,[1] because his son had died and his grandsons were still minors at the time of his death.[4] However, Stephen Sternberg could not resist the king's invasion and Máté Csák's former “province” was occupied by the king's armies in some months.[4]

See also

  • Beckov Castle - owned and fortified by Máté Csák
  • Amade Aba - oligarch who ruled de facto independently the northern and north-eastern counties of the Kingdom of Hungary[1]
  • Ladislaus Kán - oligarch who governed de facto independently the Transylvanian parts of the Kingdom of Hungary[1]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kristó, Gyula; Makk, Ferenc. Korai magyar történeti lexikon (9-14. század). {{cite book}}: More than one of |first1= and |first= specified (help); More than one of |last1= and |last= specified (help)
  2. ^ Count Julius Andrássy (1908). The Development of Hungarian Constitutional Liberty. K. Paul, Trench, Trübner. p. 164.
  3. ^ "Slovaks". Encyclopedia Britannica. 1911.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be Kristó, Gyula. Csák Máté.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Markó, László. A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig.

Sources

  • Engel, Pál: Magyarország világi archontológiája (1301-1457) (The Temporal Archontology of Hungary (1301-1457)); História - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, 1996, Budapest; ISBN 963 8312 43 2.
  • Kristó, Gyula: Csák Máté (Máté Csák); Gondolat, 1986, Budapest; ISBN 963 281 736 2.
  • Kristó, Gyula (General Editor) - Engel, Pál (Editor) - Makk, Ferenc (Editor): Korai magyar történeti lexikon (9-14. század) (Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History /9th-14th centuries/); Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963-05-6722-9.
  • Markó, László: A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig - Életrajzi Lexikon (The High Officers of the Hungarian State from Saint Stephen to the Present Days - A Biographical Encyclopedia); Magyar Könyvklub, 2000, Budapest; ISBN 963 547 085 1.