| Csetneki family | |
|---|---|
| Hungarian noble family | |
| Parent house | Genus Ákos |
| Country |  Hungary Principality of Transylvania Hungary |
| Founded | 1318 |
| Founder | Nicholas I and Ladislaus I |
| Dissolution | early 17th century |
The Csetneki (also Chetneky; Slovak: Štítnikovci) family was a noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary, which possessed landholdings mostly around the eponymous settlement Csetnek in Gömör County (present-day Štítnik, Slovakia). The Csetnekis originated from the ancient Hungarian clan gens (clan) Ákos and their closest relatives were the more influential Bebek family. The Csetnekis became extinct in the early 17th century.
Origin
editThe Csetnekis descended from the Bebek branch of the gens (clan) Ákos. The earliest known ancestor of the branch was Matthew, who lived in the beginning of the 13th century.[1] One of his sons, Derek (I) ("the Bald") served as ispán of Győr County in 1251.[2] Derek and his brother Philip were granted large areas of land in Gömör County by Béla IV of Hungary in 1243, for their bravery during the Mongol invasion. The Pelsőc lordship (today Plešivec, Slovakia) were emerged in the upcoming decades, also belonging the settlement Csetnek.[3] Derek (I) had two sons, Derek (II) and Benedict; the Csetnekis and Bebebks descended from the latter.[1] Benedict's sons concluded a property distribution agreement between each other in 1318. The eldest son Dominic (called with the epithet "Bebek") inherited Pelsőc and the surrounding area, becoming progenitor of the namesake Bebek family, while Benedict's other sons – Nicholas (I) "the Cuman", Ladislaus (I), John (I) and Peter (I) – were granted Csetnek, which functioned already as the family's seat prior to that.[3] Of them, only Nicholas and Ladislaus had descendants, who adopted the Csetneki surname thereafter.[4]
During the Angevin period
editIn the first two decades of the 14th century, oligarch Matthew Csák ruled vast areas in the territory of present-day Slovakia, including Gömör County. The Csetnekis' neighbor, Felician Záh was among those lord who swore loyalty to him. However, the Csetnekis resisted against the oligarch's efforts. Therefore, Matthew Csák captured and imprisoned John, one of Benedict's sons, to prevent his brothers from joining the cause of Charles I of Hungary by holding him hostage. Historian Monika Tihányiová considered that this served as a catalyst for the brothers to decide to divide their wealth in February 1318. After his release, John joined the agreement which was transcribed and confirmed in 1320, involving him.[5] In accordance with the contract, Nicholas and Ladislaus acquired the southern and eastern portion of Csetnek, along with the surrounding villages Restér (Roštár), Gecelfalva (Koceľovce), Pétermány (Petrovo), Marcellusfalva (Marcelová), Sebespatak (Rožňavské Bystré), Tornova (Trnová), Tapolca (Kunova Teplica), Ardó (Ardovo), Lekenye (Bohúňovo) and Panyit (Gemerská Panica). Thereafter, Nicholas held his permanent seat in Tapolca, which then adopted his epithet ("the Cuman"), becoming Kuntapolca. Their brothers, John and Peter were granted the western portion of Csetnek, along with the surrounding settlements Ochtina (Ochtiná), Rochfalva (Rochovce), Nagyszlabos (Slavošovce), Gencs (Honce), Gacsalk (Gočaltovo), Rozlozsnya (Rozložná), Somkút, Kövi and its castle (near present-day Rákoš), Nandrás (Nandraž), Vignye and Tarfalva (a predecessor of present-day Rákoš). Instead of a coherent complex of possessions, these estates were located scattered along the rivers Csetnek and Sajó, in addition to the valley of Turóc (Turiec) and the region of Kövi.[6][7]
Benedict's five surviving sons initially supported each other's endeavors. Upon their request, Charles I granted town rights and privileges to Csetnek and Pelsőc (together with the right to hold a fair and to collect customs) in 1328, despite that both settlements were a landlord's property. Both towns were granted only those privileges which guaranteed the maintenance of the Csetneki family's supremacy. For instance, the charter does not mention the free election of parish priests, obligation to pay tithes to the Archdiocese of Esztergom or the determination of the person entitled to adjudicate. The brothers (excluding Dominic) jointly protested against a donation to John Delnei, who was granted Betlér (today Betliar, Slovakia) in 1330. However, Delnei was an important familiaris of the Drugeth family, thus Charles I rejected their complaint. Nicholas (I), also representing his brothers, successfully requested the confirmation of King Béla's 1243 royal charter in 1335, in order to defend their interests against the neighboring lords and even the claims of the Bebek family. Charles I intended to donate a large portion of the late Derek's lordship to the Cselenfis (also from the Ákos clan), of which a member John Cselenfi stopped the assassin Felician Záh, who attempted to kill the entire Hungarian royal family. Nicholas and Ladislaus filed a complaint against that decision in 1339. Ladislaus died sometime between 1339 and 1342, and his sons – Nicholas (III) and Ladislaus (II) joined the lawsuit in the latter year.[8]
The Csetnekis, together with the Bebeks, were involved in a series of lawsuits against the Máriássy family over the possessions Berzéte (Brzotín) and Krasznahorka (Krásna Hôrka), which both estates they had lost under unclear circumstances in the late 13th century.[9][10] The 1348 lawsuit in this issue was the last joint action for the protection of interests within the family members. All descendants protested against the ownership of Nicholas "the Cuman" over Krasznahorka before the palatinal court in 1354. The Bebeks acquired the castle, while Nicholas and his sons were granted its accessories, including the villages Szalóc (Slavec) and Rekenye (Rakovnica).[9][10] There were also conflicts over the shared use of the lead mine in Ardó. According to the verdict of Ladislaus, John and Peter from 1330, their brothers Dominic Bebek and Nicholas the Cuman arbitrarily seized the mine and they produced the lead only for themselves. In 1333, Ladislaus filed a lawsuit against all of his brothers, claiming that they intended to sell Berzéte and Krasznahorka to the Máriássys. Several lawsuits were also filed against Peter by his brothers, who complained that he arbitrarily and alone settled serfs on the border of Csetnek and tried to sell Kövi to Peter Jolsvai from the gens Rátót.[9]
During the Angevin period, the Csetnekis – similarly to other members of the lower nobility – entered the service of powerful lords. John (I) fought in the Austrian–Hungarian War of 1336–1337, where he was captured and held in captivity at least until early 1339. Nicholas (I) was a familiaris of Stephen Lackfi, Voivode of Transylvania. In this capacity, he participated in the royal campaign against the rebellious Croatian nobles in 1345.[11] Peter (I) entered the service of Kónya Szécsényi. In this capacity, he served as vice-ispán of Nógrád County from 1348 to 1350. Simultaneously, Peter also functioned as vice-ispán of Szepes County and (vice)-castellan of its fortress (Spiš) in 1349, under Kónya Szécsényi. He held the latter positions until July 1349, when both the county and the castle were transferred to the fiefdom of Duke Stephen of Anjou, the younger brother of Louis I.[12] Peter participated in the Neapolitan campaign in 1351. His career came to a screeching halt when he came into conflict with the powerful Pásztói (or Hasznosi) family, who originated from the gens Rátót. He was charged of killing one of its members, Stephen after a lengthy dispute. The fine imposed left Peter completely in debt, and even his own family members turned against him in his desperate attempts to raise money.[13]
Family tree
edit- Benedict (fl. 1281–1307)
- daughter (fl. 1290) ∞ Nicholas Kacsics
- Dominic I (fl. 1307–1333) --> Bebek family
- Stephen I (fl. 1307–1311)
- Nicholas I ("the Cuman"; fl. 1307–1354) --> Csetneki family
- James (fl. 1336–1340)
- Nicholas II (fl. 1337–1353)
- Dominic II (fl. 1342–1354)
- Ákos (fl. 1342–1367)
- Michael I (fl. 1375–1396†) ∞ (1) Margaret Serkei, (2) Clara Zsámboki
- George I (fl. 1350–1367)
- Ladislaus III (fl. 1350–1354)
- Catherine ∞ James Farkasfalvi
- Ladislaus I (fl. 1307–1339; d. before 1342) --> Csetneki family
- Nicholas III ("the Red"; fl. 1339–1359)
- George II (fl. 1367–1402†)
- Peter II (fl. 1367–1381)
- Ladislaus II (fl. 1339–1379) ∞ Helena Szalonnai
- Nicholas V (fl. 1383–1432; d. before 1435) ∞ Helena Damjáni
- Elizabeth (fl. 1383) ∞ John Kazai
- Ladislaus IV (fl. 1396–1450†)
- John III (fl. 1396–1444; d. before 1455) ∞ Clara Nagymihályi (fl. 1416)
- Sigismund I (fl. 1408–1410)
- Nicholas III ("the Red"; fl. 1339–1359)
- Anne (fl. 1307–1349) ∞ (1) Nicholas Forgács, (2) John Leányfalvi
- John I (fl. 1318–1357; d. before 1358) ∞ N Jolsvai
- Peter I (fl. 1318–1366; d. before 1367) ∞ unidentified (fl. 1371)
- John II (fl. 1354–1363)
- Nicholas IV (fl. 1354–1363)
- daughter (fl. 1329) ∞ Roland Szalonnai
- Catherine (fl. 1368) ∞ Tombold Szkárosi
References
edit- ^ a b Engel: Genealógia (Genus Ákos 1., Bebek branch)
- ^ Zsoldos 2011, p. 158.
- ^ a b Tihányiová 2022, p. 8.
- ^ Engel: Genealógia (Genus Ákos 1., Bebek branch, 2., Csetneki family)
- ^ Tihányiová 2022, pp. 10–13.
- ^ Tihányiová 2022, p. 14.
- ^ Engel 1996, p. 352.
- ^ Tihányiová 2022, pp. 14, 16–17.
- ^ a b c Tihányiová 2022, pp. 17–18.
- ^ a b Engel 1996, p. 353.
- ^ Tihányiová 2022, p. 19.
- ^ Engel 1996, pp. 157, 196, 429.
- ^ Tihányiová 2022, pp. 21–22.
Sources
edit- C. Tóth, Norbert; Horváth, Richárd; Neumann, Tibor; Pálosfalvi, Tamás (2016). Magyarország világi archontológiája, 1458–1526, I. Főpapok és bárók [Secular Archontology of Hungary, 1458–1526, Volume I: Prelates and Barons] (in Hungarian). MTA Bölcsészettudományi Kutatóközpont Történettudományi Intézete. ISBN 978-963-4160-35-9.
- Engel, Pál (1996). Magyarország világi archontológiája, 1301–1457, I. [Secular Archontology of Hungary, 1301–1457, Volume I] (in Hungarian). História, MTA Történettudományi Intézete. ISBN 963-8312-44-0.
- Tihányiová, Monika (2022). A Csetnekiek. Kultúrtörténeti és gazdaságtörténeti barangolások Felső-Gömörben [The Csetnekis. Cultural and Economic Historical Walking Tours in Upper Gemer] (in Hungarian). Translated by Padlovics, Ágnes. Martin Opitz Kiadó. ISBN 978-615-6388-09-4.
- Zsoldos, Attila (2011). Magyarország világi archontológiája, 1000–1301 [Secular Archontology of Hungary, 1000–1301] (in Hungarian). História, MTA Történettudományi Intézete. ISBN 978-963-9627-38-3.