Bel’s Notitia of the County of Nitra in Relation to the History of Transylvania

Katarina R ACOVA Universitatea “Filosoful Constantin” din Nitra, Slovacia, Facultatea de Arte Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, , Faculty of Arts Personal e-mail: [email protected]

Bel’s Notitia of the County of Nitra in Relation to the History of Transylvania

Matthias Bel, the author of a monumental work charting the history of the individual counties of the Kingdom of naturally did not omit the history of Transylvania. Based on a selected part of the Notitia of the County of Nitra, the subject of the given paper is to point out its connection with the history of Transylvania. Keywords: , Notitia, Nitra County, Transylvania

In 1714, Matthias Bel (1684–1749), a Lutheran of Turiec, Zvolen and Liptov (Turóc County, Zólyom pastor, pedagogue, philologist and historian, started County, Liptó County). The third volume included the to flirt with the idea of documenting the history of the counties of Piešťany, Piliš and Šolt (Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun . This pioneering decision was County). The fourth part, which he managed to publish, supported by his careful study of archival and literary discussed the counties of Novohrad, Tekov, Nitra, Hont sources. By the end of the 1720s, during his pedagogical and Small Hont (Nógrád County, , Nyitra work at an evangelical college, he asked his students to fill County, , Moson County). The description in a questionnaire he had prepared, based on the example of Szepes County was published in Prodromus (the of his compatriot from Ružomberok, Cristopher Parschiti. introduction to Bel’s Notitia); descriptions of other The questionnaire was also filled in by his academic counties were left in manuscripts. colleagues. Afterwards, Bel was accused of espionage The structure of the mentioned descriptions is and he had to defend his actions in front of the palatine, admirably unified.3 The texts are divided into general Miklós Pálffy. After convincing him of his innocence, and and specific parts. The general part covers a geographical based on Pálffy’s intercession, Bel presented his academic description of the counties’ borders, natural features, work to the emperor, Charles VI. The working title of his population, offices and important noble family lines. book was Hungariae antiquae et novae prodromus and he The second part contains the history of royal towns, published it in 1732 in Norimberg.1 descriptions of castles and manor houses, small towns and Bel realized that completing such a vast project would villages. At the end of each county description, there is a take an enormous effort, both on his part and that of his table displaying distances to the most important European potential colleagues. Therefore, he started to focus on one towns. particular area – a historical-geographical description of The subject of my research is the text which deals with the Hungarian counties. the history of Nitra’s castle and the town of Nitra (Arx et He submitted the first volume of the impressive oppidum Nitria) after the Battle of Mohács. Notitia Hungariae novae historico-geographica to the The eleventh chapter is quite rich in content and is emperor at a solemn audience with him in May 1735. divided into five parts. The first one, calledRecentiores In November 1736, the emperor was also given a second arcis et oppidi conversiones – The updated history of the castle volume by Bel. The third volume was published in 1737 and the town, deals with the post-Mohács period. The part and the fourth not until 1742. 2 sub Botskajo – for Botskay notes the events related to the The first volume described the County of Bratislava. castle and the town at the time of Botskay’s uprising. The The second started with a description of the County of third part, named sub Bethlenio et Rákoczio – for Betlen Bratislava (Pozsony County), continued with the counties and Rákóczi, maps the events during the rebellions. In

133 134 transilvania 4-5/2016 followers switched allegiance to Botskay’sfollowers allegiance switched followers, the repel the attacks ofthe but rebels, after some of Forg Kolonic (Kollonitsius) for help.to bishop The managed Nitra. According Forgách to Bel, asked commander 1605, Turkish forces under Rédei’s command besieged Nitra experienced disastrous consequences. From May notof robbery, ofweapons or soldiery (FranciscusRédei Rédej). of the town by the forces of Ferenc describesBel a siege Forgách), At that time, the bishopwas Ferenc Forgách (Franciscus Botskay complicated political relationships in Hungary ofNitra,discussion during ofthe ofpart history which Historiarum Rebus de Ungaricis Libri XXXIV the description he refers to the work of Miklós Istvánffy, in discussing the paragraph the bishopsofNitra. Within in 1534.Bel’s information detailed about itisprovided toa present (Alexius Alexei Thurzo Thurzo). (Ferdinandus), he gave the town and the whole dominion as after Then, making peace, when Nitra came back toFerdinand Turcus) entrusted the Bishop’s residence to Valentin Török (Valentinus occupied byJohn Zapolya), Zápolya (Johannes becauseJohn after the Battle of Bel Mohács. presumes that Habsburg uprisings. he mainly records the events with connected the anti- preface the author opens the eleventh chapter in which recaptures the castle from the Turks. de Souchès the capture of the castle by the Turks. Finally, the general the part events are in quite recorded some detail. of its history. on references Based to Wager’s work, the Nové Zámky (Ujvarinum), Nitra entered period acrucial According in 1663when to Bel, the Turks conquered castle to back the was given ownership ofBishop Telegdy. until 1622,when, after of peace Mikulov, signing the the castle by Betlen’s followerscontrolled at 1620.They it he left for Trnava(Tyrnavia). (Bethlenius) plundered the castle andcollected the crops, ceded the castle to andleft for Betlen Betlen Vienna…After unable to resist the onslaught, he unwillingly gave up, against andwithstanding acontinuous siege. Finally, Germans acting on behalf of the emperor, was defending Telegdius), the town’s bishop, with some Hungarians and František (Franciscus Kazy Kazy). on the plundering ofNitra by Betlen’s forces, quoting Betlen’s war the cathedral bishopand chapter his left Nitra. castle and the town were taken by the Afterwards, rebels. At end the ofthe very eleventh chapter mentions Bel time sizeable gap. Later on in the text, there is a a similarTheexperienced castle fate at the time of The eleventh chaptercontains an incomplete Bel’s description starts with a narration of the period This is history quite distant from our time: 4 – a man who was secular and experienced in soldiery. – a man who in soldiery. was secular and experienced capitur a Turcis –occupied byTurks, a manofunusual devotion to the emperor : with these words introduces Bel the passage (vindicatur a Sufa –protected(vindicatur Souchès) byde a Sufa 6 They wereas They described Bel dates Bel the taking of the 8

John Telegdy (Johannes . After the rebellions, This happened This happened . Bel describes describes Bel 5 Nitra was was Nitra 7 with this ách men men ’s ’s 9 . .

reader candrawreader their ownconclusions.” conclusions. He often ends chapters with the words “ andopinions possible avoid as premature, subjective questions, ahistorian as he tries to introduce many as or makes own his assumptions. In approaching difficult he discusses the quotation andconclusions comesto new incompleteness ofthe section, quoted and at other times withdisagreement their opinion or for regret the he offers an opinion expressing doubts partial or with the authors by quoted notcommenting. Sometimes, namely, other ofthe parts Notitia. theBesides works ofhistorians, refers Bel own to his work, ofahistorical the to build explanationwell as basis itself. Bel’s interpretation ofaparticular historical event, as ofhistoricalview events. The quotations help to illustrate to Bel’s effort to provide objective comprehensivean and of the whole text. Such anumber ofquotations testifies quotations wellas as from documents represent 30per cent relies on sources.Bel several Quotations from many works his defeat moreat specifically the Battle of Trenčín (1708). “a recent rebellion”, referring to Ferenc Rákóczi’s uprising, 9. See official. and8. Ferenc imperial high in 1621),military (died Rédei author of 7. later ofFerdinand Habsburg 6. Valentin Török (1504?-1550),follower of author of 5. later ofFerdinand Habsburg 4. Valentin Török (1504?-1550),follower of 978-80-558-0053-0. 22. ISBN Trenčín pohľadom Mateja Bela. 3. 2. a doba Mateja Bela. TIBENSKÝ, Ján.1. See: Notes: may considered be an important starting point. but eventhere though are work his some gaps, engaging, I which much informationand digested in the ofNotitia part mostly contemporaries. his work by older and every younger almost used historians, and other historical works, historians. local Bel Regarding of works by Czech, Polish, Austrian, German, Croatian in the house MS, 2002, s. 256 - 266. ISBN 80-7090-625-1. 256-266.ISBN 2002,s. house MS, Richard (ed.). See: TIBENSKÝ, ref. 1,pp 168–169. See: To the structure ofthe Notitia RÁCOVÁ, see Katarína. Miklós Istvánffy Miklós Istvánffy The extensiveBel’s of range sources isdemonstrated There are someplaces whereagreement Bel implies During the course ofthe abovementioned passages, It is necessary to recognize thatIt to Matthias recognize is necessary collected Bel .: MRVA, Ivan. Notes

Historiarum Rebus de Ungaricis Libri XXXIV. Historiarum Rebus de Ungaricis Libri XXXIV. have His and discussed. studied description is of Notitia where I came across a great number Nitra v slovenských dejinách. Bratislava: Tatran, 1984,p149. Nitra polmesiaca. v tieni (1538 –1615),Hungarian historian, (1538 –1615),Hungarian historian, Veľká ozdoba Uhorska. Dielo, život Nitra: FFUKF, Nitra: 16- 2012,s. Martin: Publishing In MARSINA, John Zápolya John Zápolya the the , ,