Annales d’Université „Valahia” Târgovi şte, Section d’Archéologie et d’Histoire, Tome XIII, Numéro 1, 2011, p. 63-69 ISSN 1584-1855

The relations between Hungary and the principality on the right side of Olt River during the second half of the 13 th century. Brief observations

Radu Cârciumaru*

* “Valahia” University Târgovi şte, Faculty of Humanities, Str. Locotenent Stancu Ion, nr. 34-36, Târgovi şte, 130018, Dâmbovi ţa County, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The Romanian extra-Carpathian area during the second half of the 13 th century is insufficiently known on the level of its political evolution, of its relations with the main power of the area, Hungary. The major event mentioned in documents is the revolt from of voivode Litovoi, which triggered a Hungarian military campaign led by magister Georgius. There are still unelucidated aspects concerning the chronology and the consequences of this event on the process of territorial unification.

Key words: voivode, revolt, vassal, military campaign, diploma

The middle of the 13 th century and the It seems to be safe from the tumultuous events of first decennia after that present an area south of the second half of the 13 th century, consequently the Carpathians under two spheres of influence: being able to continue its political evolution Hungarian and Mongolian. The Olt River undisturbed. continued to be the demarcation line between According to the Diploma of the Johannite Cumania, under Tartar leadership, and the region Knights, issued towards the end of the 5 th known as “Banatul de Severin”, “Ţara decennium, the formation of Litovoi appears Severinului” (Severin Country), under the included in the Hungarian feudal system, which is political control of the Transylvanian Dukedom. proved by the fact that the voivode had to provide (Sergiu Iosipescu, 1980) military support to Hungary. Yet, the dominion The possible Transylvanian-Tartar relationship should be analyzed, nevertheless, only agreement, concluded in the year 1261, on the level of the power exerted by King Bela IV sharpened this situation, prolonging the control at the moment when the diploma was issued, exerted by the Transylvanian Dukedom over around the year 1247. certain South-Carpathian territories at least until The fact that Transylvania was taken 1264, the year of the decisive military over by the claimer of the Arpadian crown, confrontation that took place at Breaza, between Stephan V, changed, from our viewpoint, this the armies of Bela IV and those of the freshly status, going even to its elimination. In this appointed Duke of Transylvania, Stephan V. situation, a hypothesis that should be considered Within these areas situated between the is the idea that the Transylvanian duke extended Southern Carpathians and the Danube, “Terra his influence south of the Carpathians only over Lytua ” or the land ruled by Litovoi voivode the Country of Severin, which he actually represents, from our viewpoint, a particular case. defended from the Bulgarian aggression, and not

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over the political formation led by Litovoi. part of the Country of F ăgăra ş ( Ţara F ăgăra şului) At the same time, it is not impossible that as well (Antal Lucaks, 1999). the principality of Litovoi may have continued to The ethnic tensions were going to push function, maybe rather on a declarative level, in a Hungary towards a new period of crisis, just as regime of dependence in relation to Hungary, the deep as the one recorded after the moment 1241- tendency of the Arpadian kingdom to pretend to 1242. The stake was given by the removal of the have a series of rights over different formations Cuman nobility from public life, in a context in or zones where its authority had either vanished a which the Hungarian dynast himself had long time ago or had never been an effective one Cumanian origins on the side of his maternal being well known (S. Brezeanu, 1999). The relatives. The massive access of the Cumanians closest comparison can be found in the same among the leadership of the political life had well-known Johannite Diploma awarded by Bela occurred even since the short reign of king IV, in which another South-Carpathian Stephan V (1270-1272), married to queen principality, that of and even the entire Elisabeth, a noblewoman of Cumanian origin. Cumania constituted, from the viewpoint of the Her son, Ladislau IV, while he was still minor, status of vassalage, an aspiration and not a reality continued this process of consolidation of for the Hungarian kingdom. privileges and even adopted the Cumanian The dependence may have been limited, lifestyle. in the case of the principality of Litovoi, to the The first signs of the period of political payment of certain financial obligations, instability are felt, first of all, in Transylvania, especially as one of the reasons, mentioned in where the Saxons of Transylvania, apparently documents as well, that led to the military without a clear justification, devastate the town intervention of magister Georgius, during the last of Alba-Iulia and set the Church of the Holy decennia of the 13 th century, was represented by Archangel Michael on fire. The event is recorded the non-payment of the financial debts to the in two documents, of 1277 and 1278, kingdom. respectively, from which we find out about the So, freed from the Hungarian tutorship, destructions caused by the Saxons of the principality of Litovoi, which already Transylvania, the reason of the revolt remaining included other political structures of a lesser unclear.** The other moment will occur south of extent, had the possibility of experiencing an the Carpathians, where the voivode Litovoi ascending trend, accumulating enough power to annexes certain possessions dependent on the extend its authority over new territories situated Hungarian State. on the right side of Olt River as well. The moment when the two actions were The enthronement in Hungary of the triggered (1277 ?) cannot be a random moment; it minor king Ladislau IV in the year 1272 did not has to be judged in the context of the war bring, from the very first moment, significant between Hungary and Bohemia** and, why not, changes, as the Hungarian kingdom continued to even in the context of the revolt of the Bulgarians impose its influence over certain territories south from the Banat of Macva, against the Hungarian of the Carpathians. nobility. The document confirms the help Even since 1274, in the position of ban of provided by Ladislau IV, to the Roman-German Severin, is mentioned the nobleman Ugrinus, king Rudolf I, against Bohemia, and also the fact who, a year later, will also obtain the dignity of that the Hungarian army was made up of no less voivode of Transylvania, being plausible among than 16000 Cumanians, a number that is others the hypothesis that the dominion over eloquent, in a way, for the balance between the Făgăra ş may have been obtained even before the different forces of the kingdom as well. great Mongolian invasion by the father of The considerations concerning voivode Ugrinus, Posa, of the Csak family.* From this Litovoi are, even at present, far from reaching a position, the ban of Severin was able to satisfying level for the historical research. The consolidate a certain authority over the extra- explanation resides in the fact that the Carpathian political formations, especially as, by information on this character are extremely means of his family, his dominion also covered a scarce, being grouped in two diplomas, emitted

Tome XIII , Numéro 1 , 2011 64 The relations between Hungary and the principality on the right side of Olt River during the second half of the 13 th century. Brief observations by the Hungarian Chancery several years after dynast Ladislau IV. Born, according to all the the events occurred. For this reason, in possibilities, in the year 1262, he was no longer a historiography there continues to persist a long minor at the moment of the conflict with series of questions, such as: is voivode Litovoi Bohemia (S. Iosipescu, 1980). So, if we respect one and the same person as the Litovoi ad litteram the information provided by the mentioned in the Diploma of the Johannite document emitted in 1285, then, the action of Knights three decennia before?; when and under voivode Litovoi and, implicitly, that of magister what circumstances did the confrontation Georgius can be looked for also before the year between the extra-Carpathian voivode and 1278. magister Georgius (the representative of the The second relevant aspect is represented Hungarian power) exactly take place?; can his by the nomination in 1276 of a Hungarian action be considered as the first landmark of the administrative leader for the comitat (country) of territorial unification process in the area south of Ha ţeg**, territory considered as belonging, for the Carpathians?; did the Hungarian restoration several decennia, to the political formation led by actually occur “de facto” over the territories Litovoi. A series of opinions, expressed in the annexed by Litovoi? Romanian historiography (Ştefan Pascu, 1971), Concerning the first issue, the hypotheses situate the main confrontation between the two formulated have not been able to reach a parties in the country of Ha ţeg, based on the fact common denominator. The opinions focused on that in the respective area there is a water, namely the age of Litovoi can incline the balance in favor Bărbat River, and a village by the same name (the of the supporters of the idea the we are dealing most probable it has been attributed in honor of the with another voivode, bearing the same name, Romanian voivode taken prisoner by the Hungarian maybe even a direct descendent of the one army, in the very area of this territory). The last mentioned as well by the Diploma of the decennia have brought into actuality this issue, a Johannite Knights, by the middle of the 13 th new hypothesis being formulated, which indicates century. The lack of precise information, as starting point for the expedition of magister confirmed by documents, obliges one to adopt a Georgius the area of Severin (T. S ălăgean, 2003). reserved attitude, which should take into account So, it is necessary to highlight that the both of these variants. chronological elements related to the deployment Another very important problems that of the Hungarian expedition south of the has not yet been fully elucidated is that of the Carpathians, are not, not even to this day, fully date when Litovoi’s revolt and implicitly the clarified. For this reason, we consider that the punishing action led by magister Georgius actual military action could have taken place occurred. even after a series of diplomatic negotiations, The Diploma emitted in 1285 by king covering a shorter or longer period, which finally Ladislau IV confirms only that the action of the failed, especially as this could explain, to a voivode south of the Carpathians took place certain extent, the ambiguity present in when he was still minor, so during an interval documents concerning the exact date when the comprised between 1272 and 1278**, the main event occurred. reason of the conflict being the occupation by By establishing such a context, even the Litovoi and his brother of certain territories that mention of Petru as administrative leader of the belonged to the kingdom. comitat of Ha ţeg, at 1276, can be regarded, not In general, the Romanian historiography necessarily as the direct result of the victory of accepted the interval 1277-1279 for the magister Georgius against Litovoi and B ărbat, deployment of the Hungarian expedition on the but as a response reaction to the aggression other side of the Carpathians, although the period triggered by the two against certain areas itself still continues to deal with a series of dependent on the Arpadian crown. It is not chronological uncertainties. In this case we have impossible that Ha ţeg itself may have been the in view two aspects, which cannot be omitted territory disputed by the two parties, especially from the framework of our debate. that the term used by the document to designate The first is related to the real age of the the area over which Litovoi had extended his

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influence “ ultra alpes ”, is quite unclear from a without mentioning any other military or political geographic viewpoint. obligations.** The action led by magister Georgius is a The fact that there is no precise successful one, at least from the perspective of information on the territories of the kingdom the military victory that caused as well the death taken over by Litovoi, which had caused the start of Litovoi, stopping, in this way, one of the revolt of the military conflict, can be interpreted as a acts begun in the territories from the margin of victory for the extra-Carpathian formation, as an the kingdom. important step in the process of politico- In exchange, the political and territorial territorial unification carried out south of the consequences of the victory obtained on the Carpathians. battlefield seem to be much less significant. Even Going along the same line of reasoning, though both of the leaders of the action of non- we can advance the idea that the victory obtained submission are annihilated, the elite of the local by magister Georgius was not followed by a society south of the Carpathians manage to complete restoration of the Hungarian rights over ransom the one remained alive: B ărbat, the the area; such an evolution might rely on at least brother of the former voivode. two arguments. The Hungarian documents do not provide First, a few decennia ago, in the any mentions concerning the sum paid to bring Romanian historiography, there appeared a new Bărbat back to the extra-Carpathian territories. theory related to the events in which the south- Even though this seems to have occurred after Carpathian voivode was involved (P. P. ample diplomatic negotiations, the financial Panaitescu, 1969). It tried to prove that Litovoi contribution rather represents a significant war relied, when triggering his action, on a Tartar reimbursement, which included the freeing of military support as well, provided by prince Litovoi’s successor and his reinstallation as Nogai himself. In our opinion, Litovoi must at leader of the formation south of the Carpathians. least have hoped for a Tartar support, especially The Hungarian authorities do not manifest any as the extension of the power of Nogai becomes a particular interest in the territories occupied by reality from the moment when the bans of Litovoi, which are actually not mentioned Severin disappear from the documents and the precisely. The Hungarian royalty does not seem Mongolian prince obtains the protectorate of concerned by recovering these possessions, but Vidin. The obvious Tartar dominion instituted in rather by obtaining some revenues from them the area of the Lower Danube during the second from the vassal Bărbat (T. S ălăgean, 2003). part of the 13 th century agrees with this Important is the fact that the two hypothesis, especially as, for the above- documents do not refer to any modifications mentioned period, at least on the left side of Olt, introduced by the Hungarian crown in the the Mongolian influence must have played an formation situated on the right side of Olt, similar important role. to the ones contained in the Diploma of the The comparison with the situation of the Johannite Knoghts. The territory annexed by the first decennia of the 14 th century, when the voivode Litovoi may have been part of those alliance between Basarab I and the tsar Mihail territories entrusted by the royalty, according to Şişman may have been completed by a Tartar the medieval custom, as gift to some noblemen, support, may be perfectly plausible in the present other than their own subjects. Consequently, if context as well, especially as a less important Litovoi had presented the king with the revenues political formation, such as the one of Litovoi, he was entitled to, implicitly recognizing his would have found in the alliance with the sovereignty over the respective area, there would Mongolian power the only way of freeing itself have been no more conflict (Aurelian from the tutorship of the Hungarian crown. Back Sacerdo ţeanu, 1957). then, just like now, the reopening of a conflict Both in the document of 1285, as well as with the Golden Horde represented a sufficient in the one of 1288, is presented a relationship of reason for Hungary to adopt a compromise vassalage, rather formal, of the principality of solution that would not involve, in the case of the Bărbat, translated in the payment of a tribute, political formation led by Bărbat, anything else

Tome XIII , Numéro 1 , 2011 66 The relations between Hungary and the principality on the right side of Olt River during the second half of the 13 th century. Brief observations but the simple recognition of the Hungarian 2001) . suzerainty. Finally, the last document marked the The second motivation could have been victory of the papal institution in front of the represented by the ample process of royal crown, as, within it, Ladislau the Cumanian decumanization of Hungary, in which a leading promised to the apostolic envoy of Hungary that role was to be played by the Holy See itself. he would execute all the orders of the Holy See The first step was made in the year 1278, against the heretics. The document comes on the when Pope Nicholas III appointed bishop Philip background of an older promise made by the as apostolic envoy of Hungary, Poland, mother queen herself, originally a noble Lodomeria, Galicia, Rama, Croatia, Dalmatia and Cumanian, to the apostolic envoy, that she would Cumania.** drive away the heretics from her lands. For this Obviously, the main mission this high reason, it is not impossible that the pressures for official had been entrusted with regarded the solution of the Cumanian problem may have Hungary, but, besides solving the problem of the come, for the Hungarian dynast, starting from the Cumanians of the kingdom, the apostolic envoy year 1280, from within his own family.** had the task of consolidating Catholicism as well, Such a development naturally imposed especially in the margin territories, directly the triggering of the military hostilities. The menaced by the Mongolian force. A good duplicity of the Hungarian king, during the last example, concerning this duty, was preserved in few years, in front of a Cumanian nobility too documents. The letter of Pope Nicholas III to little inclined to cede the privileges they had Bishop Philip, of October 7, 1279, highlights the obtained, was preparing such an outcome. About very interest of the papal institution for the the triggering of the Cumanian revolt within former bishopric of Milcovia and for the Hungary (the Cumanians being led, according to Franciscan brothers living in the region, as well all possibilities, by duke Oldamyr), as well as on as the desire of recreating the important local the victory obtained by the royal armies, in the religious forum (G. Moisescu, 1942). It is not battle from lake Hod (1282) we find out from impossible that this religious propaganda itself several donation documents awarded by king may have postponed the taking of firm measures Ladislau IV and queen Elisabeth, to the diverse south of the Carpathians. Hungarian noblemen who took part in this war The obvious involvement of the Holy during the period 1283-1285.** See in the internal Hungarian problems is also Even after the victory obtained, the recorded by several documents, of which we will serious problems Hungary was faced with did not select three. end. The military success was to bring only a The first includes the demand of the short period of relative peace, interrupted, a few sovereign Ladislau IV (probably also as a result years later, by Ladislau IV himself, who rejected of some pressures coming along a religious line) the Catholic religion, adopting the Cumanian to gather the Cumanian population and to situate lifestyle. A suggestive episode for the political in on the middle course of Tisza or around Mure ş oscillations of the Hungarian king can be found and Cri ş on condition that they receive the as well in the relationship between the latter and Catholic religion**. The second act (also dating the Transylvanian voivode Roland Bor şa. from 1279) contained a reproach made by Pope Although he was among the noblemen who Nicholas III against the Hungarian king, who had contributed the most to the victory from lake not respected his oath about the Cumanians. In Hod, Roland Bor şa will be demitted from the reality, the context of the arrival of the papal leadership of Transylvania, shortly after these letter was much more serious, the papal nuncio events. Reappointed in his former position Philip of Fermo had been imprisoned, given in beginning with 1284, he will enter a new conflict custody to the Cumanians, and even his with his sovereign, who replaced him a year later assassination was plotted. The Hungarian nobility (T. S ălăgean, 2007). Coming back to power in will also take action, by sequestrating the king 1288, possibly without the support of the royalty, who in this way sees himself forced to accept the Roland Bor şa will be one of the noblemen who reconciliation with the papal nuncio ( Ş. Turcu ş, plotted the assassination of Ladislau IV at

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Cheresig, in 1290.* ** Documente privitoare la istoria românilor In the extremely tense context depicted culese de Eudoxiu de Hurmuzaki above, we are convinced that the transformations (Documents on the History of the appeared in the extra-Carpathian area did not gathered by Eudoxiu of Hurmuzaki), vol. I, represent a priority for the kingdom, even under part 1 (1199-1345), edited by N. Densu şianu, the circumstances of the defeat of the revolt Bucure şti, 1887, pp. 410, 411, 412, 416, 418, triggered by Litovoi. The mention of the very 429, 431, 438, 444, 447, 451, 452, 454, 461, victory of magister Georgius from the other side 483. of the Carpathians appears in documents only a Brezeanu S., 1999, Model european şi few years after the actual deployment of the realitate local ă în întemeierile statale medievale events, which makes us believe that the true române şti. Un caz „terra Bazarab” (European impasse was represented by the tension generated Model and Local Reality in the Creation of the by the Cumanian nobility, the entire Hungarian Romanian Medieval States. A Case: “ terra politics being focused on the solution of these Basarab ”), in the vol. Romanitatea oriental ă în conflicts. evul mediu (Oriental Romanity during the The serious internal problems present in Middle Ages), Bucure şti, p. 218-219. Hungary could only have come in support of the Lukács A., 1999, Ţara F ăgăra şului în political formation led by Bărbat, who Evul Mediu (secolele XIII-XVI) (The Country of consequently benefited of an undisturbed Făgăra ş during the Middle Ages: the 13 th -14 th evolution, in the very direction of the centuries), Ed. Enciclopedic ă, Bucure şti. accomplishment of the territorial union in the Iosipescu S., 1980, Românii din Carpa ţii area on the right side of Olt. Meridionali la Dun ărea de Jos de la invazia So, the Oltenian core, the dynasty mongol ă (1241-1243) pân ă la consolidarea Litovoi I-Litovoi II-Bărbat, along with the much domniei a toat ă Ţara Româneasc ă. Războiul vaguer Muntenian core, Seneslau-Tochomerius- victorios purtat la 1330 împotriva cotropirii Basarab I, were going to give birth to the great ungare (The Romanians from the Southern principality of (Ioan Aurel Pop, 2011). Carpathians at the Lower Danube from the The identification of the evolution of the Mongolian Invasion (1241-1243) until the formation on the right side of Olt River, both Consolidation of the Dominion of the Entire internally and in relation to the Hungarian power, Walachia. The Victorious War War of the Year remains the key of the deciphering of an essential 1330 against the Hungarian Invasion), in the vol. stage in the process of appearance of the first „Constituirea statelor feudale române şti” (The Romanian Medieval State. A period Formation of the Romanian Feudal States), Ed. characterized by documentary scarcity, for the Academiei, Bucure şti, p. 41-95. historical writing, means a mixture between real Moisescu, G., 1942, Catolicismul în and imaginary, between documentary logic and Moldova pân ă la sfâr şitul veacului al XIV-lea the use of deductive methods. So, any (Catholicism in Moldavia until the End of the contribution becomes useful for the 14 th Century) , Bucure şti. reconstruction of such a historical “puzzle”. The Panaitescu P. P., Introducere la istoria south-Carpathian territories, during the second culturii române şti (Introduction to the History of half of the 13 th century, perfectly match these the Romanian Culture), Bucure şti. coordinates. Pascu Ş., 1971, Voievodatul Transilvaniei (The Transylvanian Principality), vol. I, Cluj- Bibliography Napoca. Pop I. A., 2011, „Din mâinile valahilor *Documente privind istoria României, seria schismatici…” Românii şi puterea în regatul C, Transilvania, veacul XIII (Documents on Ungariei medievale (secolele XIII-XIV) (“Out of the History of , C series, the Hands of the Schismatic Walachians..” The Transylvania, 13th century ) , vol. II (1251 Romanians and Power in the Medieval 1300), Ed. Academiei, Bucure şti, 1952, p. Hungarian Kingdom) , Bucure şti. 172, 240, 244, 254, 300.

Tome XIII , Numéro 1 , 2011 68 The relations between Hungary and the principality on the right side of Olt River during the second half of the 13 th century. Brief observations

Sacerdo ţeanu A., 1957, Comentarii la Medieval and pre-Modern history. Homage to diploma din 1285 privind pe magistrul Gheorghe Professor Nicolae Edroiu, corresponding member (Comments on the 1285 Diploma concerning of the Romanian Academy), vol. coordinated by master Gheorghe), Analele Universit ăţ ii C. I. A. Andea, Cluj-Napoca, p. 373-394. Parhon, Bucure şti, nr. 9, p. 26-42. Sălăgean. T., 2007, Un voievod al Sălăgean T., 2003, Expedi ţia magistrului Transilvaniei: Ladislau Kan 1294-1315 (A Georgius Baksa împotriva voievodului Litovoi Transylvanian voivode: Ladislau Kan 1294- (The expedition of magister Georgius Baksa 1315), Cluj-Napoca. against voivode Litovoi), in Studii de istorie Turcu ş Ş., 2001, Sfântul Scaun şi românii medieval ă şi premodern ă. Omagiu în secolul al XIII-lea (The Holy See and the profesorului Nicolae Edroiu, membru Romanians during the 13 th century), Bucure şti. corespondent al Academiei Române (Studies of

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