Ságvári Ágnes (szerk.): Budapest. The History of a Capital (Budapest, 1975)
Documents
King Ladislas IV confirms the charter granted by King Béla IV in 1244 to the citizens of Buda and augments them with new privileges June 17th, 1276 Ladislas, by the grace of God King of Hungary, Dalmatia, Croatia, Rama, Serbia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Cumania and Bulgaria, etc. ... In addition we, after consultation and upon the advice of our barons, out of our special grace have resolved that if any of them with heirs and next of kin should flee, in preservation of their person on account of homicide or other occidental offence or misdeed, or any other major crime he has committed, neither we nor our barons, nor his judge shall remove their goods and possession, but these shall remain untouched and entire with their wives or heirs, or their next of kin, lest the fugitives once deprived of their property, should lose all hope of return, and lest they should be unable to indemnify the persons aggrieved from their property. And if the fugitives have no heir or next of kin, the citizens shall indemnify the persons aggrieved from the possessions and property of the fugitives according to the character of the deed committed, and the remainder, if any, shall be devoted to the building of Buda Castle. And if any of our aforesaid hospes should die intestate, his possessions and property shall be divided into three parts, and one part shall be distributed among the citizens as alms for the salvation of the soul of the deceased, and two parts shall be reserved for the fortification and building of Buda Castle. In addition we have granted them the privilege that they shall not be obliged to accept a magistrate chosen by us, but may make mayor whomsoever they wish by their own free election, as laid down in the charters of our grandfather; and that such mayor shall resign his office at the end of a year into the hands of the citizens. Furthermore, in order that these our citizens shall increase in merit and number, and shall be enabled to serve our Majesty more honestly and comfortably, we have conceded and do concede that neither the royal hand, nor the barons, nor their judge shall alienate their possession in the case of grave oflence, but suitable punishment shall be meted out to the guilty men, and their estate or property or goods shall be maintained untouched for their wives, heirs, next of kin or cognate. Given this 17th day of June, in the year of grace one thousand two hundred and seventy-six, and in the fourth year of our reign. The Latin original is missing. This passage from the document has survived in the transcript of March 27th 1538. Latest edition: Gárdonyi, vol. 1, pp. 157-158. II 80
