Urbs - Magyar várostörténeti évkönyv 3. (Budapest, 2008)

Abstracts

With analysing the above aspects of the last wills we may get a view of the complex relationship system of the town of Szombathely of the 17th century and its population, in respect of their immediate and wider regions. JÓZSEF BESSENYEI The network of relationships of Fábián Baráti, merchant from Nagyszombat Baráti Fábián is one of the most respected persons of the elite of Nagyszombat in the 16th century. The significance of his persons was already recognised by Ferenc Szakály and Gábor Németh as well. I am developing further their results by widening the basis of sources concerning his person (Archives of the City of Nagyszombat, Archives of the City of Pozsony, Archives of the Hungarian Chamber and the Court Chamber). With the aid of Baráti'

s travels to his friends, his correspondence and the documents created in connection with his activities, I will introduce his "personal network", the most important group of which are the following: 1. the aristocrats (Ferenc Nyáry, Zsigmond Balassa) 2. the fellow merchants (from Nagyszombat, for ex. Ambrus Sánta, from other cities, for ex. Ferenc Mező from Gyula, Benedek Bornemisza from Miskolc) 3. bondsmen, retailers, soldiers from the neighbourhood (the bailiff from Jokő, János Borsi from Kajál) The most important aim of the contacts was the organisation of the trading activities, as well as the distribution of related information. When drawing the network of contacts and analysing the information, it is revealed what kind of hierarchical relationships were functioning within the network that served as the most important guarantee of successful activities.