Az Egri Múzeum Évkönyve - Annales Musei Agriensis 16.-17. (1978-1979)

Sugár István: A mohamedán vallásról katolikusra tért volt török alattvalók Egerben

István Sugár THE FORMER TURKISH SUBJECTS, WHO PASSED FROM MOSLEM RELIGION TO CATHOLICISM, IN EGER The shameful insuccès of the assault of Vienna by the Turks in 1683, gave an enthusiastic impulse to the expulsion of the Ottomans from Europe. After the 2nd of September 1686, after the half-moon had declined in the Castle of Buda, too, the Austrian High-Command began the liberation of Hungary from the Turkish rule, with great impulse and in a well-organised way. As Eger was not on the way of the main military operations towards the south, no haste was made to occupy the fortress, which till then was of great importance. It was only in the summer of 1687, that the christian troops closed Eger in a blockade. This famishing blockade of the Turks was ended with succès, on the 7th of September. The Turks surrendered. The ancient Hungarian town as well as the fortress were delivered from the 91-years of Turkish occupation. The 3rd point of the Contract of Surrender is alonestanding in the rich history of the liberation wars, because it gives the Turks and renegade Hungarians (Moslems, who were originally christians) the possibility to keep their properties and goods and stay here. But there was an unmentioned condition in this point, which enabled the former Turkish subjects to settle down in Eger and this was, to be converted to the catholic faith. These former Turkish subjects are named new-christians (neochristianus, neochristiana) in the documents, in the registers. It is worthy of note, that after the long blockade, previous to the occupation of Szigetvár, all Turkish subjects and renegades had to leave. The agreement of surrender in Nagyvárad allowed only the renegade prisoners, Hungarian students and interpreters to remain. This special treatment, comprised in the contract of surrender is due to the fact, that a numerous group of Turks in the fortress, with some remarkable commanding officers, had decided to give up the fortress, after the long famishing blockade, despite the stubborn Riisztem Pasha, who wanted to defend the fortess to the very last. They started negotiating on the own with the commander of the imperial troops, General Caraffa. We know from the Jesuits, who were in the christian camp, that 300 Turks with their officers agreed on giving up the fortress. One of the leading commanders of the fortress, the alaibey, was among the Turks, negotiating with Caraffa. Among others a certain Mehmet pasha, rendered Caraffa useful services. Moslems of all rank kinds took upon themselves to abandon the Islam in order to secure the possibility of settling down in Eger. The special literature of the XlXth and XXieth centuries estimates the number of former Turkish subjects remaining in Eger, from 300 — 1000 persons. I myself, according to researches in 1973 connected family and christian names, adopted by former Turkish subjects, ponted out 340—350 persons. As during the past years, there have been researchers, who qualified these new christians to be — without having a basis or concrete data to pro ve it —Habans of anabaptist faith, I found it necessary to make, with the help of all attainable sources, a register containing the former Turks, who had abandoned the Moslem faith and became catholics, with their precise name-list. As a result of this analysing research-work I succeeded in establishing the identity of 215