Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 32/2. (2012)
Articles
THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH OF VÄLENII DE MURE§, MURE§ COUNTY Zoltán Soós Mures County Museum, Tärgu Mures, RO REGINA BAKONYI Budapest, HU The archaeological research of the medieval church in Välenii de Mures brought important information regarding the ground plan and size of the former parish church. The results of the excavations corroborated with the art historical and historical data revealed the complex background of the medieval patronage and land ownership and links the researched church with the parish church of the neighbouring settlement Suseni. Finally the paper gives and important overview of the late thirteenth early fourteenth century rural ecclesiastic architecture. Keywords: Middle Ages, Modern Ages, local history architecture, sanctuary The reformed church of Välenii de Mures (Disznajó) is situated on a terrace of the Maros River 30 m away from a medieval manor house (Fig. 1). The church was transformed several times in the 19lh century. The original altar was demolished and the orientation of the building has changed from east-west to north-south. The church is famous for the unique high-quality medieval paintings preserved on the triumphal arch. The village is first mentioned in written sources in the beginning of the 14th century, while the data multiply starting from the 15th century. According to the written sources, the Upper Valley of the Mure? River was originally royal property, and very likely King András II donated it to Governor Simon of the Kacsics family. In 1228 King András II took away the governors estates and gave this territory to camerarius Dénes of the Tomaj family, since Simon had taken part in the assassination of Queen Gertrude (Csánki 1986, 640; Köpeczi 1986, 288; Palkó 1995, 20). Dénes was the ancestor of the Losonci family that owned Välenii de Mure? in the next three centuries. Disznajó appears first in the written sources in 1319 as Gyznoyo. According to this charter the sons of Dénes Losonci III, Tamás, István and Dezső divided the estates, belonging to their center, Reghin. In this way Välenii de Mure? was received by Dezső, (Kristó 1998, 246; Köpeczi 1986, 391) who was the founder of the Dezsőfi family (Csánki 1986, 792; Engel 1996, 148). In 1323 another owner Governor Miklós Talmácsi appears in a charter which says that he gave his house in Välenii de Mure? to his brother-in-law, Peter “Domum suam in civitate Gyznoyo” (Entz 1994, 89). It is not known how Talmácsi obtained the market or a part of it. A data from 1322 says that the king gave new estates to him for his faithful service - he helped the king against the MARISIA XXXII. p. 193-204
