Lakos János: A Magyar Országos Levéltár története (Budapest, 2006)
A képek jegyzéke
HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF HUNGARY Summary The publication sums up the history of a 250-year-old Hungarian institution: the National Archives of Hungary [Magyar Országos Levéltár], After dealing with the development of the Hungarian use of written records, the foundation and history of royal and other archives, the establishment and operating of orders, it analyzes the activities of the institution - reorganized during the period of civil transformation - in great details until the 1970s, and comprehensively the last three decades. As a contrast, it also presents the main archival events of significant European states. The first part summarizes the development of Hungarian written literature evolving from the year 1000, the establishment of the first medieval archives and the medieval royal archives, as well. Due to the ecclesiastical literate officers, who made the royal charters and came from the royal court of the German emperor, the general use of the Latin literacy expanded. Since in case of possessory actions, legal transactions and trial procedures the authentication went through orally, with attestants and oath in Hungary for long, during the llth-12th century charters issued by the king, the church and secular dignitaries were of small importance. In the last third of the 12th century, the significance of the use of written records increased during the reign of King Béla III, when charters started to supersede verbal administration. From the end of the 13th century, contrary to earlier periods, the issuing of records by the king, national high dignitaries, bishops, chapters, county and municipal officers took root and expanded in great quantity mainly during the reign of Anjou-kings. Possessors of records providing special rights and privileges were deeply interested in keeping their certifications. This way the function of providing rights increased the value of charters and records, and it also facilitated the establishment of archives. Primarily church organs, later towns endowed with special privileges and aristocratic families founded archives in Hungary for the sake of providing rights. Among them, the archives of loci authentici of chapters and convents played a striking role and obtained great importance from the 13th century. The establishment of the royal chancellery also promoted the development of royal archives from the 519
