The Eighth Tribe, 1976 (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1976-03-01 / 3. szám
March, 1976 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 7 PRO PATRIA Woodcut by Dómján The eagle was the heraldic symbol of the Rákóczi family, a wealthy family of Northeastern Hungary who received nobility in the sixteenth century fighting against the Turks. Members of the family became reigning princes of Transylvania since 1607. There were many great heroes in the family fighting for freedom against the Turks and against Habsburg suppression while their fame and wealth increased. The Dómján eagle is not a copy of the Rákóczi emblem, but an artist’s free rendering of the motif. The eagle has a crown on its head, like on the heraldic symbol; in its body are historical landmarks of Sárospatak. On the left in the corner is the gothic church as seen from a window of the bastion of Sárospatak, a small town situated on the Bodrog river in northeastern Hungary where the great Hungarian Plain and the lower mountain ranges of the Carpathian Mountains meeting; looking out from the castle tower one has a sweeping view of both. The foundation of the church goes back to the first Hungarian kings, House of Árpád. It was enlarged during the fifteenth century and became the burial place of nobel families, went through many adversities, was rebuilt again in Bárok style and is now restored. Below on the left is the Sub Rosa room —- a famous historical spot of the castle. The decoration of rose branches, and the rose in the center of the painted ceiling gave the half-circular room its name. Under this rose a famous conspiracy took place; in 1670 Ferenc Rákóczi I, a member of the Wesselényi conspiracy was holding their discussions here. Six pillars holding the ceiling (six lances) in a French play of words became silence — to warn the conspirators of this ill-fated venture. In the center of the Dómján woodcut is the scene that greets one who enters the castle court: at right towering dark the monumental “Vörös Torony,” Red Tower so called from its reddish-colored stones, built on rocks surrounded by bulwarks and a moat with a draw bridge. This part of the castle was built early during the sixteenth century altough Béla IV, King of Hungary established a series of defense towers and castles after the invasion of the Tartars and this territory was part of the defense line. Beautifully carved stone pillars, doors, coat of arms remain. Walls are 4 meters deep with windows and holes for cannons. Inside the tower there is a throne room and living quarters, below storage for grain, food, and a well. The white building with arches and the loggia named after its builder, Zsuzsánna Lorántffy, wife of György Rákóczi I, was built in 1641 in Renaissance style. A series of rooms were built and luxuriously furnished at that time. Stone carvers from Transylvania made the decorations in Renaissance style with scallops, grotesque ornaments, coat of arms; they carved pillars and door frames and mantels inside. The furniture was richly carved wood, later inlaid with mother of pearl and turtle, or painted. One sumptous closet — writing table was sent to Ferenc Rákóczi II as a gift by the Sun King, Louis XIV. On the bottom of the Dómján woodcut is the tower, Vörös Torony as seen from the Bodrog. The ground-plan of the tower is square and originally it had four small towers on top as out posts of which three remain. It must have looked so formidable that the Turks never waged assault against it; it has inner and outer defense systems, corridors, thick walls with cannon-holes, fortifications built of stone and earth. The Dómján eagle has a fish in its claws; the Bodrog river provided fish in abundance in historical times. Motives of the woodcut include roses and grapes. The eagle also has a grape in its beek. The hills around Sárospatak, this whole region is famous for its vineyards and wine — Hegyalja — since medieval times. Below the Castle, and some other buildings in town there are the Medieval barrel-vaulted wine cellars, their thick walls, beautiful and ingenious system of vaults were witnesses to a glorious past. The Dómján woodcut is titled PRO PATRIA. Ferenc Rákóczi II was born in 1676, the same year his father Ferenc Rákóczi I died, he and his little sister were taken to Vienna; he returned to Sárospatak in 1694 after his marriage, and again in 1707 when he saw in distress the results of fire and siege, he started to restaurate the castle and as reigning prince convoke Parliament to Sárospatak in the fall of 1708. In 1710, defeated, he left Hungary for exile leaving from Sárospatak. The motto of his war against the Habsburg suppressors was PRO PATRIA ET LIBERTATE. This was embroidered on his flags as he started his campaign with faithful Hungarian kuruc soldiers; his fight for home land and freedom had a tragic end; he died in exile in Turkey. Evelyn Alexandra Dómján The Eighth Tribe is greatful to Mr. Joseph Dómján lor sending us this woodcut for this special Rákóczi issue. The actual size is 14 x 21. For more information write to: Mi Joseph Dómján, West Lake Road, Tuxedo Park, N. Y. 10vu.’_ The Eighth Tribe will feature an article on his mu««... and his works in a latter issue. — Editor.
