The Eighth Tribe, 1978 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1978-02-01 / 2. szám
February, 1978 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 9 means to further his centralization efforts. (Erdélyi, Magy. tört., I, p. 46). But the real developer of this administrative system was still King St. Stephen. The early royal counties were not areas with well-defined geographical borders. Rather, they were approximate regions under the sphere of influence of a particular fortress. (Hence their name: vár mesgye — vármegye — castle region.) In King Stephen’s system there was a close relationship between civil and ecclesiastical administration. In fact, the areas of the royal counties initially coincided with the archdeaconates of the various dioceses. But as the archdeaconates soon became well-defined territorial units, and the counties did not become enclosed units until the thirteenth century, the overlapping between these civil and religious administrative units ceased. The is pás (counts) were first of all centrally appointed administrators of the king’s patrimonial (“royal”) estates, which served as his primary sources of income. But in light of the close relationship between the income-producing estates and royal power, the ispáns also came to serve as exponents of royal centralization and as executors of the king’s administrative and judicial functions. Most of the work on the patrimonial (“royal”) estates was performed by the peasant population of the counties, who were generally members of the servant class. But the king was also served by a growing class of free “citizens” (civis) and “fighters” (milites), who soon came to be known collectively as the “people of the castle” (iobagiones castri, Hung.: vár jobbágyok). Most members of the class came from the ranks of the free Magyar tribesmen, and they generally were granted small estates in perpetual use. In return they were obliged to help the ispán administer and defend the fortress, and in case of need, join the royal army under the leadership of their ispán. Their close relationship to royal power enabled them to rise gradually to a privileged position. Thus, whereas most of the servants and many of the free Magyar tribesmen eventually ended up as serfs (15th-16th c.), the “people of the castle” soon came to constitute a separate class called “royal servants” (sevientes regis). Moreover, by the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries they evolved into the sizable and influential class of the lower nobility (nobiles). (Hóman, Magy. tört., I, 207-33; Heckenast, Fejedelmi szolgálónépek, 7-88.) 84 Letters to the Editor — Dear Sir: Thank you for publishing historical facts in The Eighth Tribe Joseph Kish Los Angeles, CA Gentlemen: I, as a member of The Eighth Tribe, enjoy the traditions, history, and many things that I cherish. I am doing my best to pass information along to others such as friends, relatives, etc. Please continue this very worthy magazine. Respectfully, John L. Peter Roebling, N. J. FROM THIS CORNER ... Contact, of one kind or other To visit Hungary, or any other country on the other side of the Iron Curtain is a case for apprehension. The affair of R. Toth is a case in point. One would be inclined to stay away from any country where personal free movement and civil liberty is not guaranteed by that country’s constitution. Current events have proven to us that U.S. citizenship does not assure the safety it used to. The timid behavior of our government in certain cases shows that we have come a long way since Teddy Roosevelt. A visit to Hungary is really a matter that is up to each individual. Personal contact and communication between Hungarian- Americans (young and old) and Magyars residing in the Carpathian Basin can only be beneficial. Tourism is a direct economic boost to the people of the host country. Through lodgings, meals, service, the monetary aid spreads. This rule also applies to the iron curtain countries up to a certain point. If upon leaving our visiting Yankee-Hungarian friend decides to leave most of his suits or her dresses behind, who is to suffer? Or upon visiting former Hungarian provinces gives spiritual or material aid to the cousins there, where is the problem? What if a young American visits his or her parent’s former homeland. What harm would it do? A self-assured American vocalizing his or her Hungarian background can only give a lift to the national self-awareness of our people there. A look and see behind the wall will not make a communist out of anybody. To cast a stigma on or view anyone with suspicion for
