Horváth M. Ferenc (szerk.): Vác The heart of the Danube Bend. A historical guide for residents and globetrotters (Vác, 2009)
Tartalom
— and seven new prebendaryships. In 1808 King Francis I granted the pectoral cross with the portrait of St Charles Borromeo to the members of the chapter. The head of the chapter was the grand provost. One of the prebends was allowed to bear the title of minor provost from 1769 onwards.) According to the agreement between Bishop Zsigmond Kollonits and the chapter reached in 1712 the revenues ofVác were to be divided in a ratio of 7 to 1 .The parties did not abide by the agreement. Asa result, a royal judgement ordered them to enter into a new contract, which also affected the subsequent fate of the town. The common estates, including the area ofVác, were divided into two parts, and two towns: Püspökvác (Bishop's Vác) and Káptalanvác (Chapter's Vác) were established, both with a council of their own. It was a unique resolution as far as the development of Hungarian towns was concerned. In addition, Kisvác (Little Vác), inhabited by Calvinist serfs and with an independent administration, was also established in 1714. Due to their disadvantageous legal status, or their“peasant-like serfhood", they had to do perform feudal duties and pay taxes in kind. In order to obtain the same rights as the “mother town" they made several attempts to be re-annexed to Püspökvác. Finally the two settlements were united in January 1770. The two landlords controlled the administration of the twin towns separately. Both Püspökvác and Káptalanvác had a leader of their own: the chief justice. The male citizens of the town elected their leader by voting for candidates for the position of chief justice reporting to the bishopric and the prebendal landowner respectively. (Small hard balls were used for voting.) The members of the inner council (senate) with 12 members were the councillors or senators, the governing body of the town. The outer council with 12-30 members control-The seal of Kisvác serf-village led the senate. In the 18th century members of the inner and the outer council were elected from among the Hungarian and the German citizens in equal numbers.The chief justice had the right to pass judgement in the name of the town in case of minor offences. Verdict was passed by the bishop's court in more serious cases involving serfs on manorial estates until 1848. This court was also known as the manorial court and it had jus gladii (literal meaning, "the power of the sword", i.e. they had legal authority to execute someone for a capital offence). The town and its inhabitants could apply to the county court and the council of the governor-general only for legal remedy. If a citizen ofVác broke the rules or the law he was judged by the town court in the first place and he could be imposed a fine,"Spanish coat" (i.e. the pillory), caned, expelled from the town or sentenced to jail. In more serious cases the manorial court imposed imprisonment; however, we have no information about any bishop-landlord ever having exercised the right of jus gladii to have anybody beheaded or burnt at the stake as a witch. Káptalanvác did not have a mayor, while Püspökvác did; as far as we know, the first one was elected in 1764. However, in accordance with the established practice, until 1871 the first person of the town was not the mayor but the chief justice. The mayor, who was usually the outgoing chief justice, assisted the newly elected chief justice with his work. Map ofVác in the second half of the 18th century
