Zalai történeti tanulmányok - Zalai gyűjtemény 42. (Zalaegerszeg, 1997)

Simon Éva: Magyar nagybirtokosok tervezetei a Kanizsával szembeni végvidék kiépítéséről

ÉVA SIMON:

HUNGARIAN ARISTOCRATS’ PLANS CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BORDERLAND OPPOSITE TO KANIZSA

Summary

The first variant of the „borderland opposite to Kanizsa” was functioning only for a short while at the turn of the 16-17th centuries on the territory of the Counties Zala and Vas which were exposed to the Turkish attacks. When the castle of Kanizsa fell into the hands of the Osmans on 21 October 1600, the greatest part of the defence line of West-Transdanubia collapsed and therefore the establishment of the borderland became necessary. But due to the local skirmishes of the Bocskai’s Insurrection, its castles lost their function and they revived only after 1606 within the new structural unit. Though this line of fortifications existed only for a short period of 4-5 years, it is worth to commemorate because its structure can be considered as unique at the beginning of the 17th century and because it was an important link towards the long-lasting borderland opposite to Kanizsa (with Egerszeg as centre), established after the Zsitvatorok Treaty.

In 1600 when this new situation arose, the War Council of Vienna consulted among others also György Zrínyi, Ferenc Nádasdy and Ferenc Batthyány - the most powerful aristocrats of the Zala-Vas area - concerning the reorganisation of the defence line. Their plans are the sources of my study to examine the alternatives of defence in the first year following the fall of Kanizsa. Their ideas are good examples for the close correlation of the squire- and military-administration which marked that era.

The new line of fortifications was established according to Ferenc Batthány’s plans in spring 1601. The aim of this borderland, along the swampy valleys of the rivers Kerka - Zala - Rába, laid manifolded out in depth, was the watching of the roads and fords. It was divided into two castle districts with Sárvár and Körmend as centres. These two castles were much of the same strength. The stipulated Hungarian military forces aggregated 1500 infantrymen and 966 mounted- soldiers. On the basis of a pay-roll of August 1601 we can learn how the plan was realised and at the same time we can get a picture about the strength of the royal forces posted in Zala and Vas Counties. According to that 1649 infantrymen and 958 mounted-soldiers were available to the area’ defence. To be able to compare these data with the contemporary Osman data needs further investigation.

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