Urbs - Magyar várostörténeti évkönyv 3. (Budapest, 2008)

Abstracts

Kolozsvár it can be said that it carried the characteristics of patriciate, even though it cannot be called a patriciate as a unit. This is so because the elite families of Kolozsvár did not form such a closed system as e.g. the burghers of Nürnberg, Breslau (Boroszló, Wroclav) or Augsburg. Their relationship with the nobility was not so close as for example in the case of the Saxon towns either. They saw as the ways of vertical mobility primarily participating in the central administrative functions and trading or acquisition of landed property. Marrying into noble families at this time was still insignificant. The slightly outlining segregation of the leading elite is based primarily on wealth and not on the basis of origin. Despite the fact that there are also cases, when they explicitly call the individual members of the town elite patricians, nevertheless, in most of the cases they were cautious and considerate political elites, who undoubtedly were held in high esteem, whose status depended on their well-doing. The possibility of the development of a Kolozsvár patriciate organised on the basis of origin was hindered by the special social structure of Transylvania as well. For the burghers of Kolozsvár - who were not protected either by the union of the three nations, or by the Saxon universitas -, acquiring noble status could mean a solution for mitigating their tax burdens. Therefore the more well-to-do families after two or three generations similarly to other towns - left the town, getting incorporated into the nobility. Wealth in itself was not identical with being a patrician. ANDRÁS PÉTER SZABÓ The patriciate of Beszterce in the first half of the seventeenth century: possible sources for an archontology The early modern era history of Transylvanian Saxons is one of the great debts of research. The purpose of the present study is to introduce the sources and lessons of the principality era governance of the town and district of Beszterce, and the temporary archontology that is prepared for the period of 1542-1660. Beszterce as the centre of north Transylvanian Saxons has a very different legal development than the rest of the Kiralyföld (Königsboden). A number of offices known in the seats (royal judge, seat judge) together with the positions of mayor and the town hosts (Stadthann) were missing. The chief judge was the leader of the town and the district, whose work was assisted by twelve juror burghers. The administration of the district - independent of the town - was represented only by 3-4 "gerébs" (Landgreb). The internal council itself and through praefectus offices of its members strongly dominated the governance of the town (and of the district). The centumvirs (Hundertmannschaft), which functioned as external council had mostly a nominal role. The body of the